Vincente Minnelli | |
|---|---|
 Vincente Minnelli, circa 1950s | |
| Born | Lester Anthony Minnelli[1] (1903-02-28)February 28, 1903 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 25, 1986(1986-07-25) (aged 83) |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1919–1976 |
| Notable work | |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2, includingLiza Minnelli |
Vincente Minnelli (/ˈvɪnsənt/ ⓘ; bornLester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an Americanstage director and film director. From a career spanning over half a century, he is best known for his sophisticated innovation and artistry inmusical films. As of 2025[update], six of his films have been selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registry.[a]
Born in Chicago, Minnelli made his stage debut as an actor in a production ofEast Lynne, staged by the Minnelli Brothers' Tent Theater (co-founded by his father and paternal uncle). After he graduated from high school, Minnelli began his theatrical career as a costume designer for theBalaban and Katz theater chain. In 1932, Minnelli moved to New York and worked for theRadio City Music Hall, where he later became the venue's art director. OnBroadway, Minnelli directed numerous theatrical musicals, includingAt Home Abroad (1935), which starredBeatrice Lillie andEleanor Powell. In 1937, Minnelli briefly worked forParamount Pictures, but then returned to Broadway.
In 1940, Minnelli was hired byArthur Freed to work forMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), where he directed sequences inBabes on Broadway (1941) andPanama Hattie (1942). He made his directorial film debut withCabin in the Sky (1943). A year later, Minnelli directedMeet Me in St. Louis (1944) starringJudy Garland. He married Garland a year later, and their daughterLiza was born in 1946. He subsequently directed Garland inThe Clock (1945),Ziegfeld Follies (1945) andThe Pirate (1948). He divorced Garland in 1951.
Throughout the 1950s, Minnelli directed numerous comedies, dramas and musicals, includingFather of the Bride (1950),An American in Paris (1951),The Bad and the Beautiful (1952),Lust for Life (1956) andGigi (1958).An American in Paris andGigi respectively both won theAcademy Award for Best Picture, with Minnelli winning theBest Director Oscar for the latter film. For over 26 years, Minnelli became the longest-tenured film director for MGM.[3]
By 1962, Minnelli's relationship with MGM worsened due to the commercial failures ofThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse andTwo Weeks in Another Town. He formed his production company called Venice Productions, partnering with MGM and20th Century Fox onThe Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) andGoodbye Charlie (1964). He directed his final filmA Matter of Time (1976), starring his daughter Liza. Ten years later, in 1986, Minnelli died at his Beverly Hills residence, at age 83.
Lester Anthony Minnelli was born on February 28, 1903, to Marie Émilie Odile Lebeau and Vincent Charles Minnelli.[4] He was baptized in Chicago, and was the youngest of four known sons, only two of whom survived to adulthood. His mother, whose stage name was Mina Gennell,[5] was born in Chicago. She was ofFrench-Canadian descent, and there is a likelihood ofAnishinaabe lineage through her mother, who was born onMackinac Island, Michigan.[6] His father co-founded the Minnelli Brothers' Tent Theater, serving as themusical conductor. Both had met each other at a musical revue; although they initially argued over her accompaniment, they grew closer and were married in November 1894. Following the marriage, she joined the Minnelli Brothers troupe.[7][8]
His paternal grandfather, Vincenzo Minnelli, and grand-uncle, Domenico Minnelli, bothSicilianrevolutionaries, were forced to leaveSicily after the collapse of the provisional Sicilian government that arose from the1848 revolution againstFerdinand II and Bourbon rule. Domenico Minnelli had been Vice-Chancellor of the Gran Corte Civile inPalermo at the time he helped organize the January 12, 1848, uprising there.[9] After the Bourbon return to power Vincenzo reportedly hid in thecatacombs of Palermo for 18 months before being successfully smuggled onto a New York-bound fruitsteamer.[10]
At three years old, Minnelli made his debut stage performance portraying Little Willie inEast Lynne, alongside his mother performing dual roles as Lady Isabel and Madame Vine.[11] During the performance, Minnellibroke character when his character was supposed to have died.[12] His family moved toDelaware, Ohio, where he spent the first three years of high school at St. Mary's. Since St. Mary's had no twelfth grade, he spent his last year at Willis High School[1] inDelaware, graduating at 16 years of age.[13] There, he appeared in a school production ofH.M.S. Pinafore and starred inThe Fortune Hunter at the Delaware Opera House.[14]
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Following his high school graduation, Minnelli moved to Chicago, where he lived briefly with his maternal grandmother Le Beau and his aunt Amy. In search of a job, Minnelli took his portfolio of watercolor paintings to theMarshall Field'sdepartment store. Arthur Valair Fraser, the store's display director, reviewed his portfolio and hired him immediately as an apprenticewindow dresser.[15] There, the store windows were changed four times a year with elaborate themes matched to each corresponding season. Minnelli was first assigned to design the men's store, but he instead asked to design windows on Wabash Avenue where furniture and decorative antique items were frequently rearranged.[16] Meanwhile, Minnelli enrolled in theArt Institute of Chicago with personal ambitions to become a painter. However, he dropped out due to his lack of interest in the curriculum.[17]
By the 1920s,[18] Minnelli was working at Marshall Field's. There, a blind female customer arrived to rent stage props for the Radical Playhouse. She asked him to join their acting group where they were performing one-act plays byEugene O'Neill. Minnelli agreed, and read for the part of a retired sea captain in O'Neill'sWhere the Cross is Made.[19][20] He disliked this acting job, but remained a frequent attendee ofChicago's theatre district. In his spare time, he painted watercolor sketches of contemporary theatre actors, includingIna Claire andMary Nash. Encouraged by his friends, Minnelli sold his paintings backstage, and earned enough money to live on his own. One night, while selling his artwork backstage, he was approached by Paul Stone, who admired Minnelli's pictorial composition. "If you can do this sort of thing, you can become a fine photographer," Stone told him.[21]
Minnelli left his Marshall Field's job, and worked for Stone as an assistant photographer. Stone specialized in photographing actors and socialites from Chicago's theater district at theatrical luminaries, society matrons and wedding parties.[19][22] At Stone's Raymor studio, Minnelli photographed numerous celebrities, including Ina Claire, where he coaxed them into capturing their best angles. Minnelli reflected, "Stone's photography was soft, but in sharp focus, so that it could reproduce on the printed page. This taught me a way of creating mood."[23] Months later, Stone suffered anervous breakdown, and Minnelli assumed his photography duties. Feeling he was not suited for photography as a profession, Minnelli grew dissatisfied and began readingElizabeth andJoseph Pennell's 1911 biography ofJames McNeill Whistler, an American painter. Inspired by Whistler's art techniques, Minnelli immersed himself inimpressionist andsurrealist painters, such asHenri Matisse,Marcel Duchamp,Max Ernst andSalvador Dalí. He also admired the experimental films ofJean Cocteau andLuis Buñuel, and the writings ofSigmund Freud.[22] Around this time, Minnelli dropped Lester from his name, replacing it with "Vincente"; he added the final "e" in order to seem more sophisticated and elegant.[24]
Next, Minnelli approached Frank Cambria, who headed theChicago Theatre, which was a part of theBalaban and Katz theater chain. He told Cambria that he should open his own costume department, and allow him to run it. Cambria took Minnelli toA. J. Balaban's office, where he was hired as acostume andset designer.[25] Assigned to give the stage productions "a custom touch", Minnelli was shocked the costume department operated on meager budgets. At the time, theatre productions ran one week at the Chicago Theatre where the sets and costumes were disassembled and reused at theTivoli andUptown Theatre.[26]
In 1931, Balaban and Katz merged with theParamount-Publix theater chain, and Minnelli was asked to work on New York stage productions for $150 a week. He left Chicago and rented a tinyGreenwich Village apartment. At Paramount, Minnelli worked exclusively in costumes, and was prevented from designing sets because he wasn't in the set designers' union. He was eventually accepted into the union membership thanks to sponsorship from J. Woodman Thompson, a prominent stage designer.[27] His first Broadway assignment was designing the show curtain forEarl Carroll's 1931 edition of theVanities musical revue. Taking inspiration fromLéon Bakst's designs for theBallets Russes, Minnelli fashioned a 300 feet (91 m)–tall green and silver curtain to accompany theArt Deco theatrical style. Impressed, Carroll rehired Minnelli as a costume and set designer for the 1932Vanities.[28][29]
