1973 American film directed by Jud Taylor
Fade In is a 1973 American Western film starring Burt Reynolds, who said, "It should have been called Fade Out."[2]
Production
In a 1973 interview with writer Emory Lewis, playwright Mart Crowley stated, "I did write one film, Fade-In, with Barbara Loden and Burt Reynolds in starring roles. However, it was butchered by other writers. It was never released. I paid Paramount $1700 to take my name off the project."[3]
Filming started in July 1967[4] and was shot at the same time as the Western Blue on the same location in Moab, Utah, using some footage from that movie although it had a separate story, cast and crew.[5] Judd Bernard, who produced both, said "Both pictures are either going to be great or be disaster areas. There will be no middle ground with either one."[1] Parts of the film were shot at Professor Valley, Castle Valley, Hittle Bottom, Moab, Dead Horse Point, and Arches in Utah.[6]
It was the first Hollywood made film to show someone taking a contraception pill.[7]
It was the first film to be released credited to the pseudonym Alan Smithee (though the onscreen credit reads, "Allen Smithee"). The pseudonym had been created for Death of a Gunfighter, but that film was not released until the following year.
Reception
"It was screened for Bob Evans at Paramount and I think he locked it up in chains", said Reynolds years later. "It's never been heard from since."[8]
Five years after its intended release, Fade-In premiered on television on The CBS Late Movie on November 8, 1973.
"It's the best thing I've ever done", Reynolds added. "An American version of A Man and a Woman."[9]
Films credited as having been directed by Alan Smithee
Films directed by Jud Taylor
