Vincente Minnelli

3.1.1. Film Directing Debut and Early Works

In 1942, Vincente Minnelli was offered the opportunity to direct Cabin in the Sky (1943) by Arthur Freed, an assignment he accepted with enthusiasm, noting he was given "more freedom than I'd dreamed possible." Based on the 1940 musical by Vernon Duke and John La Touche, the film tells the story of Petunia (Ethel Waters), a devout woman, who prays for the soul of her gambler-husband "Little" Joe Jackson (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson). Filming commenced in August 1942, with only Waters and Rex Ingram reprising their Broadway roles. Lena Horne was cast as Georgia Brown, a seductive character who tempts Jackson. During production, Minnelli filmed a musical number, "Ain't It the Truth," featuring Horne in a bubble bath. However, Joseph Breen of the Motion Picture Production Code objected to the scene, leading to its excision from the final film. Modestly budgeted at 679.26 K USD in 1942, Cabin in the Sky earned 1.60 M USD at the box office.

Three weeks after completing Cabin in the Sky, Minnelli was assigned to direct I Dood It (1943), starring Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell. The film's original director, Roy Del Ruth, had been drafted into the United States Army, leaving the production unfinished and MGM dissatisfied with his existing footage. Producer Jack Cummings hoped Minnelli would inject his distinctive style into the film. Upon taking over, Minnelli hired Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy to rewrite the script. A loose remake of Spite Marriage (1929), the film features Skelton as Joseph Renolds, a tailor's assistant infatuated with Constance Shaw (Powell), a Broadway star. Shaw impulsively marries Renolds to spite her lover (Richard Ainley). Herzig and Saidy updated the plot by having Skelton's character expose John Hodiak's character as a spy for the Axis powers. Between projects, Minnelli also directed Lena Horne in her "Honeysuckle Rose" segment for the film Thousands Cheer (1943).

3.1.2. Collaboration and Marriage with Judy Garland

For Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Arthur Freed once again enlisted Vincente Minnelli to direct. Structured around the four seasons, the film chronicles the conflicts and celebrations of the Smith family, culminating in their experience of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Judy Garland was cast as Esther Smith, though she expressed concerns that her role would be overshadowed by Margaret O'Brien, who portrayed Tootie. Principal photography began on December 7, 1943, but frequent delays occurred due to Garland's tardiness and claims of illness. Determined to showcase Garland's beauty, Minnelli requested makeup artist Dorothy Ponedel be assigned to her. Ponedel refined Garland's appearance by reshaping and extending her eyebrows, altering her hairline, modifying her lip line, and removing her nose discs and dental caps. Filming concluded on April 7, 1944.

During production, Garland and Minnelli experienced some creative differences, but Garland grew closer to him after reviewing the dailies. At the time, Garland was married to David Rose, but after their divorce, she began dating Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Premiering in November 1944, Meet Me in St. Louis received universal critical acclaim and surpassed box office expectations, earning 7.56 M USD worldwide during its initial run.

The 1945 musical Ziegfeld Follies was already in production with George Sidney as the initial director. The film featured several musical numbers from the original Ziegfeld Follies musical revues, starring many of MGM's contracted talents. Midway through filming, Sidney requested to leave the production, and Minnelli was hired to complete it. Garland's segment was filmed in July 1944, with principal photography concluding in August. Minnelli directed a total of ten segments, while the remaining four were directed by Sidney, Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth, and Robert Lewis.

The Clock (1945) marked Garland's first straightforward dramatic film role after a series of musical appearances. Fred Zinnemann was initially hired to direct, but by August 1944, he was removed at Garland's request due to their interpersonal conflicts and disappointing dailies. When Freed asked her for a replacement, Garland requested Minnelli. Minnelli accepted the assignment under two conditions: Zinnemann would not object to his hiring, and he would have creative control over Garland. Zinnemann's footage was discarded, except for exterior shots of New York. The Pennsylvania Station was recreated on the MGM soundstage, and local New York sites were filmed using rear projection. On January 9, 1945, before Garland was scheduled to film The Harvey Girls (1946), Minnelli and Garland became engaged. They married on June 15 at Garland's mother's house in Wilshire, Los Angeles.

