Night in Paradise (1946)

Interesting facts

Night in Paradise is a 1946 American fantasy comedy film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Merle Oberon and Turhan Bey. It was produced by Walter Wanger for distribution by Universal Pictures.

Production

The film was based on a novel by George S. Hellman, Peacock's Feather, which was published in 1931. In 1934 Hellman announced he had dramatised his own novel. The same year Walter Wanger announced he would make a film based on the novel as the third movie for his newly formed Walter Wanger Productions, after The President Vanishes and Private Worlds. It was to star Ann Harding. However the film was not made.

The project was reactivated in 1944 with Universal agreeing to make it with Wagner. The stars were to be Turhan Bey and Louise Abritten with Arthur Lubin to direct. In December 1944 Hedda Hopper reported that the film would star Maria Montez and that Wagner wanted Claude Rains for a key role. However, by January 1945 Merle Oberon had the lead.

Arthur Lubin claims the studio "was very much against making" the film and tried to get him to persuade Wanger not to make it. He also says that Bey "was very conceited, he was very sure of himself and was getting very difficult to direct" and that during filming "he was carrying on several love affairs with other stars who annoyed Miss Oberon... very, very much." Lubin says one day during filing "he got very, very difficult.

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