On 10 May 1961, Var reported that Seven Arts Productions founders Ray Stark and Eliot Hyman paid $500,000 for motion picture rights to Tennessee Williams’s latest stage play, The Night of the Iguana, which had yet to debut on Broadway. According to the 30 Oct 1962 NYT, Seven Arts began investing in theaters to find material that would be suited for the screen, and often participated in the shows’ creative development. Confident in its potential as a film, the company funded nearly all of the capital for The Night of the Iguana, which ran 28 Dec 1961—29 Sep 1962 at the Royale Theatre after a one-night preview.
       Meanwhile, the 16 Jul 1962 NYT indicated that Seven Arts would share production duties of the film version with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Over the next few months, rumors circulated about the possible casting of Bette Davis, who originated the role of “Maxine Faulk” onstage, while a 12 Mar 1962 LAT item suggested that actress Nancy Kwan was also being considered. The 28 Sep 1962 NYT announced that Ingrid Bergman had been the first major player cast after accepting the role of “Hannah Jelkes.” At that time, Gavin Lambert was attached to write the adaptation. The following spring, however, director John Huston joined the project as part of a three-picture contract with Seven Arts, and the 3 Apr 1963 DV indicated that he and Anthony Veiller would take over as co-screenwriters. Six days later, LAT reported that Huston and Veiller were due to meet Tennessee Williams to discuss the adaptation in Key West, FL, following a location scout in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Stark reportedly wanted Huston, who also began acting, to portray the elderly poet “Nonno,” but the role eventually went to Cyril Delevanti.
       Subsequent casting announcements made no further mention of Bergman’s involvement, and on 3 Jul 1963, NYT confirmed that Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, and Deborah Kerr had been secured for the three leading roles. A 4 Jun 1963 LAT brief suggested that Gardner nearly dropped out of the picture due to salary disputes. Although Burton had been in talks since early summer, the 19 Jun 1963 LAT mentioned Christopher Plummer was also in consideration to star. A 26 Jul 1963 DV news item noted that Seven Arts contract player Mimsy Farmer screen tested for the role of “Charlotte Goodall,” which was played by Sue Lyon. According to the 29 Sep 1963 LAT, Lyon requested that the character be expanded for the film. A 1 Dec 1963 NYT article asserted that Gardner’s role was also rewritten, so as to appear more sympathetic than her stage counterpart. Burton supposedly received a salary of $400,000.
       Principal photography took place 25 Sep—3 Dec 1963, as reported by a 4 Dec 1963 DV brief. Although filming concluded nearly a week early, the 12 Sep 1963 DV outlined an initial shooting schedule in which the production would spend forty-four days in Mismaloya, thirteen days in Puerto Vallarta, and three days in Mexico City. A 15 Nov 1963 LAT news story claimed the Mismaloya jungle set cost $60,000. As many of the locations were accessible only by boat, the 1 Dec 1963 NYT stated that a small village of twenty-five houses was built as a residence for the cast and crew near a cove in the Bay of Banderas. This arrangement excluded Richard Burton, who was housed at “Casa Kimberley,” a four-story villa in Puerto Vallarta described in the 13 Oct 1963 LAT. The production attracted considerable publicity due to Burton’s high-profile affair with Cleopatra (1963, see entry) co-star Elizabeth Taylor, who joined him at Casa Kimberley during the shoot.
       On 25 Dec 1963, Var published an article revealing that Huston agreed to Mexican censors’ request to remove a scene that featured a “drunken Indian” sprawled out on a road, which was deemed a “stereotype of indolence.” Editing was expected to be completed in England or Ireland, where Huston lived. Several contemporary sources estimated a negative cost between $2.8 million and $3 million.
       A 22 May 1964 DV brief announced that The Night of the Iguana would play in competition at that year’s San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, where Ava Gardner was honored as Best Actress. The New York City world premiere took place 30 Jun 1964 at Philharmonic Hall in Lincoln Center. According to the next day’s NYT, the event raised $102,519.19 for the Heart Fund. Citywide release began 5 Aug 1964, and a NYT article two days later reported an unexpectedly high first-day gross of $74,692 from twenty locations, with house records broken at both the DeMille and Tower East Theatres. Although originally scheduled to open on the West Coast at the Beverly Theatre on the same day as New York City, the 24 Jul 1964 DV reported that the Los Angeles, CA, engagement had been moved up to 31 Jul 1964 in order to book a larger theater at the Hollywood Paramount.
       The Night of the Iguana won an Academy Award for Costume Design (Black-and-White), and received additional nominations in the following categories: Actress in a Supporting Role (Grayson Hall), Art Direction (Black-and-White), and Cinematography (Black-and-White).
       Although reviewed at 125 minutes, the official U.S. Copyright record lists a running time of 118 minutes. More Less