Minnelli's next film was Yolanda and the Thief (1945), starring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer. This project had been planned for Minnelli before his involvement with The Clock. Adapted from the 1943 magazine short story by Ludwig Bemelmans and Jacques Théry, the film centers on two con men, Astaire and Frank Morgan, who are hiding from extradition in South America. They learn about Yolanda, a young heiress living a sheltered life in a convent, and decide to con her. One night, Yolanda prays for a "guardian angel," a role that Astaire's character impersonates. Freed discovered the magazine story and commissioned Bemelmans and Théry to write a treatment, with Robert Nathan completing the final screenplay. Filming began on January 15, 1945, and concluded four months later. Upon its release, the film received mixed reviews, particularly for its script, and proved to be a commercial disappointment.

By this time, Garland became pregnant with her first daughter, Liza. Production for Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), a musical biopic of Jerome Kern, was scheduled to begin in October 1945. Garland was cast as Marilyn Miller, and Minnelli was assigned to direct her scenes. Her scenes were completed in two weeks, finishing on November 8, 1945. However, one musical number, "D'Ya Love Me?", was later excised from the film.

Minnelli was next approached by Pandro Berman to direct Undercurrent (1946), with Katharine Hepburn and Robert Taylor cast in the lead roles. Based on a story by Thelma Strabel, the film follows the daughter of a small-town college professor who marries an industrialist and moves to the city. She soon discovers the mystery surrounding her missing brother-in-law, whom her husband is suspected of murdering, and begins to investigate his disappearance. Robert Mitchum, who played the missing brother, was loaned to MGM by RKO Radio Pictures. During filming, Hepburn initially expressed displeasure with Minnelli as her director, though their relationship became cordial as production progressed. Meanwhile, Taylor grew irritated by their developing friendship and felt overshadowed by Mitchum.

The idea to adapt S. N. Behrman's play The Pirate originated with Minnelli, with Garland suggesting its musical adaptation during their honeymoon. The story tells of Manuela, a local Caribbean woman who daydreams of the pirate Macoco, also known as Mack the Black. She is unknowingly engaged to him, now identifying as Don Pedro, the portly and elderly village mayor. Serafin, a traveling actor, impersonates the pirate to win Manuela's affection. Freed initially resisted the idea but reluctantly agreed to produce it after reading a treatment. To replicate the success of For Me and My Gal (1942), Gene Kelly was cast to reunite his pairing with Garland.

On December 27, 1946, a recording session with Garland was canceled due to her illness. Due to Garland's frequent absences, filming did not commence until February 1947. Out of 135 days allocated for rehearsals, filming, and reshoots, Garland was absent for 99. After a preview in October, Minnelli agreed to shorten the film's running time. Between October 21 and December 19, reshoots were conducted, replacing the musical number "Voodoo" with a more energetic reshoot of "Mack the Black." By the time filming concluded, the movie had exceeded its budget, costing 3.70 M USD. The film earned over 2.90 M USD at the box office but resulted in a net loss of 2.20 M USD. Minnelli divorced Garland in 1951.

3.1.3. Genre Expansion and 'Madame Bovary'

Despite the financial failure of The Pirate, Vincente Minnelli was slated to direct Easter Parade (1948) with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in the lead roles (Kelly was later replaced by Fred Astaire after a rehearsal injury). Rehearsals began on September 5, 1947, but five days later, Minnelli was called into Arthur Freed's office and removed from the film. Freed cited Minnelli's removal based on the advice of Garland's psychiatrist, and Charles Walters was hired as his replacement. For almost a year, Minnelli was without a film project while Garland filmed Easter Parade and In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Pandro Berman then called Minnelli, offering him the opportunity to direct a film adaptation of Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary. Minnelli accepted the offer, as it was one of his favorite novels.

