Love Me or Leave Me

by **howard** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 12:10 am

Last I heard, it was an Al Pacino vehicle with no female attached to it ... the working title was/is "Torch." As for Lopez and Jolie not looking the part, Doris didn't look much like Ruth Etting either.

by **dayniac** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:36 pm

Boy - I'm with you Debbi -- it makes me cringe too !

by **Ralph** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:58 pm

Katie wrote:In Ava's autobio, she said she was supposed to play Ruth Etting, but she was on suspension...

Ralph, do you know if D was ever put on suspension at WB? I don't reember if she ways this in her book...

_______________________________________

She would have had she not done LUCKY ME. But, after speaking to her spiritual advisors, she threw her shoulders back, did the picture using 110% of her abilities. Doris knew that film is forever and her performance, even in a bad movie, would forever be judged, long after all of us are gone. As a result, she's delightful in the film.

by **Ralph** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 5:52 pm

This is from Internet Movie DataBase and sounds like somebody sat down and made it up. I can believe some of it, but the quote from Ruth Etting about Jane Powell, I don't believe. Also, what was Jane Russell thinking? She would not have been convincing as Ruth or Lillian Roth. I can't think of any of these actresses playing Ruth, especially because of the music.
________________________________________________

Trivia for
Love Me or Leave Me (1955)

It was James Cagney who suggested to producer Joe Pasternak that he cast Doris Day in the role of Ruth Etting. They had worked together previously in The West Point Story (1950).

According to an interview with Ruth Etting, she never actually worked as a dance hall hostess. This was dramatic fiction, to underscore the song "Ten Cents a Dance".

This was the only time, after becoming a star in the 1930s, that James Cagney ever accepted second billing for a major role. He thought that Doris Day's character was more central to the film's plot, and so ceded top billing to her.

The character James Cagney played, Martin Snyder (aka "Moe the Gimp"), was portrayed in the film as a small-time hood. Ironically he ended up working in the license department in Chicago's City Hall.

'Jane Russell' turned down the opportunity to play Ruth Etting in hopes of landing the role of Lillian Roth in I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955). That role ended up going to Susan Hayward, leaving Russell with neither part.

Ava Gardner desperately wanted the role of Ruth Etting but MGM went with James Cagney’s suggestion of casting 'Doris Day' instead.

It was Doris Day who started her career with dancing acts. She had to quit her desire to become a ballerina after she had a car accident. Then she switched to singing.

Jane Powell was originally supposed to star in this movie, but the studio had a hard time seeing Powell as a nightclub performer and in a serious role. Before Ruth Etting died, she told an interviewer she wished Powell was given the role.

by **Ralph** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 6:26 pm

Debbi Austen wrote:I heard on TCM that Ruth Etting wanted Jane Powell to play her in Love Me or Leave Me (I can't even imagine this). But as we all know D D got the part and MGM gave Jane the part in Hit The Deck. Jane was so upset that she didn't get this break out role, that she went indepentant after Hit the Deck.

_________________________________________

This probably happened a lot in Hollywood. Just think what Broadway stars felt when the roles they created went to movie stars. Uta Hagen, who created Martha on Broadway in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff" wouldn't even discuss Elizabeth Taylor. Likewise, Ethel Merman just went to bed and stayed there when Rosalind Russell was announced to do the screen version of "Gypsy." I know that Janis Paige was looking forward to doing "The Pajama Game" with Frank Sinatra, but, as we know, Doris Day got the part.

People here have disputed me, but can you imagine how Doris Day felt after making all of her lightweight musicals, finding out that MGM's Judy Garland was coming to the Warner Brothers lot to do the dramatic musical, "A Star Is Born"? Day had never been offered anything that important. We know that hearts were broken when they lost out to Doris for "Love Me or Leave Me," but that's Hollywood.

by **Jas1** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:15 pm

BBC Radio 2 played James Cagney this morning - for the 'Showtime' slot - singing 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' - specificially for 4 July - so HAPPY Independence day to all of you across the pond.

by **webmaster** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:31 pm

Who's the person who voted "Love Me or Leave Me" 'Poor'? (above)

Come on, own up! :lol:

I'd like to hear your reasons....

by **dayniac** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:29 pm

Someone actually voted poor on LMOLM ???? How could you do that ?
Probably the best movie Doris made. My husband says he's not fond of it because its hard for him to watch - a depressing subject. But - he thinks its a great movie. Maybe thats the reason it got that vote.
I think its fabulous !

