Production Algiers (film)

algiers

the first version of script algiers rejected breen office because leading ladies both portrayed kept women, , because of references prostitution, promiscuity of lead character , suicide @ end of film, directed changed being shot instead of killing himself.

backgrounds , exteriors film shot in algiers photographer named knechtel, based in london. these photographs later integrated film cinematographer james wong howe.

mgm had considered ingrid bergman, dolores del río, , sylvia sidney female lead, but, boyer tells it, met hedy lamarr @ party , introduced wanger possibility co-lead. cromwell says lamarr not act. after ve been in business time, can tell enough right when meet them. sense inadequacy, wanger sense it, , see boyer getting worried before started talking behind hedy s … word personality interchangeable presence although aren t same thing. principle applies, , hedy had no personality. how think become second garbo? … ll take credit making acting passable can share credit boyer fifty-fifty.

boyer did not enjoy work on algiers. actor never likes copy s style, said, , here copying jean gabin, 1 of best. director cromwell run scene original , insist way — terrible, terrible way work. cromwell, however, said boyer never appreciated how different own pepe gabin s. boyer showed genius make different. triumph of nuance. shots same, dialogue has same meaning, boyer s pepe , gabin s pepe 2 different fellows in same predicament.