Lana Turner was initially offered the lead role, but Minnelli rejected the idea because Turner was widely perceived as a sex symbol. The Production Code also warned that Turner's onscreen image, combined with the novel's depiction of marital infidelity, would violate its guidelines. Jennifer Jones was considered but was under contract to her husband David O. Selznick; however, MGM executive Benjamin Thau successfully negotiated a stipulation deal to borrow her. James Mason expressed interest in playing the role of Flaubert, while Louis Jourdan and Alf Kjellin (billed as Christopher Kent) were lent to the film courtesy of Selznick.

Madame Bovary was filmed from mid-December 1948 to February 1949. During production, Minnelli notably directed an elaborate waltz sequence, utilizing 360-degree pan camera movements set to Miklós Rózsa's pre-recorded instrumental score. Biographer Stephen Harvey hailed it as "one of the audacious epiphanies in any Minnelli movie." Upon its release in August 1949, critics regarded Madame Bovary as an unusually distinguished film, adapting its source material with considerable drama and atmosphere. Sneak preview audiences responded favorably to the film and Jones's performance, though it earned 2.00 M USD at the box office. That same year, Minnelli reportedly directed the climax sequence in Robert Z. Leonard's The Bribe (1949).

3.2.1. As a Master of Musical Films

Vincente Minnelli's subsequent collaboration with Pandro Berman was Father of the Bride (1950), based on the bestselling 1949 novel by Edward Streeter. Jack Benny pursued the lead role and was given a screen test, but Minnelli preferred and cast Spencer Tracy. Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Bennett were cast as the bride and her mother, respectively. Filming began on January 16, 1950, and concluded just over a month later. Released in May 1950, the film earned 4.15 M USD in distributor rentals at the box office. Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with Bosley Crowther of The New York Times describing the film as "equally wonderful" when compared to the book, possessing "all the warmth and poignancy and understanding that makes the Streeter treatise much beloved." The film garnered three Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay.

The concept for An American in Paris (1951) originated from Arthur Freed's friendship with Ira Gershwin. Freed conveyed his desire to adapt George's orchestral piece An American in Paris into a film, potentially including a ballet sequence. In 1949, MGM and the estate of George Gershwin finalized negotiations, granting the studio rights to Gershwin's catalogue for 158.75 K USD. The film's narrative was inspired by a Life magazine article that Freed recalled, detailing American G.I.s studying art in Paris with sponsorship from the G.I. Bill. In the film, Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is an artist studying in Paris who encounters Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), an heiress and arts patron interested in him romantically and professionally. Simultaneously, Jerry pursues a romance with Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), a young woman engaged to Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary), a friend of Jerry's.

Filming commenced on August 1, 1950, at the MGM studios, though production was halted on September 15 to prepare for the elaborate ballet sequence. Minnelli temporarily left the project to direct Father's Little Dividend (1951), the sequel to Father of the Bride, a film that began shooting on October 9 and concluded 23 days later. After this, Minnelli returned to film the ballet sequence, which ran from December 6 to January 8, 1951. The film proved highly popular with audiences, earning over 8.00 M USD in the United States. Kelly and Caron received praise from film critics, though some criticism was directed at the film's dramatic continuity. At the 1952 Academy Awards, An American in Paris received eight Oscar nominations, winning six, including Best Picture.

Due to thematic similarities with An American in Paris (1951), Minnelli declined the offer to direct Lili (1953). During a lunch meeting, MGM producer John Houseman presented Minnelli with a screenplay draft titled Memorial to a Bad Man, based on a short story by George Bradshaw. This project was later retitled The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). Minnelli agreed to direct, insisting on Kirk Douglas as his sole choice to portray the ruthless film producer Jonathan Shields. However, MGM production head Dore Schary had initially offered the role to Clark Gable, who declined. Douglas read the script and accepted the role. Lana Turner was cast as Georgina Lorrison, the "beautiful" character. When both casting choices were announced, industry trades posed the question: "when these two get together..."

The story of The Bad and the Beautiful centers on Jonathan Shields (Douglas) and his manipulative rise in Hollywood by exploiting three individuals: actress Georgina (Turner), whom he deceives with professions of love; director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), whose picture he expropriates; and screenwriter James Bartlow (Dick Powell), whose wife he loses to a scandalous affair. Upon its release, critics praised the film's gritty depiction of Hollywood and the performances of the cast, particularly Douglas, Turner, and Gloria Grahame. The scene of Georgina's emotional breakdown inside a moving vehicle was frequently highlighted. At the 1953 Academy Awards, The Bad and the Beautiful received six Oscar nominations, winning five, including Best Supporting Actress for Grahame.

