You Must Remember This Flashback: John Huston and Olivia de Havilland
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Apr 15, 2025 Dive into the tumultuous romance between director John Huston and actress Olivia de Havilland, exploring their complex collaboration and the shadows of their careers. Discover Huston's battle with alcoholism and his controversial wartime documentaries, juxtaposed with de Havilland’s historic legal fight against the studio system. From personal struggles to Hollywood's darker side, this journey reveals how their entwined lives shaped both their professional paths and the industry at large.
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Huston's Early Life and Disdain for LA
- John Huston, a known Hollywood personality, disliked Los Angeles and found it to be soul-crushing.
- He had a tumultuous personal life filled with impulsive decisions, like marrying his high school sweetheart and then moving to Greenwich Village.
Huston's Directorial Debut
- John Huston secured an unusual clause in his screenwriting contract, allowing him to direct one of his scripts.
- He chose "The Maltese Falcon," casting his friend Humphrey Bogart and his lover Mary Astor, marking a successful transition to directing.
Huston's Motives for Directing
- Huston's ambition for directing may have had questionable motives, with one biographer suggesting it was to be close to actresses.
- He later refined this, stating that if an actress is beautiful, he would pursue her, and if not, he would give her art she wouldn't understand.
