I just happened to come upon this site by accident. I saw this movie years ago aboard my Navy ship (probably around 1971). I just remember it being rather silly, with a strange, inconclusive ending. I don't think it even made it to the theaters. I saw an interview with George C. Scott years later, and he said it was a huge bomb! Sorry guys...!
If George C. Scott judges a film's worth by it's financial success, he's been in plenty of bombs. Joanne Woodward doesn't have happy memories of this film either. I once told her it was one of my favorites and she looked at me as if my last relative had just died. But both parties had interest in the material while it was still a play. Scott (with Colleen Dewhurst) had at one point taken an option on the property, and the film was something of a Newman family project. They must have seen something there.
Both actors may have been speaking from frustration and disappointment. Many actors will tell you that the film they signed on for is not the same film we end up seeing. The studio seems not to have had much faith in the property as written and pretty much mangled it. Too little time and money, too much editing and re-arranging, too much second-guessing the screenplay, all of this hurt the finished film. It happens often.
George C. Scott actually considered this to be one of his best films and it was because of this that he was dissapointed it didn't do better financially. As the last post said the studio just didn't get what the film was all about and let it die.
Thanks for your comments everyone. I only saw it once but it just seemed silly. Maybe it was a good play that didn't tranfer well to the screen, and I do remember a critic criticising the ending (what exactly is supposed to happen?). Scott was involved in many bombs I guess, one of my biggest disappointments was "Islands in the Stream". They came so close to capturing the spirit of Hemingway's novel, then they changed the ending from a glorious one to a stupid one, and they lost the audience in the process (see my comments at that site).
It was not a big box office success probably because it is undefined as to genre. People like to KNOW what is is they are watching and this film doesn't give you that... which is why so many people really love it.
It is a great accomplishment and don't think the principals didn't know that. Even if they didn't like it, remember, John Lennon didn'tthink much of Abbey Road or several Beatles albums their fans love.
hmmm... just because a movie doesn't make a lot of money at the box office doesn't mean it is not good... IMHO this is George C. Scotts best acting performance he was sensational in this picture and Joanne Woodward was also very very good.
This movie prob isn't for everyone- I think the people that think it is silly or bad just didn't get it- because it is such a wonderful delightfully tragic story/movie. It is too bad very few people will ever see this classic.
Just keep saying to yourself "I'm adequate." ---Sherlock Holmes from They Might be Giants
Generally a Hollywood smash popcorn movie is one for people with no brains. Sadly there are many of these films and too little like They Might Be Giants. And for that reason, the general public can't or doesn't want to think in a movie theater, they just want action, of which of course this film has little. Personally the fact the film was not a smash hit means nothing to me. It was and still is a great film.