At the request of Sidney Franklin, Minnelli was approached to direct two segments-"Mademoiselle" and "Why Should I Cry"-for the 1953 anthology film The Story of Three Loves. Minnelli agreed to direct the "Mademoiselle" segment, adapted from the short story "Lucy and the Stranger" by Arnold Phillips. Reuniting with Leslie Caron, the segment featured Ricky Nelson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Farley Granger, and Ethel Barrymore. Filming lasted for three weeks, concluding in February 1952. The segment "Why Should I Cry" was ultimately dropped and reworked into Torch Song (1953), starring Joan Crawford.

Following the success of An American in Paris (1951) and Singin' in the Rain (1952), Arthur Freed decided to produce another film adapting the musical catalogue of renowned composers. For The Band Wagon (1953), it was decided to adapt the music and lyrics by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. To create a suitable storyline, Minnelli enlisted the screenwriting team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green to devise the script. The film tells the story of Tony Hunter, an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will revitalize his career. He collaborates with two writer friends and a Broadway producer to stage a musical starring Hunter and a ballerina. Fred Astaire was cast as Tony Hunter, while the writers Lester and Lilly Marton (portrayed by Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray) were loosely based on Comden and Green. Cyd Charisse was cast as the ballerina Gabrielle Gerard.

Filming for The Band Wagon began on October 20, 1952, and concluded on January 28, 1953. Premiering in July 1953, the film received enthusiastic critical reception and earned 5.60 M USD at the box office. Archer Winsten, writing for the New York Post, called the film "the best musical of the month, year, the decade, or, for all I know, of all time." The film received three Academy Award nominations for Best Story and Screenplay, Best Costume Design (Color), and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Minnelli reunited with Pandro Berman and the screenwriting team of Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich for The Long, Long Trailer (1954), starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Adapted from Clinton Twiss's 1951 novel, the film follows a married couple, Nicky and Tacy Collins, who purchase a new travel trailer home and embark on a year-long journey across the United States. Shot during the summer hiatus for I Love Lucy, filming began on June 18, 1953, and concluded the following month. On February 18, 1954, the film premiered at the Radio City Music Hall and earned 4.50 M USD in distributor rentals.

In March 1951, MGM acquired the screen rights to Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's Broadway musical Brigadoon. Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson were initially cast, but Kelly's prior commitments delayed production for two years. During this interim, Grayson left the project, and Moira Shearer was considered as a replacement before Arthur Freed ultimately cast Cyd Charisse. Brigadoon was Minnelli's first film recorded in stereophonic sound and shot in the widescreen CinemaScope format, a format Minnelli disliked due to concerns that it would crop the actors' feet. In 1953, Minnelli, Kelly, and Freed initially planned to film on location in Scotland, with interior scenes to be shot at the MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood. During the spring, Kelly and Freed scouted potential filming locations, though Minnelli remained in the United States, occupied with The Long, Long Trailer. Kelly and Freed concluded that the Scottish climate was unreliable and decided to film the entire production on the MGM backlot in Culver City, California.

The story of Brigadoon centers on two Americans, Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas (Kelly and Van Johnson), who become lost during a hunting trip in Scotland. They stumble upon the village of Brigadoon, which appears only once every century. During a joyous wedding celebration, Tommy becomes smitten with a local woman named Fiona Campbell (Charisse), despite his engagement to Jane Ashton (Elaine Stewart) back home. During filming, Minnelli admitted to feeling "frustrated by the picture" as he struggled to salvage Lerner's script. Released in 1954, Brigadoon received a mixed reception from film critics. In his New York Times review, Bosley Crowther dismissed the film as "curiously flat and out-of-joint, rambling all over creation and seldom generating warmth or charm."