By this time,Grace Moore asked Minnelli to supervise the art direction for the operetta,The Dubarry. During rehearsals, Minnelli and Moore had creative differences but remained cordial. The operetta hadtryouts inBoston, and premiered in New York in November 1932 where it ran for 87 performances.[30] Based on his success, Paramount executives selected him for costume and set design for the 1933 edition ofZiegfeld Follies. However, by 1933, Paramount-Publix filed for bankruptcy protection, in whichAdolph Zukor firedB. P. Schulberg as the studio's head of production and began a corporate restructuring.[31] Paramount's East Coast studios were relocated toAstoria, New York, but it was decided theirtouring theatre unit was no longer profitable and was closed down in favor of touringbig bands.[32]
In December 1932, Minnelli was hired as the chief costume designer for the newly-openedRadio City Music Hall. On Thursday nights every week, the Music Hall held a lavish stage performance bythe Roxettes before the one-week run for a film. Each week, Minnelli, art director Clark Robinson, and dance director Russell Markert had their rehearsals harshly criticized by theatre impresarioSamuel "Roxy" Rothafel. Robinson immediately resigned after one heated exchange with Rothafel, who then selected Minnelli as the new art director.[33] Minnelli was the designer of the "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers", a piece that is still performed today byThe Rockettes in theirChristmas Spectacular.[34] In July 1933, Minnelli designed the "Water Lily" ballet, a Cuban potpourri illustrated with a backdrop offighting cocks, a Big Top interior for a circus number, and aRue de la Paix dress shop to display the Roxettes.[35] In December 1933, Minnelli art-directed a production of theScheherazade suite byNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. His efforts were applauded in the mainstream press, includingThe New York Times andNew York Herald Tribune.[36][37]
Rothafel was later fired by the theater's board management, having received complaints of his abrasive management style.[38] Rothafel was replaced by W. G. Van Schmus, and in 1934, he selected Minnelli to produce his first stage show titledCoast to Coast, which opened on October 25. Accompanied with music fromE. Y. Harburg andDuke Ellington, the show displayed several sets, illustrating theFrench Riviera, theBritish Gold Coast,Ivory Coast and theBarbary Coast. Backstage, Minnelli was offered a directing job byLee Shubert for his stage company.[39] Despite the offer, Minnelli continued working for Radio City Music Hall until he left in April 1935. After months of considering, he joined Shubert's organization, signing a contract to produce three musical shows over eighteen months.[40]
While working forMessrs. Shubert, Minnelli directedAt Home Abroad, with music composed byArthur Schwartz andHoward Dietz. StarringBeatrice Lillie,Ethel Waters, andEleanor Powell, the Broadway musical centered on a married couple who flee the United States, and travel across Europe, Africa,Japan, and theWest Indies. The musical had a try-out in Boston and opened at theWinter Garden Theatre on September 19, 1935.[41] In hisNew York Times review,Brooks Atkinson praised Minnelli's efforts, writing: "Without resorting to opulence he has filled the stage with rich, glowing colors that give the whole work an extraordinary loveliness. Nothing quite so exhilarating as this has borne the Shubert seal before."[42]
WhileAt Home Abroad continued its Broadway run, Minnelli returned to costume and scenic design for theZiegfeld Follies of 1936, starringFannie Brice.John Murray Anderson was the director, but during rehearsals, he transferred directing duties to Minnelli. To update the show's look from previousFollies, whose costumes drew from theLouis XVI period, Minnelli used the1880s as inspiration for the hair styles and elegant costumes.[43] Opening on January 30, 1936, theZiegfeld Follies was a commercial success, running for five months and reopened for another five months after a summer hiatus. Minnelli was not involved in the revival, but instead chose to direct a musical revue titledThe Show Is On. Minnelli devised an original story, featuring new songs from a team ofTin Pan Alley lyricists. The show premiered on Christmas Day 1936 and ran for 237 performances during its initial run.[44] A reprise opened in September 1937 and played for two weeks.[45]
Based on his Broadway success, Hollywood had taken notice of Minnelli as a rising director.Samuel Goldwyn tentatively approached Minnelli to directThe Goldwyn Follies (1938), and in 1937,Paramount Pictures offered him a contract to produce and direct films.[46] Although he was initially reluctant,[47] Minnelli accepted the offer and was paid $2,500 a week. His first project wasTimes Square, a mystery film set on Broadway.Leo Birinski was hired to write the script, with the plot detailing characters venturing throughout various musical numbers from Broadway shows to piece together vital clues.[48] Minnelli also proposed a surrealist ballet featuring Paramount's contract actors, and held conversations withKurt Weill about a potential musical film.[49] Minnelli discussed the project withAdolph Zukor, the head of Paramount, but he was uninterested; discussions withWilliam LeBaron, the studio's head of production, did not move the project forward.[48]
Meanwhile, Minnelli proposed the titleShall We Dance (1937) for theFred Astaire–Ginger Rogers film. He consulted onRaoul Walsh's 1937 filmArtists and Models devising the "Public Melody No. 1" number, featuringLouis Armstrong andMartha Raye.[49]
After six months of negotiating, Minnelli was released from his contract and returned to Broadway. Lee Shubert offered him the musicalHooray for What!, which starredEd Wynn and featured music and lyrics byHarold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg. Minnelli was given only three months for preparation before its premiere on December 1, 1937. The musical was well-received,[50] withLife magazine calling it "the funniest show of the year."[51]Time magazine also applauded: "Sharing credit with Wynn for the show's success is able Vincente Minnelli, trained in the hard school of movie stage-shows, who directed it and designed the scenery."[52]
Inspired by the musicalsPins and Needles andFour Saints in Three Acts, Minnelli began developing a surrealist fantasy titledThe Light Fantastic, with Beatrice Lillie in mind to star. He offered her four musical numbers and four sketches outlining his vision, but Lillie, then in England, did not respond in time. He then shifted to a musicalization ofS. N. Behrman's playSerena Blandish, wanting to feature Black American actors.Cole Porter was hired to write the musical score. Sid Perelman wrote the libretto, whileLena Horne read for the title role. After six months of development, Minnelli abandoned the project.[53] Exhausted, Minnelli took a sabbatical break until producer Max Gordon offered him the direction ofVery Warm for May.Oscar Hammerstein II andJerome Kern were hired to write the lyrics and compose the musical score, respectively. Pleased with the musical's first act, Minnelli unsuccessfully tried to rearrange the second act. The musical opened at theAlvin Theatre on November 17, 1939,[54] with musical critic Brooks Atkinson writing in his review that Minnelli had not "solved the confusion of the story."[55]
William Saroyan's playThe Time of Your Life had opened three weeks before and was well-regarded. Minnelli became friends with Saroyan and they partnered on a black surrealist musical comedy, withRichard Rodgers andLorenz Hart composing the score. Saroyan was unable to refine his script to be suitably succinct and exited the project.[56]
During the spring of 1940, Harburg broughtArthur Freed into Minnelli's studio on East 54th Street.[57] There, Freed suggested he should work forMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Minnelli was hesitant at first because of his unfruitful tenure at Paramount. After a discussion, Minnelli agreed to be paid $300 a week.[58] On April 2, 1940, Minnelli began working for MGM.[59] In 1941, he did minor consulting work, which included critiquingNorman Z. McLeod'sLady Be Good (1941) and advisingPandro Berman to change the beginning ofRio Rita (1942). Sometime later, he was brought ontoPanama Hattie (1942), filmed by McLeod, which had received lackluster responses during test screenings. In reaction, Freed hiredRoy Del Ruth to film reshoots and Minnelli to direct the musical numbers featuringLena Horne.[60]
