MovieChat Forums > Anatomy of a Murder (1959) Discussion > Lana, Kim or Lee

Lana, Kim or Lee

posted 12 years ago by AndersonWhitbeck
6 replies | jump to latest

Lana Turner was supposed to play the wife but left the film after a row with Otto Preminger who claimed La Turner was miffed at the wardrboe assigned. Jean Louis was the head designer at Columbia and would have crafted an appropriate wardrobe and Lana was quoted as saying "I Would Never Leave A Picture" for such a trivial matter as Costume"

James Stewart worked with Kim Novak then the biggest star at Columbia on Bell Book and Candle and on Kim's loanout to Paramount for Vertigo, and Otto Preminger directed Kim so well on her loanout to RKO for The Man With The Golden Arm. In short Stewart and Novak and Preminger and Novak remained life long friends, one wonders why Preminger did not cast Novak in this film; the only reason I can think of is that Kim was working on another film.

Lee Remick did a good job as the Wife and Preminger noted he wanted her even before Lana was cast and one wonders if he chased Lana Turner off the film over the costume row.

Lee Remick raised eyebrows years later when she took over Marilyn Mornoe's part in Somethings Got To Give after Kim Novak, Doris Day and Shirley MacLaine all turned that part down due to deference to MM. As we all know Marilyn eventuallyw as rehired by 20th.

[–] ecarle 12 years ago

Given the nature of the story, the somewhat matronly(then) Lana Turner never seemed right for that role to me -- though I understand in the real case, the wife was older than the Army husband, maybe that was part of the "dynamic."

I haven't heard of Kim Novak even being considered so perhaps she had other obligations. Lee Remick -- fairly new and known from "A Face in the Crowd" seemed just right, didn't she?

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I recall when Lee Remick took "Something's Gotta Give" co-star Dean Martin issued a press release saying that while he would love to work with Remick on another film, he had signed onto "Something" at MM's request and would not work without her. MM got rehired and died -- and Doris Day indeed did the final version of the film, with James Garner instead of Dino, and the title "Move Over Darling."

[–] js5905 12 years ago

was this after johnny stompanato? I think she would have a lot of guts even considering a role like this. perhaps Preminger wanted to play off the two?

[–] pullman1881 12 years ago

Lana Turner was too old and the wrong "type". I though Lee Remick was perfect in the role and can't image anyone else. I was never a fan of Kim Novak - I think she was a terrible actor. I mean, did you ever see Picnic? Why would William Holden even give her a second look. I don't get it.

[–] Quarantino_II 11 years ago

Vertigo (1958)

- Murder story
- Stewart is hired by a dude and deals a lot with the dude's wife
- Features trial scenes
- Opening credits by Saul Bass

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

- Murder story
- Stewart is hired by a dude and deals a lot with the dude's wife
- Features trial scenes
- Opening credits by Saul Bass

I could also write a huge list of differences between the two, but your question was why Preminger didn't use Novak, and my point was that the pairing had been used the year before in a somewhat similar dynamic. It's possible that Preminger didn't want to look like he was following in Hitchcock's footsteps. Hitchcock himself never paired up any of his favorite actors twice, he liked to mix and match Peck, Bergman, Kelly, Stewart, Hedren, Grant etc. Also, perhaps Preminger wanted to make his own A-list star. Remick had only been co-starring in 3 movies, none of them were hits, so here was his chance.

[–] imbluzclooby 11 years ago

By 1959, Lana was in her menopausal state and was shedding her Bombshell persona into a sort of an Ice Queen. She was about 10 years too old for this role.

[–] elisedfr 10 years ago

I'm very glad Lana did not act the part. I loved her in The Postman Always Rings Twice and in The Bad and the Beautiful, but in 1959 she would have been too old to play sexy, flirtatious Laura. Or it would have affected the part, becoming those of a more mature and experienced woman with an age difference with her husband (Ben Gazzara's character is supposed to be 28 in the movie).
Also the fact she wanted Jean Louis gowns kinda ruined Laura's style and its credibility. She was supposed to be the housewife of a lieutenant, living on the move, with a fond spot for tight and modern clothes.

Kim Novak would have been good for the part, I guess, but maybe a tad too eathereal. Anyway, I can't think of a better actress for it than Lee. She managed to be youthful and streetwise, sexy and spontaneous, touching, disturbing and funny time after time. Kinda reminded me of Audrey Hepburn's appeal in Breakfast at Tiffany's- sensual but fresh.
Plus, great chemistry with Stewart and Gazzara.

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