“The Exorcist” — a film about a 12-year-old girl who is possessed by a demon and the two priests who try to exorcise that demon from her — was released a half-century ago this month.
Audiences were shocked. Terrified. Revolted. But “The Exorcist” became a huge success, both commercially and artistically — it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
“I didn't plan on frightening anyone,” William Peter Blatty told NPR's Scott Simon in 2011 about his 1971 novel, “The Exorcist.” “I sleep with a night light! It was all an accident.”
Blatty spent years as a comic novelist and as a screenplay writer for Peter Sellers. But during a dry period in the summer of 1969 — while he collected unemployment — Blatty came across a story in the Washington Post about a 14-year-old boy in Maryland who believed he was possessed by a demon. Jesuit priests were called in to exorcise the demon. The boy recovered with no ill effects.
Inspired by this story, Blatty spent nine months writing what would become “The Exorcist.” He changed the gender and age of the possessed child and other details. Just three weeks before he was done with his first draft, a lucrative offer came in to adapt his work into a movie.
The book was released in June 1971 but sales were dismal. That was when good fortune smiled upon Blatty: a guest dropped out of “The Dick Cavett Show” at the last minute. Producers called in Blatty as a replacement and ended up spending 40 minutes walking Cavett through the plot of “The Exorcist.”
Shortly after, “The Exorcist” began 17 weeks at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
William Friedkin, who was coming off of an award-winning turn as director of “The French Connection,” took on the assignment to direct the movie version.
But what of the original inspiration for Blatty's book? Years later, it was revealed the boy was Ronald Edwin Hunkeler, who had gone on to become a NASA engineer. He had helped develop the technology that helped space shuttles withstand extreme heat. Hunkeler died in 2020 at age 85.
More than 2,000 child actors were considered for the part of the possessed girl, Regan. Among those considered: Laura Dern, Eve Plumb (from “The Brady Bunch”) Brooke Shields (she was considered too young) and Jamie Lee Curtis (her mom vetoed the role). Twelve-year-old Linda Blair, who didn't mind all the cursing in the script, got the part.
Regan's mother in “The Exorcist” is supposed to be a movie star filming a movie in D.C. Among those considered: Audrey Hepburn (she'd only do it if they filmed the movie in Rome) and Jane Fonda (“I don't believe in magic,” she said). Friedkin's first choice, Carol Burnett, was shot down by the studio. Ellen Burstyn successfully lobbied Friedkin for the role.
At one point, Paul Newman was interested in playing the faith-challenged Father Karras. Jack Nicholson was considered but determined to be “too unholy” for the role. Friedkin hired Stacy Keach but then saw Jason Miller in a stage production of “That Championship Season.” Friedkin bought out Keach's contract and gave the role to Miller.
The studio insisted Marlin Brando be cast as Father Merrin, but Friedkin — aware of Brando's reputation for being difficult on set — refused and hired Max von Sydow. It took four hours each day to apply makeup to turn the 44-year-old von Sydow into the elderly Merrin. Von Sydow said he lost work for years because people thought he really was that old.
In the film, as the demon gradually takes over Regan's body, the temperature drops in the girl's bedroom. In order to have the actors' breath condense, Friedkin had the bedroom set cooled to minus 20 degrees with four air conditioners — at a cost of $50,000. Stage lighting could be used for only three minutes at a time or the effect would be ruined.
Blair's voice during her possession was supplied by 57-year-old Mercedes McCambridge, an experienced TV and movie actor and voice actor. McCambridge took up drinking and smoking in order to provide a sufficiently scary voice. Warner Bros. failed to credit McCambridge for her work, which eventually led to arbitration from the Screen Actors Guild.
Production of “The Exorcist” was plagued with setbacks. Burstyn suffered a broken tailbone. And at one point, the house sets caught fire. Friedkin told Entertainment Weekly the cause had claws, wings and a foul odor: A pigeon flew into a light box, he said. The fire resulted in a two-month delay. A scheduled 85-day shoot grew to 224 days.
Eileen Dietz — who, at age 28, was considerably older than Blair — served as Blair's stunt double in the film. She later claimed to have acted in all the film's possession scenes. Warner Bros. says her total screentime was 28.25 seconds. At one point, Dietz — wearing heavy makeup — is briefly shown as Pazuzu, the demon possessing Regan.
Because of several production delays, Warner Bros. rush-released “The Exorcist” the day after Christmas, 1973, on only 30 screens in 24 U.S. cities. The film grossed $1.9 million in its first week and $7.4 million in its first month.
Warner Bros. expanded the release to another 366 screens nationwide. “The Exorcist" would go on to be the highest-grossing movie of 1974.
Success of the film was helped by media coverage of horrified viewers screaming as they rushed for exits.
I am not sure exactly what reasons people might have for seeing this movie,” wrote Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Surely, enjoyment won't be one.” Nevertheless, Ebert gave the film five stars.
“The Exorcist” would be nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Friedkin would be nominated for Best Director and Burstyn, Miller and Blair would be nominated for acting Oscars. It would win for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Adjusted for inflation, “The Exorcist” was the highest-grossing movie ever for Warner Bros. — until “Barbie” surpassedit this summer.
Not adjusted for inflation.
This edition of Further Review was adapted for the web by Zak Curley.
