inspiration

Jack Lemmon and Billy Wilder walk around the lot while filming Irma la Douce, 1963.

‘Let’s get acquainted,’ she said.  ‘We’re going to be playing husband and wife for the next six months.’  They ate and drank and when Rock was smashed, he said to Elizabeth, ‘How can you stand being so beautiful?’

‘Beautiful?  Beautiful!  I’m Minnie Mouse.’  She went to her bedroom, pinned her hair back and put on a little red skirt and black pumps.  When she came back into the living room, Rock said, ‘It was true!  There stood Minnie Mouse.’

They stayed up drinking and laughing until four in the morning, and Rock and Elizabeth had to be at the studio two hours later, at 6 A.M.  They had to shoot the wedding scene, where Elizabeth has to run home to Virginia and is matron of honor at her sister’s wedding.  Rock arrives, and without saying a word, goes and stands behind Elizabeth until she becomes aware of  his presence, turns, and runs into his arms.  It would become one of the most powerful scenes in the film.  When Rock screened the movie for friends, he would stop the projector and explain: ‘In between takes, Elizabeth and I were running out and throwing up.  We were both so hung over we couldn’t speak.  That’s what made the scene.’