Raise a glass to Chandler!

Saturday, Jul 26, 2014

Raymond Chandler used to say, "I think a man ought to get drunk at least twice a year, just on principle." But he, as is well known, drank much, much more than that. A confirmed alcoholic, at one point he decided to attempt recovery and was able to stay sober for some time. During this period Paramount hired him to write the film script for "The Blue Dahlia". But the timing was off: the studio put the film into production before Chandler had written even one line of the script. Then, two weeks into principal photography, Chandler couldn't come up with an ending. He told John Houseman, the producer, that he had writer's block and would only be able to complete the script if he went back on the booze. Houseman told him to go to it, and set a plan in motion: half a dozen secretaries were stationed at Chandler's house 24 hours a day; a studio doctor gave him regular vitamin shots as Chandler seldom ate when drinking; and limos were parked outside to speed the new pages to the studio. In the end, the 1946 film was a rousing success, the critics loved it, audiences raved, Chandler's script was unanimously applauded.