Editing Touch of Evil (section)

== Production ==
=== Development ===
In March 1956, the mystery novel ''[[Badge of Evil]]'' was released to generally favorable reviews and its sales were brisk, with two printings in hardcover. [[Edward Muhl]], the head of production of [[Universal Pictures|Universal-International]], believed the novel had cinematic possibilities and arranged to purchase the film rights through the literary agency [[Curtis Brown (agency)|Curtis Brown]].{{sfn|Brady|1989|page=496}} By April 1956, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' reported that the film rights had been acquired and that [[Albert Zugsmith]] (known as the "King of the [[B movie|Bs]]") had been tapped as producer.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |date=April 17, 1956 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381268064/ |title=Two Novels Purchased; 'Rock Hunter' to Open New Season at Carthay |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |at=Part III, p. 7 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Zugsmith then assigned television writer [[Paul Monash]] to write the script adaptation within four weeks. Zugsmith then read Monash's script, but did not care for it and temporarily halted any further development on the project. By December 1956, Zugsmith had received a memo from Universal executive Mel Tucker inquiring about the development of ''Badge of Evil'' and suggested the possibility of casting [[Charlton Heston]] as the lead.{{sfn|Brady|1989|pages=496–497}}

By January 1957, having just finished promoting ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' (1956), Heston had received the script and considered it good enough. The actor contacted Universal to ask who they had considered to direct. They told him that they did not know, but [[Orson Welles]] was lined up as Hank Quinlan. Heston then replied, "Why not him direct, too. He's pretty good" to which the studio responded "We'll get back to you."{{sfn|Heston|1979|page=[https://archive.org/details/actorslifejourna00hest/page/39/ 18]}}{{sfn|Thomson|1996|page=335}} Universal studio head executives Ernest Nims and Jim Pratt—both of whom had worked with Welles on ''[[The Stranger (1946 film)|The Stranger]]'' (1946)—lobbied for Welles to direct again. Based on Pratt's suggestion, Universal-International offered Welles $125,000 for the job to act, direct, and based on his choosing, to rewrite the script.{{sfn|Leaming|1985|page=418}} On January 11, it was officially announced that Welles had signed with Muhl to star in and direct ''Badge of Evil''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |author-link=Hedda Hopper |date=January 11, 1957 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371318518/ |title=Orson Welles Will Star in and Direct 'Badge of Evil' |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |at=Section 2, p. 6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Welles had previously starred in ''[[Man in the Shadow (1957 American film)|Man in the Shadow]]'' (1957), which Zugsmith produced. According to Zugsmith, on the last day of shooting, Welles, who was impressed with Zugsmith's writing abilities, expressed that he was interested in directing a picture for him. Zugsmith offered Welles a pile of scripts, of which he requested the worst one. Welles was then handed Monash's script for ''Badge of Evil'' to which he asked, "Can I have two weeks to write it?" Zugsmith replied, "You can have it."<ref name="Zurgsmith">{{cite book |last1=McCarthy |first1=Todd |last2=Flynn |first2=Charles |title=Kings of the Bs: Working within the Hollywood System: An Anthology of Film History and Criticism |chapter-url=https://www.wellesnet.com/albert-zugsmith-on-producing-orson-welless-touch-of-evil/ |chapter=Producer Albert Zugsmith on making TOUCH OF EVIL with Orson Welles |pages=418–421 |year=1975 |location=New York |publisher=[[E.P. Dutton]] |isbn=978-0-525-14090-0 |via=Wellesnet.com}}</ref>{{sfn|Leaming|1985|page=413}}{{sfn|Deming|2020|pages=13–14}}

=== Writing ===
{{Quote box|width=33% | quote=It started with rehearsals. We rehearsed two weeks prior to shooting, which was unusual. We rewrote most of the dialogue, all of us, which was also unusual, and Mr. Welles always wanted our input. It was a collective effort, and there was such a surge of participation, of creativity, of energy. You could feel the pulse growing as we rehearsed. You felt you were inventing something as you went along. Mr. Welles wanted to seize every moment. He didn't want one bland moment. He made you feel you were involved in a wonderful event that was happening before your eyes.|source=—Janet Leigh, recalling how Welles asked for input from the actors in the cast<ref>{{cite news |last=Weintraub |first=Bernard |title=Dark Secrets Of Suburbia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/18/movies/at-the-movies-dark-secrets-of-suburbia.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 18, 1998 |access-date=May 22, 2008}}</ref>|quoted=1}}