During the fall of 1953, Minnelli began developing a film adaptation of William Henry Hudson's novel Green Mansions. The following year, Lerner was enlisted to write the screenplay. Intending to film on location in South America, Minnelli scouted locations in Peru, Panama, British Guiana, and Venezuela. There, he, art director E. Preston Ames, and a small film crew shot 0.6 in ^{(16 mm)} test footage of the jungles in Venezuela. Pier Angeli and Edmund Purdom were considered for the lead roles and given a screen test, but Freed was unimpressed. The project was ultimately canceled, though it later became a 1959 film starring Audrey Hepburn.

3.2.2. Directing Dramas and Biographical Films

Vincente Minnelli next directed The Cobweb (1955) after John Houseman presented him with William Gibson's 1954 novel. The story concerns the staff of a psychiatry clinic who become embroiled in a dispute over the new draperies to be installed in the library. Minnelli read John Paxton's script adaptation of the novel but felt it lacked "the flavor of the book." He then approached Gibson to write additional dialogue for the script. Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Gloria Grahame, Lillian Gish, and newcomers John Kerr and Susan Strasberg were cast in the ensemble. The film was shot over seven weeks, starting in December 1954. Released in July 1955, the film received mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box office, earning 1.50 M USD in distributor rentals.

While The Cobweb was undergoing editing, Minnelli discussed with MGM president Dore Schary a film version of Irving Stone's novel Lust for Life as his next project. MGM had already acquired the film rights but requested an extension as its moratorium was set to expire by December 1955. In the interim, Schary and Arthur Freed wanted Minnelli to shoot a film adaptation of Kismet. Minnelli resisted, as he disliked the original Broadway production. Schary offered Minnelli creative autonomy to film Lust for Life on the condition that he would direct Kismet first. Kismet (1955) tells the story of Haji, an opportunistic street poet whose powers are exploited by the Wazir for personal gain, while Haji's daughter Marsinah falls in love with the young Caliph. Filming began on May 23, 1955. Ten days before filming was complete, Minnelli departed for France to begin shooting Lust for Life (1956). Stanley Donen was brought in to finish Kismet, which was completed on July 22, 1955. Kismet premiered on October 8, 1955, at the Radio City Music Hall, earning 2.90 M USD at the box office against a production budget of 2.60 M USD.

Concurrently, Kirk Douglas's production company, Byrna Productions, announced they were producing Lust for Life, with Jean Negulesco as director. Soon after, MGM contacted Douglas, noting they held the rights. A compromise was reached, with Minnelli directing and Douglas starring as Vincent van Gogh. Filmed entirely on location in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, shooting began in August 1955 and concluded in December 1955. Throughout filming, Douglas notably remained in character. Minnelli personally considered the film his favorite among those he directed. Released in September 1956, the film received a mild reception from audiences, earning nearly 1.60 M USD in box office rentals. However, at the 1957 Academy Awards, Lust for Life received four Academy Award nominations: for Best Actor (Kirk Douglas), Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Quinn), Best Screenplay, and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration - Color. Quinn won for Best Supporting Actor.

Before Minnelli traveled to Europe to film Lust for Life, he agreed to direct a feature film adaptation of Robert Anderson's 1953 play Tea and Sympathy. The story revolves around a young student named Tom who is accused of being a homosexual at a boys' prep school, and the headmaster's wife, Laura, who takes a keen interest in him, hoping to affirm his masculinity. Due to the themes of homosexuality, Anderson, who was hired to rewrite his own play, had to sanitize the script to comply with regulations from the Production Code. Deborah Kerr, John Kerr (who had previously starred in 1955's The Cobweb), and Leif Erickson reprised their roles from the stage production. Upon its 1956 release, Tea and Sympathy received positive reviews from film critics and earned nearly 2.20 M USD in box office rentals.

