During lunch breaks, Cecil Beaton would sneak onto the soundstage set being filmed, set up an easel and board, sketching the standing set (scenery), adding color with time permitting, or adding watercolor washes and painting details in his studio lot office. Producer Jack L. Warner and director George Cukor had Beaton banned from the daily filming stage, as well as from any Warner Brothers stage on which set construction, painting, set green, and set decorating was in progress. After the movie was finished, Beaton had an exhibition with his costume sketches, including these set illustrations, providing some evidence that he had designed the scenery as well. In fact, Jack L. Warner had originally signed a contract with Beaton granting him costume and art direction screen credits. The original New York City, London, Chicago, and roadshow tour-stage scenery had been designed by Oliver Smith. George Cukor and Gene Allen (as production designer and second unit director) had teamed on È nata una stella (1954). Cukor insisted Allen would design all this movie's sets when he accepted the directorial assignment. In fact, Beaton was never allowed in nor near the movie's art department.

Film

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