Gene D. Philips Archives

PAGE 27-28: Letter from Fred Zinnemann to Rev. Gene Phillips and postscript, Jun. 13, 1978.
Zinnemann comments on Lou Giannetti’s analysis of The Member of the Wedding (1952), stating he did not agree with some of his opinions. He goes on to state that some of the comments he’d made in his interview with Phillips did not come across as intended, and so he rewrote the transcript. Furthermore, Zinnemann requests that Phillips not quote him unless he includes the postscript printed on the back of the letter, along with underline on word “not” and “unless.”
Postscript: Zinnemann explains his function in the film was “rather limited” because he struggled to “get past the Mafia surrounding George Cukor.” He goes on to explain that the two are on friendly terms, but Zinnemann’s contract with Cukor was not renewed as Zinnemann was signed to MGM “shortly after Camille in 1937.” He goes on to state he is “superstitious” about sharing new projects and will “therefore keep things quiet.” 

PAGE 54: Letter from Fred Zinnemann to Rev. Gene Phillips, Aug. 18, 1995.
Zinnemann comments on an imaginary review of Man’s Fate (1969, abandoned film adaptation of André Malraux’s novel of the same name with Zinnemann set to direct). Regarding The Member of the. Wedding (misprinted as A Member of the Wedding) (1952), he states that he was unaware of 20 minutes being cut from the film but admits he may not remember well if anything of importance was omitted. He also mentions Brandon de Wilde, how he died young. He also corrects a point made by a biographer of Montgomery Clift, stating that Zinnemann’s first film was Redes (1936) and Clift’s was Red River (1948), released after The Search (1948). He also remarks on Hitchcock’s “The Crystal Trench” (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, season 5, episode 2, 1959) and compares jokingly to Five Days One Summer (1982).