Arka Evren

FILM · 1958

Separate Tables

23 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026

15 Interesting Facts About Separate Tables

  1. #001

    When London's News Chronicle interviewed Wendy Hiller about her Oscar win, she said she thought the Academy was crazy to give her the award. "The only thing you can see of me in the picture is the back of my head. I don't see how I could have won for acting with my back to the camera. They cut my two best scenes and gave one to Rita Hayworth." She went on, "Never mind the honor, though I'm sure it's a very nice gesture. I hope this award means cash - cash money. I want some very nice offers to go to Hollywood to shoot, preferably in the winter months, so I can avoid all this hardship - it's a terrible cold here."

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  2. #003

    Director Delbert Mann filmed May Hallatt's pool scene in a long take with a deliberately moving camera, wanting to show that a stand-in would not work for her. Unfortunately, the shot was taken away from him and re-edited with the middle of the take removed, eliminating that effect.

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  3. #005

    Years later, Delbert Mann was surprised that this film was chosen for a retrospective of British films. According to Mann, the entire film was shot at Goldwyn Studios on Stage 5.

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  4. #006

    Director Delbert Mann was so upset that producer/star Burt Lancaster recut the picture that he severed his relationship with the company. According to Mann, this was done because Lancaster's character was the last of four major heroes to be introduced.

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  5. #007

    When Charles asks Major Pollock whether he won the Sword of Honour at Sandhurst (Britain's equivalent of West Point), he is referring to the award given by the commandant to the best overall student in the class. David Niven, who played Major Pollock, had indeed graduated from Sandhurst before becoming an actor; in 1939 he interrupted his film career, returned to Britain and re-entered the British Army, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

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  6. #008

    Terence Rattigan's play was usually performed as two one-act plays separated by an interval; the same actor played Major and John, and the same actress played Ann and Sybil.

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  7. #009

    With its frank discussions of sexual matters, generally considered taboo, it was regarded as quite daring at the time.

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  8. #010

    At the time, Rita Hayworth was married to the film's co-producer, James Hill, her fifth (and last) husband; all of her marriages ended in divorce.

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  9. #015

    Audrey Dalton would recall that the film was shot in sequence after a three-week rehearsal period.

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  10. #016

    The musical theme of the terrace sequence and several other pieces were rewritten by David Raksin at the producers' request after a poor preview.

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  11. #018

    Both Cathleen Nesbitt and Gladys Cooper played Professor Henry Higgins's mother as portrayed by Rex Harrison: Nesbitt on Broadway (twice, 25 years apart) and Cooper in My Fair Lady (1964).

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  12. #019

    Deborah Kerr also appeared with Cathleen Nesbitt, who played Cary Grant's grandmother in An Affair to Remember (1957).

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  13. #020

    The character Ann Shankland was inspired by Jean Dawnay, a close friend of Terence Rattigan.

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  14. #022

    Both Cathleen Nesbitt (first name Gladys) and Wendy Hiller (surname Cooper) share the real name of Gladys Cooper in the film.

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  15. #023

    Its New York television premiere was on 3 October 1965 on WOR channel 9.

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