Doris with Joe Pasternak and Charles Vidor on her first visit to MGM lot.

by **Karl King** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:07 pm

Percy Faith's start was quite high the sky during this movie being made. He had a bunch of hits with Columbia Records leading into his work on the picture. IMHO it was Faith's lovely ascending, almost glissado-like strings that made LMOLM a really great recording. I'm not exactly sure if they used the same track for the movie mix though. Multi-channel was in its infancy in the record-making business, while movie sound used separate speech, music and effects tracks for many years. So the orchestra mix for the movie was not the same as at Columbia. But the song became a hit at the same time the movie came out.

Every time I hear that song by Doris, I get weepy. Music has charms!

by **Karl King** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:14 pm

Should read "star was quite high in the sky." "...hits with Columbia Records leading into... "...glissando-like..."

by **webmaster** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:17 am

Welcome to to forum, KK (glad your middle name isn't Ken! :lol:

).
Nice to hear the views of a new member.

by **Pam** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:50 am

Welcome to the forum Karl!

Bry...you are a hoot!

Pam~

by **dayniac** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:38 pm

Welcome Karl -- wonderful music information ! Thank-you for sharing.

by **Karl King** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:57 pm

Oh, thank you all for the warm welcome! So kind of you! I will willingly share my past. As you can tell, I'm old enough to recall seeing those movies for the first time in a movie house.

It was a lovely time. This movie especially was at a tme when I was cramming my head full of radio/TV/movie information.

Later on, as I told Bryan via email when I registerd, I was in radio for quite a while as a DJ/engineer/salesperson--typical small to medium sized stations and markets.

Once again, "Love Me or Leave Me" engenders strong emotions in me. And if so, isn't that was music is all about? And wasn't that a fantastic movie? The ending! It has to be one of the BEST movie endings ever.

Love to you all, from KK.

Oh yeah, as I told Bryan, my board alias Karl King is from a movie I was in. He was a blue collar guy who, on a challenge, writes a romance novel that becomes a best seller, to his astonishment and dismay; because he used the pen name of Sheila Sherwood.

Now he has to find a lady stand-in author.

by **webmaster** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:44 am

Ralph sent me the following pic, the costume Doris wore in "Love Me or Leave Me"

It's the one she was wearing standing at the 'check out' after she was fired following the incident on the dance floor, isn't it?
I can't find that pic at the moment - anyone have it?

This one is same dress, I think, but the poster is a duo-tone:

by **Peter Flapper** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:52 am

Great colour photo:

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p227/petruslodewijk/Lovemeorleaveme32.jpg

by **puck** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:19 am

Great photo of Miss Day, Peter, thank you for sharing it.

Another:

by **puck** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:16 am

Have find some great pictures of the movie, which I want to share.

Full image: http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/954/8x10lovemeorleavemenum1te6.jpg

Puck

by **René** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:35 pm

Thanks, Puck, for the great photos from LMOLM. Any more? I just can't seem to get enough of this great movie!

by **puck** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:25 am

Have more, love also this movie. but I do love of all the movies of Miss Day.

Puck

by **miss maxwell** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:25 am

Beautiful pictures.

I find "Love me or leave me" to be incredibly good in every single way:
acting, directing, costume designing, music score, cinematography, e v e r y t h i n g .
DD - who probably looked more gorgeous [and jaw droppingly fit] than ever before
or after - gave one of her finest performances and was absolutely worthy of an Oscar
nomination, thank you very much! Really, I can't believe she was not at least nominated.
As much as I loved her in "Pillow Talk", I don't see how she could have been nominated
as Jan Morrow but not as Ruth Etting in "LMOLM" - or as Kit in "Midnight Lace". [Be careful
now, I'm not saying she didn't deserve a nod for Pillow Talk. :wink:

] Of course the Oscars
don't deal with an actor's/actress's individual performances but with a variety of
performances of each year - and I haven't watched the majority of the rest of the
nominated films of 1955. But by simply having watched Doris in LMOLM I just can't help
but think she deserved one.

