Scalawag (film)

Scalawag is a 1973 film directed by Kirk Douglas, his first of two films directed, the other being Posse. The film is a western re-telling of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Scalawag
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKirk Douglas
Written bySid Fleischman
Albert Maltz
StarringKirk Douglas
Mark Lester
Neville Brand
Music byJohn Cameron
CinematographyJack Cardiff
Edited byJohn C. Howard
Antonietta Zita
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • 1973 (1973)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Cast

Production

The film was based on an original story by Albert Maltz. It was announced in 1966 and was going to be a co production between Kirk Douglas' Joel Production and Malcolm Stuart's Coldwater Productions. Douglas would star. It would be the first time Maltz would receive screen credit in 19 years.[1]

Filming was delayed. Douglas formed his own company to make it and raised the money. He hired his wife as producer, his son as stills photographer and another son as office boy. "So if this film stinks we've got the whole Douglas family to blame," said Douglas. He added, "My phone doesn't ring any more. I have to find my own work."[2]

In 1972 Douglas said he would produce and direct it as well as star and that the script was by Sid Fleischman. Filming was to start in Yugoslavia in June 1972.[3] By May the cast included Mark Lester, Lesley Ann Down and Danny DeVito.[4] Douglas said he rewrote the screenplay.[5]

"I wanted to get back the old feeling of movies I experienced as a kid," said Douglas, "pirates, derring-do, people getting killed, but you don't see any blood."[6]

"It's a version of Treasure Island set in the old West on horseback," said Douglas. "There's adventure, violence, and there's romance - a girl sings a romantic song while dreaming of a good looking guy. Yes it's old fashioned but that's what I liked as a kid. I guess I haven't lost either my love of romance or my sense of innocence."[7]

Douglas said, "There was no pretentiousness about" the shoot. "We lived under primitive conditions with no toilets and learned one Yugoslavian phrase to save our lives - 'Bex bela luka'. That means 'no garlic'. You see old movies on the Late Show and everybody asks why they don't make movies like that anymore. Critics have made it fashionable to be pretentious and incoherent."[8]

References
  1. Martin, Betty (24 June 1966). "Kirk Douglas will produce and star in 'Scalawag'". LA Times. Los Angeles, California. p. c13.
  2. Rex, Reed (4 March 1973). "Rex Reed reports: Doin' what comes naturally, Kirk takes on Mr. Hyde". Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. p. e8.
  3. Haber, Joyce (28 May 1972). "New Hollywood even in London". LA Times. Los Angeles, California. p. f10.
  4. Murphy, Mary (31 May 1972). "MOVIE CALL SHEET: Katharine Ross in 'Kill' With Garner". LA Times. Los Angeles, California. p. h10.
  5. Rex, Reed (4 March 1973). "Rex Reed reports: Doin' what comes naturally, Kirk takes on Mr. Hyde". Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. p. e8.
  6. Rex, Reed (4 March 1973). "Rex Reed reports: Doin' what comes naturally, Kirk takes on Mr. Hyde". Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. p. e8.
  7. Siskel, Gene (17 October 1973). "Kirk's Innocent". Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. pp. b8.
  8. Rex, Reed (4 March 1973). "Rex Reed reports: Doin' what comes naturally, Kirk takes on Mr. Hyde". Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Tribune. p. e8.
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