Laura is a 1968 American TV film, a remake of the 1944 film of the same name. It was directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and written by Truman Capote and Thomas Phipps.[1] David Susskind produced.[2]

The film had previously been adapted for television in 1955.

Plot summary

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Cast

Production

Truman Capote was friends with Lee Radziwill who wanted to act and had made her stage debut in a revival of The Philadelphia Story. He met up with David Susskind and told him, "Lee Radiziwill is going to be an actress and I think we should all put something together for her. I'm sure that she'll be so good I'll write it for her myself."[3]

Susskind thought Radziwill "wasn't very good" in her stage performance "but I thought maybe I saw a glimmer of something in her performance. The television companies had noticed the publicity, so it looked like we could set something up."[3]

Capote wrote an adaptation of The Voice of the Turtle for her but Susskind worried it would be too difficult. So he suggested they do Laura.[4]

Michael Dyne reportedly rewrote Capote's script.[5]

The show was taped in London in October 1967. Robert Stack and George Sanders reprised roles they had performed on TV in the 1955 version.[6][3] Stack recalled in his memoirs that "the production resembled a junior high school effort."[7]

Reception

Critical reception to Radziwill's performance was hostile.[8] The Chicago Tribune called it the "worst drama" of the season in which Radziwill was "unbelievably bad".[9] Another review in The Washington Post said it was "disappointing all round."[10] The New York Times called it "so laboured and so dull that the occasion was just a laboured walk through."[11]

References

  1. ^ Clarke, Gerald. Capote: A Biography (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988), pp. 388–389.
  2. ^ Stack Will Star in 'Laura' Special Los Angeles Times 15 Sep 1967: d17.
  3. ^ a b c Laura' -- In Blue Blood New York Times 14 Jan 1968: D17.
  4. ^ Capote a Trousdale Gues Los Angeles Times 11 Sep 1967: c1.
  5. ^ Movies for TV, if You Have Price Los Angeles Times14 Sep 1967: d16.
  6. ^ A Princess for an actress Coleman, Terry. The Guardian 1 Nov 1967: 6.
  7. ^ Stack, Robert; Evans, Mark (1980). Straight shooting. Macmillan. p. 266.
  8. ^ For Lee Radziwill New York Times 1 Sep 1974: 42.
  9. ^ TV Today: Tribune Critic Picks Best Specials of Season: Steinbeck Play Called Tops, 'Laura' Poorest Gowran, Clay. Chicago Tribune 31 Mar 1968: g16
  10. ^ Much Lacking in TV's 'Laura' By Rick Du Brow. The Washington Post and Times-Herald (1959-1973); Washington, D.C. [Washington, D.C]26 Jan 1968: D10.
  11. ^ TV: Theme Song Is Still the Best Asset of 'Laura' By JACK GOULD. New York Times 25 Jan 1968: 75.

External links

Films directed by John Llewellyn Moxey
Works by Truman Capote
Categories