because clift was considered unemployable in the mid-1960s, taylor put her salary for the film on the line as insurance, in order to have clift cast as her co-star in "reflections in a golden eye". still, shooting kept being postponed, until clift agreed to star in "the defector" so as to prove himself fit for work. he insisted on performing his stunts himself, including swimming in the river elbe in march. the schedule for "reflections in a golden eye" was then set for august 1966, but clift died before the movie was set to be shot. he was replaced by marlon brando.