The Steagle

1971 film by Paul Sylbert

September 15, 1971 (1971-09-15) (New York)

Running time

87 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

The Steagle is a 1971 American comedy film based on the novel of the same name by Irvin Faust. The film was directed by Paul Sylbert and starred Richard Benjamin.^[1] The film concerns the personality change which overcomes the protagonist during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the film's title implicitly references the transient nature of the Steagles NFL team, existing for only the 1943 season during a national crisis.

Paul Sylbert wrote a 1974 book, Final Cut, about his mostly unhappy experiences making the film.^[2]

Plot

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, a professor decides to live out all of his dreams, travelling across the country and taking on a different persona in each city.

Cast

Richard Benjamin as Harold Weiss, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Chill Wills as Tall-Guy McCoy
Cloris Leachman as Rita Weiss
Jean Allison as Florence Maguire
Suzanne Charney as Marcy (as Suzanne Charny)
George Mann as Dean Briggs
Ivor Francis as Reverend
Susan Tyrrell as Louise
Jack Bernardi as Marty Panesh
Susan Kussman as Joan
Peter Hobbs as Dr. Payne
Joseph Bernard as Max Levine
Frank Christi as Mr. Forbes
Diane Ladd as Mrs. Forbes
Harold Reynolds as Dr. Plymile
Warren Munson as Man on train
Lew Palter as Older Man
Minta Durfee as Old Lady (uncredited)^[3]

Production

In his book about making the movie, Final Cut: The Making and Breaking of a Picture, writer-director Paul Sylbert wrote that he was pressured by Avco Embassy into casting bit part actress Sandra Giles [whom he gave the pseudonym "Sally Wyles"] in a major supporting role, even though she was totally inadequate for the part, lacking acting talent. Sylbert wrote that the production of the picture was made contingent on her being cast in the part, as it turned out she was the mistress of a top executive at Avco, the conglomerate that acquired Joseph E. Levine's Embassy Pictures in 1967.

Facing cancellation of The Steagle, he did cast her, with no intention of using her. Sylbert rescheduled the shooting of Giles' scenes to the latter part of the picture, then used another actress in the part. In his book, he writes that the picture being taken away from him during the editing/preview process and being brutally recut was partially due to the producers' anger over him double-crossing them over Giles.^[2]

References

^ Weiler, A. H. (September 16, 1971). "The Steagle (1971) A Brazilian Youth's Joys and Shocks:' Plantation Boy' Opens at 5th Ave. Cinema Benjamin Proves Deft Comic in 'The Steagle'". The New York Times.
^ ^a ^b Sylbert, Paul (1974). Final Cut - The making and breaking of a film. Seasbury Press/Continuum Books. ISBN 0816491844.
^ "Minta Durfee Filmography". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2020.