Allégret, Marc (director); André Cavin, André Cayatte, Henri Jeanson (screenplay); Louis Jouvet (starring).
Entree des artistes [The Curtain Rises] (Original screenplay).
Regina/Kassler (France), 1938. Original screenplay for the 1938 French drama, "Entree des artistes" [The Curtain Rises], one of the best-loved Louis Jouvet dramas of the 1930s, wherein Jouvet played exactly what he was in real life: an actor and teacher of drama. Owner name in light pencil to the second leaf, and a few pencil notations to the first few scenes. Quarter cloth with moderately worn composition book-style card covers. One of only a handful of screenplays from 1930s French films that we have ever seen. Rare. [Book #106085]. (read more)

Asimov, Isaac (novelization); Richard Fleischer (director); Raquel Welch, Edmond O'Brien, Donald Pleasance (starring).
Fantastic Voyage (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth-Century Fox, 1966. Final Shooting Script for the 1966 film, "Fantastic Voyage," directed by Richard Fleischer, written for the screen by Harry Kleiner, and starring Raquel Welch, Edmond O'Brien, and Donald Pleasance. Novelized the same year by Isaac Asimov and published by Houghton Mifflin. Stephen Boyd heads a team of scientists sent on a bizarre experimental mission in which, through a revolutionary and as-yet untested process, the scientists and their special motorized vehicle are miniaturized, then injected into the blood stream of a near-death scientist (Jean del Val). Their mission is to relieve a blood clot caused by an assassination attempt. The film's Oscar-winning visual effects (by Art Cruikschank) chart the progress of the voyagers through the scientist's body, burrowing past deadly antibodies, chunks of tobacco residue in the lungs, and other such obstacles. Oscars also went to Jack Martin Smith and Dale Hennesy's art direction and Walter M. Scott and Stuart A. Reiss' set decoration. Other nominations were received for color cinematography (Ernest Laszlo) and sound effects [The AllMovie Guide]. Blue studio wrappers, stamped "Final," numbered "43" on the front wrapper, and dated December 22, 1964 (nearly two years prior to the film's release). Title page present, marked "Final," with a date of December 22, 1964, and with a screenwriter credit for Harry Kleiner. 142 pages, principal pages eye-rest green, with blue revision pages throughout, dated variously between 1/15/1965 and 2/23/1965 Pages Near Fine wrapper Very Good+ with yapped edges, bound with three gold brads. A final shooting script for one of the seminal science fiction films of the 1960s. [Book #110564]. (read more)

Barrett, James Lee (screenplay); Stanley Hough (story).
The Undefeated (Screenplay).
Twentieth-Century Fox, 1968. Original screenplay, Near Fine in original bradbound yellow studio wrappers. Marked "Second Revised Final" Draft on the title page, with numerous blue revision pages throughout. Screenplay for the 1969 western film starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson. [Book #99259]. (read more)

Bava, Mario (director); F.G. Snyder, Aleksei Tolstoy (stories); Boris Karloff (starring).
Black Sabbath (Combined Continuity Script).
American International Pictures [AIP], 1963. Combined Continuity Script for the 1964 American edit of the 1963 Italian film, "Black Sabbath," directed by Mario Bava, an anthology of three horror stories. Bava's second feature for AIP after "Black Sunday" was first released in Italy with the stories in this order: (1) "Il Telefono [The Telephone]," falsely credited to Guy de Maupassant, concerning a woman (Michele Mercier) receiving telephone calls from beyond the grave. This short sequence is famously the first Italian horror film to have been shot in color. The second and best of the three stories, "Wurdulak", by Aleksei Tolstoi, stars Boris Karloff as an aging vampire who can only feed on those he loves. The final tale, "La Goccia d'Acqua," falsely credited to Anton Chekhov, features Jacqueline Pierreux, who steals a ring from a corpse she is preparing for burial, only to be murdered by the old woman's ghost. The American version, represented by this continuity, was also cut by Bava, but differs in four major areas: the print is shorter, the stories appear in a different order, there is a linking device with Karloff speaking directly to the audience from a foggy void, and Roberto Nicolosi's musical score is replaced with one by lounge-icon Les Baxter. The American release of the film is also missing a comic coda featuring Karloff riding on horseback; this appears in most Eurpoean prints of the film, including Bava's original cut. Finally, "The Telephone" was re-dubbed and slightly re-cut by Bava at AIP's request to create a supernatural angle and disguise the lesbian overtones of the story. 57 pages, with the title page in blue, dated February 27th, 1964. Very Good+ condition overall, bound at the head with a metal clasp as typically found on AIP continuities of the 1960s. An extremely scarce document providing some detailed insight into a film that was released in several different versions. [Book #110590]. (read more)

