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What Makes Sammy Run?

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I am thrilled that this wonderful television adaptation of Budd Schulberg's classic novel "What Makes Sammy Run?" is being released on DVD. The television play was originally shown in two one-hour installments on September 27 and October 4, 1959. Although the color videotapes used for the broadcast no longer exist, for many years a black-and-white kinescope of the first hour was available for viewing at the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in New York City and Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the second hour was on the Museum's list of "lost treasures."

In 2004, I was in the process of revising the book of the 1964 musical version of the same story (which ultimately led to a successful NYC revival in 2006) and arranged an interview with actress Dina Merrill to discuss her performance as the man-eating socialite, Laurette Harrington. Since most of Ms Merrill's performance occurred in the "lost" second hour, I wanted to learn more about the unavailable portion of the television play. Ms Merrill was surprised to learn that the second hour was not available for screening at the Museum. I didn't realize it at the time, but Ms Merrill was on the board of the Museum, and shortly after our conversation, she contacted the curators and asked them to make a concerted effort to locate the lost reel. Astonishingly enough, a complete kinescope of the broadcast was located at the Library of Congress and, following a restoration of the film, the complete television play was screened on April 6, 2005 at the Museum's New York branch with Ms Merrill and Budd Schulberg in attendance. I was on crutches at the time because of an injured foot, but I wasn't about to miss that historic event. The following month, on May 9th, the Los Angeles branch of the Museum screened the kinescope with Barbara Rush and director Delbert Mann joining Ms Merrill and Mr. Schulberg.

At the time, I wasn't optimistic about anyone actually releasing the kinescope on DVD, but I'm happy to report that the Archive of American Television, a branch of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, has teamed with Koch Vision to release the restored television play, complete with an on-screen interview with Budd Schulberg and a commentary track by Barbara Rush and Dina Merrill. For those not familiar with kinescopes, I should point out that this film was created by aiming a black and white movie camera at a television monitor during the actual broadcast. The image is occasionally marred by imperfections, but it does manage to convey the excitement of a live performance from the "Golden Age" of television. Ironically, the performance was not live, but videotaped in advance, although you would never guess it from the DVD. The shadow of boom mikes and other technical glitches inherent in a live broadcast are also present here, but the performances are more polished than usual.

Now that this "long-lost" television production is readily available, "What Makes Sammy Run?" will undoubtedly join the ranks of "Requiem for a Heavyweight," "Twelve Angry Men" and other classic television plays from the period. And, hopefully, it might finally convince Dreamworks (which holds the rights) or some other studio to greenlight a full feature film version of this timeless story.

"What Makes Sammy Run?" is based on a novel by 27-year-old Budd Schulberg ("On the Waterfront," "A Face In the Crowd") written in 1941. The novel focused on the meteoric rise of Sammy Glick, a poor Jewish kid from the Lower East Side, from newspaper copy boy to Hollywood studio head, steamrolling anyone in his path. Sammy Glick was the forerunner of characters played by Michael Douglas in "Wall Street," Kevin Spacey in "Swimming With Sharks," and Tim Robbins in "The Player."
Hollywood never filmed Schulberg's novel, perhaps because it hit too close to home. Instead, it was adapted by Schulberg and directed by Delbert Mann in a two-part television drama in 1959 for "Sunday Showcase." "What Makes Sammy Run?" stars Larry Blyden in the title role, John Forsythe, Barbara Rush, and Dina Merrill. Supporting cast members include Sidney Blackmer, Norman Fell, David Opatashu, and Horace MacMahon.
Blyden was chosen for the role over many contenders, including Anthony Perkins, Ben Gazzara, Charles Grodin, Harry Guardino, Burt Reynolds, and Tony Curtis. Known today primarily as a 1960's game show host, Blyden turns in a razzle-dazzle performance as Glick, an average guy from nowhere with enormous drive who claws his way to the top. Detestable in many ways, he is nonetheless fascinating.
The original taped, two-part broadcast was in color, but the DVD version is in black and white. Mann's direction is crisp, and the performances are lively, spontaneous, and natural. Bonus extras include audio commentary with Dina Merrill and Barbara Rush, an interview with Budd Schulberg, and a 16-page booklet containing a Schulberg biography, a chronicle of attempts made by Hollywood to film the novel, excerpts from reviews of the show, and details about the restoration of this TV classic, thought lost for decades.

Congratulations to Koch Vision, The Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, The Paley Center and all who are finally bringing these gems of TV's "Golden Age" to quality home video--first with the "Studio One" box, now with "What Makes Sammy Run?" and, hopefully, many, many more. The rich heritage of live (and later taped) TV drama (and comedy) has been sorely neglected in the home video market. FINALLY, something is being done.

