 Mackendrick shot the film in late 1956 , and was scared the entire time because Hecht @-@ Hill @-@ Lancaster had a reputation for firing their directors for any or even no reason at all . The filmmaker was used to extensive rehearsals before a scene was shot and often found himself shooting a script page one or two hours after Odets had written it . Lancaster ’ s presence proved to be intimidating for numerous individuals involved with the production ; at one point , Lehman had been approached to direct the film , but declined due to his fear of Lancaster . Mackendrick and composer Elmer Bernstein both found Lancaster difficult to work with , with Bernstein later recalling , “ Burt was really scary . He was a dangerous guy . He had a short fuse . ” Mackendrick decided to use Lancaster 's volatility to work for the character of JJ , asking that Lancaster wear his own browline glasses , which Mackendrick felt gave him the presence of " a scholarly brute . " Mackendrick smeared a thin layer of vaseline on the lenses , preventing Lancaster from focusing his eyes and giving him a perpetually blank gaze ; Mackendrick then intentionally filmed scenes with JJ from a low angle using a wide lens with overhead lighting directly above Lancaster , so that the frames cast shadows on his face . 
