MGM's "Two Loves," directed by Charles Walters in 1961, is a lost Shirley MacLaine film co-starring Laurence Harvey and Jack Hawkins. Filmed on location in New Zealand and based on a Sylvia Ashton-Warner novel titled "The Spinster" (also the film's working title), the film casts MacLaine against type as a repressed teacher of native children whose methodical, cloistered world is upset when she is sexually challenged by randy drifter Harvey and an intimidating Hawkins, who plays the headmaster of her school.Other lost MacLaine titles from the same era include Daniel Mann's "Hot Spell" (1958), starring Anthony Quinn and Shirley Booth - it was prominently (and surprisingly) featured in MacLaine's most recent film, Garry Marshall's "Valentine's Day" - and Joseph Anthony's "Career" (1959), co-starring Dean Martin, Anthony Franciosa and Carolyn Jones. Jack Cardiff's "My Geisha" (1962), long unavailable, was finally made availalble on DVD a couple of years ago. All three titles are Paramount films.
How does a movie starring Shirley MacLaine get lost? The woman has been one of the 10 best actresses working for over 50 years.
ReplyDeleteI saw "Career" somewhere a few years ago - probably TCM, although I can't swear to it. Iy was a decent movie, featruing one of Dean Martin's last real acting jobs, before he succumbed to the Matt Helm/Rat Pack silliness.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - on a completely unrelated note, I just saw that "Matinee" is being released on DVD today. I seem to recall that as being one of your Cinema Obscura entries, or perhaps that you mentioned it favorably in some other context. In any case, thought you might like a heads-up.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about "Matinee," Bill. Yes, I did do a post on it a while back and heard from Joe Dante when it ran. It's a terrific film and he's a terrific filmmaker. I just wish he made more movies.
ReplyDeleteEverything I've ever read about the movie, "Two Loves," suggests while its story is set in New Zealand, the film was shot in Southern California.
ReplyDeleteTwo Loves was to have some location filming done in New Zealand, but according to Variety- It rained so much there that they ended up doing the location shooting at Lone Pine instead.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is not lost! It aired on Turner Classic Movies in Canada in December - just a few days ago (today is Dec. 27th, 2014.)
ReplyDeleteIt is a very strange movie, with alot of talking about sex but very little if it happening. I won't spoil it for you, but the storyline involving a Maori girl and what happens to her was very surpising... The issues about sex are not oblique, in fact it surprised me that at least concerning interactions with the teacher were very upfront - in speech, anyway.
a.l.- This essay was posted in 2010, if you hadn't noticed. That's four years ago when the film was unable to be seen. It was indeed lost.
ReplyDeleteThis film was not shot on location in New Zealand. It was shot in Los Angeles.
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