Designing Woman (1957) originated as an original story by Helen Rose, MGM's costume designer, loosely inspired by Woman of the Year (1942). It was intended as a star vehicle for Grace Kelly, with James Stewart cast as the male lead and Joshua Logan set to direct. However, Kelly withdrew from the project when she retired from acting, two months after marrying Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Stewart and Logan subsequently departed. In haste, Dore Schary hired Minnelli to direct the film. As the new director, Minnelli selected Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall as the new leads. Principal photography commenced on September 10, 1956, and concluded ten weeks later, with on-location filming at Newport Beach, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and Marineland. Released in May 1957, the film earned 3.70 M USD worldwide but resulted in a loss of 136.00 K USD. During pre-production for Gigi (1958), Minnelli replaced Ronald Neame during filming for The Seventh Sin (1957), a film adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel The Painted Veil. Neame had developed creative differences with MGM producer David Lewis. Sidney Franklin replaced Lewis as producer. Despite his contributions, Minnelli personally requested not to be credited.

Gigi originated as a 1944 novella by Colette, which was adapted into a 1949 film starring Danièle Delorme. In 1951, playwright Anita Loos adapted the novella into a play, which subsequently moved to Broadway and featured Audrey Hepburn in her first major role. Vincente Minnelli and Arthur Freed had previously discussed adapting Gigi years earlier, but in 1953, Freed's interest was renewed after seeing the Broadway play. Both approached Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, fresh from their success with My Fair Lady, to compose songs for their adaptation. Lerner agreed on two conditions: to expand Honoré Lachaille's role and to have Maurice Chevalier cast in the film.

Hepburn was asked to reprise her role but declined. Minnelli instead cast Leslie Caron, whom he had previously directed in An American in Paris (1951). Louis Jourdan was cast as Gigi's lover Gaston, while Chevalier, Hermione Gingold, Eva Gabor, and Isabel Jeans filled the supporting roles. Desiring to film entirely on location, Minnelli shot the film in Paris beginning in July 1957 during a massive heat wave. Due to the heavy period costumes, cast members became overheated, and Minnelli himself contracted whooping cough. Conflicts between Minnelli and Freed also arose. In September, having gone over budget, the crew moved to California to film on the studio backlot; Venice Beach was also utilized to represent Trouville. Filming concluded on October 30, 1957.

In early 1958, test previews for Gigi were poorly received, leading MGM president Joseph Vogel to order nine days of reshoots. However, Minnelli was unavailable as he was overseas filming The Reluctant Debutante (1958). Charles Walters was brought in to film the reshoots. Gigi premiered on May 15, 1958, at the Royale Theatre in New York, and went on to receive critical acclaim. At the 1959 Academy Awards, the film won all nine of its Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Minnelli was awarded his first Oscar for Best Director.

By the time of Gigi's premiere, Minnelli had spent seven weeks filming The Reluctant Debutante (1958) from mid-February to early April. Adapted from William Douglas Home's 1955 play, the story centers on Jane Broadbent, an American teenage girl who arrives in London to attend debutante balls for her wealthy father Lord Jimmy Broadbent and stepmother Lady Sheila. During the fall of 1957, Pandro Berman showed Minnelli a first draft of the script, which displeased Minnelli as he felt Americanizing the play was the wrong approach. The original London setting was reinstated into the script. Regardless, he agreed to direct, and after Berman's recommendation, Minnelli approached Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall in New York for the central roles. Berman nevertheless cast American actress Sandra Dee to broaden American appeal. The Reluctant Debutante premiered at Radio City Music Hall in August 1958 to indifferent box office results.

3.2.3. Academy Award Wins

Vincente Minnelli achieved significant recognition with two Best Picture wins for films he directed. An American in Paris won the award at the 1952 Academy Awards. Seven years later, at the 1959 Academy Awards, Gigi not only won Best Picture but also earned Minnelli his first and only Best Director award. This made him one of the few directors to helm multiple Best Picture winners.

3.3.1. Commercial Decline and Conflicts with MGM

While promoting Home from the Hill (1960), Minnelli was informed he would direct a remake of the 1921 silent film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. For the 1962 remake, the script was set during World War II, although it retained elements culminating in World War I. Minnelli disagreed with this change; while John Gay was hired for rewrites, the revised script maintained the updated setting. For the lead role, Minnelli had wanted French actor Alain Delon, but Sol Siegel disagreed, casting Glenn Ford instead after he signed a new multi-picture contract with MGM. As was typical with Minnelli's films, the movie was shot in Paris, with interior scenes filmed in California. Shot from October 1960 to March 1961, it was initially scheduled for release by winter 1961; however, reshoots were conducted during the summer.

