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Remembering John Frankenheimer
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In 1964, John Frankenheimer directed me in the Bryna Company Production of Seven Days in May. We had a great cast: Fredric March, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, Edmond O'Brien, George Macready and John Houseman.
When I submitted the script to Burt, there were two roles suitable for each of us. I said, "Burt, you choose the role you want and I'll take the other." He chose the evil general and I played his military assistant. But Burt almost did not do the picture. John Frankenheimer was very upset and didn't want to work with Burt again because they had a very unpleasant relationship while making Birdman of Alcatraz, which, by the way, was a great movie.
I assured John that he would not have any trouble with Burt. He was my friend and we had worked together in at least six other movies. John was not completely convinced, but we did the movie. Not only did John have a good relationship with Burt during this shoot, but he also went to Europe to direct Burt in his next picture, The Train, and they became good friends.
I thought John did a wonderful job on Seven Days in May. He made an outstanding movie. After the wrap party, we made many plans to get together. They didn't materialize. He was busy making other movies and I was doing the same. My company, Bryna, under the auspices of Eddie Lewis, hired him to direct Seconds. In that picture, we were able to hire many actors who had been blacklisted. But during the making of that movie, I was in Europe.
Not long ago, I was mesmerized watching Path to War, without a doubt, John's best work. It reminded me of the warm friendship we shared when we made Seven Days in May.
When you make a movie, the cast and crew become a family. For two or three months, they work, argue and eat together every day. And sometimes, at night, they drink together. At the end of shooting, we have a wrap party. We get a little high and promise to keep in close contact with one another. Then everybody disappears and we often don't see each other for years.
After I watched Path to War, I was determined to get in touch with John and finally tracked him down at Cedars Sinai Hospital. He was undergoing back surgery by the same team of doctors that operated on my back years ago — Drs. Goldstein and Penenberger. After a few days, I got him on the phone in his hospital room. I had to tell him what a wonderful job he did on Path to War. He was overjoyed. I was pleased that his voice seemed strong. We made plans to eventually get together in a week or two. I felt gratified that we would finally renew the friendship that we had started with Seven Days in May.
"As soon as I get out of here, we'll have lunch," John said.
"Yeah," I said. "Let's have lunch sometime." And we both laughed.
A week later, I was stunned by the announcement that he had died. We never had our lunch. God had other plans for him and we all will miss a very talented director and a warm friend.
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