For his screenplay draft, Welles made numerous changes along with smaller changes to better tighten the script. His two main contributions dealt with his thematic element of American racism and his decision to shift narrative points of view.{{sfn|Stubbs|1985|p=27}} He shifted the location setting from [[San Diego]] to the [[Mexico–United States border]]. Welles renamed the protagonist from Mitch Holt to Miguel Vargas,{{sfn|Thomson|1996|p=337}} stating he made the character a Mexican "for political reasons. I wanted to show how Tijuana and the border towns are corrupted by all sorts of mish-mash, publicity more or less about American relations".<ref>{{cite book |editor=Mark W. Estrin |title=Orson Welles: Interviews |chapter=A Trip to Don Quixoteland: Conversations with Orson Welles |year=2002 |location=[[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson]] |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |page=121 |isbn=978-1-578-06209-6}}</ref> Welles's [[shooting script]] was finished by February 5, 1957. Heston stated that Welles re-wrote the script in ten days.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heston |first=Charlton |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-09-ca-17092-story.html |title='Touch of Evil' Needed Final Touch of Welles |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 9, 1998 |access-date=November 10, 2020}}</ref>

=== Casting ===
Welles selected [[Janet Leigh]] for the role of Susan Vargas. Before her agent had notified her of the casting, Welles contacted Leigh via telegram stating how delighted he was to work with her on ''Badge of Evil''. She contacted her agent, and accepted the part.{{sfn|Leigh|1984|page=215}}{{sfn|Leaming|1985|page=419}} [[Dennis Weaver]] was asked to audition as the night manager after Welles had watched him as Chester Goode on ''[[Gunsmoke]]''. He was instructed to improvise.{{sfn|Brady|1989|page=500}} Meanwhile, Zugsmith had met [[Joanna Cook Moore]] at a party, and was determined that she was right for the role as Marcia Linnekar.<ref>Schallert, Edwin (February 9, 1955). [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381041587/ "Newcomers Win Capital Film Breaks; Robinson to Enact Mad Bomber"]. ''Los Angeles Times''. Part III, p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.</ref> Welles rounded out the supporting cast with [[Akim Tamiroff]], whom he previously cast in ''[[Mr. Arkadin]]'' (1955),{{sfn|Callow|2015|pages=253–254}} while [[Joseph Cotten]], [[Ray Collins (actor)|Ray Collins]], [[Marlene Dietrich]], and [[Keenan Wynn]] agreed to appear in the film for union pay scale and without screen credit. Zugsmith also insisted that his friend [[Zsa Zsa Gabor]] be given a cameo in the film. Ultimately, all actors were paid over union scale and given screen credit.{{sfn|Brady|1989|pages=499–500}}

Having known [[Mercedes McCambridge]] since her time at Mercury Theatre, Welles called her and requested she arrive at the set. Leigh and the actors dressed as "greasy-looking hoodlums" stood around waiting for Welles to start filming. Welles had McCambridge's hair cut and applied black shoe polish over her newly trim hair and eyebrows. According to her memoir: "They brought a black leather jacket from somewhere, and I was 'ready.' Orson said he wanted a heavy, coarse Mexican accent. I said, 'You've got it!'"{{sfn|McCambridge|1981|pages=403–404}}
[[File:Touch-of-Evil-1851-26.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Orson Welles]] (Quinlan), [[Victor Millan]] (Sanchez), [[Joseph Calleia]] (Menzies), and [[Charlton Heston]] (Vargas)]]
[[Joseph Calleia]] was cast as Quinlan's longtime partner Pete Menzies, giving Welles an opportunity to work with an actor he had long admired. "What an actor—Joseph Calleia", said Welles:

<blockquote>I fell in love with him as a ten-year-old boy. I saw him in [[Small Miracle|a play in New York]] ... a very well-staged melodrama which was an enormous hit for about a year—it was made as a [[Four Hours to Kill!|movie]] later with somebody else. He had the leading role, and I never forgot him. And through the years I'd seen him in movies—little things. And I could never forget that performance of his. He's always played very stereotyped parts in pictures but is one of the best actors I've ever known. I have such respect for him. You play next to him and you just feel the thing that you do with a big actor—this dynamo going on.<ref name="TIOW">[[Orson Welles|Welles, Orson]], and [[Peter Bogdanovich]], edited by [[Jonathan Rosenbaum]], ''[[This Is Orson Welles]]''. New York: HarperCollin Publishers 1992 {{ISBN|0-06-016616-9}}.</ref>{{Rp|298}}</blockquote>

"Even among these performers, one man's sincerity stands out," wrote George E. Turner, film historian and editor of ''[[American Cinematographer|The American Cinematographer]]''. "Joseph Calleia, a veteran actor from Malta, makes Menzies the most realistic and touching character in the film. ... His agony is the true touchstone of the film."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Turner |first=George E. |date=September 1998 |title=A Cop Gone Wrong: Touch of Evil |url=https://theasc.com/articles/cop-gone-wrong-touch-of-evil |magazine=[[American Cinematographer]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=April 30, 2024}}</ref>

=== Filming ===
The film was shot in [[Venice, California]] from February 18, 1957, to April 2, 1957.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/variety205-1957-02/page/n249/mode/2up |title=Hollywood Production Pulse |magazine=Variety |page=18 |date=February 27, 1957 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Rollins |first=Brooke |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/195930/summary |title=Some Kind of a Man": Orson Welles as Touch of Evil's Masculine Auteur |journal=The Velvet Light Trap |date=Spring 2006 |volume=57 |issue=57 |pages=32–41 |doi=10.1353/vlt.2006.0021 |s2cid=193226352 |via=[[Project MUSE]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The location had been suggested by [[Aldous Huxley]] to Welles, who informed him the town had decayed significantly. Welles, cinematographer [[Russell Metty]], and the art directors drove there, and upon viewing the city's Bridge of Sighs, Welles decided to revise the ending to incorporate it.{{sfn|Brady|1989|p=501}} Sometime during the early months of filming, Zugsmith retitled the film to ''Touch of Evil'', which Welles later criticized calling it "silly."{{sfn|Brady|1989|p=510}}

As when he worked with cinematographer [[Gregg Toland]], Welles and Metty devised a distinctive visual style for ''Touch of Evil''{{--}}incorporating [[deep focus]], off-kilter and [[low-angle shot]]s (to emphasize the girth of Quinlan), and other stylistic touches that furthered the visual style of film noir. Most notable among the stylistic flourishes in the film is an opening [[crane shot]] that runs almost three-and-a-half minutes, which has frequently been commented on by film scholars.<ref name="Slash">{{Cite web |last=Shutt |first=Mike |date=2022-03-23 |title=How Orson Welles Filmed The Impossible For Touch Of Evil |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/808793/how-orson-welles-filmed-the-impossible-for-touch-of-evil/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=SlashFilm |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hagopian |first=Kevin Jack |title=Film Notes -Touch of Evil |url=https://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/filmnotes/fnf00n3.html |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=www.albany.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Peter |date=2013-09-24 |title=TOUCH OF EVIL Opening Tracking Shot |url=https://www.furiouscinema.com/furious-scenes-touch-evil-opening-tracking-shot/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=FuriousCinema |language=en-US}}</ref>

