Sail a Crooked Ship (1961)

Interesting facts

Sail a Crooked Ship is a 1961 American black-and-white comedy heist film starring Robert Wagner, Dolores Hart, Carolyn Jones, Frankie Avalon, Ernie Kovacs and Frank Gorshin. It was directed by Irving Brecher and was based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Nathaniel Benchley.

Production

The film was based on a novel published in 1960. The New York Times called it "slightly daffy".

Producer Philip Barry thought the novel would make a good film. He pitched it to MGM for whom he had made The Mating Game but that studio passed. Barry went on to sign a three-picture deal at Columbia Studios. In June 1960, Barry said his first film for Columbia would be Sail a Crooked Ship which he described as "Some Like It Hot without drag". He hoped to star Jack Lemmon and hired William Bowers to write the script.

"I can't remember how many opinions were brought to bear on the script," said Barry later. "The ship has changed course quite a few times since I read the book."

In January 1961, Ernie Kovacs was cast. Also that month Columbia announced the lead role would be played by Robert Wagner. He and then-wife Natalie Wood formed their own company, Rona Productions, which signed a three-picture deal with Columbia for Wagner's services. The first film was Sail a Crooked Ship and the second would be The Interns. Wagner would get a percentage of the profits.

In March, it was announced the female leads would be Joan Collins and Jean Seberg. These roles would end up being played by Carolyn Jones and Dolores Hart.

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