Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Gee LP (A) on August 03, 2005 at 19:22:11

In Reply to: Laura-------- posted by patrickU on August 3, 2005 at 05:31:35:

In his interview for the book "Behind the Camera", cinematographer Lucien Ballard talked about his experience shooting "Laura" with director Rouben Mamoulian. Ballard said that when the rushes began to show just how good a film "Laura" was going to be, producer Preminger fired Mamoulian and Ballard, hired Joseph LaShelle as a new cinematographer, and took the directing reins himself. Ballard was not happy that LaShelle won an Oscar for the cinematography, claiming that the film was well over half finished when the firings took place.

Other sources claim studio head Daryl Zanuck fired Mamoulian and Ballard, and that their footage was reshot with new sets, costumes...and even a new painting of Laura (to replace the one painted by Mamoulian's wife)!

"Laura" apparently had as much intrigue offscreen as on. Whatever the truth is, a great movie was the result.