Meanwhile, Minnelli visited the set forStrike Up the Band (1940), starringMickey Rooney andJudy Garland. Freed mentioned they needed a musical number for a scene where Rooney's character aspires to be likePaul Whiteman, a bandleader. Minnelli suggested using a bowl of fruits, having spotted one on set.[61] Freed liked the idea and hired Henry Fox to create a tabletop,[62] whileGeorge Pal provided thestop motion animation of the musicians made of fruit. During filming, Minnelli met Garland, who had just turned 18 years old, for the first time.[63] Minnelli subsequently worked onBusby Berkeley'sBabes on Broadway (1941), which also starred Rooney and Garland, for the "Ghost Theater" sequence. Minnelli suggested they imitate veteran Broadway stars, but Berkeley rejected the idea.[64]
In 1942, Freed offered Minnelli the direction ofCabin in the Sky (1943). Minnelli accepted, writing he "interpreted the assignment, with more freedom than I'd dreamed possible, as just reward for past contributions."[65] Based on the 1940 musical byVernon Duke andJohn La Touche,Cabin in the Sky tells the story of Petunia (Ethel Waters), a devout woman, who prays for the soul of her gambler-husband "Little" Joe Jackson (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson).[66]
Filming began in August 1942, with only Waters andRex Ingram reprising their Broadway roles. Lena Horne was cast as Georgia Brown, a seductive woman who tempts Jackson.[67] During production, Minnelli shot a musical number, "Ain't It the Truth," featuring Horne in a bubble bath.Joseph Breen of theMotion Picture Production Code objected to the scene, which was then excised from the film.[68] Modestly budgeted at under $700,000,Cabin in the Sky earned $1.6 million at the box office.[69]
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Three weeks after he finished filmingCabin in the Sky, Minnelli was assigned to directI Dood It (1943), starringRed Skelton andEleanor Powell. Del Ruth was the film's original director but he had been drafted into theUnited States Army, leaving the film unfinished, and MGM dissatisfied with his cut.[70] The film's producerJack Cummings hoped Minnelli would inject his style into the film. Onboard as director, Minnelli hiredSig Herzig andFred Saidy to rewrite the script.[71]
In the film, a loose remake ofSpite Marriage (1929), Skelton plays Joseph Renolds, a tailor's assistant, who becomes enamored with Constance Shaw (Powell), a Broadway star, and attends every performance of her Civil War melodrama. Shaw impulsively marries Renolds to spite her lover (Richard Ainley).[72] Herzig and Saidy updated the plot by having Skelton's character revealJohn Hodiak's character to be a spy for theAxis powers.[70]
Between projects, Minnelli directed Lena Horne in her "Honeysuckle Rose" segment inThousands Cheer (1943).[73]
ForMeet Me in St. Louis (1944), Freed again hired Minnelli to direct. Framed around the four seasons, the film tells of the Smith family and their conflicts, with the conclusion focused on the family's celebration of the1904 St. Louis World's Fair.[74] Judy Garland was cast as Esther Smith, though she felt her role would be overshadowed byMargaret O'Brien, who was portraying Tootie. Principal photography began on December 7, 1943 though continued filming was frequently delayed by Garland's tardiness and claims of illness.[75]
Determined to have Garland's physical beauty showcased, Minnelli requested make-up artist Dorothy Ponedel be assigned to Garland. Ponedel refined Garland's appearance, which included extending and reshaping her eyebrows, changing her hairline, modifying her lip line and removing her nose discs and dental caps. Filming wrapped on April 7, 1944.[76] During filming, Garland and Minnelli had some creative differences, though Garland grew closer to him after she saw in thedailies how good he made her look. (At the time, Garland was estranged from her husbandDavid Rose, and had just ended an affair with producerJoseph L. Mankiewicz.)[77] Premiering in November 1944, the film received universal critical acclaim and exceeded box office expectations,[78] earning $7.6 million worldwide during its initial run.[79][80]
Meanwhile, the 1945 musicalZiegfeld Follies was in production withGeorge Sidney as the film's initial director. The film featured several musical numbers from theZiegfeld Follies musical revues, starring many of MGM's contracted talents. Midway through filming, Sidney asked to leave the production and Minnelli was hired to finish filming.[81] Garland's segment was shot in July 1944,[77] with principal photography concluding in August. Minnelli directed a total of ten segments, with the remaining four directed by Sidney,Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth, andRobert Lewis.[82]
The Clock (1945) was Garland's first straight dramatic film after starring in several musical films.Fred Zinnemann was initially hired to direct the film. By August 1944, he was removed at Garland's request after they could not get along. When Freed asked who she wanted to replace him, Garland requested Minnelli to direct.[83] Minnelli accepted the assignment on two conditions: Zinnemann would not object to his hiring and he would have the unconditional trust with Garland.[84] Zinnemann's footage was discarded aside from exterior shots of New York.Pennsylvania Station was recreated on the MGM backlot while local New York areas were filmed and used asrear projection.[85] On January 9, 1945, before Garland was to filmThe Harvey Girls (1946), Minnelli and Garland were engaged to be married. They were married on June 15, in Garland's mother's house inWilshire, Los Angeles.[83]
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Minnelli's next film wasYolanda and the Thief (1945) starringFred Astaire andLucille Bremer. Adapted from the 1943 magazine short story byLudwig Bemelmans andJacques Théry, the film tells of two con men (Astaire andFrank Morgan) who are hiding from extradition inSouth America. Both men learn about Yolanda, a young heiress living a sheltered life in a convent and decide to con her. One night, Yolanda prays for a "guardian angel" which Astaire's character impersonates.[85] Filming began on January 15, 1945 and wrapped four months later.[86] Upon its release, the film received mixed reviews with criticism of its script and was a commercial disappointment.[87]
By this point, Garland had become pregnant with her first daughter,Liza. A musicalized biopic ofJerome Kern titledTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) was scheduled to begin production in October 1945. Garland had been cast asMarilyn Miller and Minnelli had been assigned to direct Garland's scenes. Her scenes took two weeks to complete and were finished in November.[88]
Minnelli was hired to directUndercurrent (1946) byPandro S. Berman, which starredKatharine Hepburn,Robert Taylor, andRobert Mitchum. Based on a story byThelma Strabel, the film centers on a college professor's daughter from a small town who moves to the city to live with her new husband, an industrialist. She soon learns about her missing brother-in-law, whom her husband is suspected of murdering, and investigates his disappearance.[89] During filming, Hepburn was initially displeased with Minnelli as her director, though they became cordial as production continued.[90] Released in November 1946,Undercurrent received mixed reviews but was a box office success.[91]
The idea to adapt S. N. Behrman's playThe Pirate originated with Minnelli, with Garland suggesting it be adapted into a musical during their honeymoon.[92] The story tells of Manuela, a Caribbean woman, who daydreams of the pirate Macoco, better known as Mack the Black. She is unknowingly engaged to him, masquerading as Don Pedro, the portly and elderly village mayor. Serafin, a traveling actor, roleplays as the pirate to win Manuela's affection.[93] Freed initially resisted the idea but reluctantly agreed to produce it after reading a treatment. To replicate the success ofFor Me and My Gal (1942),Gene Kelly was cast to reunite his pairing with Garland.[92]
On December 27, 1946, a recording session with Garland had to be cancelled due to her illness.[92] Due to Garland's frequent absences, filming did not begin until February 1947. Out of 135 days for rehearsals, filming and reshoots, Garland was absent for 99.[93] After a preview in October, Minnelli agreed to shorten the film's run time. Between October 21 and December 19, reshoots were taken with the musical number "Voodoo" replaced with a livelier reshoot of "Mack the Black". When filming wrapped, the production had gone over budget, costing $3.7 million. The film earned over $2.9 million at the box office, and lost the studio nearly $2.2 million.[94][95]
Despite the financial failure ofThe Pirate, Minnelli was slated to directEaster Parade (1948) with Garland and Gene Kelly cast in the lead roles (though Kelly was later replaced by Fred Astaire after a rehearsal injury). Rehearsals began on September 5, 1947, but five days later, Minnelli was called into Freed's office and removed from the film. Freed had ordered Minnelli's removal based on the advice of Garland's psychiatrist.Charles Walters was hired to replace him.[96][97] For almost a year, Minnelli was without a film project while Garland filmedEaster Parade andIn the Good Old Summertime (1949). Pandro Berman then asked Minnelli to direct a film adaptation ofGustave Flaubert's novelMadame Bovary. Minnelli accepted as it was one of his favorite novels.[98]