By the way, one totally random thing I like in this film is the beauty mark showcase.
The spot below Doris's lower left lip. And I don't know why in the majority of her other
[specially the latter] films, it was all covered up.

by **Jas1** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:04 pm

I agree about the Oscar nomination for Love me or Leave Me - however I think at this time Doris was still considered a light weight musical star and had yet to really find true critical acclaim that she certianly achieved following this film & afterwards with the likes of Man Who Knew Too Much, Pajama Game and Teacher's Pet. I think had Doris done the Hitchcock film first, she would have been nominated for Love me... - that does not explain however the lack of nomination for Man who Knew too Much!

by **dayniac** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:10 pm

It seems that Hollywood works in these strange ways quite often.
I'm not saying that Doris shouldn't have been nominated for
Pillow Talk - but - she deserved a nomination for the other movies that you've mentioned.
Definitely for Love Me or Leave Me.

Hollywood does seem to pass actors up for several worthy
performances and then say - Gosh - she should have been
nominated for that -maybe even won - maybe we should give
her a nomination this year. Sometimes it seems to be politics...
how popular was that particular person at that time - with their fellow
actors or the public. Not very fair - but I think it happened quite often.

1955 was shortly after she had gone through a rough
period personally. She wasn't giving interviews, was given the Sour Apple Award by the movie mag writers.
She hadn't wanted to discuss her health and personal issues with
them (which I can understand).
Eventually, she and Marty decided that they needed to give
some interviews and explain the situation. I think this probably
had some effect on her not getting the nomination at that time.

With Pillow Talk - she had a HUGE hit on her hands. They
had a hard time getting it booked into some theaters.
And after it was such a hit - theyhad the last laugh on that one.
This probably played into the nomination also.

Not fair - but its Hollywood !!

She deserved a win for Love Me or Leave Me or The Man Who
Knew Too Much.

by **dayniac** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:29 pm

Just looking through some pictures --- thought I'd share some. Hope you enjoy ! :lol:

by **miss maxwell** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:58 am

Beautiful!

Jas, I agree about DD probably being considered (at the time) a light weight musical star. What a pitty.

Toni (is it?), your post (She hadn't wanted to discuss her health and personal issues with them etc) has got me curious to watch "It's magic" again, after a long time - I think I merely remember what you're talking about. This was a sad period indeed.

by **dayniac** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:09 pm

She talked about it in her book too. She was having breathing problems -actually hyperventilating - thought she was really sick and I guess almost had a nervous breakdown. Anyway - she got medical help and was fine. But - at the time she wasn't accessible to the press, as she had always been in the past. And the press is always so understanding - HA - and gave her the sour apple award and wrote some less than complementary things about her. This actually happened a bit before LMOLM but I've always wondered if that did effect her not getting a nomination at this time. Don't really know - I do know that she deserved one !

Toni

by **howard** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:37 pm

I had heard that MGM was going all out with a campaign for Eleanor Parker, one of their contract players .... so our DD got left out in the cold, so to speak. Don't know how true it is, but that's how I heard it.

by **dayniac** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:51 pm

Thanks for that information, Howard.
Eleanor Parker was nominated for "Interrupted Melody" a bio of Australian opera singer Marjorie Lawrence. She was stricken with polio but continued her career in spite of her handicap. The singing was dubbed by opera singer Eileen Farrell.
Interesting that MGM went all out for another musical with dubbed singing !! I'm not familiar with this movie - I'd like to see it just to compare the two musicals. Doris should get points for doing her own singing - don't you think ??
The other nominee's that year were - Susan Hayward for I'll Cry Tomorrow; Katharine Hepburn for Summertime; Jennifer Jones for Love Is A Many Splendored Thing and Anna Magnani winning in The Rose Tatoo.

Still think Doris deserved an oscar nod for this one.

by **Ralph** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:46 pm

howard wrote:I had heard that MGM was going all out with a campaign for Eleanor Parker, one of their contract players .... so our DD got left out in the cold, so to speak. Don't know how true it is, but that's how I heard it.

True. Eleanor Parker was an MGM star. She used her clout and insisted that they put the push behind her, not Doris Day, for the Oscar nomination. Out of loyalty to her, they put their campaign behind Parker, not Day, who was heavily associated with Warner Brothers.

Similarly, this happened with "All About Eve" when Anne Baxter (a 20th Century Fox star) insisted on being nominated for "best actress" along side visiting Warner Brothers star, Bette Davis. The votes split and Judy Holliday waltzed up to accept the Oscar instead of Davis, who deserved it. Davis never forgave Baxter "for being such a b**ch."

by **puck** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:43 am

I'm agree with you Daynaic.