Joseph L. Mankiewicz's original version of THE HONEY POT premiered in London at 150 minutes (not 152). After early reviews uniformly judged it to be overlong, United Artists insisted that it be shortened -- and the 132-minute version emerged by the time of its U.S. release. That has been the official American length (theatrical, videocassette) ever since. I live in America and do not personally know whether the 150-min. British edition remained available in the U.K. in any format; but this year I finally managed to see that fabled longer version for the first time.
Mankiewicz is one of my favorite writer/directors. Despite its obscurity, THE HONEY POT is one of my favorites among his work. So many great films which got re-edited by their studios have revealed themselves to have been even better in their directors' untampered versions (such as THE WILD BUNCH, CROSS OF IRON, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, and Mankiewicz's CLEOPATRA, for a few) that for decades I longed to discover how much richer his own cut of HONEY POT might have been.
I have to say that on a single viewing so far, the longer version of HONEY POT is a sharp disappointment. The 132-minute cut drops a small number of complete scenes; but the greatest difference is judicious trimming of stray dialogue and footage from sequences that otherwise remain in the movie, but tightened and strongly improved. (I recall only a single sequence which I wish had survived: a brief, beautiful, and nonverbal montage of how time passed around the Fox palazzo before Sarah discovers the murder.)
As such a true admirer of JLM, I regret that none of the books, interviews, or histories I've read have specified whether UA took this film away from the director, or if he actually created the shorter, superior version himself when ordered. I haven't taken the time for a second viewing yet; but after I've done so, I'll return to post a detailed accounting of differences between the 132- and 150-minute editions.
Most great films deserve a more appreciative audience than they get.
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jackharbor43
10 years ago
Thank you so much for this. Fascinating. Please do tell us more when you get the chance.
Books talk about dream sequences for all 3 ladies, and 4th wall breaking (actors explaining their motivations, studio memos appearing onscreen) but from what you've said, it looks like this was abandoned early on.
Where did you manage to find a copy of the 150 minute film
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ScopeWatcher
8 years ago
I apologize to jackharbor43, as well as to any other interested members, for my completely unintended delay. It's already a shameful two years now since I promised a detailing of these two separate editions of THE HONEY POT. I propose to get the facts public here this year for sure, as long as I don't die first!
But for now, what I'll be referencing is a British 16mm celluloid print of the picture I acquired which -- unexpectedly but delightedly -- turned out to be a surviving copy apparently made before the re-editing occurred. And I confirm that the long-discussed dream/fantasy sequences and memos sliding onscreen do not appear in this first-release version.
The 150-minute edition contains at least five entire scenes or sequences that are not included in the standard 132-minute length. For example, the short version's separate, elegant introductions of Merle McGill and Princess Dominique beneath voiceover excerpts of Fox's letters to each: Those replaced entire dialogue sequences that originally featured Herschel Bernardi as Merle's agent, Oscar, and Massimo Serato as Dominique's husband. The deleted footage is fascinating to watch -- yet I think the shorter replacements work even better dramatically. (Curiously, the Kino Lorber Blu-ray released in the USA last year retains end-cast credits for both Bernardi and Serato, although neither appears in the 132-minute version presented on the disc.)
But I'll return to make good on my promise!
Most great films deserve a more appreciative audience than they get.
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