Browne, Howard (screenplay); Roger Corman (producer, director); Jason Robards, George Segal, Ralph Meeker (starring).
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century Fox, 1967. Original screenplay for the 1967 film, "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," an original screenplay by hard-boiled novelist Howard Browne. Near Fine in original red studio wrappers with black titles, with the Twentieth Century Fox logo at the bottom center, and "The Corman Company" (Corman's production entity at the time) just above. Dated October 11, 1966, 153 pages, marked REVISED FINAL on the front wrapper and the title page. Pages are "eye-rest" green throughout. By 1967, Roger Corman had worked his way up from the "guerilla-style" filmmaking that launched the careers of many of the greatest actors, writers, and directors of the 1970s and 1980s to making "A" pictures for major studios. This film is yet another example of Corman making successful use of a talented underdog, the great Howard Browne. [Book #101793]. (read more)

Cain, James M. (novel); Allan Dwan (director); John Alton (cinematographer).
Love's Lovely Counterfeit [Slightly Scarlet] (Original Screenplay).
RKO Radio Pictures, 1956. Early draft for the 1956 film noir, "Slightly Scarlet" (here with a working title based on its literary source, "Love's Lovely Counterfeit), directed by Allan Dwan written for the screen by Robert Blees, and starring John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, and Arlene Dahl. Based on the novel, "Love's Lovely Counterfeit," by James M. Cain. An extremely interesting script draft, in that it includes over a dozen specific notations in holograph pencil by the Hays Office, all designed to block objectionable content, most of which is sexual in nature. Even though Hays Office censorship was common in the 1950s, this script is particularly interesting because of Allan Dwan's documented disdain for the brutal "clean-up" that was applied to this film. Some of the saucier examples include (1) censorship of the phrase, "I ran into some snow" as a reference to cocaine, (2) a reference to a female character named Dor as "the frank and open Dor," and (3) an infamously censored scene about which Dwan has since been quoted, wherein some racy business with a backscratcher (present in this draft) has been marked for deletion. Orange studio wrappers, stamped with Copy No. 1810 on the front wrapper. No title page present, as issued. 124 pages, all mimeograph on white stock. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound with two gold brads. A superb--and rare-- early draft of a James M. Cain adaptation, with compelling content about the (mostly failed) attempts to subvert the Hays Code in the 1950s. Selby p. 203, Silver & Ward, pp. 259-60. [Book #110517]. (read more)

Corman, Roger (director); Jackie Joseph (starring).
The Little Shop of Horrors [The Passionate People Eater] (Original Screenplay, actress Jackie Joseph's copy).
Roger Corman Productions, 1960. Final shooting script for the 1960 film, "Little Shop of Horrors" (here under its working title, The Passionate People Eater), produced and directed by Roger Corman, based on an original screenplay by Charles B. Griffith and with an early performance by Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient. This is actress Jackie Joseph's copy, who starred in the film as Audrey Fulquard, protagonist and plant-keeper Seymour Krelboin's perpetually nagging girlfriend. Ms. Joseph's holograph ink and pencil notations are present throughout the script, including her character's name and her actual name on the title page, crossed out pages, changes to dialogue, circled reminders for all her lines, and some doodle-enhancement to the title on the front wrapper. It would appear that this script was shared with Myrtle Vail (who played Seymour's weary mother, Winifred), as Ms. Vail's lines are circled in red holograph pencil throughout. The practice of sharing a script would be unsurprising in light of the scrappy, budget-conscious, guerilla-style filmmaking that Corman was known for at the time. Legendary for having been shot in two days, the story of Seymour, Myrtle, and the cantankerous plant became a hugely successful Broadway musical in the 1980s, followed by a film version in 1986 directed by Frank Oz and starring Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, John Candy, Christopher Guest, and Bill Murray. The dark humor of the film makes later versions look rather conservative by comparison, The Little Shop of Horrors was originally released as a double feature in theaters with Mario Bava's Black Sunday. Orange studio wrappers, with the Hollywood address for Roger Corman productions noted at the bottom right of the front wrapper. Title page present, with a credit for screenwriter Charles B. Griffith. 106 leaves, mimeograph, rectos only. Pages and wrapper Very Good, with a one-inch closed tear at the left edge of the front wrapper, bound with two gold brads. Quite possibly the only copy of the script still in existence. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #113573]. (read more)

