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Staircase (film)

January 18, 2023

For similarly named films, see Staircase (disambiguation).

Staircase is a 1969 British comedy-drama film adaptation of a two-character play, also called Staircase, by Charles Dyer.

Staircase
Theatrical release poster
Directed byStanley Donen
Screenplay byCharles Dyer
Based onStaircase
by Charles Dyer
Produced byStanley Donen
Starring
CinematographyChristopher Challis
Edited byRichard Marden
Music byDudley Moore
Production
company
Stanley Donen Films
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • 20 August 1969 (1969-08-20) (New York)[1]
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6,370,000[2]
Box office$1,850,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[3]

The film, like the play, is about an ageing gay couple who own a barber shop in the East End of London. They discuss their loving but often volatile past together and ponder their possible future without each other, as Charles is about to go on trial for dressing as a woman in public.

The two main characters are named Charles Dyer (the name of the playwright/screenwriter) and Harry C. Leeds, which is an anagram of his name.[4]

Plot

Cast

Production

The screenplay was written by Dyer, and the film was directed by Stanley Donen. Dyer "opened up" the script to show the couple's neighbourhood, expanded the action to cover a period of ten days, and added characters. Rex Harrison and Richard Burton portrayed the couple and Cathleen Nesbitt and Beatrix Lehmann were featured as their mothers.

The film was produced by 20th Century Fox.

Because of Great Britain's tax laws, the stars insisted that the film be shot in Paris, which added to the film's budget, already inflated by their salaries ($1 million for Harrison, $1.25 million for Burton). Reportedly Elizabeth Taylor was shooting 1970's The Only Game in Town at the same time as this film was in production. While that film is set in Las Vegas, Taylor demanded that director George Stevens shoot in France so she could be close to her husband. This caused the budget of The Only Game in Town to grow higher than most large-scale, high-profile films that Fox was producing at the time.

The film's score was composed by musician/comedian Dudley Moore.

Release

Instead of marketing it as the comedy drama it was, the studio treated it like a camp comedy.

Critical

Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote "Although Burton and Harrison are interesting actors whose styles command attention even when the material does not, 'Staircase' is essentially a stunt movie ... Unlike Harry and Charlie, who eventually come to edgy terms with the emptiness of their lives, I couldn't quite come to terms with the emptiness of the movie."[5] Variety wrote that "Harrison and Burton have dared risky roles and have triumphed," but noted that the film "comes uncomfortably close to being depressing."[6] Roger Ebert gave the film 1 star out 4, calling it "an unpleasant exercise in bad taste...[Donen] gives us no warmth, humor or even the dregs of understanding. He exploits the improbable team of Rex Harrison and Richard Burton as a sideshow attraction."[7] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave it 3 stars out of 4, calling it "a satisfactory film achievement with a very good story. Richard Burton is marvelous in holding up Staircase. Rex Harrison is more of a broken step...[he] swishes and preens too much but controls the part as the movie progresses."[8] Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote "We cannot will ourselves to forget that these are Harrison and Burton playing at being homosexuals. These are performances and even if they are good (as they are) and for the most part quite restrained (as they are), we still look at the craft and not into the tortured soul."[9] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post wrote "Artistically, the depressing thing about 'Staircase' is that it has no surprises. We see everything coming a few beats or lines or minutes before the filmmakers and the stars, deliberately planting the clues and laying the groundwork and working up the old momentum, finally throw their best punches."[10] Penelope Gilliatt of The New Yorker wrote "Written by someone else and directed by a man more fond, it could have been a love story, and it could have been wonderful. Instead of that, it comes out like some total-immersion course in Camp banter, conceived in a way that keeps signalling the heroes' freakishness. The lack of affection for them makes the film depressing ... Only Burton's acting runs deep and true and comic."[11] Nigel Andrews of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "It is the air of unreality over the film that makes it finally so unsatisfying—the desultory studio street, the barber's shop permanently empty of customers, the sheer improbability of some of the acting (notably Beatrix Lehmann's grotesque cameo as Charlie's mother). If one were charitable, one could regard the whole thing as a vehicle, an opportunity for Harrison and Burton to show their paces in extravagant character roles ... Neither, however, can quite save the film from its inflated production values and the feeling that it has been cleaned up a little for popular consumption."[12]

Rarely seen on television, the film was broadcast by Turner Classic Movies during a tribute to gay cinema in June 2007 and as a "counter culture film" in June 2019.

