 Producer Sam Spiegel (I) (qv) brought Lillian Hellman (qv) into  the project, but had her script rewritten. He then refused to show  her a final cut before the films release. He was also responsible  for signing the then relatively unknown Robert Redford (I) (qv) as  Bubber and lighting cameraman Joseph LaShelle (qv), who replaced  Robert Surtees (qv) after he dropped out due to illness. The  Academy Award winner Lashelle and director Arthur Penn (qv), who  was not consulted by Spiegel, did not have a harmonious working  relationship, which Penn thought hurt the film. Later, Spiegel did  not allow Penn to edit the film himself, which Penn believed ruined  the rhythm of the film, which he had wanted to suggest hysteria.  Released with great expectations due to all the talent involved,  "The Chase" proved a critical and financial disappointment and  signaled the beginning of the end of Spiegels success as a film  producer.