Mickey Maus
: Blogging favorite Roger L. Simon writes for my favorite ‘zine, Jewsweek, about making Jewish movies in Hollywood and he tells this great anecdote about writing the adaptation of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Holocaust black comedy Enemies, A Love Story for director Paul Mazursky:
When Paul and I turned the script into Disney Studios (they had optioned the book for Mazursky to direct and had paid me to write), Michael Eisner said, “Fellas, this is a very good screenplay, but…” turning to Paul, “…couldn’t you update it like you did Down and Out in Beverly Hills?”
“But Michael,” said Paul. “The Holocaust took place at a very specific time … during World War II.”
“Well, how about another Holocaust. How about the Afghani Holocaust.”