Box office

According to Fox records, the film required $10,675,000 in rentals to break even, and by 11 December 1970, had made $2,125,000.[13] In September 1970, the studio reported a loss of $5,201,000 on the film.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Staircase - Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  2. ^ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p255
  3. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1969", Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15
  4. ^ Canby, Vincent (1969-08-21). "Burton-Harrison Team On View in 'Staircase'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  5. ^ Canby, Vincent (August 21, 1969). "Burton-Harrison Team On View in 'Staircase'". The New York Times: 46.
  6. ^ "Staircase". Variety: 18. August 13, 1969.
  7. ^ Ebert, Roger (November 4, 1969). "Staircase". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  8. ^ Siskel, Gene (November 3, 1969). "Staircase". Chicago Tribune. Section 2, p. 19.
  9. ^ Champlin, Charles (September 26, 1969). "Burton, Harrison, Starred". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 19.
  10. ^ Arnold, Gary (August 21, 1969). "'Staircase' Is a Dreary Drag". The Washington Post. p. G11.
  11. ^ Gilliatt, Penelope (August 30, 1969). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 74.
  12. ^ Andrews, Nigel (December 1969). "Staircase". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 36 (431): 261.
  13. ^ Silverman, Stephen M (1988). The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox. L. Stuart. p. 328. ISBN 9780818404856.
  14. ^ Silverman p 259

