Spencer Tracy_ A Biography - James C. Curtis [86]
Ford liked the idea of working against the hellhole cliché of other prison pictures—Paramount’s Thunderbolt comes immediately to mind—but Watkins’ story lacked the vigor and cynicism of Chicago, written as it was by someone who had no direct knowledge of prison life and scarcely six months’ experience as a newspaperwoman. (Frances Marion, the veteran screenwriter who took scenario credit on The Big House, was reputed to have been fronting for Robert Tasker, who spent nearly six years in San Quentin.) Tentative casting had Tracy teamed with Warren Hymer, a comic heavy, leaving the love story to the film’s juvenile lead, Humphrey Bogart, and Broadway actress Claire Luce. Fox had an oversupply of contract players, and there was a push to use as many as possible: Robert Burns and John Swor, Goodie Montgomery, Elizabeth and Helen Keating. With the exception of Hymer, none had ever before appeared in a feature.4 Others proposed for the cast were Ilka Chase, Lee Tracy, Mitchell Harris, Stepin Fetchit, and Willie Collier, the American stage institution who would also be serving as Ford’s dialogue director.
“Sheehan wanted to do a great picture about a prison break,” Ford told Peter Bogdanovich, “so he had some woman write the story and it was just a bunch of junk. Then he went away for a while, and day by day Bill Collier, who was a great character comedian, and I rewrote the script. There was so much opportunity for humor in it that eventually it turned out to be a comedy—all about what went on inside a prison; we had them playing baseball against Sing Sing, and these two fellows broke back in so they’d be in time for the big game.”
Tracy was set to leave The Last Mile on May 26 when actor Lawrence Leslie, his replacement, fell ill with grippe. He remained with the play another week as Herman Shumlin monitored Leslie’s worsening condition, then stayed yet another week as Thomas Mitchell was brought in to replace him.5 He was finally able to step away on Saturday, June 7, and left immediately for the West Coast. Despite the rush to get him to Los Angeles, where he arrived late Monday evening, Tracy found there was absolutely nothing for him to do.
The release of The Big House on June 21 validated Ford’s determination to take the picture in a different direction. M-G-M’s movie was well received, grim as it was, graphic and utterly devoid of comedy. Ford and Collier worked nearly two months on Up the River, joking it up, giving Watkins detailed notes and edits, and stalling production until the end of July. Tracy rented a Ford roadster, and every Tuesday afternoon he drove down to the Fox lot and drew $600. “I’m in Hollywood all alone, nothing to do,” he told his cousin Frank. “I’d call up once in a while. ‘No, we’re still working on the script.’ I was hoping someone would give me something to memorize, something to do. Nothing. Absolutely zilch. John Ford was working on another film, waiting for this one to get together. He was busy.”
The plan at first had been for Spence to go to California alone, since the film wouldn’t take long to shoot and the studio would cover only his own expenses. Then, after a week of sitting around and waiting for something to happen, he called Louise and asked her to come and to bring Johnny out with her. Louise, who had just had her appendix out, hobbled down to the bank and drew out the last of their savings to make the trip. They arrived in time to celebrate Johnny’s sixth birthday, and it was on that day that they went and had his hair cut. As the auburn curls and bangs fell to the floor, Spence and his boy cavorted in front of the mirror and made fun of Weeze’s long face. They found a tiny bungalow on Franklin