Rough Cut: A Disaster from Day One Burt Reynolds’ 1980 film Rough Cut became a cautionary tale of behind-the-scenes chaos, despite its eventual box office success. The heist movie, which followed Reynolds’ character as a jewel thief outwitting a police officer, was plagued by a series of missteps that seemed to doom the project from the start. Reynolds, known for his tumultuous film history—including near-fatal accidents, lawsuits, and on-set altercations—faced another chapter of turmoil during the production of this film. The project began with Reynolds as the lead, but the director’s lack of commitment quickly became apparent. Blake Edwards, originally set to direct, rejected the screenplay written by Reynolds’ chosen writer, Larry Gelbart, leading to Gelbart’s firing. Edwards left shortly after, and Reynolds used his influence to bring Gelbart back, while Don Siegel stepped in as director. However, Siegel’s disinterest was evident early on. During filming, he admitted, “If I’d known Escape from Alcatraz was going to be such a success, I don’t think I’d have done this picture.” He called the project “a disaster from day one” and later described it as “the worst-prepared movie I’ve been involved with.” The production was further complicated by clashes with producer David Merrick. Siegel was briefly replaced by Peter Hunt before Reynolds convinced Merrick to rehire Siegel. Meanwhile, Siegel shot three different endings for the film, none of which were used. Merrick secretly hired Robert Ellis Miller to create a fourth ending to his specifications, adding to the film’s chaotic production. Compounding the issues, co-star David Niven sued the production for $1.8 million, claiming he was excluded from marketing materials.#burt_reynolds #larry_gelbart #don_siegel #david_merrick #david_niven
