The self-enchanted : Mae Murray : image of an era (1959)

to struggle for perfection on a budget of $50,000. Yet, they struggled. Rehearsing At First Sight, no detail was too minute. Bob slaved over George Middleton's screen story. Mae thought it overburdened with plot and added some comic touches to the scene where the constable charges her reluctant lover with abduction. Bob rehearsed each member of the cast. Mae spent hours in wardrobe experimenting with costume. She was trying the effect of an enormous straw hat tied under the chin for the poor little rich girl when a call came from New York. "You don't know me but I've been unable to reach Bob Leonard and I want to tell you they've recut The Primrose Ring here in New York." "Recut? After all Bob's care?" "They've cut the fairy scenes for one thing." "Oh thank you. Bless you and thank you." "You're my very favorite actress, Miss Murray." She hung up the receiver gently, as if someone were ill, took off the straw hat, put on her own and ran across the lot to the cashier's office. "May I have five hundred dollars? Immediately please." The minute the money was in her hand, she rushed into the street, found a taxi, drove to the railroad station and caught a train. "No, no baggage, porter." Holed up in her small compartment, she began reviewing every bit of the picture. It wasn't until they passed Denver that she remembered Bob. THEY HAVE DESTROYED OUR PICTURE. EN ROUTE TO SAVE IT IF I CAN. YOU MUST INSIST THAT NO ONE CUT OUR PICTURES, she wired. In New York Mr. Zukor was summoned from a conference and pressed into coming with her at once to see the film. She was totally impassioned, the world had narrowed for her to the dimensions of this picture. At each cut, she winced as if physically hurt. When the picture was over, she was crying. "Mr. Zukor, what can we do ? All the best is gone. The plot hinges on the visible fairy tales; Mr. Leonard handled it with 90