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Why did King Vidor quit directing Duel in the Sun before filming ended?
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King Vidor quit directing the epic melodrama Duel in the Sun two days before the final wrap due to mounting tensions with the film's producer, David O. Selznick.1
The conflict arose because Selznick was heavily involved in the production, frequently revising the script and hiring various other directorsâincluding Josef von Sternberg, William Dieterle, and William Cameron Menziesâto reshoot work that Vidor had already completed.1