Fade In (1973)

While on location for a film shoot in Utah, an assistant film editor (Barbara Loden) finds herself attracted to a rancher (Burt Reynolds) who is working as a driver for the film production. A romance develops but their lifestyles are so different that it's an impediment to their relationship. Directed by Jud Taylor, although the movie is credited to Allan Smithee, a pseudonym used by the DGA when a director wants his name removed from the finished film. Filmed concurrently with BLUE (1968) which FADE IN uses the filming of that movie as the background for this tale of an on set romance. The film's previews were disastrous so the film was shelved and didn't make its debut until five years later on television. Is it that bad? No but it's not very good either. Some parts of the movie have a European feel to it but despite an intriguing premise, the film isn't able to build on it and we're stuck with romantic montages, soft focus shots and freeze frames. The film was written by Mart Crowley (THE BOYS IN THE BAND) but he had his name taken off it. The best thing about the film is Barbara Loden. She doesn't have an extensive filmography so it's always a pleasure to see her. With Terence Stamp, Joanna Pettet, Ricardo Montalban, Patricia Casey and James Hampton.