Mirage (Universal Pictures) (1965)

MIRAGE” {2. Gregory Peck assures Diane B aker that they have weathered the troubles and can now turn to romance in Universal’s thrilling suspense story, ‘“‘Mirage.”’ Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, Lief Erickson, Walter Abel and George Kennedy co-star. Edward Dmytryk directed for producer Harry Keller. (Still No. 1958-99 ) Gregory Peck Runs Gamut Of Situations In Final Day “Mirage” Thriller Shooting (Advance) This is Hollywood, Mrs. Jones: The last day or two of any Hollywood film production, whether it be a quickie western or a super-spectacle, is inevitably devoted to what the cinema trade calls “pick-up shots.” These are bits and pieces of previous film sequences that could not be fully completed because the vagaries of schedule, budget and player availability dictated the move to something new. During these dying gasps of filming, directors lead their crews on a merry chase from one set to another, capturing a kiss here, a hiccough there, the slam of a door by a wronged woman, a smashing of glass by an angry man, the dropping of a letter in a mailbox, furtive footsteps down a stairway, a car pulling out of a driveway ad infinitum, as far as the dramatic gears of a movie are forced to mesh. At Universal City studios, director Edward Dmytryk got into his “pick-up shots” for ‘‘Mirage,”’ a hard-hitting suspense drama spotlighting Gregory Peck, Diane Baker and Walter Matthau, which Theatre. Covering four sound stages in the frantic day’s tour, director Dmytryk put Mr. Peck through a series of brief scenes that tied up a smattering of looseended sequences to complete the film footage for ‘‘Mirage.” It was a virtuoso performance by Fate’s fickle finger as Mr. Peck, in rapid succession: (a) Made a headlong leap from in front of a speeding car bent on destroying him; (b) Did a backward flip over an iron railing after being clobbered —more than a month ago, in fact —hby villain Jack Weston during an alley brawl; (c) Took seven slaps in the face from 235-pound movie heavy George Kennedy; (d) Tripped and tumbled down a small flight of steps while seeking his way out of a blacked-out office building; (e) Tossed a roundhouse haymaker that kayoed Weston; (f) Was smashed against a boiler during a struggle for his life in an office building basement; and (g) Tenderly took pretty Diane Baker into his arms and gave her a long, lingering kiss. “A man can put up with an awful lot just to earn a brief flurry of romance,’ Peck told Dymtryk later. “Next time, Ill insist on the love scenes first, though. A man should be fresh for those, I always say.” The only headliners of the stellar cast not involved in the “pickup shots” were Kevin McCarthy, Leif Erickson and Walter Abel. Their roles had been completely photographed for the suspense melodrama. Written by Peter Stone, the scenarist of the recent Cary Grant hits “Charade” and ‘“Father Goose,” “Mirage” was produced by Harry Keller. Copyright 1965 — Universal Pictures Co., Inc. Academy Award winner Gregory Peck plays an amnesia victim desperately trying to discover his identity in Universal’s exciting suspense adventure story, ‘“‘Mirage.” (Still No. 1958-156) Gregory Peck Races Thru Central Park For ‘Mirage Role (Advance) In Universal’s “Mirage,” a hardhitting suspense drama written for the screen by Peter Stone, Gregory Peck portrays the constant target of a half-dozen different assailants determined to kill him. In one particularly suspenseful sequence, Peck is chased through Central Park by a pair of pistolpacking thugs, and — quite naturally — producer Harry Keller and director Edward Dmytryk brought the Hollywood film company to New York for the real life backgrounds. The thriller GOMES oor os tO-bHeGS ce Theatre. For five straight days, the cameras recorded Peck’s mad dash in the environs of Central Park South, following him all the way from Columbus Circle to Fifth Avenue. It was estimated that by the time the Central Park chase was fully recorded on film, Peck had sprinted a total of six miles. “After some of the reports of violence in this area after dark,” Peck said, “I’m touring Central Park the safest way of all— ata dead run.” Diane Baker carries the feminine lead in a “‘Mirage’”’ cast that also includes Walter Matthau, Leif Erickson, George Kennedy, Kevin McCarthy and Walter Abel. Gregory Peck, Diane Baker In ‘Mirage’, New Type of Motion Picture Suspense (Review) Nerve-jangling in its relentless assault, terrifying in its struggle with the unknown and the unseen, and yet mystically wonderful in its unusual approach to motion picture suspense, Universal’s “Mirage,” starring Gregory Peck and beautiful newcomer Diane Baker, is startling proof that the motion picture is as ever an unsurpassed entertainment medium. Yesterday’s opening-day audi ence at the. 2s. ea Theatre sat spellbound through the suspense-filled drama — a glowing plauditory tribute, mainly directed toward a superfine performance by Academy Award winner Gregory Peck. His great handling of a true cinematic tour de force must go on the records indelibly as one of the finest accomplishments in years. “Mirage” is a hard-hitting, nopunches-pulled account of a man on the run, the plight of an amnesia victim who struggles to regain his memory in order to understand why a vicious stream of assailants are determined to kill him. As produced by Harry Keller and directed by Edward Dmytryk, “Mirage” explodes on the screen with a continuing fury rarely accomplished in a drama. From its opening moments of terror and suspense to its powerful finish, it captures the audience in a viselike grip of sustained excitement. Peter Stone’s screenplay develops the finely-etched suspense story for maximum audience enjoyment — the same thing he did so well in his previous two hits for Cary Grant, “Charade” and “Father Goose.” His utilization of a new cinema technique — recollection sequences that move the story between the past and the present without warning — is a challenge to the audience, a challenge readily accepted and enjoyed by the motion picture