Post by mikef6 on Jan 12, 2018 2:03:53 GMT
Ed Sikov’s book on Wilder, “On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder” (1998) talks about the search for Norma. At one point, Wilder said that he had thought about a Hollywood comedy for a long time. “God help me, I wanted Mae West and Marlon Brando.” It seems he never took steps toward this. Wilder had Garbo over to his house and had several comeback movies pitched to her. None of them was SB, but there was one where her character would narrate after her death. Garbo wasn’t interested. Wilder phoned Pola Negri but her accent was too thick so it didn’t go farther than the phone call. Wilder and writer Charles Brackett went over to Pickfair to talk to Mary Pickford. Brackett was telling her the plot when Wilder stopped him saying, “I’m sorry but it’s no use. The story gets very vulgar.” Wilder asked George Cukor for his advice. Cukor recommended Swanson.