Movies - TV
The Star Trek Scene DeForest Kelley Flat-Out Refused To Film
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Jerome Bixby, the writer of the “Star Trek” episode "Requiem for Methuselah," was very fond of poetry and classic literature, and tried to write the purplest prose.
In "Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages," Bixby revealed that the last lines of dialogue in the episode's final scenes were far too flowery for Kelley.
The final scene of "Requiem for Methuselah" shows Kirk sulking in his quarters. Deeply in love with Reyna, he mourns that her love for him was what destroyed her brain.
McCoy takes the opportunity to explain love to the emotionless Spock and is bitter that his Vulcan co-worker has deliberately chosen to eschew the glories and pains of love.
Bixby envisioned a scene where Kelley would give a long speech about love and Spock's emotional ignorance. But as he recalls, Kelley took one look at the script and turned it down.
Kelley thought it was way too poetic, and Bixby agreed; it was inspired by T.S. Eliot. The scene was cut and another version — that Kelley approved — was used instead.