The two homosexual hairdressers in Charles Dyer's play were created here by Paul Schofield and Patrick Magee and then played on Broadway by Eli Wallach and Milo O'Shea. Excellent actors all but with a view to box office receipts Rex Harrison and Richard Burton were cast in this version directed by Stanley Donen.
In his autobiography Harrison admits that he and Burton agreed to do it only if the other one would. At the time their decision to take on these roles might have seemed both challenging and courageous but in retrospect it was both ill-judged and ill-advised.
The film itself is simply lamentable and the characters of Charles and Harry verge on caricature. Despite their seven-figure salaries both actors must have rued the day they got involved in this sorry enterprise. It's critical mauling and commercial failure must surely have been a bitter disappointment to Dyer himself.
In his autobiography Harrison admits that he and Burton agreed to do it only if the other one would. At the time their decision to take on these roles might have seemed both challenging and courageous but in retrospect it was both ill-judged and ill-advised.
The film itself is simply lamentable and the characters of Charles and Harry verge on caricature. Despite their seven-figure salaries both actors must have rued the day they got involved in this sorry enterprise. It's critical mauling and commercial failure must surely have been a bitter disappointment to Dyer himself.