I first saw the restored "Sammy" at the Paley Center in NYC. Now I can enjoy it at home with all the "extras" that one comes to expect in a fabulous DVD production.

Please, please, "Archive of American Televison Presents," keep this stuff coming. We all remember how great it was, AND IS.

Based on the famous novel by the late Budd Shulberg, "What Makes Sammy Run" continues his obsession with success and it's cost. Budd Shulberg was, without a doubt, one of the best writers working in Hollywood throughout the 50's. His two most famous works, "A Face in the Crowd" and "On the Waterfront" also deal with duplicity used in the pursuit of fame and/or fortune. This is a 1959 television production, and is EASILY identifiable as such. The acting is not bad, per se, but is decidedly TV-caliber. The production values are cheap, but rarely distracting. The DVD contains the original introduction, including a commercial for toothpaste (Crest or Colgate- what's the difference?) and ramps for commercials, which do serve to remove the viewer somewhat from the film. But the story is there, though watered-down for the Sunday TV crowd (the film appeared on a program entitled 'Sunday Showcase'). If anything, this film piqued my interest in the novel, as I could see the potential for deep insight in several scenes but wish I heard the characters' internal monologues. The final lines are most definitely classic:

Sammy: "What makes me run? That's not the real question. The real question is: 'What makes the rest of you run after me?'"

Kitt: "That's a question for us to answer, for us to live with. But you know what, Sammy? At least we'll live..."

Although this black and white movie feels a little stagey at times, after 50 years, it is still a powerful work. The centerpiece is Larry Blyden as the amoral Sammy, who will step on any neck to get ahead. John Forsythe plays his foil who tells the tale. Barbara Rush is a bit weak as a quasi romantic interest, and Dina Merrill is the society playgirl with morals as faint as Sammy's. There are no truly sympathetic characters, no heroes.

The focus is all on Sammy Glick's rise from newspaper copy boy to head of a major studio in Hollywood, gained entirely on the talent of others. He steals the idea of a friend to "write" his first movie. Then he does a "switcheroo" of Somerset Maugham's "Rain," by making the minister a missionary played by a curvaceous and talentless starlet who falls for a sinful man. With each mendacious coup, Sammy gains power. Switcheroos go on to this day, shamelessly, so the plot is not at all out of date.

Forsythe keeps asking aloud, "What makes Sammy run?" until Sammy himself points out that this is not the right question at all. And that is the point of this moral fable.

There are some excellent extras, especially the interview with the aged author, Budd Schulburg. All in all, serious movie fans should not miss this made for TV film.

A listless TV adaptation of the Budd Schulberg classic, this fails miserably. The bite, menace, pungent wit and angst of the novel have inexplicably evaporated, despite the fact that Schulberg himself co-authored the script. I have the feeling that the network made him water down the savage Sammy of the page; there's more of shtick than Glick here. Seems to be a clear case of "don't defecate where you dine."

Larry Blyden's efforts are appreciated, but he never seems to find the ruthless core of Sammy; instead, he is a driven, but almost nice guy. The novel convincingly creates an infuriating portrait of a narcissitic and amoral heel; the TV script makes him about as interesting as yesterday's toast. The rest of the cast is no help here: Barabara Rush's Kit Sargent unconvincingly vacillates between Sammy's charm and his greed, Dina Merrill is gorgeous, but little more than a mannequin, and John Forsythe seems to be phoning in his lines. With one exception, the rest of the cast are just chess pieces moved around to expedite the story. Talented but little-known character actor David Opatoshu gives a solid performance as Sidney Fineman, but it doesn't save this sinking ship.

Worst of all is the payoff: several times throughout the story, Al Manheim (Forsythe) asks himself, "What makes Sammy run?" When the answer comes, it is a total, inexplicable bomb. But because we never really cared about Sammy one way or the other, it just doesn't seem to matter.

Still, there is a certain charm that wafts around those early days of television, and the nostalgia factor kept me from giving this one star. I would recommend you skip this and read the book instead; it is far superior to this misguided but sincere effort.

Speaking of great TV, What Makes Sammy Run? ($24.98; Koch) is the latest gem to come out of the vaults of the Archives of American Television. Based on the classic Budd Schulberg novel about a ferocious ladder-climber in Hollywood, it's a live TV event that has been mentioned glowingly for years but also all but unseen. I wish it had been included as part of a boxed set of similar live TV at a bargain price, but it's great to have access to it in any form. Visit me at michaelgiltz dot com.