Lana Turner was initially offered the lead role but Minnelli rejected the idea as Turner was perceived as asex symbol.[99] The Production Code also warned that Turner's onscreen image, along with the novel's portrayal of marriage infidelity, would violate its guidelines.[100]Jennifer Jones was under contract to her husbandDavid O. Selznick, but MGM executiveBenjamin Thau successfully negotiated a stipulation deal to borrow her.James Mason had wanted to play the role of Flaubert, whileLouis Jourdan andAlf Kjellin (billed as Christopher Kent) were lent onto the film courtesy of Selznick.[101]
Madame Bovary was shot from mid-December 1948 to February 1949.[102] During production, Minnelli notably filmed an elaborate waltz sequence, utilizing 360-degreepan camera movements accompanied toMiklós Rózsa's pre-recorded instrumental score. BiographerStephen Harvey called it "one of the more audacious epiphanies in any Minnelli movie."[103] Released in August 1949, critics deemedMadame Bovary as an unusually distinguished film, adapting its source material with considerable drama and atmosphere. At the box office, the film earned $2 million.[104]
That same year, Minnelli directed the climax sequence inRobert Z. Leonard'sThe Bribe (1949).[105]
Minnelli's subsequent collaboration with Pandro S. Berman wasFather of the Bride (1950) based on the bestselling1949 novel byEdward Streeter.Jack Benny pursued the lead role and was given a screen test, but Minnelli wantedSpencer Tracy and cast him.Elizabeth Taylor andJoan Bennett were cast as the bride and her mother, respectively.[106] Filming began on January 16, 1950 and wrapped a month and a day later.[107] Released in May 1950, the film earned $4.15 million in distributor rentals at the box office.[108]
Critical reception was positive, withBosley Crowther ofThe New York Times calling the film "equally wonderful" when compared to the book, with "all the warmth and poignancy and understanding that makes the Streeter treatise much beloved."[109] The film was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay.[110]
An American in Paris (1951) began with Freed's friendship withIra Gershwin. Freed told Ira he wanted to adapt his brotherGeorge's orchestral pieceAn American in Paris into a film and potentially include a ballet sequence.[111] In 1949, MGM acquired the rights to Gershwin's catalogue from his estate for $158,750 (equivalent to $2,097,942 in 2024).[112] The story was inspired by aLife magazine article of AmericanG.I.s studying art in Paris on sponsorship from theG.I. Bill, which Freed had remembered.[111]
In the film, Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) is an artist studying in Paris. He meets Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), an heiress and arts patron who expresses a romantic and professional interest in Jerry. Meanwhile, Jerry romances Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), a young teen engaged to Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary), a friend of Jerry's.[113] Filming began on August 1, 1950 at the MGM studios, though production was halted on September 15 to prepare for the ballet sequence.[114] Minnelli left to direct another film,Father's Little Dividend (1951), the sequel toFather of the Bride. Filming began on October 9 and was finished 23 days later.[110] After this, Minnelli returned to film the ballet sequence, starting on December 6 and wrapping on January 8, 1951.[115] The film proved popular with audiences, earning over $8 million in the United States. Kelly and Caron were praised by film critics, though the film's dramatic continuity was criticized.[116] At the1952 Academy Awards,An American in Paris was nominated for eight Oscars, winning six, including Best Picture, and two additional special awards.[117] Minnelli was nominated for Best Director, though he did not win.[118]
On January 18, 1951, Minnelli was announced to direct a musical film adaptation ofMark Twain'sHuckleberry Finn.Dean Stockwell was cast in the title role.William Warfield was cast as Jim, along with Gene Kelly andDanny Kaye as the Duke and Dauphin respectively. Rehearsals began in August;[119] simultaneously, Minnelli was enlisted to film the fashion show finale forMervyn LeRoy'sLovely to Look At (1952).Adrian Greenburg (also known as "Adrian") andTony Duquette had designed costumes for the sequence costing over $100,000 (equivalent to $1,184,085 in 2024). Minnelli declined to be credited for the film.[120] On September 21, production onHuckleberry Finn was postponed indefinitely due to Kelly and Kaye's withdrawal.[121]
Due to its similarities withAn American in Paris (1951), Minnelli turned down an offer to directLili (1953). During a lunch meeting at the Romanoff's, MGM producerJohn Houseman showed Minnelli a screenplay draft titledMemorial to a Bad Man based on a short story byGeorge Bradshaw.[122] It was later retitledThe Bad and the Beautiful (1952). Minnelli agreed to direct, withKirk Douglas as his sole choice to portray ruthless film producer Jonathan Shields. However, MGM production headDore Schary had offered the role toClark Gable but he declined. Douglas read the script and accepted the role. Lana Turner was hired to portray Georgina Lorrison, the "beautiful"; when both casting choices were announced, the trades insinuated: "when these two get together..."[123]
The story focuses on Jonathan Shields (Douglas) and how he rises in Hollywood by manipulating three individuals: actress Georgina (Turner), whom he deceives by professing his love, director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), whose picture he expropriates, and screenwriter James Bartlow (Dick Powell), who loses his wife to a scandalous affair.[124] Upon its release, critics praised the film's seedy depiction of Hollywood and the performances from the cast, most particularly Douglas, Turner andGloria Grahame. The scene of Georgina's emotional breakdown inside a moving vehicle was singled out for praise.[125][126][127] At the1953 Academy Awards,The Bad and the Beautiful was nominated for six Oscars, winning five including Grahame forBest Supporting Actress.[128]
At the behest ofSidney Franklin, Minnelli was approached to direct two segments, "Mademoiselle" and "Why Should I Cry", of the 1953 anthology filmThe Story of Three Loves. Minnelli agreed to direct "Mademoiselle", adapted from the short story "Lucy and the Stranger" byArnold Lippschitz. Reuniting with Leslie Caron, the segment featuredRicky Nelson,Zsa Zsa Gabor,Farley Granger, andEthel Barrymore. Filming lasted for three weeks before wrapping in February 1952.[129][130] "Why Should I Cry" was dropped and reworked intoTorch Song (1953), starringJoan Crawford.[131]
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Because of the success ofAn American in Paris (1951) andSingin' in the Rain (1952), Freed decided to adapt the songs ofArthur Schwartz andHoward Dietz for MGM's next musical film,The Band Wagon (1953).[132] To write a suitable storyline, Minnelli turned to the screenwriting team ofBetty Comden andAdolph Green to devise the script.[133] The film tells of Tony Hunter, an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will restart his career. He meets with two writer friends and a Broadway producer who stage a musical, starring Hunter and a ballerina. Fred Astaire was cast as Troy Hunter, while the writers Lester and Lilly Marton (portrayed byOscar Levant andNanette Fabray) were loosely based by Comden and Green.Cyd Charisse was cast as the ballerina Gabrielle Gerard.[134]
Filming began on October 20, 1952 and was finished on January 28, 1953.[135] Premiering in July 1953,The Band Wagon received enthusiastic critical reception and earned $5.6 million at the box office.[136][137]Archer Winsten, writing for theNew York Post, called the film "the best musical of the month, year, the decade, or, for all I know, of all time."[132] The film received three Academy Award nominations forBest Story and Screenplay,Best Costume Design (Color), andBest Scoring of a Musical Picture.[138]
Minnelli reteamed with Pandro S. Berman and the screenwriting team ofAlbert Hackett andFrances Goodrich forThe Long, Long Trailer (1954), which starredLucille Ball andDesi Arnaz. Adapted from the 1951 novel by Clinton Twiss, a married couple, Nicky and Tacy Collins, purchases a newtravel trailer home and spend a year traveling across the United States. Shot during the summer hiatus forI Love Lucy, filming began on June 18, 1953 and wrapped the next month.[139] On February 18, 1954, the film premiered at the Radio City Music Hall and earned $4.5 million in distributor rentals.[140][141]
In March 1951, MGM acquired the screen rights toAlan Jay Lerner andFrederick Loewe's Broadway musicalBrigadoon. Gene Kelly andKathryn Grayson were set to star, though Kelly's precommitments delayed production for two years. During the interim, Grayson departed andMoira Shearer was considered as a replacement, but Freed decided to cast Cyd Charisse.[142]Brigadoon was Minnelli's first film recorded in stereophonic sound and shot in the widescreenCinemaScope format, which Minnelli had disliked as he was concerned the format would crop the actors' feet.[143]
