Trivia / The Boy Friend

• Creator Backlash:
  • Sandy Wilson disowned the movie on first viewing but in later years was more reflective about it.
  • Ken Russell also regretted the final film (see Old Shame).
• Development Hell: The film took years to make MGM originally brought the rights in 1957 and it would have starred Debbie Reynolds (who wanted to play it badly) or Carol Channing, however, nobody was able to make it work and even when Ross Hunter tried to buy the rights from MGM but couldn't afford the $400,000 and he made the quite similar Thoroughly Modern Millie.
• Executive Meddling: Head of MGM Jim Aubrey cut the film down, removing 25 minutes. Ken Russell felt that this affected the film's success in the States.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: The movie wasn't on DVD for the longest time, only finally getting a release in 2011, the same year Ken Russell died.
• Production Posse: Glenda Jackson, Christopher Gable, Georgina Hale, Murray Merlin, Max Adrian, and Brian Pringle had worked with Russell either on TV or in his other movies and some would appear in his later work.
• Old Shame: Ken Russell felt that the film was a failure for him:
  • He had joked about making it for Twiggy in the papers and once MGM read that, they gave it to him.
  • He talked about spending the pre-production period trying to recreate the right floor paint like the old movies. He had also just finished filming The Devils and in comparison with that film, The Boy Friend was difficult.
  • Afterwards, he regretted leaving the film in the hands of MGM's head Jim Aubrey, resulting in the US recut and said he should have focused on cutting stuff at the script stage, and that it would have been better with less material from the stage version.
• One-Hit Wonder: Despite the musical making Sandy Wilson's name, just try finding someone that can name another one of his musicals.
• Star-Making Role:
  • For '60s fashion model Twiggy in the 1971 film, who had ventured into acting.
  • And before that, Julie Andrews made her Broadway debut as Polly Browne and later was cast in My Fair Lady.
• Troubled Production: The film suffered problems due to Justin de Villeneuve (Twiggy's manger and then boyfriend), who at one point threaten to pull Twiggy out of the filming. His behavior caused a brief rift between Russell and Twiggy, although they later reconciled.
• What Could Have Been:
  • MGM had the rights since 1957 but was unable to turn them into a movie.
  • Julie Andrews was to play Rita, the female lead who ended up being played by Glenda Jackson.
    • Two of the chorus members were meant to be lesbians but Russell cut this element.
  • After the film's success, an (movie only ^note  there is a stage sequel written by Sandy Wilson called Divorce Me Darling) sequel was planned, called Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance. As announced by Justin de Villeneuve, it would have starred Twiggy and Tommy Tune, but Twiggy broke up with Justin and the film was cancelled ^note  Twiggy and Tune would appear on stage in My One and Only .