Editing Ball of Fire (section)

==Production==
The script was written by [[Charles Brackett]], [[Thomas Monroe (screenwriter)|Thomas Monroe]], and [[Billy Wilder]] from a short story titled "From A to Z", which Wilder had created while he was still in Europe.<ref name="Fusco">{{Cite book |last=Fusco |first=Joseph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qY1NDwAAQBAJ&q=%2522Professor%2520and%2520the%2520Burlesque%2520Queen%2522&pg=PT49 |title=Dan Duryea: A Career Appreciation |date=2017-09-12 |publisher=BearManor Media |location=Albany, Georgia |language=en}}</ref> Partly inspired by the fairy tale "[[Snow White]]", the professors were loosely based on the dwarfs from [[Walt Disney]]'s animated film ''[[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs]]''. Although ''Ball of Fire'' was directed by the well-established [[Howard Hawks]], Wilder had already decided that he needed to direct his screenplays to protect them from studio and other directors' interference. Hawks was happy to let Wilder study his directing on the set and Wilder thereafter directed his own films. The film was the second feature of 1941 to pair Cooper and Stanwyck, following ''[[Meet John Doe]]''.

The role of Sugarpuss was offered to [[Ginger Rogers]] and [[Carole Lombard]], but both turned it down. [[Lucille Ball]] was almost cast in the role until Gary Cooper recommended Stanwyck.<ref>Wayne 2009, p. 106.</ref><ref>Thomson 2010, p. 80.</ref>

Wilder reveled in poking fun at those who took politics too seriously. At one point, Sugarpuss points to her sore throat and complains "Slight rosiness? It's as red as the ''[[Daily Worker]]'' [a left-wing newspaper] and just as sore."

Wilder also worked in a reference to Cooper's [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning performance in the title role of Hawks's 1941 film ''[[Sergeant York (film)|Sergeant York]]'' by having Dan Duryea's character Duke Pastrami say, "I saw me a movie last week" before licking his thumb and rubbing it on the sight of his gun, a technique Cooper's York uses to improve his marksmanship.