Minnelli, Kelly and Freed initially planned to film on location inScotland while interior scenes would be shot at theMGM-British Studios inBorehamwood. In the spring of 1953, Kelly and Freed scouted potential filming locations. Minnelli stayed behind, as he was occupied withThe Long, Long Trailer. Kelly and Freed were convinced the Scottish climate was unreliable, and decided to film entirely on the MGM backlot inCulver City, California.[142]
The story concerns two Americans, Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas (Kelly andVan Johnson), who get lost during a hunting trip in Scotland. They wander into the village of Brigadoon, which becomes visible once every century. During a joyful wedding, Tommy falls in love with a local woman Fiona Campbell (Charisse) despite his engagement to Jane Ashton (Elaine Stewart) back home.[144]
Filming began on December 9, 1953, and wrapped on March 18, 1954. During filming, Minnelli and Kelly held creative differences over the film. Kelly had envisionedBrigadoon as an outdoor picture whereas Minnelli saw it as a theatrical artifice.[145] Released in 1954,Brigadoon premiered at the Radio City Music Hall, and received mixed reviews from film critics.[146] In hisNew York Times review, Bosley Crowther dismissed the film as "curiously flat and out-of-joint, rambling all over creation and seldom generating warmth or charm."[147] The film earned $3.3 million at the box office but did not earn enough to offset the production and distribution costs.[148]
During the fall of 1953, Minnelli began developing a film adaptation ofWilliam Henry Hudson's novelGreen Mansions. The next year, Lerner was recruited to write the screenplay. Intending to shoot on location inSouth America, Minnelli scouted locations inPeru,Panama,British Guiana, andVenezuela. There, he, art directorE. Preston Ames, and a skeletal film crew shot16 mm test footage of the jungles in Venezuela.Pier Angeli andEdmund Purdom were courted for the lead roles and given a screen test, but Freed was left unimpressed. The project was cancelled, though it later became a1959 film starringAudrey Hepburn.[149]
Minnelli accepted the offer to directThe Cobweb (1955) after John Houseman handed him the 1954 novel byWilliam Gibson. The story concerns the staff working at a psychiatry clinic, who are embroiled in a dispute over the latest draperies to be installed in the library. Minnelli readJohn Paxton's script adaptation of the novel, but he felt it lacked "the flavor of the book." He then approached Gibson to write additional dialogue to the script.[150]
Richard Widmark,Lauren Bacall, Gloria Grahame,Lillian Gish, and newcomersJohn Kerr andSusan Strasberg were cast in the ensemble.[150] The film was shot over seven weeks, starting in December 1954. It received mixed reviews and failed at the box office, earning $1.5 million in distributor rentals.[151]
WhileThe Cobweb was being edited, Minnelli discussed with MGM production headDore Schary a film version of the novelLust for Life byIrving Stone as his next project. MGM had already obtained the film rights, though they requested an extension as its moratorium would lapse by December 1955.[152] In the meantime, Schary and Arthur Freed wanted Minnelli to shoota film adaptation of the Broadway musicalKismet. Minnelli refused as he disliked the original Broadway production. Schary offered Minnelli creative autonomy to filmLust for Life provided he would filmKismet first.[153]
Kismet tells of Haji, an opportunist street poet, whose powers are abused by the Wazir for personal gain. Meanwhile, Haji's daughter Marsinah falls in love with the young Caliph. The film began shooting on May 23, 1955. Ten days before filming was complete, Minnelli left for France to begin filmingLust for Life (1956).Stanley Donen was brought in to finish the film, which was completed on July 22, 1955.Kismet premiered on October 8, 1955 at the Radio City Music Hall, earning $2.9 million at the box office, against a production budget of $2.6 million.[154][155]
Simultaneously, Kirk Douglas' production companyByrna Productions announced they were producingLust for Life, withJean Negulesco as director. Soon after, Douglas was contacted by MGM, who stated they held the rights. A compromise was reached to have Minnelli direct and Douglas star asVincent van Gogh.[156] Filmed entirely on location in France,Belgium and theNetherlands, filming started in August 1955 and ended in December 1955. Throughout filming, Douglas notably remained in character.[157] Minnelli called the film his personal favorite of the ones he directed.[158]
Released in September 1956,Lust for Life was mildly received by audiences, earning nearly $1.6 million in box office rentals.[159] However, at the1957 Academy Awards, the film received four Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (Kirk Douglas), Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Quinn), Best Screenplay, andBest Art Direction/Set Decoration — Color. Quinn won for Best Supporting Actor.[160]
Robert Anderson's playTea and Sympathy premiered on Broadway in 1953, and ran over 700 performances. Directed byElia Kazan, the play starredDeborah Kerr as Laura, the wife of a housemaster at an all-boys prep school, who becomes affectionate towards Tom, a young student at the school, who is accused of being a homosexual. Laura offers herself to Tom to allow him to demonstrate his masculinity.[161] To satisfy the Production Code Administration and the CatholicLegion of Decency, Anderson removed references to homosexuality from his script, and restructured it to tell the central drama in flashback and explain how Laura and Tom paid for their affair.[162][163]
Minnelli had agreed to directTea and Sympathy before he left for Europe to filmLust for Life. Deborah Kerr,John Kerr (no relation), andLeif Erickson reprised their roles from the Broadway production.[164] Principal photography began in the spring of 1956, and wrapped after seven weeks.[165] Released in September 1956,Tea and Sympathy received positive reviews from film critics. It earned nearly $2.2 million in box office rentals.[166]
Designing Woman (1957) began as an original story byHelen Rose, MGM's costume designer, loosely taken fromWoman of the Year (1942). Intended as a star vehicle forGrace Kelly,James Stewart was cast opposite her as the male lead andJoshua Logan was to direct. However, Kelly departed from the project when she retired from acting, two months after marryingRainier III, Prince of Monaco. Stewart and Logan departed as well. In haste, Schary hired Minnelli to direct the film. As the new director, Minnelli selectedGregory Peck andLauren Bacall as the new leads.[167] Principal photography began on September 10, 1956 and was finished ten weeks later, with on-location filming at theNewport Beach,Beverly Hills Hotel, andMarineland. Released in May 1957, the film earned $3.7 million worldwide, but resulted in a loss of $136,000.[168]
During pre-production forGigi (1958), Minnelli replacedRonald Neame during filming forThe Seventh Sin (1957), a film adaptation ofW. Somerset Maugham's novelThe Painted Veil. Neame had developed creative differences with MGM producerDavid Lewis. Sidney Franklin replaced Lewis as producer. Despite his contributions, Minnelli personally requested not to be credited.[169]
Gigi (1958) originated as a1944 novella byColette, which was adapted into a1949 film starringDanièle Delorme. In 1951, playwrightAnita Loos adapted the novella into aplay, which went to Broadway and starredAudrey Hepburn in her first major role.[170] Minnelli and Arthur Freed had discussed adaptingGigi years prior, but in 1953, Freed's interest was renewed after seeing the Broadway play. Both approached Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, fresh off their success fromMy Fair Lady, to compose songs for their adaptation. Lerner agreed on two conditions: that Honoré Lachaille's role be expanded, and thatMaurice Chevalier be cast in the film.[171]
Hepburn was approached to reprise the role but declined. Minnelli instead cast Leslie Caron, having directed her inAn American in Paris (1951).Louis Jourdan was cast as Gigi's lover Gaston, while Chevalier,Hermione Gingold,Eva Gabor andIsabel Jeans filled the supporting roles.[172] In July 1957, principal photography began on location in Paris during a massive heat wave.[173] Because of the heavy period clothes, the cast members became overheated and even Minnelli contracted a case ofwhooping cough. Concerned about the escalating production costs, Benjamin Thau ordered for the production to resume on the MGM studio backlot. A scene that was intended to be shot inTrouville, France was instead filmed inVenice Beach, California.[174] Filming was finished on October 30, 1957.[175]
Test previews forGigi were poorly received, in which MGM presidentJoseph Vogel ordered for nine days of reshoots. However, Minnelli was unavailable as he was filmingThe Reluctant Debutante (1958) overseas.Charles Walters was brought in to film the reshoots.[176] The film premiered on May 15, 1958 at theRoyale Theatre in New York, and received critical acclaim. At the1959 Academy Awards,Gigi won all nine of its nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Director for Minnelli.[177]
