Bunuel_Luis_My_Last_Breath

Hollywood Sequel 193The film opened in New York at Christmastime in 1960 andwas promptly attacked from all sides. Frankly, no one liked it. AHarlem newspaper even wrote that I should be hung upside downfrom a lamppost on Fifth Avenue, but by then I was more thanaccustomed to violent reactions. Ironically, this film was made withlove, but American morality just couldn't accept it. Its reception inEurope was scarcely enthusiastic, either; and even today, it's hardlyever shown.There were several other American projects of mine which nevercame to fruition-like The Loved One, adapted from Evelyn Waugh'snovel, a love story set in a California funeral home. Hugo Butler andI wrote the screenplay, while Pepper tried to sell it to a majorcompany; but, although I liked this project enormously, death wasapparently a subject best left to rest in peace.The head of one company did consent to see Pepper, however,and when he arrived, he was shown into an already well-populatedwaiting room. A few minutes later, a television screen suddenly litup in the room and the company president's face appeared."Good morning, Mr. Pepper," the face smiled. "Thank you forcoming. We've examined your proposal, but I'm afraid it just doesn'tinterest us at the moment. I hope we'll have the chance to worktogether someday in the future, however. Goodbye, Mr. Pepper."In the end, we sold the option, and Tony Richardson made thefilm.During this period, I was very interested in doing an adaptationof Lord of the Flies, but we couldn't get the rights. On the otherhand, I read Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun, which struck melike a bolt of lightning. In the early 196os, I was supposed to makethis movie; the producer Gustavo Alatriste was ready to put up themoney, and Trumbo, then one of the most famous scriptwriters inHollywood, worked with me on the screenplay (I talked and he tooknotes). Even though he incorporated only a few of my ideas, heinsisted that both our names appear in the credits. For a variety ofreasons, however, the project was shelved, and it wasn't until ten