Edward Lewis, producer of SEVEN DAYS IN MAY, EXECUTIVE ACTION, et al

[Joseph McBride]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/edward-lewis-spartacus-producer-who-helped-break-the-blacklist-dies-at-99/2019/08/13/9e9be300-bdd9-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html

 

https://variety.com/2019/film/obituaries-people-news/edward-lewis-dead-dies-spartacus-1203300307/

[Paul Brancato]

 I was unaware of Edward Lewis and feel properly educated on the life of someone that I only knew by deed. Thank you so much. 

 

[W. Niederhut]

After reading about Edward Lewis here yesterday I watched Seven Days in May last night, for the first time ever. 

What a remarkable, terrifying film!

Apparently, JFK had encouraged Kirk Douglas and Frankenheimer to make the movie, and even went to Cape Cod for two weekend visits so that the producers could film the Oval Office scenes in the White House.  The Pentagon, not surprisingly, opposed the production.

Filming began in September of 1963, and the movie premiered in theaters on February 12, 1964-- only 12 weeks after JFK's murder. 

Does anyone here know the history of how the film was received in the U.S.?   It must, surely, have concerned some of our military brass.

Were there any known efforts by the Pentagon or LBJ administration to suppress distribution or pan the film in 1964?

(I was seven at the time, but have no recollection of my family or peers seeing the film at our local theater, (unlike, say, Goldfinger, Mary Poppins, or My Fair Lady. )

 

 

[Paul Brancato]

6 hours ago, W. Niederhut said:

After reading about Edward Lewis here yesterday I watched Seven Days in May last night, for the first time ever. 

What a remarkable, terrifying film!

Apparently, JFK had encouraged Kirk Douglas and Frankenheimer to make the movie, and even went to Cape Cod for two weekend visits so that the producers could film the Oval Office scenes in the White House.  The Pentagon, not surprisingly, opposed the production.

Filming began in September of 1963, and the movie premiered in theaters on February 12, 1964-- only 12 weeks after JFK's murder. 

Does anyone here know the history of how the film was received in the U.S.?   It must, surely, have concerned some of our military brass.

Were there any known efforts by the Pentagon or LBJ administration to suppress distribution or pan the film in 1964?

(I was seven at the time, but have no recollection of my family or peers seeing the film at our local theater, (unlike, say, Goldfinger, Mary Poppins, or My Fair Lady. )

 

 

Considering the timing one would have thought the film would have generated  a lot of buzz, but I don’t recall that being the case. JFK’s encouragement of Frankenheimer is part of the reason I’ve come to suspect the US military, and Lemnitzer in particular. I’ve recorded the movie for watching later,  but I’ve seen it and don’t recall finding it particularly entertaining. Even so.... the Press was either asleep at the wheel or controlled. 

[W. Niederhut]

1 hour ago, Paul Brancato said:

Considering the timing one would have thought the film would have generated  a lot of buzz, but I don’t recall that being the case. JFK’s encouragement of Frankenheimer is part of the reason I’ve come to suspect the US military, and Lemnitzer in particular. I’ve recorded the movie for watching later,  but I’ve seen it and don’t recall finding it particularly entertaining. Even so.... the Press was either asleep at the wheel or controlled. 

 

         I like film noir, in general, and loved the old Rod Serling Twilight Zone show in the early 60s, so I thought Seven Days in May was a real gem.  (Rod Serling wrote the screenplay for Seven Days in May.)  It's worth watching just to see the vintage cars and fashions from my childhood.

       And, speaking of Lemnitzer, the President in Seven Days in May, oddly, is named, "Lyman."

       It's a deeply disturbing narrative about the Joint Chiefs butting heads with a POTUS who is trying to avert a nuclear holocaust.

[Ron Bulman]

Since this is a film related thread I thought I'd post this here.  I hope Mr. McBride doesn't mind.

I still have, rolled up now, a poster of Peter Fonda on his chopper in Easy Rider.  Black and white, all but the gas tank.  To me it represented freedom.  RIP.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=easy+rider+born+to+be+wild+video&view=detail&mid=9FCB3AB52C14B708A5FF9FCB3AB52C14B708A5FF&FORM=VIRE

His daddy was an all time favorite of mine as well.

Edited August 17, 2019 by Ron Bulman