PICTURE, QUOTE, MOVIE #57

1.  What movie is the picture from?

2.  What movie is this quote from?

Labiche! Here's your prize, Labiche. Some of the greatest paintings in the world. Does it please you, Labiche? Give you a sense of excitement in just being near them? A painting means as much to you as a string of pearls to an ape. You won by sheer luck: you stopped me without knowing what you were doing, or why. You are nothing, Labiche -- a lump of flesh. The paintings are mine; they always will be; beauty belongs to the man who can appreciate it! They will always belong to me or to a man like me. Now, this minute, you couldn't tell me why you did what you did.

3.  What movie is this?

  It is based on the book by Howard Fast.  The star was fascinated by the novel and wanted to ease his disappointment over losing the starring role in “Ben Hur”.  When Fast proved unable to make the jump to screenwriter, noted commie Dalton Trumbo was brought in.  This was a daring move as Trumbo was, at that time, blacklisted as a member of the Hollywood Ten.  He had run afoul of the House Unamerican Activities Committee during McCarthyism and was writing screenplays under pseudonyms.  After completion of the film, the star insisted Trumbo be credited by his real name – a move that ended the blacklisting movement. Kudos!   The first director (Anthony Mann) did not meet the stars’ standards so he was replaced.  It was not exactly smooth sailing after the change.  The massive egos of the stars made each scene difficult.  The director looked back on the film with far from fond memories.  Based on his recollections, you would think the movie was terrible.  He wanted the movie to be more gritty and less a hagiography.  He wanted more battle scenes, but test audiences reacted negatively (boo!).  The movie was the most expensive to date ($12 million).