North to Alaska homage 1960 Skagway Alaska 1977 is a photograph by David Lee Guss which was uploaded on April 20th, 2013.
North to Alaska homage 1960 Skagway Alaska 1977
Director Richard Fleischer (1916-2006) spends pages in his excellent 1993 autobiography, Just Tell Me When To Cry, about his involvement (or lack... more
Title
North to Alaska homage 1960 Skagway Alaska 1977
Artist
David Lee Guss
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Director Richard Fleischer (1916-2006) spends pages in his excellent 1993 autobiography, "Just Tell Me When To Cry," about his involvement (or lack of) in the making of "Alaska."
The writers, John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin (who produced the 1966 remake of "Stagecoach"), and Fleischer couldn't dig their way out of a hole in the middle of the second act, despite days of 12 hours sessions.
John Wayne had agreed to make the film without seeing a treatment let alone a screenplay. Fleischer finally walked even though directing a Wayne picture was considered a real plumb.
Years later he finally ran into Duke in Spain when he was making "Circus World." Both "North to Alaska" and "Circus World" were directed by Henry Hathaway, Duke's "True Grit" director.
(The two writers of "Alaska" had lied and told Duke that Fleischer didn't want to work with him, not because of the story but because of Duke.)
After an evening of drinking and dining, Duke gave no indication of even knowing Fleischer.
When the fashionably late Spanish dinner commenced, Fleischer was seated next to Duke. With a smile and a stare Duke turned to him and said, "So you're the fellow who didn't want to make a movie with me."
Fleischer was floored and said no adding that "I'm the fellow who didn't want to make a bad John Wayne picture." Duke gave a sincere laugh saying that Fleischer was right and concluding, "I shouldn't have made that picture either."
All was forgiven (they even dined a few times together) and the director had thought he had made a friend in Duke.
Flash forward 9 years and Fleischer was offered a career capping job to direct Duke in "Rooster Cogburn" his follow up film to "True Grit." As usual Duke had director approval. He turned down Fleischer flat with no explanation.
Fleischer called it "John Wayne's revenge," 14 years in the making. Duke's pride had been hurt; "It was petty, it was small, it was mean. It was John Wayne."
"Women. Peculiar."...John Wayne as Sam McCord, "North to Alaska"
"George, a wonderful thing about Alaska is that matrimony hasn't hit up here yet. Let's keep it a free country."...John Wayne as Sam McCord
@2009 David Lee Guss Film homage, JW, North to Alaska, 1960, Skagway, Alaska, 1972-2008
Uploaded
April 20th, 2013
More from David Lee Guss
Comments
There are no comments for North to Alaska homage 1960 Skagway Alaska 1977. Click here to post the first comment.