WhenGigi premiered, Minnelli had spent seven weeks filmingThe Reluctant Debutante (1958) from mid-February to early April.[178] Adapted from the1955 play byWilliam Douglas Home, the story centers on Jane Broadbent, an American teenage girl, who arrives in London to attenddebutante balls for her wealthy father Lord Jimmy Broadbent and stepmother Lady Sheila. During the fall of 1957, Pandro Berman showed Minnelli a first draft of the script. Minnelli felt Americanizing the play was the wrong approach, but agreed to direct. Berman and Minnelli approachedRex Harrison andKay Kendall with the central roles;[179] Harrison joined Minnelli in insisting on a rewrite of the script which reinstated the London locale. Berman nevertheless added American actressSandra Dee to the cast to broaden the film's appeal to Americans.[180]The Reluctant Debutante premiered at Radio City Music Hall in August 1958 to positive reviews. It earned $1.9 million in box office rentals against a production budget of nearly $2.3 million.[181]
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In spring 1958, MGM purchased the film rights toJames Jones's 1957 novelSome Came Running.Sol Siegel, who had succeeded Schary as the new production head, hired Minnelli to direct thefilm adaptation.[182] The novel tells of David Hirsh, an Army veteran and novelist, who returns home to the fictional town of Parkman, Indiana. He romances Gwen French, an emotionally repressed high school teacher, and befriends Ginny, a young, uneducated girl with loose morals.[183]Frank Sinatra was cast as David Hirsh, alongsideShirley MacLaine,Martha Hyer, and fellowRat Pack memberDean Martin as Bama Dillert. Because of its potential as anOscar contender, Minnelli was given six months to complete the film for its winter 1958 release. During filming inMadison, Indiana, Sinatra and Martin grew tired of Minnelli's meticulous shooting and walked off the film. Siegel however brought them back to finish the film.[184]
Critical response was mostly positive, though a review inTime magazine gave the film a mixed critique. The review praised the first half but felt after that it shows "occasional flickers of brilliant overacting by Shirley MacLaine, the chance to watch Frank Sinatra play Frank Sinatra, and the spectacle of Director Vincente Minnelli's talents dissolving in the general mess of the story, like sunlight in a slag heap."[185] Competing againstGigi (1958) at the Academy Awards,Some Came Running garnered Best Supporting acting nominations for MacLaine, Hyer, andArthur Kennedy.[186]
The dual success ofGigi andSome Came Running solidified Minnelli's tenureship as director for MGM.[187] On February 8, 1960, Minnelli received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry.[188][189] Overseas, his films had been acclaimed by French critics, some of whom published for theCahiers du Cinéma film magazine. French criticJacques Doniol-Valcroze wrote a lengthy critique forThe Bad and the Beautiful (1952), as didJean Douchet forLust for Life (1956). Douchet and Jean Domarchi had written assessment essays on Minnelli's filmography and jointly interviewed him in 1962.[190]
Home from the Hill (1960) was an adaptation of the1958 novel of the same title byWilliam Humphrey. It tells the story of a Texas family headed by patriarch Captain Wade Hunnicutt (Robert Mitchum), who is married to Hannah (Eleanor Parker), an embittered and sexually withdrawn wife, and the father to Theron (George Hamilton) and an illegitimate son Rafe (George Peppard).[191] The film was shot on location inOxford, Mississippi andParis, Texas, followed by a month of filming on the MGM backlot.[192] A review inVariety called the film a "powerful and absorbing story, and its production has the added interest of creating a vital and promising young star, George Peppard."[193]
In 1958, Arthur Freed purchased the film rights to the Broadway musicalBells Are Ringing, with its book and lyrics written byBetty Comden andAdolph Green and music byJule Styne.[194] Comden and Green were hired to adapt the musical into a screenplay with instructions that the script be no longer than 110 pages and delivered by December 31, 1958.[195] Comden and Green met the deadline but delivered a 159-page script, which Minnelli felt was too long. Filming was delayed twice until the script was ready.Judy Holliday reprised her Broadway role as Ella Peterson, a switchboard operator who listens in on the lives of private clients. She involves herself with playwright Jeffrey Moss (Dean Martin), and falls in love with him.[196] Filming began on October 7, 1959 and lasted until December 24.[197] Throughout filming, Holliday held creative differences with Minnelli as she disliked the script and his cinematic approach to the film.[198]
A review inVariety felt the musical adaptation was "ideally suited to the intimacy of the film medium" and complimented Freed for remaining "faithful to the buoyant spirit and whimsical personality of the original"; Minnelli's direction was praised as inserting "spirit and snap into the musical sequences[,] warmth and humor into the straight passages and manages to knit it all together without any traces of awkwardness in transition".[199] A review inTime magazine praised Holliday for her "showmanly style" while noting Minnelli "manages to jog and jazz and jigger a merely middling book and some fairly forgettable tunes into one of the year's liveliest and wittiest cinemusicals."[200] By January 1961,Bells Are Ringing had earned $2.8 million in anticipated box office rentals from the United States and Canada.[201]
While promotingHome from the Hill (1960), Minnelli was informed he was to direct a remake of the 1921 silent filmThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.[202] For the1962 remake, the script was to occur duringWorld War II although it retained the events culminating inWorld War I. Minnelli disagreed with this change; whileJohn Gay was hired for rewrites, the revised script retained the updated setting.[203]
For the lead role, Minnelli had wanted French actorAlain Delon but Sol Siegel disagreed.Glenn Ford was cast instead after he had signed a new multi-picture contract with MGM.[203] As typical with Minnelli's films, the film was shot in Paris with interior scenes filmed in California. Shot from October 1960 to March 1961, it was scheduled for release by winter 1961; however, reshoots were done during the summer.[204]
Postponed for release in February 1962, the film received criticism for its script and production values.[205][206][207] It earned $2 million in distributor rentals[208] against its $7 million production budget. Overseas, the film was appreciated by European critics and said to have influencedBernardo Bertolucci'sThe Conformist (1970) andVittorio De Sica'sThe Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970).[209]
In 1960, MGM purchased the film rights toIrwin Shaw's novelTwo Weeks in Another Town for $55,000.[210]John Houseman was appointed producer and approached Minnelli to direct.[209] Minnelli recognized the novel's similarities toThe Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and hired that film's screenwriterCharles Schnee and composerDavid Raksin.[211] The story tells of Jack Andrus, a washed-up actor, who arrives inRome to help his old mentor Maurice Kruger and supervise the dubbing of his latest film. Minnelli offered the lead role to Kirk Douglas, whileEdward G. Robinson andCyd Charisse portrayed Kruger and Carlotta, Jack's ex-wife, respectively.[212] Filming began in October 1961 in Rome with a scheduled nineteen-day on-location shoot. However, Minnelli did not finish until a month later. Filming resumed on the MGM backlot for eleven weeks, starting on November 9.[213]
Minnelli had shot an orgy sequence, which infuriated MGM headJoseph Vogel. In spring 1962, the film received poor test responses during sneak previews. Siegel was replaced byRobert Weitman as production head, while Vogel appointed studio editorMargaret Booth to drastically re-edit the film.[213][214] The orgy sequence was condensed while Charisse's ending monologue was also removed. Minnelli and Houseman were not consulted during most of the film's post-production. The film was released without fanfare and was another box office failure.[215]
By 1962, MGM was in financial turmoil due to severe commercial flops, includingCimarron (1960),Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), and Minnelli's ownFour Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962). This, along with the re-editing ofTwo Weeks in Another Town (1962), fractured Minnelli's relationship with MGM.[216] His contract with the studio was up for renewal. He formed his own production company, Venice Productions, to increase hisbargaining power, and negotiated to earn 25 percent of any net box office profits, in addition to his salary as director, as well as retainfinal cut privilege through second previews. In April 1962, MGM and Venice Productions agreed to co-produce six films over four years.[217]
