BACKSTORY

On April 29, 1991, as Lee was leaving for home after her "Walk of
Fame" star had been unveiled, a reporter called out to her and asked,
"Of all the stars you’ve worked with, whom did you enjoy the most?”

“Jack Lemmon,” she said immediately. “Oh, it was just delicious
working with Jack!”

Jack Lemmon responded, in kind, a year earlier when Lee was
presented with the Jack Lemmon Award in February of 1990,
saying to Lee, "I've worked with a lot of wonderful leading ladies,
but no light shines brighter than yours."

Lee first worked with Lemmon in the 1962 film, Days of Wine and Roses, a
film that graphically illustrated the devastating consequences of alcoholism.

After having worked in films that flaunted her "simmering sensuality,"
Lee hoped for a role "with more depth and less glamour," and
found it in the role of Kirsten Clay, a woman who, through alcohol
abuse, becomes a wretched, pathetic and unredeemable character.

But alcoholism was something Lee knew nothing about. "I'd only
seen the occasional drunk at a party or in the street." So Lee and
Lemmon made the rounds, visiting Los Angeles’ county jails, drunk
tanks, and alcoholic wards – an experience that Lemmon described
as "painful, but beneficial," and Lee found "terrifying."

They also attended several AA meetings, visits that Lemmon found unsettling,
but Lee found "fascinating." Speaking of her visits to Alcoholics Anonymous,
Lee said, “You have to admire those people for their courage. You can’t
really know what an alcoholic goes through until you’ve sat through one of
those meetings.”

Commenting on the research that she and Lemmon did for their roles, Lee
said, "If ever an actress worked into the mood for a film, I did for that one."
Lemmon described working into his characterization as “a delicious kind of
hell.” But the hard work paid off with Days of Wine and Roses earning five
Academy Award nominations: best actor, best actress, best art direction,
best costume design, and best song.

Lee was excited "right down to the marrow," when she was nominated
for best actress, especially when she found herself competing with the
formidable talents of Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Anne Bancroft and
Geraldine Page. When one reporter labeled Lee an "Oscar Upstart," she
responded saying, “It’s inspiring and frightening to be in that kind of
company...They are all strong women." Then she added, "I’ve never
worked toward winning an Academy Award. To me, acting isn’t a game
to win a prize."

Though the film today is heralded as one of the screen's most realistic
depictions of the horrors of alcoholism, the film was awarded just one
Oscar, for Henry Mancini's title song, "The Days of Wine and Roses."

Though Lee lost the Oscar to Anne Brancroft for her brilliant
performance in The Miracle Worker, and the Golden Globe to
Geraldine Page for her performance in Sweet Bird of Youth,
Lee did win the Prize San Sebastián International Film Award
for her Academy Award-caliber performance, as well as wonderful
reviews.

Newsweek described the film as "an entirely honest effort, credibly
written, intelligently directed and brilliantly acted. Neither Lemmon
nor Remick has ever been this good before."

Will Holtzman, in his book Jack Lemmon – Illustrated History, wrote:
"Lee Remick gives full sway to her knack for the nice girl gone naughty.
Her innocence at the outset inverts with drink and deteriorates into the
pitiably and trashy character of the picture's end."

Years later, Lee spoke of working on Days of Wine and Roses with affection
saying that the film would "always remain very special for me. It was such
a glorious role. Some wait a lifetime for it."