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	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = Ghost in the Noonday Sun		\| name = Ghost in the Noonday Sun

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	*{{IMDb title\|id=tt4857058\|title=The Ghost of Peter Sellers}}		*{{IMDb title\|id=tt4857058\|title=The Ghost of Peter Sellers}}
	*{{rotten-tomatoes\|ghost_in_the_noonday_sun}}		*{{rotten-tomatoes\|ghost_in_the_noonday_sun}}

	~~{{Peter Medak}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost In The Noonday Sun}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost In The Noonday Sun}}

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{{Short description|1974 British film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ghost in the Noonday Sun
| image = Ghost in the Noonday Sun.jpg

| caption =
| director = [[Peter Medak]]
| producer = [[Thomas Clyde (film producer)|Thomas Clyde]] [[Gareth Wigan]]
| writer = [[Evan Jones (writer)|Evan Jones]] [[Spike Milligan]]
| based_on = novel by [[Sid Fleischman]]
| narrator =
| starring = [[Peter Sellers]] [[Spike Milligan]]
| music = [[Denis King]]
| cinematography = [[Michael Reed (cinematographer)|Michael Reed]] Larry Pizer
| editing = [[Ray Lovejoy]]
| distributor = Tyburn Entertainment (UK) [[Columbia Pictures]] (USA)
| released = {{Film date|1985|||home video}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget = $2 million<ref name="Alberge">{{cite news|last=Alberge|first=Dalya|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/11/peter-sellers-spike-milligan-comedy-film-shipwreck-ghost-in-noonday-sun|title=Tantrums and tears: how Peter Sellers turned a pirate film into a shipwreck
|work=The Guardian|accessdate=11 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="los">Peter Sellers Goes to Sea
Hall, William. Los Angeles Times 22 Dec 1973: b11.</ref>
}}

'''''Ghost in the Noonday Sun''''' is a 1974 British comedy film directed by [[Peter Medak]] starring [[Peter Sellers]], [[Anthony Franciosa]] and [[Spike Milligan]]. The film suffered a difficult production due to Sellers's erratic behavior and was not theatrically released.<ref>{{cite news|title=How Peter Sellers sabotaged his own movie|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2016/02/08/24126/how_peter_sellers_sabotaged_his_own_movie|accessdate=22 July 2017|publisher=Chortle|date=8 February 2016}}</ref> Medak described the film as "the biggest disaster of my life" in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bernstein|first1=Paula|title=Director Peter Medak Plans to Resurrect The Ghost of Peter Sellers|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/97802-director-peter-medak-plans-to-resurrect-the-ghost-of-peter-sellers/#.W28yNOjdu1s|work=Filmmaker|date=21 March 2016|accessdate=11 August 2018}}</ref>

The script was written by [[Evan Jones (writer)|Evan Jones]] and [[Ernest Tidyman]] (uncredited) with additional dialogue by Spike Milligan. The film was produced by [[Thomas Clyde (film producer)|Thomas Clyde]] and [[Gareth Wigan]] with cinematography by [[Michael Reed (cinematographer)|Michael Reed]] and Larry Pizer. The title and some of the plot details are based on the book of the same title by Newbery Medal-winning children's author [[Sid Fleischman]].

==Plot==
In the seventeenth century,<ref name="Alberge"/> pirate captain Ras Mohammed ([[Peter Boyle]]), accompanied by his incompetent Irish cook Dick Scratcher (Peter Sellers) and three crewmen, buries three chests of treasure on an unnamed island. Scratcher then kills the captain and three crewmen. He returns to the pirate ship and proclaims himself the new captain, as only he knows the location of the treasure. He soon discovers his predecessor's treasure map was drawn in disappearing ink. Fourteen years later, the pirate ship reaches Ireland, although Scratcher believes they are on a Greek island. The crew behaves gluttonously, with the exception of the debonair and cerebral Pierre Rodriquez (Anthony Franciosa).

They abduct an Irish boy, Jeremiah (Richard Willis), whom Scratcher believes can see ghosts and will therefore be able to contact Ras Mohammed's ghost for directions to the treasure. After seeing off the British Navy by posing as Portuguese fishermen suffering the "red plague", the pirates sail to Algiers, where Jeremiah is taken prisoner. The pirates encounter Scratcher's old friend Billy Bombay (Spike Milligan) and later release Jeremiah.

After threats of mutiny by a pirate named Abdullah ([[Thomas Baptiste]]), the pirates end up back at the island of buried treasure. They dig up Billy Bombay's treasure chest of silver cannonballs and fire them at Billy Bombay and his six brothers, leaving only Billy alive. Separately, Pierre, Jeremiah and Abdullah discover Ras Mohammed's treasure. The film ends with Scratcher buried up to his neck in sand, while Billy Bombay is tied to a tree, and the two shout insults at each other.