Under his new contract, Minnelli directedThe Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), having found the 1961 novel about a young son wanting his widowed father to remarry to be "warm and winning."[218] The film's producer,Joe Pasternak, castGlenn Ford andRon Howard as the father and son respectively. Released in 1963, film critics found the film sentimental and mildly engaging.[219] It earned $2 million in distributor rentals.[220]
Minnelli's next project was meant to beMy Fair Lady (1964), butWarner Bros. had outbid MGM for the film rights at $5.5 million. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe pleaded withJack Warner to hire Minnelli as director, but negotiations broke down due to salary disagreements; Warner instead hiredGeorge Cukor.[221]
For most of 1963, Minnelli was without a film project. MGM allowed him to accept outside directing jobs. In 1964, producerArthur P. Jacobs asked Minnelli to direct amusical adaptation of the novelGoodbye, Mr. Chips with Rex Harrison in mind for the title role. Minnelli declined that offer,[222] but he acceptedTwentieth Century Fox's offer to directGoodbye Charlie (1964) starringTony Curtis andDebbie Reynolds. This was his first film produced outside of MGM.[223] Adapted fromGeorge Axelrod's 1959 play, the story involves Charlie Sorrel, a womanizer who is shot by a jealous husband and returns to Earth reincarnated as a beautiful blonde. As a woman, Charlie meets with his friend George Tracy (Curtis) to consult about her new identity.[224] Pre-production and filming lasted from January to July 1964 on Fox's studio backlot with location shoots inMalibu, California.[225]
Released in November 1964, it received mixed reviews from film critics, with Bosley Crowther stating that "Debbie Reynolds and Tony Curtis [are] so sadly cast in distasteful roles that it causes even a hardened moviegoer to turn away from it in pain and shame."[226] By January 1966, the film had earned $3.7 million in distributor rentals from the United States and Canada.[227]
Minnelli returned to MGM to directThe Sandpiper (1965) starringElizabeth Taylor andRichard Burton. Intended as a vehicle for the star couple,Martin Ransohoff devised an original story of a love affair between a married Episcopalian minister and a free-spirited single mother. The couple first turned toWilliam Wyler, but he declined the offer. Taylor and Burton then asked Minnelli, who had previously directed Taylor inFather of the Bride (1950) andFather's Little Dividend (1951). Minnelli needed a commercially successful film and accepted the offer.[228] The film was shot on location inBig Sur, California before filming in Paris.[229]
The film was released in 1965 and was a box office success earning $6.4 million in distributor rentals.[227] This was the last film produced under the MGM–Venice Productions deal. While the films were moderately successful, they failed to generate enough profit.[230]
By November 1966, Minnelli's contract with MGM had lapsed by mutual consent, though the studio allowed Minnelli to developSay It With Music, a biographical film aboutIrving Berlin. For three years, Minnelli and Arthur Freed had struggled to move the project into production, with various drafts byGeorge Wells,Arthur Laurents,Leonard Gershe, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green.[231] Frank Sinatra andJulie Andrews were considered for the lead roles, but internal politics within MGM halted any progress. Dismayed, Minnelli left MGM after 26 years, and Freed retired soon after.[232]Blake Edwards inherited the project, but MGM presidentJames Aubrey shut it down by 1969.[233]
According to film historianMark Harris, Minnelli agreed to directDoctor Dolittle (1967), which would have reunited him with Harrison and Alan Jay Lerner.[234] The film was tentatively scheduled for a Christmas 1966 release, but Minnelli left the project and was replaced byRichard Fleischer.[235]
Lerner's then-latest Broadway musicalOn a Clear Day You Can See Forever was optioned by Paramount Pictures, withBarbra Streisand considered for the lead role. After Minnelli was not hired forMy Fair Lady (1964), Lerner successfully campaigned to have Minnelli direct the adaptation ofClear Day. Filming began on January 6, 1969 for an intended 82-day shoot.[236] The film was originally scheduled for a fall 1970roadshow release, but after 1969'sHello, Dolly! (which also starred Streisand) disappointed at the box office, the film's release was pushed up to the summer. Fifteen minutes were removed from the film's run time.[237]
Released in June 1970, the film received decent reviews from film critics.[238]Charles Champlin of theLos Angeles Times wrote the film "is just about as good as it could be. It is bright, it is romantic, it is solidly produced, it centers on an expertly comedic performance by Barbra Streisand and a charming if remarkably unpersuasive turn byYves Montand as a psychiatrist, it is inventive, it is innocent."[239] By January 1971, the film had earned $4.75 million in box office rentals in the United States and Canada.[240]
Minnelli then turned to a film project which would star his daughterLiza Minnelli, who had been nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Actress forThe Sterile Cuckoo (1969). They brainstormed a biographical film ofZelda Fitzgerald, but it failed to proceed after discussions with Paramount Pictures presidentFrank Yablans. Minnelli concurrently began developing a biographical film ofBessie Smith withTina Turner in mind, but it fell through.[241]
In 1974, Minnelli became interested in adaptingMaurice Druon's 1954 novelThe Film of Memory (La Volupté d'être). RetitledA Matter of Time (1976), it tells of a financially distressed contessa who tutors a young chambermaid. He turned to veteran collaborators, including screenwriter John Gay and producerEdmund Grainger. After several major studios declined,American International Pictures (AIP) agreed to finance the film with a $5 million production budget.Ingrid Bergman, who had won her third Academy Award forMurder on the Orient Express (1974), was cast as the Contessa.[242]
Filming began in August 1975 in Rome andVenice for a 14-week shoot. However, filming lasted 20 weeks due to harsh winter conditions, labor strikes, and mandated shorter production hours. Minnelli's first assembly cut was over three hours.[243][244] AIP presidentSamuel Z. Arkoff subsequently wrestled control of the film away from Minnelli, deleting several flashbacks and restructuring the film entirely. Alarmed by the news,Martin Scorsese had a petition signed by several prominent Hollywood directors, protesting Arkoff's treatment of Minnelli. Flattered by the support, Minnelli nevertheless had to wash his hands of the film. It premiered at the Radio City Music Hall on October 7, 1976 but was a financial disappointment.[245]
Minnelli first metJudy Garland in 1940 during the filming ofStrike Up the Band.[63] They married on June 15, 1945 in Garland's mother's house in Wilshire, Los Angeles.[83] They had one child,Liza May Minnelli.[246] The marriage fractured during the filming forThe Pirate (1948). In 1949, Minnelli and Garland temporarily separated.[247] On June 16, 1950, MGM suspended Garland; three days later, Garland attempted suicide by puncturing her throat with a piece of glass. On December 7, they announced their legal separation and intent to divorce. The divorce was finalized on March 29, 1951 with Garland retaining parental custody of Liza.[248]
Minnelli's second marriage was to Georgette Magnani, the sister ofMiss Universe 1953Christiane Martel. After winning Miss Universe, Christiane was offered an acting contract withUniversal Pictures and Georgette was assigned by their parents to chaperone her. At a Hollywood party,Vernon Duke introduced Minnelli to Georgette.[249] Smitten by her appearance, Minnelli offered Georgette a screen test, which she turned down.[140] Minnelli later wrote in his 1974 memoir: "She didn't understand the Hollywood pecking order, and even if she had, Georgette wasn't outgoing and socially ambitious."[250]
Minnelli married Magnani on February 16, 1954 while he was directingBrigadoon. The couple had one child, Christiane Nina Minnelli.[251] During his marriage, Minnelli was constantly preoccupied with various film projects, which left him conspicuously absent from his wife. Minnelli acknowledged, "Working day after day, long into the night, cut drastically into our domestic life."[252] During post-production onGigi (1958), Magnani filed for a legal separation, in which she accused Minnelli of "mental cruelty".[253] When the divorce was finalized, she was awarded custody of their daughter.[254]
During his 1960 vacation in Italy, Minnelli met Danica ("Denise") Radosavljević Gay Giulianelli de Gigante, a Yugoslavian-born divorcée.[255] She accompanied him during the filming ofFour Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and they were married in January 1962.[256][204] Minnelli and Denise co-founded a production company, Venice Productions, partnering with MGM on a new contract to produce six films over four years.[257][217] Around 1970, Minnelli heard rumors that Denise was having adulterous affairs. She dismissed the rumors, but the couple divorced in August 1971.[258]
