Seconds (1966)
106 mins | Drama | 5 October 1966
Cast:
Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph [ More ]Director:
John FrankenheimerWriter:
Lewis John CarlinoProducer:
Edward LewisCinematographer:
James Wong HoweEditors:
Ferris Webster, David NewhouseProduction Designer:
Ted HaworthProduction Companies:
Douglas & Lewis Productions, Joel Productions, Gibraltar ProductionsThe 30 Jan 1964 DV announced Seconds as an upcoming project for producer Edward Lewis and director John Frankenheimer. Lewis's production partner, Kirk Douglas, was expected to star in the film, according to the 19 Feb 1964 DV. Nearly a year later, however, the 22 Jan 1965 issue stated that Rock Hudson would assume the lead role, with participation from his own company, Gibraltar Productions. It was noted in the 8 Apr 1965 DV that Gibraltar was one of four production companies involved in the project. The others were Douglas & Lewis Productions, Frankenheimer's Joel Productions, and Paramount Pictures, which also provided funding and distribution. Principal photography began 14 Jun 1965, as stated in that day's DV.
The 1 Jul 1965 edition revealed that the $2.5 million production employed an innovative system, which provided "complete lighting of sets for closeups, longshots, etc., sans separate setups, plus the use of ceilinged-sets." Although friends and colleagues tried to dissuade Hudson from starring in the science-fiction drama, the actor argued that he needed to expand his range beyond the romantic comedies with which he was commonly identified.
The 24 Aug 1965 DV mentioned the company's recent return to Los Angeles, CA, from New York City. In the 25 Aug 1965 DV, Frankenheimer commended his New York crew members for assisting him in finishing the four-day shoot on schedule, particularly "standby cameraman" Bill Kelly. Locations included Grand Central Station and the town of Scarsdale, NY. The 29 Aug 1965 NYT explained that Frankenheimer ...
The 30 Jan 1964 DV announced Seconds as an upcoming project for producer Edward Lewis and director John Frankenheimer. Lewis's production partner, Kirk Douglas, was expected to star in the film, according to the 19 Feb 1964 DV. Nearly a year later, however, the 22 Jan 1965 issue stated that Rock Hudson would assume the lead role, with participation from his own company, Gibraltar Productions. It was noted in the 8 Apr 1965 DV that Gibraltar was one of four production companies involved in the project. The others were Douglas & Lewis Productions, Frankenheimer's Joel Productions, and Paramount Pictures, which also provided funding and distribution. Principal photography began 14 Jun 1965, as stated in that day's DV.
The 1 Jul 1965 edition revealed that the $2.5 million production employed an innovative system, which provided "complete lighting of sets for closeups, longshots, etc., sans separate setups, plus the use of ceilinged-sets." Although friends and colleagues tried to dissuade Hudson from starring in the science-fiction drama, the actor argued that he needed to expand his range beyond the romantic comedies with which he was commonly identified.
The 24 Aug 1965 DV mentioned the company's recent return to Los Angeles, CA, from New York City. In the 25 Aug 1965 DV, Frankenheimer commended his New York crew members for assisting him in finishing the four-day shoot on schedule, particularly "standby cameraman" Bill Kelly. Locations included Grand Central Station and the town of Scarsdale, NY. The 29 Aug 1965 NYT explained that Frankenheimer arranged for a decoy shoot at Grand Central Station to distract likely onlookers from noticing the actual filming elsewhere in the station. The decoy scene featured a young man and a blonde woman, rumored to be a Playboy Club "bunny" waitress, with screenwriter John Lewis Carlino posing as director. Over the course of several retakes, the woman stripped down to a bikini.
Casting announcements included John Francis (10 May 1965 DV); Frankenheimer's wife, Evans Evans (15 Jun 1965 DV); Robert Gist (16 Jun 1965 DV); Jane Wald (18 Jun 1965 DV); Peg Shirley and Leonard Nimoy (28 Jun 1965 DV); Victoria Meyerink (1 Jul 1965 DV); Dick Kimble (13 Jul 1965 DV); Carl Saxe (14 Jul 1965 DV); Peggy Sands (15 Jul 1965 DV); Brenda Shayne and Coliene Murphy (16 Jul 1965 DV); Paul Kent and Ronnie Dunas (20 Jul 1965 DV); John Brokenshire and Charles Russell (22 Jul 1965 DV); Gloria Jorgenson, Connie Ducharme, and Ida Romero (26 Jul 1965 DV); Clay Turner (2 Aug 1965 LAT). The 30 Jun 1965 DV credited Milt Watt as publicist, and Tom Conroy as dialog director.
