Trivia / Blind Date

• Billing Displacement: Kim Basinger is billed over Bruce Willis, despite the latter being the lead role and having more screen time. Though it makes sense since in 1987, Basinger was an established screen actress while Willis was still known as a TV actor who was a year away from Die Hard.
• Creator Backlash: The script was rewritten so much that writer Dale Launer, who wrote the original script, pretty much disowned the finished film.
• The Danza: Walter Davis is played by Bruce Willis, whose first name is actually Walter.
• Executive Meddling: The script was rewritten so much^note Blake Edwards, Leslie Dixon, Tom Ropelewski, and Michael Alan Eddy all did uncredited rewrites on the script. According to Launer among the scenes added were one where someone crashes into a bakery and become covered with flour. Other scenes involved someone while fully clothed, jumping or falling into a swimming pool and someone tossing something into a woman's cleavage. that Dale Launer, who wrote the original script^note The studio wanted changes; a black screwball comedy then turned into a standard screwball comedy. The screenplay was re-written "by a woman writer to soften it up". The woman writer was Leslie Dixon. This re-written draft was given to Blake Edwards - who also re-wrote it., pretty much disowned the finished film^note Lauuner tried to replace his name with that of his registered pseudonym Nigel Grosswanker, but the studio declined.. Launer called his experience with Blake Edwards to be the worst in the motion picture business. According to Launer, Edwards refused to talk to him and even refused to have have someone tell him that Edwards wasn't going to talk to him. The bottom-line for Launer was that Edwards was shooting his script^note Launer felt that Blind Date is a lame, slapstick piece of shit. The Los Angeles Times called it "an archaic, lobotomized screenplay by Dale Launer". He agrees with the critique, but disagrees about being given the blame. If you like the movie, "...give the credit to Edwards and Dixon, if you hate it, blame them." but was unwilling to have any communication with him what so ever.
• Release Date Change: Was originally planned for a December 1986 release before being shifted for a January 1987 release. It would eventually come out two months later.
• Uncredited Role: Blake Edwards, Leslie Dixon, Tom Ropelewski, and Michael Alan Eddy all did uncredited rewrites on the script.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Madonna was considered for the role of Nadia and wanted her then-husband Sean Penn to play Walter, but left after she was told Bruce Willis was already cast.
  • Daryl Hannah was also considered for Nadia.
• Write What You Know: Dale Launer based the movie on a blind date he got set up with. He went out with a hairdresser with a low tolerance for alcohol. She caused a scene after a few glasses of champagne. While the event was embarrassing for Launer, it nevertheless inspired him to write a script based on it.

---