Top 10 Classic Hollywood Movies with Disturbing Back Stories
#10: “Imitation of Life” (1959)
The off-screen drama surrounding this 1959 melodrama may be just as heart-wrenching as anything that happened on-screen. Personal turmoil and negative press made the shoot incredibly difficult for star Lana Turner. “Imitation of Life” was the Hollywood icon’s first movie after the murder of her lover, reputed mobster Johnny Stompanato. Turner’s torrid and abusive relationship with Stompanato ended when her daughter, Cheryl Crane, reportedly stabbed him in an act of justifiable homicide. Rumor and innuendo plagued the case, with many criticizing Turner’s dramatic testimony at the inquest. Unfounded theories that she was the real murderer plague the case to this day, but her daughter has always publicly taken responsibility for Stompanato’s death.
#9: “The Viking” (1931)
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This little-known early sound film was panned when it was released in 1931, but it’s known for holding at least two cinematic records. It is the first feature film to record sound and dialogue on location. It also holds the distinction of being the deadliest film production to date. While the production team was filming action scenes aboard the SS Viking, the ship became stuck in a thick patch of ice. While trying to free the vessel from the ice, the ship’s crew accidentally detonated a series of explosives deep within the ship. The explosion killed producer and co-director Varick Frissell, cinematographer Alexander Penrod, and over 20 others. The film begins with an introduction explaining the tragedy, and a tribute to Frissell and his crew.
#8: “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
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Musical comedy masterpiece “Singin’ in the Rain” was no picnic for anyone. Gene Kelly was reportedly sick with a 103 fever when he filmed the title number. Donald O’Connor had to be hospitalized after filming the physically demanding “Make ‘Em Laugh” sequence. But it was Debbie Reynolds who may have had the hardest time. Not a trained dancer, Reynolds faced abuse from Kelly, whose insults left the teenage actress in tears on more than one occasion. The “Good Morning” number alone took fifteen hours to complete. By the end of the day, Reynolds’ feet were bleeding. Later in life, Reynolds would say that “Singin’ in the Rain” and childbirth were the two hardest things I ever had to do in my life.”
#7: “Gone With the Wind” (1939)
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The Civil War epic has been a lightning rod for controversy since the publication of Margaret Mitchell’s original novel. Racism experienced by its cast, particularly Hattie McDaniel, is among the most disturbing aspects of the movie’s production and release. Despite their thankless roles in its blockbusting success, McDaniel and her Black co-stars were unable to attend “Gone With the Wind”s premiere in segregation-era Atlanta. When she became the first African American to win an Oscar, McDaniel was seated at the back of the room, separate from her co-stars, and it’s been said that the studio wrote her speech. Despite her success in the role of Mammy, McDaniel rarely played anything more substantive than the on-screen servant of a big star.
#6: “The Birds” (1963)
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Suspense maestro Alfred Hitchcock was known for his predilection for icy blondes, but his obsession with Tippi Hedren. Having discovered Hedren through a commercial, Hitchcock cast her in “The Birds,” and began to mold her into his object of desire. He also signed her to an exclusive contract that severely limited her opportunities with other directors. Things took a dark turn when she reportedly rejected his romantic overtures, and Hitchcock retaliated by making conditions on the set intolerable for her, even dangerous. The actress suffered very real cuts when Hitchcock substituted real birds for mechanical ones in the attic finale and tied them to her costume with small elastic cords. Hedren’s harrowing story would later be told in HBO’s “The Girl.”
#5: “The Conqueror” (1956)
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It’s hard to imagine worse casting for Mongol warlord Genghis Khan than the most American actor who ever lived. Yet that’s what the innovative thinkers behind this John Wayne-led historical epic tried to put over on an unsuspecting public. The movie is maybe more infamous for the large number of its cast and crew, including John Wayne, who died of cancer afterward. Numerous desert locations featured in the film were actually shot near nuclear testing sites. The resulting contamination is said to be the cause of the cancer cases. Producer Howard Hughes was said to have felt so guilty about this possible connection that he kept the film out of circulation for years.
#4: “Noah’s Ark” (1928)
This part-silent, part-talkie was one of Hollywood’s most ambitious productions to date. The movie features an extended sequence depicting the story of Noah’s Ark and the great flood. The deluge was recreated by dumping 600,000 gallons of water onto the dozens of extras. In the chaos, three extras drowned and many more were taken to the hospital. The tragedy wasn’t unforeseen. A cameraman named Hal Mohr raised flags about the potential dangers of filming the scene with untrained extras, but his worries were ignored. The incident was the primary reason for new regulations involving dangerous stunts. Director Michael Curtiz’s career wasn’t too badly damaged. He would go on to make renowned classics like “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “Casablanca.”
#3: “Song of the South” (1946)
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This one’s sure to stay in the vault. “Song of the South” may be from a different time, but it was controversial even when it was released in 1946. Walt Disney consulted with many different African-American writers and performers in developing his dream project, but largely ignored their concerns about the inherent racism of the story, which depicted former slaves as hapless and longing for the simpler life of the plantations. Once released, the movie’s politics seemed retrograde even to contemporary critics, although it was far more blatantly lambasted in Black publications. The Disney Company has only recently begun erasing the remaining traces of the movie from its theme parks, but the movie itself has been largely ignored for years due to the controversy.
#2: “Babes in Arms” (1939)
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Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were two of the MGM studio’s biggest stars in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Their first pairing, “Babes in Arms,” cemented their place as America’s It Couple. To maintain the frantic and fast-paced shooting schedule, Garland, Rooney, and other stars were prescribed stimulants to keep their energy up and sleeping pills to help them sleep. Although Rooney would later deny many of Garland’s claims, he himself was known to have an addiction to sleeping pills later in life. There’s no denying, though, that it was her addictions that ultimately brought about Garland’s premature death at the age of 47.
#1: “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
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There’s no denying “The Wizard of Oz” was a nightmare of a production. Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, was severely burned during a special effects mishap. Actor Buddy Ebsen had to be replaced when the makeup used to achieve his look as the Tin Man nearly asphyxiated him. On top of the rigorous schedule and dangerous prescription pill regimen, Garland herself was ordered to lose weight before taking the role. She was also subjected not only to the abuse of director Victor Fleming and harassment from many of the actors playing Munchkins. Though it may be a shining beacon of classic movie magic, its backstory is a prime example of what can hide behind the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