Postponed for release in February 1962, the film received criticism for its script and production values. It earned 2.00 M USD in distributor rentals against its 7.00 M USD production budget. Overseas, however, the film was appreciated by European critics and was said to have influenced Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist (1970) and Vittorio De Sica's The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970).

In 1960, MGM purchased the film rights to Irwin Shaw's novel Two Weeks in Another Town for 55.00 K USD. John Houseman was appointed producer and approached Minnelli to direct. Minnelli recognized the novel's similarities to The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and hired that film's screenwriter Charles Schnee and composer David Raksin. The story tells of Jack Andrus, a washed-up actor who arrives in Rome to assist his old mentor Maurice Kruger and supervise the dubbing of his latest film. Minnelli offered the lead role to Kirk Douglas, while Edward G. Robinson and Cyd Charisse portrayed Kruger and Carlotta, Jack's ex-wife, respectively. Filming began in October 1961 in Rome with a scheduled nineteen-day on-location shoot. However, Minnelli did not finish until a month later. Filming resumed on the MGM backlot for eleven weeks, starting on November 9.

Minnelli had also filmed an orgy sequence, which infuriated Siegel. In spring 1962, the film received poor test responses during sneak previews. Siegel was replaced by Robert Weitman as production head, while Joseph Vogel appointed studio editor Margaret Booth to drastically re-edit the film. The orgy sequence was condensed, and Charisse's ending monologue was also removed. Minnelli and Houseman were not consulted during most of the film's post-production. The film was released without fanfare and proved to be another box office failure.

3.3.2. Establishment of Venice Productions and Co-productions

By 1962, MGM faced severe financial turmoil due to major commercial flops, including Cimarron (1960), Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), and Minnelli's own The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962). This situation, coupled with the re-editing of Two Weeks in Another Town (1962), fractured Minnelli's long-standing relationship with MGM.

With his contract due for renewal, Minnelli formed his own production company, Venice Productions, to gain greater bargaining power. He successfully negotiated a deal to earn 25 percent of any net box office profits in addition to his director's salary, as well as retain final cut privilege through the second previews. In April 1962, MGM and Venice Productions agreed to a co-production deal to produce six films over four years.

3.3.3. Works After MGM

Under his new contract, Vincente Minnelli directed The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), having found the 1961 novel about a young son's desire for his widowed father to remarry to be "warm and winning." The film's producer, Joe Pasternak, cast Glenn Ford and Ron Howard as the father and son, respectively. Released in 1963, film critics generally found the movie sentimental and mildly engaging. It earned 2.00 M USD in distributor rentals. Minnelli's next project was intended to be My Fair Lady (1964), but Warner Bros. outbid MGM for the film rights at 5.50 M USD. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe pleaded with Jack Warner to hire Minnelli as director, but negotiations broke down due to salary disagreements; Warner instead hired George Cukor.

For most of 1963, Minnelli was without a film project. MGM allowed him to accept outside directing jobs, and he selected 20th Century Fox's offer to direct Goodbye Charlie (1964) starring Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds. This marked his first film produced outside of MGM. Adapted from George Axelrod's 1959 play, the story involves Charlie Sorrel, a womanizer who is shot by a jealous husband and returns to Earth reincarnated as a beautiful blonde. In her new female identity, Charlie meets with his friend George Tracy (Curtis) to seek advice on her new situation. Pre-production and filming lasted from January to July 1964 on Fox's studio backlot, with location shoots in Malibu, California.

Released in November 1964, the film received mixed reviews from film critics. Bosley Crowther negatively stated, "Debbie Reynolds and Tony Curtis [are] so sadly cast in distasteful roles that it causes even a hardened moviegoer to turn away from it in pain and shame." By January 1966, the film had earned 3.70 M USD in distributor rentals from the United States and Canada.

