Page 5 - JIMMY REARDON LETTER TO CHICAGO CRITICS

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The movie’s structure was a man looking back on his wildly misspent youth – a

method also employed to some degree in River’s “Stand By Me.” Like the novel,

which was very well reviewed I must say, and a selection of the Library Journal,

the movie wasn’t intended to portray a teenage braggart, which a kid’s narration

implied.

Much to my fury and dismay, the studio also removed a six minute scene where

River showed compassion for his friend Suzie Middleburg, the scene where the

protagonist’s character was revealed as caring; the only moment like it in the ilm,

as it clearly showed River’s love. But it was cut. (I have restored it in this new

DVD.)

Even so, as Fox had bought the picture, I agreed to give the studio a “shot” at mak-

ing it “more accessible.”

Desperately looking for an answer for “different” narration, Schwartz irst hired the

actor son of River’s agent, but after hearing his voice on the telephone, a voice that

had nothing to do with the movie, I called River and asked if he would narrate the

picture himself and he agreed.

(Earlier, as Island was preparing to sell the picture to Fox, I recall a meeting with

River’s mother Arlen and father John at the Island ofices on Sunset Blvd. where

they asked me to take out the line “Jimmy, I want to fuck you,” delivered by Ann

Magnuson in what I call the Shakespeare scene, if only because the bard turned up

in the shot, which is one of the longest single-take seduction scenes ever, according

to a cinema pundit. On this occasion, sitting across from me in the Island Pictures

ofice, were the same parents who were so keen on the movie 8 months earlier,

now genuinely worried that the line would offend River’s fans. I explained as best

I could that River’s fans wouldn’t be al-

lowed into the theaters since they were only

12-14; that this was an adult picture for the

Island “She’s Gotta Have It” sort of crowd,

and that “I want to fuck you” is a memora-

ble line, especially when so well delivered

by Ann. They said what “worked” a little

while ago no longer “worked” for them, and

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