Curtiz, Michael (director); Patrick Quentin (novel), Reginald Rose (screenplay).
The Man in the Net (Original screenplay, director's bound copy).
United Artists, 1959. Original screenplay for the 1959 film noir, "The Man in the Net," directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Alan Ladd. Specially bound copy of the revised final screenplay belonging to director Michael Curtiz, dated May 22, 1958. White mimeograph pages with pink revision pages, bound in brown leather with gilt titles, including Michael Curtiz' name at the bottom right corner of the front board. Pages and photos are Near Fine, binding is Very Good+ with some wear at the spine ends. A unique and important copy of an already uncommon film noir screenplay. [Book #104864]. (read more)

Douglas, Paul, Barbara Bel Geddes, Richard Basehart, Agnes Moorehead, Howard da Silva (starring); Henry Hathaway (director).
Fourteen Hours (Original Screenplay, Actor Paul Douglas' copy).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951. Actor Paul Douglas' leather-bound Revised Final Shooting Script (with still photos bound in) for the 1951 film noir, "Fourteen Hours," directed by Henry Hathaway, written for the screen by John Paxton from a story by Joel Sayre, and starring Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Grace Kelly, Richard Basehart, Agnes Moorehead, Ossie Davis, Brian Keith, and Howard da Silva. Based on an actual incident, "Fourteen Hours" is a high-tension noir drama about a man teetering on the verge of self-destruction and how his dilemma affects those around him. Robert Cosick (Basehart) is a desperate and despondent young man who creeps onto the ledge of a skyscraper in downtown New York and threatens to jump. For the next fourteen hours, Dunnigan (Douglas), a policeman who is passing by, tries to talk him down, searching for a way to convince him that life is worth living. A crowd forms on the street below as Dunnigan talks with Cosick; Danny (Jeffrey Hunter) and Ruth (Debra Paget) meet as they watch the grim spectacle and discover how much they have in common. Meanwhile, in a building across the street, a young woman about to sign her divorce papers (Grace Kelly) finds herself wondering if she should give up on her marriage so hastily as she watches Cosick debate about throwing away his life. Blue leather, with the title stamped on the front board and spine, and Paul Douglas' name stamped in gilt at the bottom right corner of the front board. Thirteen silver gelatin still prints bound in throughout. Marbled endpapers. Title page present, with a date of May 25, 1950, and credits for screenwriter Paxton present. 159 pages, mimeographed, all white. Pages Near Fine, leather binding Fine. Based on an actual incident from July 26, 1938 in New York City in which John W. Warde, 26 years of age, leaped seventeen floors to his death from the ledge outside a room in the Hotel Gotham. Shot on location in New York City, the building used was demolished in 1967 and replaced by the 52-story tower at 140 Broadway, noted for its large red cube in the plaza. Producer Sol C. Siegel won permission from the New York Police Department to rope off a large section of downtown New York as one extensive set. One of the best "shot on location" noirs of the 1950s, and actress Grace Kelly's film debut. Selby 142. [Book #110585]. (read more)

[Film Screenplays][Abbott and Costello] Beauchamp, D.D.
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (Original Handwritten Manuscript for the Screenplay Treatment, with Subsequent Typewritten Draft).
Np, 1951. Screenwriter D.D. Beauchamp's handwritten manuscript treatment for the 1953 Universal film comedy, "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars." Present in its entirety is Beachamp's original treatment, executed in pencil, with holograph corrections. Interspersed throughout are the resulting typewritten pages (also with holograph corrections). The combined pages are bradbound with green studio covers, showing a date of December 5, 1951 (two years prior to the film's release, and well before production began), and the word "Treatment" written in ink at the top right corner, along with a stamped studio reference number. All told, a complete document of the original holograph manuscript and first typewritten draft of the film's treatment. "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" was released in 1951, and is today held in some regard by B-movie science fiction buffs as well as Abbott and Costello fans. In the film, our heroes are maintenance men who accidentally stow away on board an experimental rocket ship--one that goes not to Mars but to Venus, only to land in the middle of a "Miss Universe" pageant. The pageant includes many worthy contestants, including Anita Ekberg. A superb original screen story for one of the twentieth century's most revered comedy teams, in its earliest form. Fine condition, with manuscript pages 8.5 x 13 inches, typewritten pages 8.5 by 11 inches. Housed in a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #101593]. (read more)