==Style==
The film's opening seven-minute prologue is shot in the style of a [[black and white]] [[silent film]], complete with caption cards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ghost in the Noonday Sun Review|url=http://www.tvguide.com/movies/ghost-in-the-noonday-sun/review/133578/|website=TV Guide|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref>

Sellers' onetime ''[[The Goon Show|Goon Show]]'' colleague [[Spike Milligan]] appears halfway through the film and worked on revisions to the script. This results in some Goonish style banter and effects, such as [[Time-lapse photography|undercranked film sequences]] making movement seem faster, dialogue and sound effects. When Scratcher and Billy Bombay meet, Milligan says to camera, "It's that smelly old sea-goon, Dick Scratcher" - an apparent reference to ''The Goon Show'' character Ned Seagoon.

==Cast==
*[[Peter Sellers]] as Dick Scratcher
*[[Anthony Franciosa]] as Pierre Rodriguez
*[[Spike Milligan]] as Bill Bombay
*[[Clive Revill]] as Bey of Algiers
*[[Peter Boyle]] as Ras Mohammed
*Richard Willis as Jeremiah
*[[James Villiers]] as Parsely-Frack
*[[Rosemary Leach]] as Kate
*[[Thomas Baptiste]] as Abdullah
*[[Murray Melvin]] as Hamldon
*[[Bill Kerr]] as Giacomo

==Production==
===Development===
The novel ''Ghost in the Noonday Sun'' was published in 1965. The ''New York Times'' called it a "rollicking tale".<ref>THE GHOST IN THE NOONDAY SUN. By Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Warren Chappeli. 173 pp. Boston: Atlantic-Little, Brown. $3.95.: For Ages 8 to 12.
BERKVIST, ROBERT. New York Times 24 Oct 1965: BR34.</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "a rousing tale."<ref>A Three-Foot Shelf for Younger Readers Taylor, Mark. Los Angeles Times 26 Dec 1965: m25.</ref>

Sellers persuaded Medak, a friend of his, to make the film.<ref name="Alberge"/> "He was an incredible guy," said Medak of Sellers. "His invention would go into supersonic flight. You couldn't stop him. He had classical comedy genius."<ref name="variety"/> [[Wolf Mankowitz]] wrote the first draft but it was later estimated a dozen writers worked on the script.<ref>Standing still film
McNay, Michael. The Guardian 18 Dec 1973: 10.</ref> According to Sellers "It started life as a straight pirate yarn. But we got to work on it and turned it into a crazy comedy. You could call it "Goons at Sea". I think it's what people want."<ref name="los"/> The film was the second movie financed by Somerville House, a Montreal based investment company who were interested in getting into the film industry.<ref>A lot of ifs for $20 Million in Canadian film. Martin, Robert. The Globe and Mail; Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]18 Feb 1978: P.35.</ref>

===Shooting===
The film was shot in and off the coast of [[Kyrenia]], [[Cyprus]], and at [[Bray Studios (UK)|Bray International Studios]] near Maidenhead, England. "Everything started going wrong days before shooting began," said Medak. "The Greek captain delivering the pirate ship to Kyrenia's magnificent seventh century harbour was so drunk that he crashed the ship into the quay instead of the narrow strip of water."<ref name="ghost">The ghost of Peter Sellers Cyprus Mail; Nicosia [Nicosia]01 Feb 2016.</ref>

Peter Sellers arrived on location displaying strange behaviour, attributed to the end of his relationship with [[Liza Minnelli]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Norman|first1=Alix|title=The ghost of Peter Sellers|url=http://cyprus-mail.com/2016/02/01/the-ghost-of-peter-sellers|accessdate=22 July 2017|publisher=Cyprus Mail|date=1 February 2016}}</ref> Shortly after filming began, Sellers began to lose confidence in the project and when Spike Milligan arrived to shoot his scenes, Sellers asked him to assess the footage that had been shot thus far. Milligan looked at the rushes and said "this is on a disaster course". He outlined his ideas to Medak and Sellers, who approved.<ref name="spike"/> Milligan rewrote the script, but Sellers did not turn up for the first day of filming the new scenes, claiming he was too ill to work. He decided a vase in his Swiss home might be facing the wrong way so he sent his secretary to Gstaad to take the vase back to London. Once this was done, Sellers agreed to resume shooting. Medak shot film around Sellers. He liked Milligan's script changes and wanted Milligan to film during the day and rewrite at night. Milligan was reluctant so Sellers tried to get production shut down. Medak refused.<ref name="spike">'Pete was insane and evil. Spike was slightly touched but with a heart of gold. I loved them both' Farnes, Norma. The Guardian 3 Nov 2003: 2.2.</ref>

