"Pictures at a Revolution"

This book is quite simply dense with names. Mark Harris commanded 'a cast of thousands' to bring it about.

• 'Historically the only event more disruptive to the industry's ecosystem than an unexpected flop is an unexpected smash, and, caught off guard by the sudden arrival of more revenue than they thought their movies could ever bring in, the major studios resorted to three old habits: imitation, frenzied speculation, and panic.'
• Arthur Penn's brother is Irvin; Mike Nichols made his name working with Elaine May; Leslie Caron and Warren Beatty were an item.
• "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" was shot on Smith campus.
• In "What's Up Pussy Cat", Woody Allen wrote his bit part bigger and bigger and bigger.
• "The Graduate" is about Benjamin's sully struggle to be good.
• The producer/director enticed Katherine Hepburn to the role in "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" by describing the character with phrases like 'timeless grace' in the script.
• Rex Harrison's stipulations for starring in "Doctor Dolittle" included not being sung to by anybody in the film.
• Richard Burton: "I have actually seen people shiver as they cross the room to meet Elizabeth. What the hell is it? I know that we are both dangerous people, but we are fundamentally very nice. I mean we only hurt each other."
• Woes during the making of  "Doctor Dolittle": The rhinoceros got pneumonia  --- Pink sands had fleas in them --- Native St. Lucians threw rocks at the sea snail boat used at the final scene  --- Tilted stages were necessary for animal runoff --- The composer rewrote lyrics to "I'm Sixteen Going On Seventeen" to describe the ever ballooning budget --- Ralph Fiennes's Ultra Iron Man cousin tried to sabotage the production.
• At one time, the script of "Heat of the Night" included a voodoo duel scene.
• Warren Beatty: "Casting is destiny."