Casino Royale (1967) 40th Anniversary Edition dvd

[atcolomb]

I just received my copy of the 40th Anniversary Edition dvd and wanted to report that the image and sound are the same as the MGM dvd release of 2002. The only thing different is the extras in which the new version has a commentary which would be interesting to hear when the scenes of Orson shows up in the casino with Peter Sellers.

[Rick Schmidlin]

I would say that must have been the most fun film shoot of all time!

[MartynH]

I saw a Peter Sellers doc a few years ago and they posited an interesting view that he had a 'thing' about Welles. Either he was intimidated by him or he didn't like him, but he got kind of funny when Welles was about.

Has anybody else heard this story?

[atcolomb]

In one book i did read about Peter Sellers it talks about Peter getting "bad vibes" from Orson and that being with Orson was "bad luck". Also Peter was not in a good mood during the shooting of the movie and did leave before the film was done making the producer Charles K Fieldman angry with him.

[Roger Ryan]

Reportedly, Sellers insisted his "side" of the scenes he shared with Welles be shot when Welles was not on the set, so they were seldom in the same room together. Not only did Feldman and Welles know each other well (they worked together twenty years earlier on MACBETH) but Welles was quite friendly with screenwriter Wolf Mankowitz. I imagine Sellers might have felt like a real outsider around Welles. I don't find his lack of professionalism becoming, but Sellers was right to distrust the whole enterprise - it was a mess.

[Glenn Anders]

Peter Sellers was notoriously paranoid and superstitious. His condition worsened as he grew older, and probably contributed to his early death. He resented anyone whom he feared might be considered superior to himself.

If so during the shooting of CASINO ROYALE, Welles may not have been to blame in any fashion for Sellers' demands and attitudes on the set.

Glenn

[atcolomb]

DVD TALK has the review of the dvd. The reviewer does talk about the Welles/Sellers scenes or lack of it.

[Steve Paradis]

I saw a Peter Sellers doc a few years ago and they posited an interesting view that he had a 'thing' about Welles. Either he was intimidated by him or he didn't like him, but he got kind of funny when Welles was about.

Has anybody else heard this story?

The version I heard said it started when Princess Margaret visited the set. Sellers was excited, and as the hot kid of British comedy, expected to be star for the visit. But Welles and Margaret were old friends; she'd been a guest at his villa in Spain. So she came on set and went right to Welles and greeted him warmly, leaving Sellers standing there.
For the rest of the shoot Sellers refused to be on set when Welles was being filmed; I don't think there's a frame of them together.
One of those movies where the about part is more interesting than the movie itself.