Sellers subsequently became deliberately uncooperative and would often pretend to be sick. On one occasion he was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack, only for Medak to spot newspaper photographs of Sellers dining with [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]] in London two days later.<ref name="Alberge"/> Sellers caused further upset by agreeing to shoot a cigarette commercial during one of the few off-days in the filming schedule, drafting in an unwilling Peter Medak to direct it, and then on the day refusing to be filmed holding the cigarette packet because he claimed to be the chairman of the Anti-Smoking League.<ref>Farnes, Norma (2004). Chapter 11 of ''Spike: An Intimate Memoir'', Harper Perennial, London. {{ISBN|1841157872}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |last=Guide |first=British Comedy |date=2021-04-18 |title=Close but no cigarette: When Milligan & Sellers met Benson & Hedges - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/sellers-and-milligan/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref> Sellers had personally invited British cinematographer Larry Pizer to shoot the film, only to later fire him after a party once production had commenced. Sellers also fought on set with co-star [[Tony Franciosa]], at one point refusing to appear in the same shot as Franciosa. "It's all kind of bewildering," said Franciosa during filming. "Half the time I'm not actually sure what anyone's trying to do. Some of this comedy is so way out I couldn't begin to describe it. But I'll say this: it's an experience."<ref name="los"/>

"As an artist, he was a genius," said Medak of Sellers. "As a person, he was insane. He was depressed in real life, like the typical comedian who under the surface is suicidal... He was incredibly manipulative. He created situations where there was tremendous confusion and then he'd gain the upper hand. He destroyed the whole film... On a good day he was sensational but his moods changed. He couldn't remember what he'd said to you days before. But I remember, working with him, there were moments when it was heaven. We laughed so hard the tears rolled down our cheeks."<ref name="variety">The Peter Principle Christon, Lawrence. Variety, suppl. MGM 80th Anniversary; Los Angeles Vol. 394, Iss. 10, (Apr 19-Apr 25, 2004): 14,16.</ref> After the final scene was filmed, involving Sellers and Milligan both being physically restrained, the crew forced them to listen to a song detailing the production's woes.<ref name="Sikov2011">{{cite book|author=Ed Sikov|title=Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PO-5-ttYn3UC&pg=PT4|date=19 August 2011|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=978-1-4472-0714-6|pages=4–}}</ref>

==Release==
Medak says after he attended a private screening with Sellers and Milligan: “We all just wanted to kill ourselves.”<ref name="Alberge"/> The film was shot in 1973 and has a copyright notice in the opening credits for 1974. [[Columbia Pictures]] deemed the film not worthy of cinematic release. "Even Peter Sellers was bad in it," said Fleischman later.<ref>Books for Youngsters Not Child's Play to Author: [Home Edition] PATRICIA WARD BIEDERMAN. Los Angeles Times 26 July 1987: 1.</ref>

According to Medak, Sellers wanted to buy back the film from Columbia, and for the director and Milligan to redo the narration and re-edit the film for Sellers to get it released. But then Sellers called and said, "I can’t buy back the film because it’s been written up for twice as much as it cost."<ref name="Alberge"/> It was ultimately released on Betamax and VHS home video in 1985, and on DVD in 2016.

==''The Ghost of Peter Sellers''==
In 2016, it was announced that Peter Medak was directing a feature-length documentary about the ill-fated production, called ''[[The Ghost of Peter Sellers]]''. The film originated with Paul Iacovou, Managing Director of Vegas Media in Cyprus, who got Medak involved.<ref name="ghost"/> It was released in 2018 after some production delays.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bernstein|first1=Paula|title=Director Peter Medak Plans to Resurrect The Ghost of Peter Sellers|url=http://filmmakermagazine.com/97802-director-peter-medak-plans-to-resurrect-the-ghost-of-peter-sellers|accessdate=22 July 2017|publisher=Filmmaker Magazine|date=21 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Ghost of Peter Sellers|url=http://www.theghostofpetersellers.com/|website=The Ghost of Peter Sellers|publisher=vegasmedia.com|accessdate=8 March 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0070106|title=Ghost in the Noonday Sun}}
*{{IMDb title|id=tt4857058|title=The Ghost of Peter Sellers}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|ghost_in_the_noonday_sun}}

{{Peter Medak}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost In The Noonday Sun}}
[[Category:1974 films]]
[[Category:1970s historical comedy films]]
[[Category:British historical comedy films]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about child abduction]]
[[Category:Films directed by Peter Medak]]
[[Category:Films partially in color]]
[[Category:Films set in the 17th century]]
[[Category:Films set in Algiers]]
[[Category:Films set in Ireland]]
[[Category:Films set on fictional islands]]
[[Category:Pirate films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films shot at Bray Studios]]
[[Category:Films shot in Cyprus]]
[[Category:1970s British films]]

Ghost in the Noonday Sun - Revision history

Kurt at 17:02, 4 August 2024

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