viewer of today. Beyond Mr. Peck’s high-quality work, honors are evenly distributed among a succession of excellent performances by unusually competent artists. Diane Baker rings the signal for a brilliant screen career as the woman of mystery who aids Peck in tearing away the shrouds that hide the past. Walter Matthau, magnificent as usual, gives a new and intriguing quality to a familiar character, the Private Eye. In varying degrees of sinister villainy, ranging from harassment to violent cruelty, such notable performers as Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston, George Kennedy and Leif Erickson make Mr. Peck’s life on the screen almost unbearable. A welcome face, too, is that of Walter Abel, returning to the screen after a long absence to portray a wealthy philanthropist. In the dictionary, a mirage is identified as an optical phenomenon. On the motion picture screen, “Mirage” lives up to its name—a phenomenal effort to capture the eye of every lover of great drama. Anyone who sees ‘Mirage’ will not soon forget it. Eileen Bara ‘ plays hostess and hands Diane Baker and Gregory Gregory Peck’s Role In ‘Mirage’ Demands Tour de Force Acting (Advance) Gregory Peck’s “breather” during his acting chores in Universal’s “Mirage” — a tour de force that involved Peck in all but two of the 388 scenes in the suspense drama — happened on only one day during the production. The suspense thriller, co-starring Diane Baker and Walter Matthau, Theatre. And Greg took full advantage of it by sleeping one hour later than usual. Studio veterans can’t recall a more demanding movie assignment than Peck’s role in “Mirage,’”’ a Peter Stone script about an amnesia victim who struggles to regain his shattered memory to learn why a group of assassins are trying to kill him. Besides having been called for work on every day but one of the shooting schedule, Peck was required to participate in four violent movie brawls as well as a_ sustained chase that kept him moving at full speed through Central Park, a wide variety of New York areas from Lower Manhattan to Columbus Circle, and up and down 27 flights of stairs in a Gotham skyscraper. “Sure, it was rugged — but it was worth it,” Peck confessed. “It’s perhaps one of the most ‘cerebral’ roles I’ve ever played, in spite of the physical violence. ‘Mirage’ is a drama that demanded full attention and concentration — especially during what Peter Stone calls the ‘recollection sequences’ — but it’s the kind of suspense that can involve the viewer enough to wrap him up in the story, too. “It’s been my experience in the past that the movies most worthy of doing are the ones that demand more from an actor, either in terms of physical effort or emotional exhaustion. I was tired by the time ‘Mirage’ was completed, but I also was satisfied.” Edward Dmytryk, who directed “Mirage” for producer Harry Keller, feels that only a few of Hollywood’s top names are capable of such an ambitious project as this film. “Tt takes an actor who, above anything else, is completely professional,’ Dmytryk revealed. “That, in my opinion, is the best one-word description of Gregory Peck that I ever heard.” { 2-D } : : Peck imaginary tea when they drop in to visit her unexpectedly in Universal’s suspense thriller, ‘““Mirage.’? Directed by Edward Dymtryk and produced by Harry Keller. Walter Matthau also co-stars. Page 2 (Still No. 1958-35) “MIRAGE {1-H} Gregory Peck protects Diane Baker in Universal’s new suspense thriller, “Mirage.” It is the exciting story of a scientist and his attempt to recover his trauma shocked memory in order to un derstand why thugs are tying to kill him. (Stull No. 1958-157) Sounds Of New York Updated For Use In Gregory Peck Thriller (Current) Apparently the sounds of a city can get as outdated as plus-fours, megaphones for crooners and running boards. As a result, Universal soundman Corson Jowett and his mike crew specially recorded the sounds of New York City streets for one week at the same time that they captured the dialogue for location scenes in “Mirage,” suspense drama starring Gregory Peck, Diane Baker and Walter Matthau which Edward Dmytryk directed for producer Harry Keller. The thriblersnowasca Caner es es Theatre. A second magnetic tape recording unit was aimed at such New York sound settings as Central Park, the Battery, Wall Street, Mott Street and Broadway. Jowett estimated that they got more than 20,000 feet of the New York street sounds of the mid-1960’s before the ‘Mirage’ location scenes finished and the company returned for more work at the studio. “Our studio library of New York street sounds dates back to the early 30’s’ Jowett pointed out, “put we haven’t brought it up-todate in the past ten years. It’s amazing, but even an untrained ear can detect the difference between New York as it sounded in 1954 and as it sounds today. TV did so many dramas on the streets of New York recently that people know today’s sounds—and they won’t be fooled by oldfashioned noise.” Jowett, who has been mixing sound for the movies for 34 years, lists “Mirage” as his 265th production assignment. Field Day For Curious On “Mirage” Location (Current) As it happens inevitably when a Hollywood movie troupe shows up on a distant location to film movie scenes, huge throngs of curious onlookers also show up to gawk. Several thousand of New York City’s most curious were on hand at Central Park Zoo as Gregory Peck and his leading lady, Diane Baker, began doing scenes for Universal’s mystery thriller, “Mirage h Now at thet nse aeons Theatre. Between scenes, many of the watchers infiltrated past police restraining lines and beelined toward Peck to collect a handshake or an autograph. One eager gentleman in his 60’s offered his hand in greeting, slapped Peck on the back and proclaimed: “Mr. Peck, I just want you to know that you look ten years younger than you do on the screen.” “That,” Peck replied, grinning, “Is because I really am ten years younger.” “Oh, I see,” said the elderly gent, accepting Peck’s answer as a concise explanation and retiring back to the crowd.