Ford, John (director); Richard Sale (screenplay); Sy Gomberg (story).
Front and Center [When Willie Comes Marching Home] (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1949. Original Screenplay, Very Good+ or better in original mustard-yellow studio wrappers. Final Shooting Script, cinematographer Leo Tover's copy, with his name in pencil at the top left corner of the front panel. The film's first title, "Front and Center" is printed on the front panel, crossed through, with the well-known final title, "When Willie Comes Marching Home" written in ink above it. The original and final titles are similarly shown on the spine of the wrapper. A military service comedy by Ford, a minor classic that is unjustly neglected in typical considerations of the Ford canon. "When Willie Comes Marching Home" initially bears many resemblances to Preston Sturges' 1944 film, "Hail the Conquering Hero" (not the least of which is the presence of actor William Demarest in both); but the second half of Ford's film takes an interesting twist that casts the whole film into a different light. Ford screenplays are all difficult to find, this being a complete example in exemplary condition, with just a bit of the usual wrinkle to the outer edges of the wrapper. [Book #100255]. (read more)

Fuchs, Daniel and William Sackheim (screenplay).
The Human Jungle [The Police Story] (Original Screenplay).
Allied Artists, 1954. Final Revised Shooting Script for the 1954 film noir, "The Human Jungle," under its working title, "The Police Story." Directed by Joseph M. Newman, written for the screen by proletarian novelist Daniel Fuchs, then revised by William Sackheim, based on a story by Sackheim. Starring Gary Merrill, Jan Sterling, Regis Toomey, and Chuck Connors. In the documentary-style tradition of "Dragnet" and "The Lineup," "The Human Jungle" is a film noir devoted to a typically busy day at a police precinct station house. The plot concerns a new police chief who is determined to clean up a crime-ridden slum district. "The Human Jungle" was an "in-between" production for Allied Artists, which in 1954 was trying to divest itself of the "poverty row" onus placed upon its predecessor, Monogram Pictures [The AllMovie Guide]. Salmon studio wrappers, dated May 25, 1954. Holograph notation in red pencil just above the title "The Police Story," with the title that was ultimately used, "The Human Jungle." Title page present, with perforated distribution receipt intact. Screenwriter credits on the title page for William Sackheim with a date of May 25, 1954 at the top right corner. 126 pages, with blue and pink revision pages throughout, dated variously between 6/8/1954 and 6/14/1954. Pages Very Good+, in a like wrapper, bound with two gold brads. Front wrapper and first few pages lightly chipped at the bottom left corner. Original Screenplay. Selby 181, Lyons p. 180. [Book #110508]. (read more)

Gilliam, Terry (director, screenplay); Michael Palin (screenplay, starring); John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, Shelley Duvall (starring).
The Time Bandits (Original Screenplay).
HandMade Films, 1981. Handmade Films, 1980 . Shooting script for the 1981 British fantasy/adventure film, Time Bandits, the third film to be directed by Terry Gilliam, based on an original screenplay by Gilliam and fellow Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin, with a cast that would be quite a bit more expensive today than it was then, including Palin, John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, and Shelley Duvall. Script belonging British character actor Derek Lamden, with his name in holograph pencil at the top of the title page. Gilliam's follow-up to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a dark, irreverent comedy disguised as a family adventure, in which a young boy travels with a group of dwarves through time and encounters various historical figures, including an entertainment-starved Napoleon (Holm), a powerful Agamemnon (Connery), and a surprisingly stuffy Robin Hood (Cleese). Red studio wrappers, with a windowed front panel. Title page present, with a date of April 1, 1980, and credits for Palin and Gilliam, along with a production company credit for “The Handmade Film Partnership,” a venture founded by George Harrison that soon became simply, “Handmade Films." 135 leaves, photographically reproduced, with revision pages inserted throughout, all marked “Revision 14.4.80.” Pages Near Fine, wrapper about Near Fine (with a single ring impression--not a stain--on the front wrapper), bound with two silver brads. Nominated for 5 Saturn Awards and, 1 Hugo Award. An extremely scarce document for one of the most memorable achievements by the Python crew in the early days of their formidable post-television era. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #113574]. (read more)