Minnelli returned to MGM to direct The Sandpiper (1965) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Intended as a vehicle for the star couple, Martin Ransohoff devised an original story about a love affair between a married Episcopalian minister and a free-spirited single mother. The couple initially approached William Wyler, but he declined the offer. Taylor and Burton then asked Minnelli, who had previously directed Taylor in Father of the Bride (1950) and Father's Little Dividend (1951). Needing a box office success, Minnelli accepted the offer. The film was shot on location in Big Sur, California, before moving to Paris for additional filming. The film was released in 1965 and was a box office success, earning 6.40 M USD in distributor rentals. This marked the last film produced under the MGM-Venice Productions deal. While the films under this deal were moderately successful, they ultimately failed to generate sufficient profit.

Minnelli then began developing a musical film titled Say It With Music, a biographical film about Irving Berlin that he had been considering for several years. Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews were considered for the lead roles, but MGM president James Aubrey halted development by 1969 due to the declining commercial success of musical films. The Freed Unit was subsequently closed, and MGM and Minnelli mutually agreed to part ways. In 1964, producer Arthur P. Jacobs asked Minnelli to direct a musical adaptation of the novel Goodbye, Mr. Chips with Rex Harrison in mind for the title role, but Minnelli declined. According to film historian Mark Harris, Minnelli initially agreed to direct Doctor Dolittle (1967), which would have reunited him with Harrison and Alan Jay Lerner. The film was tentatively scheduled for a Christmas 1966 release, but Minnelli left the project and was replaced by Richard Fleischer.

3.4.1. Musical Film 'On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'

Alan Jay Lerner's then-latest Broadway musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever was optioned for a film adaptation by Paramount Pictures, with Barbra Streisand considered for the lead role. After failing to secure Minnelli as director for My Fair Lady (1964), Lerner successfully advocated for Minnelli to direct this adaptation. Filming commenced on January 6, 1969, for an intended 82-day shoot. The film was originally scheduled for a fall 1970 roadshow release, but after the 1969 film Hello, Dolly! (also starring Streisand) had underperformed at the box office, the film's release was advanced to the summer. Fifteen minutes were removed from the film's running time.

Released in June 1970, the film received decent reviews from film critics. Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film "is just about as good as it could be. It is bright, it is romantic, it is solidly produced, it centers on an expertly comedic performance by Barbra Streisand and a charming if remarkably unpersuasive turn by Yves Montand as a psychiatrist, it is inventive, it is innocent." By January 1971, the film had earned 4.75 M USD in box office rentals in the United States and Canada.

3.4.2. 'A Matter of Time' and Final Work

Minnelli then turned his attention to a film project that would star his daughter, Liza Minnelli, who had been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for The Sterile Cuckoo (1969). They brainstormed a biographical film about Zelda Fitzgerald, but the project failed to move forward after discussions with Paramount Pictures president Frank Yablans. Concurrently, he began developing a biographical film about Bessie Smith with Tina Turner in mind, but this also fell through.

In 1974, Minnelli became interested in adapting Maurice Druon's 1954 novel The Film of Memory (La Volupté d'être^French). Retitled A Matter of Time (1976), it tells the story of a financially distressed contessa who tutors a young chambermaid. He enlisted veteran collaborators, including screenwriter John Gay and producer Edmund Grainger. After several major studios declined, American International Pictures (AIP) agreed to finance the film with a 5.00 M USD production budget. Ingrid Bergman, who had won her third Academy Award for Murder on the Orient Express (1974), was cast as the Contessa.

Filming began in August 1975 in Rome and Venice for a planned 14-week shoot. However, filming extended to 20 weeks due to harsh winter conditions, labor strikes, and mandated shorter production hours. Minnelli's initial assembly cut was over three hours long. AIP president Samuel Z. Arkoff subsequently took control of the film from Minnelli, deleting several flashbacks and restructuring the film entirely. Alarmed by this intervention, Martin Scorsese organized a petition signed by several prominent Hollywood directors, protesting Arkoff's treatment of Minnelli. While flattered by the support, Minnelli nevertheless disowned the final edited version of the film. A Matter of Time premiered at the Radio City Music Hall on October 7, 1976, but was a financial disappointment.