Minnelli's third wife Denise met British publicist Margaretta Lee Anderson sometime during the 1960s, and they became close friends. After she had divorced Minnelli, Denise encouraged Anderson to move in with him.[259] At this point, Minnelli vowed never to marry again after his third divorce.[258] Nevertheless, on April 2, 1980, Minnelli married Anderson.[260] They remained together until his death in 1986.[261]
For years, there was speculation in the entertainment community that Minnelli was gay orbisexual.[262][263] Minnelli biographerEmanuel Levy stated that Minnelli lived freely as a gay man in public in New York,[264] but in Hollywood that was impossible.[265] According to Levy: "He was openly gay in New York – we were able to document names of companions and stories fromDorothy Parker. But when he came to Hollywood, I think he made the decision to repress that part of himself or to become bisexual."[266][267]Lester Gaba, a retail display designer who knew Minnelli in New York, was reported to have frequently claimed to have had an affair with Minnelli, although the same person who related Gaba's claim also admitted that Gaba "was known to embellish quite a bit."[268]
Minnelli had apacemaker implanted on Christmas 1982.[269]
On July 25, 1986, he died in hisBeverly Hills home, aged 83, fromemphysema andpneumonia, which had caused him to be repeatedly hospitalized in his final year.[270][271] He is interred inForest Lawn Memorial Park inGlendale, California.[272]
Minnelli's estate was valued at slightly over US$1.1 million. He left $100,000 to his widow, Lee; $5000 to his second daughter, Christiane (whom, he said in his will, he believed to be financially secure); and the remainder, including his Beverly Hills home, to his first daughter, Liza. However, he requested in his will that Liza allow Lee to continue living in that home.[273]
Despite his varied filmography of musicals, comedies and melodramas, Minnelli has been criticized as being a decorative artist rather than anauteur filmmaker, elevating artistic imagery while distracting audiences from the narrative and dialogue with elaborate camera angles.[274] In his 1968 bookThe American Cinema,Andrew Sarris called Minnelli a "pure stylist" who "believes more in beauty than in art." Sarris further wrote: "Minnelli has always required relatively luxurious projects upon which to lavish his taste. If he has a fatal flaw as an artist, it is his naϊve belief that style can invariably transcend substance and that our way of looking at the world is more important than the world itself."[275] In 1975,Richard Schickel wrote Minnelli is "not by nature a storyteller. He does not have a very good eye—or memory—for revealing anecdotes. Nor does he have an analytical turn of mind. He seems mainly to feel his way toward the solution of creative problems, clued more by visual ideas (and of course, musical ones) than by any of the signs one might term 'literary.'"[276]
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Emmanuel Levy sharply disagreed, writing Minnelli was "an auteur in thematic, stylistic, and ideological terms. His films demonstrate vividly that concepts of art and artificiality run throughout his work."[278] In 1959, Albert Johnson, in an article forFilm Quarterly, called Minnelli "a master of the decorative image," belonging "neither to the old school nor to the new, but remains in a special position of accomplishment, one which permits all spheres of the visual and decorative arts to embellish his films."[279] In a foreword to Minnelli's memoirI Remember It Well,Alan Jay Lerner (ofLerner and Loewe) called Minnelli "the greatest director of motion picture musicals the screen has ever seen."[280] Film historianJeanine Basinger called Minnelli "a visual artist. His films have wit and charm and beauty, but they also have cinematic style. His ability just todecorate, make everything in the frame look right, look beautiful, look appropriate and complementary to other things inside it, was unparalleled. He was one of the few directors who could develop his own personal vision in musicals, a difficult genre for a director because there is no more collaborative genre, none more dependent on the talents of so many others to succeed."[281]
Stanley Donen, a contemporary of Minnelli's and fellow director of musical films, once criticized Minnelli's musicals for their "sloppy" stories, and adopted a more bold, no-nonsense, and realistic style compared to Minnelli's impressionist visual style.[282]Stephen M. Silverman also distinguished both filmmakers' camerawork, observing Minnelli tends to track forward or backwards while Donen frequently uses horizontal tracking and crane shots to support the story and choreography. On the contrary, Minnelli did not mind interrupting the stories for a grand and visual performance.[282][283]Michael Kidd, a choreographer for MGM's most noted musicals, stated he preferred collaborating with Donen to Minnelli. He stated, "Vincente was a difficult person to communicate with. He was not very articulate, he would leave sentences unfinished. He had a great love of the visual aspects of moviemaking—he was originally a set designer, and people used to complain all the time, 'He shoots the scenery'—but Vincente was not one to engage in collaborative work."[284]
In 2012, film historianRonald Bergan contrastingly wrote: "What distinguished Minnelli from most of the other directors on the MGM roster was hismise-en-scène – his elegant compositions within an individual frame – the relation of objects and people, the interplay of light and dark, the pattern of colour."[285]Joseph Andrew Casper noted Minnelli'smetteur en scène as "essentially expressionistic" by which he uses decor to create "a spatial-temporal continuum, albeit researched and dramatically related, filtered through the director's spirit. As such, one gets the distillation or the essence of a place and period imbibing attitudes and feelings ... Minnelli holds no mirror up to nature but places a lamp next to it. His is the recreative rather than the mimetic tradition of art."[286] Basinger agreed: "His filmed universe was one of fantasy and reality mixed, of dreams and deceptions, and of a decor that is always carefully researched, designed, and executed with the purpose not only of being rewarding in and of itself, but also of defining character and setting."[287]
Throughout his career, Minnelli directed seven different actors inOscar-nominated performances:Spencer Tracy,Gloria Grahame,Kirk Douglas,Anthony Quinn,Arthur Kennedy,Shirley MacLaine, andMartha Hyer. Grahame and Quinn were the two to win. Despite this, Minnelli is often perceived as not emphasizing enough of the actors' performances in his films.[288] During filming forSome Came Running (1959), Minnelli spent hours setting up a single shot because he wanted a Ferris wheel in the background, or a vase to hold the right kind of flowers. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin both grew frustrated with multiple takes for a brief scene, and stormed off the set.[184]
George Peppard, an alumnus of theActors Studio, clashed with Minnelli during filming forHome from the Hill (1960). During one take of the last scene, Minnelli told Peppard: "George, you might be a seething volcano inside. But I've got news for you. Nothing's happening. You'll have to do it my way."[289]Shirley Jones, who co-starred in 1963'sThe Courtship of Eddie's Father, recalled Minnelli never gave her specific directions for her character during filming. She stated, "Vincente liked to draw pretty pictures with the camera, and it was always for me to move to a certain point, put my hand here when I say this line but never any direction about character, and I missed that."[290]
| Title | Run(s) | Theatre | Director | Set designer | Costume designer | Sketches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Carroll's Vanities of 1930 | July 1, 1930 – January 3, 1931 | New Amsterdam Theatre | Yes | |||
| Earl Carroll's Vanities of 1931 | August 27, 1931 – April 9, 1932 | 44th Street Theatre | Yes | Yes | ||
| Earl Carroll's Vanities of 1932 | September 27, 1932 – December 10, 1932 | Broadway Theatre (53rd Street) | Yes | Yes | ||
| The DuBarry | November 22, 1932 – February 4, 1933 | George M. Cohan's Theatre | Yes | Yes | ||
| At Home Abroad | September 19, 1935 – March 7, 1936 | Winter Garden Theatre | Yes | Yes | ||
| Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 |
| Yes | Yes | |||
| The Show is On |
| Yes | Yes | |||
| Hooray for What! | December 1, 1937 – May 21, 1938 | Yes | Yes | |||
| Very Warm for May | November 17, 1939 – January 6, 1940 | Alvin Theatre | Yes | Yes | ||
| Dance Me a Song | January 20, 1950 – February 18, 1950 | Royale Theatre | Yes | |||
| Mata Hari | November 20, 1967 – December 9, 1967[291] | National Theatre (Washington, D.C.) | Yes |
| Year | Award | Film | Result | Winner | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Best Director | An American in Paris | Nominated | George Stevens –A Place in the Sun | [292] |
| 1958 | Best Director | Gigi | Won | [293] |
TheseAcademy Award nominations and wins were given to actors and actresses directed by Minnelli.[citation needed]
Biographies(chronological)
Miscellaneous