Greene, Graham (novel); Dore Schary (screenplay).
This Gun for Hire (Original Screenplay Treatment, 1936, Signed by Dore Schary).
Paramount, 1936. The earliest screenplay treatment for Graham Greene's "This Gun for Hire," written by screenwriter Dore Schary. Boldly SIGNED by Schary across the title page. Yellow carbon typescript sheets, 157 pages, bound with two gold brads. This is a Paramount file copy, with the Paramount Pictures file stamp and a holograph date notation of 5/28/37 at the top right corner of the title page (though the typed date on the title page is July 7, 1936). Very Good or better, with light wear at the corners and some tearing of the title page at the brads. From the AFI catalog: "Graham Greene's novel was originally published in England as A Gun for Sale, but the title was changed to This Gun for Hire for American publication. Sound recorder Philip Wisdom's first name was spelled "Phillip" in the opening credits. Material in the Paramount Collection at the AMPAS Library reveals the following information: The studio intended to produce the film as early as May 1936, shortly after Greene's novel was purchased for $12,000 in London. The story was also known as "Guns for Sale." Producer A. M. Botsford assigned Dore Schary to write the script and was considering Peter Lorre to play the role of "Raven." Two directors, E. A. DuPont and Robert Florey, were interested in the project, but because of production delays, Florey would not commit to the project. Botsford then began to have second thoughts about casting Lorre, who he felt might deliver a "one-key performance." In August 1936, Maurice Geraghty was signed to work on a script with Jack Moffitt, and Botsford considered James Hogan for director. By October 1936, two other writers, Thomas Monroe and Robert Wyler, contributed continuities and scripts, but when costs for producing the film appeared to be prohibitive, Botsford abandoned the project and soon after left Paramount. The project was taken up again in 1939 and 1940, and for a time, Paramount London considered making the film in Great Britain. Correspondence in the file reveals that in April 1940, actor Anthony Quinn and writer Lester Koenig worked on a version of the script, which apparently was rejected. Finally in June 1941, Albert Maltz, who wrote the final screenplay with W. R. Burnett, began a story outline, and, according to modern sources, the film was rushed into production to capitalize on the growing popularity of Veronica Lake, who had been chosen as the female lead. Modern sources note that the film was called The Redemption of Raven on the Paramount studio lot. According to HR news items, Paramount considered Charlie Ruggles for a role in the film. On 5 Dec 1941, but ultimately chose Alan Ladd." Ladd and Lake would go on to be one of the most popular screen couples in film history. The earliest screen treatment for a key 1940s film noir, and the first of several films in the noir cycle to be adapted from novels by Graham Greene. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #101955]. (read more)

Hecht, Ben (screenplay); Ernest Hemingway (novel), Charles Vidor (director), David O. Selznick (producer).
A Farewell to Arms (Set of two screenplays, both inscribed by David O. Selznick).
The Selznick Studio, 1957. Two volumes. Final gift screenplays for the 1957 film, "A Farewell to Arms," belonging to costume and set decorators John Moore and Veniero Colsanti. The two screenplays are INSCRIBED by the film’s producer, David O. Selznick, to Moore and Colsanti respectively, in each volume on the front flyleaf, and each has the Colsanti-Moore bookplate on the front pastedown. The epic film adaptation of Hemingway's great novel was written for the screen by Ben Hecht, directed by Charles Vidor, produced by Selznick, and starred Rock Hudson, Jennifer Jones, and Vittorio de Sica. Both volumes bound in matching full brown leather, with gilt titles and rule. Fine condition, with just a hint of rubbing to the leather bindings. [Book #107465]. (read more)

Hope, Bob and Anita Ekberg (starring).
Call Me Bwana (Cutting and Continuity, editor Peter Hunt's copy).
Wessex Film Productions, 1956. Original script for the 1962 UK film, "Call Me Bwana," a comedy with Bob Hope and Anita Ekberg in which Hope plays an astronaut whose capsule lands in the Bwanan jungle, whereupon he meets Ekberg and hijinks ensue. Yellow paper stock, with revision pages at the end of the text in gray, and two pink revision pages with specific instructions regarding deletions, additions and changes to the entire text. This is editor Peter Hunt's copy, from a collection of his scripts we acquired. Pages Near Fine, clasp-bound in a Quickbinde folder, with the last two pink revision pages yapped at the edges. Outer binder is Very Good with light wear. Peter Hunt began his career in the UK film industry as an editor, working on several of the best-known early James Bond films ("Dr. No," "From Russia With Love," "Goldfinger"), as well as "The Ipcress File." He debuted as a director with "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969. [Book #107860]. (read more)

