June 10, 1968 –
The classic romantic drama, Petulia, directed by Richard Lester and starring Julie Christie, George C. Scott, Arthur Hill, Shirley Knight, Joseph Cotten, and Richard Chamberlain, opened on this date.
The radical editing techniques employed by the film were the subject of many angry exchanges between director Richard Lester and Rudi Fehr, the Hollywood veteran who was, by then, the head of the Warner Bros. Editing Department. Lester had right of final cut in his contract, and exercised this right despite constant pressure. Later, he was very proud of having received a very detailed letter of congratulation on the editing of the film from David Lean, who, before becoming a director, had been one of the world’s foremost film editors.
The Haus of Dcaligari 