External links

January 18, 2023
staircase, film, similarly, named, films, staircase, disambiguation, staircase, 1969, british, comedy, drama, film, adaptation, character, play, also, called, staircase, charles, dyer, staircasetheatrical, release, posterdirected, bystanley, donenscreenplay, b. For similarly named films see Staircase disambiguation Staircase is a 1969 British comedy drama film adaptation of a two character play also called Staircase by Charles Dyer StaircaseTheatrical release posterDirected byStanley DonenScreenplay byCharles DyerBased onStaircaseby Charles DyerProduced byStanley DonenStarringRex Harrison Richard BurtonCinematographyChristopher ChallisEdited byRichard MardenMusic byDudley MooreProductioncompanyStanley Donen FilmsDistributed by20th Century FoxRelease date20 August 1969 1969 08 20 New York 1 Running time96 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishBudget 6 370 000 2 Box office 1 850 000 US Canada rentals 3 The film like the play is about an ageing gay couple who own a barber shop in the East End of London They discuss their loving but often volatile past together and ponder their possible future without each other as Charles is about to go on trial for dressing as a woman in public The two main characters are named Charles Dyer the name of the playwright screenwriter and Harry C Leeds which is an anagram of his name 4 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 4 1 Critical 4 2 Box office 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditThis article needs a plot summary Please add one in your own words November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Cast EditRichard Burton as Harry C Leeds Rex Harrison as Charles Dyer Cathleen Nesbitt as Harry s mother Beatrix Lehmann as Charles mother Avril Angers as Miss Ricard Pat Heywood as Nurse Stephen Lewis as Jack Gwen Nelson as Matron Neil Wilson as Policeman Shelagh Fraser as Cub mistress Dermot Kelly as Gravedigger Jake Kavanagh as Choirboy Gordon Heath as Postman Michael Rogers as drag singer during opening song Royston Starr as drag singer during opening songProduction EditThe screenplay was written by Dyer and the film was directed by Stanley Donen Dyer opened up the script to show the couple s neighbourhood expanded the action to cover a period of ten days and added characters Rex Harrison and Richard Burton portrayed the couple and Cathleen Nesbitt and Beatrix Lehmann were featured as their mothers The film was produced by 20th Century Fox Because of Great Britain s tax laws the stars insisted that the film be shot in Paris which added to the film s budget already inflated by their salaries 1 million for Harrison 1 25 million for Burton Reportedly Elizabeth Taylor was shooting 1970 s The Only Game in Town at the same time as this film was in production While that film is set in Las Vegas Taylor demanded that director George Stevens shoot in France so she could be close to her husband This caused the budget of The Only Game in Town to grow higher than most large scale high profile films that Fox was producing at the time The film s score was composed by musician comedian Dudley Moore Release EditInstead of marketing it as the comedy drama it was the studio treated it like a camp comedy Critical Edit Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote Although Burton and Harrison are interesting actors whose styles command attention even when the material does not Staircase is essentially a stunt movie Unlike Harry and Charlie who eventually come to edgy terms with the emptiness of their lives I couldn t quite come to terms with the emptiness of the movie 5 Variety wrote that Harrison and Burton have dared risky roles and have triumphed but noted that the film comes uncomfortably close to being depressing 6 Roger Ebert gave the film 1 star out 4 calling it an unpleasant exercise in bad taste Donen gives us no warmth humor or even the dregs of understanding He exploits the improbable team of Rex Harrison and Richard Burton as a sideshow attraction 7 Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave it 3 stars out of 4 calling it a satisfactory film achievement with a very good story Richard Burton is marvelous in holding up Staircase Rex Harrison is more of a broken step he swishes and preens too much but controls the part as the movie progresses 8 Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote We cannot will ourselves to forget that these are Harrison and Burton playing at being homosexuals These are performances and even if they are good as they are and for the most part quite restrained as they are we still look at the craft and not into the tortured soul 9 Gary Arnold of The Washington Post wrote Artistically the depressing thing about Staircase is that it has no surprises We see everything coming a few beats or lines or minutes before the filmmakers and the stars deliberately planting the clues and laying the groundwork and working up the old momentum finally throw their best punches 10 Penelope Gilliatt of The New Yorker wrote Written by someone else and directed by a man more fond it could have been a love story and it could have been wonderful Instead of that it comes out like some total immersion course in Camp banter conceived in a way that keeps signalling the heroes freakishness The lack of affection for them makes the film depressing Only Burton s acting runs deep and true and comic 11 Nigel Andrews of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote It is the air of unreality over the film that makes it finally so unsatisfying the desultory studio street the barber s shop permanently empty of customers the sheer improbability of some of the acting notably Beatrix Lehmann s grotesque cameo as Charlie s mother If one were charitable one could regard the whole thing as a vehicle an opportunity for Harrison and Burton to show their paces in extravagant character roles Neither however can quite save the film from its inflated production values and the feeling that it has been cleaned up a little for popular consumption 12 Rarely seen on television the film was broadcast by Turner Classic Movies during a tribute to gay cinema in June 2007 and as a counter culture film in June 2019 Box office Edit According to Fox records the film required 10 675 000 in rentals to break even and by 11 December 1970 had made 2 125 000 13 In September 1970 the studio reported a loss of 5 201 000 on the film 14 References Edit Staircase Details AFI Catalog of Feature Films American Film Institute Retrieved November 20 2018 Solomon Aubrey Twentieth Century Fox A Corporate and Financial History The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series Lanham Maryland Scarecrow Press 1989 ISBN 978 0 8108 4244 1 p255 Big Rental Films of 1969 Variety 7 January 1970 p 15 Canby Vincent 1969 08 21 Burton Harrison Team On View in Staircase The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2022 09 02 Canby Vincent August 21 1969 Burton Harrison Team On View in Staircase The New York Times 46 Staircase Variety 18 August 13 1969 Ebert Roger November 4 1969 Staircase RogerEbert com Retrieved November 19 2018 Siskel Gene November 3 1969 Staircase Chicago Tribune Section 2 p 19 Champlin Charles September 26 1969 Burton Harrison Starred Los Angeles Times Part IV p 19 Arnold Gary August 21 1969 Staircase Is a Dreary Drag The Washington Post p G11 Gilliatt Penelope August 30 1969 The Current Cinema The New Yorker p 74 Andrews Nigel December 1969 Staircase The Monthly Film Bulletin 36 431 261 Silverman Stephen M 1988 The Fox that got away the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century Fox L Stuart p 328 ISBN 9780818404856 Silverman p 259External links EditStaircase at IMDb Staircase at Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Staircase film amp oldid 1120743174, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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