Kosinski, Jerzy.
Being There (Original Screenplay, Inscribed by Kosinski).
Lorimar, 1979. Original Screenplay, Fine in Very Good+ Lorimar studio wrappers, with a die-cut title window at the front panel as issued. INSCRIBED by Kosinski to director Paul Bartel, and dated July 1980: "For Paul, / from Jerzy / July 1980." Kosinski has also crossed out his fellow the name of his fellow screenwriter, Robert C. Jones, the meaning of which is hard to doubt. Script is dated January 10, 1979 on the title page. Light wear and rubbing to the outer wrappers, and a few tiny closed tears to the die-cut window. Basis for the classic 1979 film directed by Hal Ashby and starring Peter Sellers in his brilliant swan song performance as Chance the butler. [Book #99596]. (read more)

Loeb, Lee (screenplay); Charles Lamont (director); Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff (starring).
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Original Screenplay).
Universal International, 1952. Shooting script for the 1953 film, "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Very Good+ in original gray studio wrappers with black titles, with the Universal International Pictures logo at the bottom center. Dated December 15, 1952, 103 pages, with SECOND DRAFT SCREENPLAY noted on the front wrapper and the title page. Pages are white mimeo, with heavy revisions throughout in pencil. Likely the copy belonging to screenwriter Lee Loeb, or one of the other writers who contributed to subsequent drafts (including , Howard Dimsdale, Sid Fields, Grant Garett, and John Grant), as the revisions are all substantial (as opposed to editorial), with replacement dialogue, scene revisions, etc. One of the most memorable Abbott and Costello feature films, with Boris Karloff in fine form in the duel roles of Jekyll and Hyde. [Book #101852]. (read more)

MacDonald, John D. .
Darker Than Amber (Original Screenplay).
National General Pictures, 1969. Final shooting script for the 1970 film, "Darker than Amber," based on the 1966 novel by John D. MacDonald, featuring his series character Travis McGee. Written for the screen by Ed Waters and starring Rod Taylor and Theodore Bikel. Boldly SIGNED by Rod Taylor on the front wrapper. Notable as the only feature film adaptation of MacDonald's wildly popular Travis McGee series, long unavailable on any kind of viewing format. Professional beach bum and 'knight errant' Travis McGee goes up against psychotic body-builder Terry Bartell. McGee pulls out all the stops when he joins a Carribean cruise to bring the killer to justice. Red studio wrappers, with credits for screenwriter Waters and novelist MacDonald, marked "FINAL" and dated 28 Jan. 1969. 114 pages, all white. Pages and wrapper both in Fine condition. A fresh copy of an extremely scarce MacDonald item. [Book #110611]. (read more)

Maugham, Robin.
The Man Who Could Hypnotize Racehorses (Original Film Treatment).
N.p., circa 1955. Original film treatment by Robin Maugham, which made up part of the screenplay for an unproduced film called "The Speaker's Corner." Very Good in original mauve studio wrappers, string-bound, with a typed label crediting Robin Maugham on the front panel. Fore-edge of the front panel is chipped, pages are evenly (but only slightly) toned, and there is some wear around the hole-punches used to hold the string binding. The only other copy located is in the Harry Ransom Center film library at the University of Texas, and the notes from that collection read: "'The Speaker's Corner' is a screenplay based on three stories by Maugham, including 'Broken Cellophane,' 'The Prodigal Son,' and 'The Man Who Could Hypnotize Racehorses.' Maugham worked with Rodney Ackland on the adaptation." From the collection of British film director and editor Peter Hunt, presumably one of only a handful of copies made. [Book #107862]. (read more)

[MGM Screenplays] Douglas, Lloyd C. (novel); Philip Dunne (screenplay); Henry Koster (director); Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature (starring).
The Robe (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953. Revised Final Shooting Script for the 1953 film, "The Robe," directed by Henry Koster, written for the screen by Philip Dunne, and starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, and Victor Mature. Based on the 1942 novel by Lloyd C. Douglas. "The Robe" stars Richard Burton as the wastrelly Roman tribune who is assigned by a weary Pontius Pilate (Richard Boone, who spends the whole of his single scene washing his hands) to supervise the crucifixion of Christ. After the Seven Last Words, the jaded Burton wins Christ's robe in a dice game. Gradually, the mystical influence of the holy garment transforms Burton from a roistering cynic into a True Believer--at the cost of his own life, which he willingly gives up in the service of his Lord [The AllMovie Guide]. "The Robe" was an Academy Award Best Picture nominee, and won Oscars for color art direction, set decoration, and color costume design. Other nominations were received for actor (Burton), color cinematography, and musical score Twentieth Century-Fox was given a special award from the Academy "in recognition of their imagination, showmanship and foresight in introducing the revolutionary process known as CinemaScope. Orange studio wrappers, stamped "Revised Final" along with two copy numbers (154 and 528) on the front panel. Film title and script date of November 11, 1952 stamped on both the front panel and the spine. Distribution page present, with receipt removed at the perforation. Title page present, marked "Revised Final" with a date of November 11, 1952 and no other credits. 157 pages, all "eye-rest" green. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good with yapped edges and a few short closed tears and several small stains, bound with three gold brads. A script that was clearly used in pre-production or production, for the first American film to be released in widescreen. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #110582]. (read more)