Heston's autobiography{{sfn|Heston|1995|page=157}} states that the scene with Vargas and Schwartz in the convertible marks the first time that a scene with dialogue was shot in a moving car, rather than a stationary one in front of a projection screen. However, there is an earlier example of such a scene in ''[[Gun Crazy]]'' (1950).<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Sterritt |editor1-first=David |editor2-last=Anderson |editor2-first=John |title=The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-Budget Beauties, Genre-Bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love |location=Cambridge, MA |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=2008 |pages=7–10 |isbn=978-0-306-81566-9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZW8vf47Owg |title=The Getaway {{!}} Gun Crazy {{!}} Warner Archive |date=2017-07-15 |last=Warner Bros. Classics |access-date=2024-07-16 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Post-production ===
As was typical, Welles himself worked on the film's editing, paired initially with [[Edward Curtiss]]. According to Zugsmith, the two had creative differences,<ref name="Zurgsmith" /> and Curtiss was replaced with [[Virgil Vogel]].{{sfn|Brady|1989|page=503}} During June 1957, Welles flew out to New York to appear on ''[[The Steve Allen Show]]''. In his absence, studio executives had scheduled a screening of the rough cut. Informed of this by Vogel, Welles was angered, resulting in Universal post-production head Ernest Nims cancelling the screening. At this point, Vogel agreed to step down, and Nims appointed [[Aaron Stell]], another Universal staff editor, to finish the film. When Welles returned to Hollywood, Nims instructed him to stay out of the editing room and let Stell work alone.{{sfn|Leaming|1985|pages=426–427}} Having been locked out, Welles went to [[Mexico City]] in late June 1957 to begin shooting his next film, ''[[Don Quixote (unfinished film)|Don Quixote]]''.{{sfn|Bogdanovich|Welles|1998|page=422}}

On his own, Stell constantly changed the editing sequence, providing different interpretations of multiple scenes in which he altered the continuity. Throughout the editing process, Stell was never satisfied, and at the end of his tenure, he stated he had grown "ill, depressed and unhappy with the studio's impatience."{{sfn|Garis|2004|pages=150–151}} In July 1957, Stell's cut was screened to the executives, most of whom were left unimpressed.{{sfn|Callow|2015|page=261}} According to Nims, Welles "had really messed up those first five reels...He was making those quick cuts—in the middle of a scene you cut to another scene, and then come back and finish the scene, and then cut to the last half of the other scene."{{sfn|Leaming|1985|page=428}}

Hoping to make the continuity editing more conventional, Muhl appointed Nims to re-edit the film. A month later, Nims's cut was shown to Welles, who remained diplomatic but was astonished at the newly altered cut. Welles wrote a memorandum as a critique of Nim's revisions, and shortly after, he left for [[Louisiana]] to appear in [[Martin Ritt]]'s ''[[The Long, Hot Summer]]'' (1958).{{sfn|Leaming|1985|pages=428–429}} By November 1957, Universal removed about fifteen minutes from the film, and hired [[Harry Keller]] to film some expository scenes intended to make the plot easier to follow.{{sfn|Thomson|1996|page=346}}

Out of loyalty to Welles, Heston and Leigh initially refused to film the re-shoots.{{sfn|Leaming|1985|page=430}}{{sfn|Leigh|1984|page=218}} A week later, Heston's agents informed him that he was contractually obligated to film re-shoots if necessary.{{sfn|Heston|1979|pages=[https://archive.org/details/actorslifecharlt00alpe/page/34/mode/2up 34–35]}} For the re-shoots, [[Clifford Stine]] had replaced Metty as the film's cinematographer while new dialogue had been written by Franklin Coen, a staff scriptwriter for Universal. Several new scenes were filmed including four scenes between Vargas and his wife, a love scene in the car, and a scene where Menzies explains about Quinlan's leg. Another scene was shot in which Quinlan's car meets Vargas's en route to the motel, in which an uncredited actor doubles for Welles.{{sfn|Brady|1989|pages=507–508}} On November 19, re-shoots under Keller were completed. Heston further reflected in his journal: "I have done worse work in the movies than this day's retakes, but I don't remember feeling worse...I was able to talk them out of one change I felt was a mistake."{{sfn|Heston|1979|pages=[https://archive.org/details/actorslifecharlt00alpe/page/34/mode/2up 34–35]}}

On December 5, 1957, having been screened a new cut, Welles presented a 58-page memorandum addressed to Muhl, detailing what he thought needed to be done to make the film work.{{sfn|Callow|2015|page=270}} In response, Muhl stated his changes would be implemented, but also requested that Welles attend a dubbing session. Welles refused.{{sfn|Callow|2015|page=274}}