I have heard of all the different ideas Lucas had for Star Wars. And listening to them it sound like it would have been an inferior film had he stuck with those original ideas. So who steered him in the right direction?
It is clear whoever this person was lost influence after Star Wars became a hit.
I've heard lots of stories and who can tell which are accurate. I've heard Kurtz (producer) argued a lot with Lucas over which way the story was going, and i've heard he had several rewrites by other people, who are not even credited.
Like all things, it's a group effort.
"He's dusted, busted and disgusted, but he's ok"
IMO, the original movie was absolutely saved by the replacement editors, especially Marcia Lucas, who came in and recut what was, by all historical accounts, an unwatchable mess into what became the Star Wars that was released in 1977. Without them, its out of the theaters in 3 weeks and banished to the late, late, late show followed by MST3K-style oblivion.
It's a nap!