Nolan, William F. and George Clayton Johnson (novel).
Logan's Run (Original Screenplay, costume designer's copy).
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1975. Shooting script for the 1976 film, "Logan's Run," based on the novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson and starring Michael York and Peter Ustinov. Near Fine in a black leather binding with gilt titles and rule, glossy black endpapers. Costume Designer Bill Thomas' copy, with his name in gilt at the bottom right corner of the front board. Dated April 30, 1975 (well over a year prior to the premiere of the film in September 1976), 195 pages, with FINAL noted on the title page. Mimeographed sheets, with glossy color stills from the film tipped-in throughout. Laid in at the front is a glossy 8x10 photo with the four principal members of the cast with Bill Thomas standing at the center. A key science fiction film, in that it was a huge box-office success, reinvigorating the genre on the screen and paving the way for "Star Wars" the following year. Binding and pages are in Fine condition, glossy photos slightly curled at the fore-edge. [Book #101956]. (read more)

Ramis, Harold, Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller (screenplay); John Landis (director); John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert (starring).
Animal House (Final Draft Screenplay).
Universal, 1977. Final Draft Screenplay for the 1978 film, "Animal House," directed by John Landis, written for the screen by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, and starring John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson, and Peter Riegert. National Lampoon was a huge success as an alternative magazine in the early 1970s, and irrevocably altered its future with the production of this film in 1978, which was an irreverent, sharp (and now classic) film comedy. A production company was launched, producing over half a dozen films between 1978-2002, and as a result today's generation associates "National Lampoon" almost completely with its films rather than its pulp origins. And importantly, this was the film that catapulted Harold Ramis and John Belushi from television into the movies, where they would both flourish for years to come. Nominated by the Writer's Guild of America for Best Comedy Screenplay in 1979. Red studio wrappers, stamped FINAL DRAFT SCREENPLAY on the front wrapper and dated August 29, 1977 (nearly a year prior to the film's release in July 1978). Title page present, with credits for screenwriters Ramis, Kenney, and Miller. 125 leaves, mechanically reproduced, eye-rest green stock, rectos only. Pages and wrapper Near Fine bound with three gold brads. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. National Film Registry. [Book #101958]. (read more)

Rauch, Earl Mac (screenplay); Martin Scorsese (director); Robert De Niro, Liza Minnelli (starring).
New York, New York (Original Screenplay, March 1976 draft).
United Artists, 1977. Revised Draft Script for the 1977 film, "New York, New York," directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the 1977 novel by Rauch (published the same year as the film). Written for the screen by Rauch and Mardik Martin, from a story by Rauch, and starring Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, Barry Primus, and Mary Kay Place. Martin Scorsese combined the splashy atmosphere of the old studio musical with an unromanticized marriage story in his valentine to Hollywood and the Big Band era. On V-J Day 1945, newly minted civilian saxophonist Jimmy Doyle (De Niro) meets USO singer Francine Evans (Minnelli) at a dance, but she rebuffs every advance that he makes. A day and a hotel lobby meeting later, Jimmy finally wins Francine over after she uses her pop instincts to save his too-jazzy audition at a nightclub. When she goes on tour with Frankie Harte (Georgie Auld) and his Orchestra, Jimmy tracks her down, taking a job with the orchestra to be with her. Together on stage, they make beautiful music; off stage they marry, but the struggle between two artists begins to take its toll. Unable to understand that Francine's needs and talents are just as important as his, and unwilling to compromise his music for security, Jimmy abandons Francine after their baby is born. Separately, the two succeed even more, as Francine becomes a music and movie star, while Jimmy has a top hit and opens a jazz club. When they are reunited several years later, the pair must decide if their relationship is worth another try [AllMovie Guide]. Canary yellow studio wrappers, stamped with title and the name of crew member Bill Smith on the front wrapper. Title page present, with a date of March 24, 1976, and screenwriter credit for Earl Mac Rauch. 165 pages, all white. Pages and wrappers Near Fine. [Book #110586]. (read more)