According to an article in the 13 Jul 1965 LAT, only the hospital sequences were filmed at Paramount studios, while all others were on location. Hospital sets, including "wavy floors, transparent ceilings and walls, suspended beds, tapering perspectives and doors that some how (sic) seem too small to go through" were created to demonstrate the protagonist's point of view. Frankenheimer told the 14 Nov 1966 LAT that the wine festival scenes were filmed during an actual event that occurred annually near Santa Barbara, CA. Director of photography James Wong Howe reportedly used seven hand-held cameras to capture the action. Additional location work took place in Malibu, CA. The 21 Mar 1966 LAT noted that principal photography was completed sometime during Aug 1965.
The 20 Jan 1966 DV stated that Frankenheimer had no intention of previewing the film, as he wanted to retain its shock value. Seconds debuted at the Cannes International Film Festival on 16 May 1966, where it was nominated for a Palme d'Or award. The 17 May 1966 NYT reported derisive laughter from viewers during a press screening. Nearly two months later, the 12 Jul 1966 DV blamed the negative reaction at Cannes on subtitles that were not consistent with the dialogue. Rock Hudson assured that future foreign prints would be dubbed with accurate translations.
The 31 Aug 1966 DV noted that a screening was held for fifty members of the Southern California Theatre Owners Association (SCTOA). Openings were planned for the organization's National Movie Month campaign in Oct 1966.
Seconds opened 5 Oct 1966 in New York City, and 9 Nov 1966 in Los Angeles. While the 23 May 1966 DV stated that the film did not succeed "as a thriller, sci-fi adjunct or philosophical fable," the 6 Oct 1966 NYT found "its tensions and terrors" to be "genuinely fascinating." James Wong Howe received an Academy Award nomination for Cinematography, Black-and-White.
Discontented middle-aged Scarsdale banker Arthur Hamilton is contacted by Charlie, a friend he believed to be dead, and is persuaded to submit to radical plastic surgery performed by a mysterious company. Transformed into a much younger man, he is relocated to Southern California and given the identity of Antiochus Wilson, an established painter. Although he falls in love with the uninhibited Nora Marcus, Arthur quickly discovers that she is a company employee and his new friends are fellow clients. Frustrated by his contrived life, Arthur returns to his Scarsdale to visit his wife, but the experience only adds to his melancholy. Arthur asks the company to give him yet another face and identity. The company agrees to the request, but when Arthur is unable to refer another client to the organization, he is killed during ...
Discontented middle-aged Scarsdale banker Arthur Hamilton is contacted by Charlie, a friend he believed to be dead, and is persuaded to submit to radical plastic surgery performed by a mysterious company. Transformed into a much younger man, he is relocated to Southern California and given the identity of Antiochus Wilson, an established painter. Although he falls in love with the uninhibited Nora Marcus, Arthur quickly discovers that she is a company employee and his new friends are fellow clients. Frustrated by his contrived life, Arthur returns to his Scarsdale to visit his wife, but the experience only adds to his melancholy. Arthur asks the company to give him yet another face and identity. The company agrees to the request, but when Arthur is unable to refer another client to the organization, he is killed during surgery.
TOP SEARCHES
Blue Movie
The 25 Jun 1969 Var review noted that Blue Movie was shot in Sep 1968 in New York City. Along with several other contemporary sources, ... >>
Nobody Lives Forever
A 6 Aug 1941 HR news item notes that Humphrey Bogart and Ann Sheridan were to star in the film, and a 25 Nov 1941 news item ... >>
Champion
A Jan 1949 NYT news item reported that producer Stanley Kramer had made Champion in twenty-four days for a modest $595,000 as a result of ... >>
Back to the Future
According to production notes from AMPAS library files, writer-director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale began work on the screenplay in fall 1980, aiming to tell a story ... >>
Easy Rider
In an interview published in the 20 Jul 1969 NYT, Dennis Hopper recalled his first experience directing a scene in the 1967 picture, The Trip ... >>