Reagan, Ronald, Charles Coburn, Piper Laurie (starring); Alexander Hall (director).
Louisa (Original Screenplay).
Universal, 1950. Clothbound presentation copy of the Revised Final Screenplay (along with many other working materials) for the 1950 film, "Louisa," belonging to script supervisor Dorothy Hughes. Directed by Alexander Hall, written for the screen by Stanley Roberts, and starring Ronald Reagan, Charles Coburn, Edmund Gwenn, Piper Laurie, Spring Byington, and Martin Milner. Allmovie Guide: "Spring plays Reagan's widowed mother, who is outwardly satisfied with her lot but inwardly lonely. Enter Coburn and Gwenn, who vie for Spring's attentions. Uptight Ronnie disapproves of his mother's dalliances, and has additional problems with his spunky daughter (Piper Laurie), who has just begun dating. Spring Byington and Charles Coburn worked so well together in 'Louisa' that plans were made to star them in a weekly television series. The project never sold, but Spring would star in a similar sitcom, 'December Bride,' from 1954 through 1959." Included here are the shooting script, shooting schedule, actor profiles (with multiple black-and-white Polaroid shots of each of the principals, in costume, affixed to each page), cast list with contact information, a list of department heads, and the continuity breakdown. Every page of the shooting script is profusely annotated with the script supervisor's markings, with tabs affixed at the fore-edge to indicate the various sections of the film. Green cloth, with the film's original title and Dorothy Hughes' name both in gilt on the front board and spine. Title page present, with a holograph notation of "1950" and credits for Roberts as the screenwriter. 130 pages, white pages with a few blue revision pages throughout, dated variously between 1/30/1950 and 2/30/1950. Pages Very Good or better, cloth binding Very Good+. Nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. A deluxe working script, from the estate of Dorothy Hughes (not to be confused with the crime author) and her daughter Winnie Ray, both of whom worked for the Hollywood studios for over 40 years. [Book #111725]. (read more)

Sabatini, Rafael (novel); David MacDonald (director), Fredric March (starring).
Christopher Columbus (Original Screenplay).
Universal, 1949. Shooting script for the 1949 UK film, "Christopher Columbus," based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini and starring Fredric March. Copy belonging to film editor Peter Hunt, marked as "Final Script" and dated May 3, 1948. White paper stock, with pink and blue revision pages throughout, pages Very Good with creasing and light fray at the edges and corners. In the original green card wrapper, Good only, with yapping at all the edges, and a rough split along the lower spine fold. Peter Hunt began his career in the UK film industry as an editor, working on several of the best-known early James Bond films ("Dr. No," "From Russia With Love," "Goldfinger"), as well as "The Ipcress File." He debuted as a director with "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969. [Book #107864]. (read more)

Shelton, Ron, Scott Frank, Callie Khouri (screenplay); Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett (starring).
Mr. 3000 (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 2004. Revised script for the 2004 film, "Mr. 3000," directed by Charles Stone III, written for the screen by Ron Shelton, Scott Frank, and Calli Khouri, and starring Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett. Yellow studio wrappers, machine stamped with the number 034544, with credits for all three screenwriters, with several revision dates noted between 10/14/96 and 2/11/98 (thus a screenplay that had its origins nearly a decade prior to the film's release). 127 pages, all white, and clearly photocopied from an original master, but also clearly this is the manner in which copies were issued. Pages Fine, wrapper Fine, bound with two gold brads. [Book #111812]. (read more)

Siegel, Don (director); Walter Wanger (producer).
Riot in Cell Block 11 (Original Screenplay, property master's copy).
Allied Artists, 1954. Final Shooting Script for the 1954 film noir, "Riot in Cell Block 11," directed by Don Siegel and produced by Walter Wanger. Producer Wanger, who had just been released from a prison term after shooting a man he believed was having an affair with his wife, wanted to make a film about the appalling conditions he saw while he was incarcerated. He got together with director Don Siegel and they came up with this film, in which several prison inmates, to protest brutal guards, substandard food, overcrowding and barely livable conditions, stage an uprising, in which most of the inmates join, and take several guards hostage. Negotiations between the inmates and prison officials are stymied, however, by politicians interfering with the prison administration, and by dissension and infighting in the inmates' own ranks [IMDB]. Shot on location at California's Folsom Prison in 1953, sixteen years before Johnny Cash would perform his legendary concert there. The legendary Sam Peckinpah's first film job was serving as a production assistant on this film, and it was the first of four 1954-56 Allied Artists efforts directed Siegel in whichPeckinpah was involved in some capacity. Peckinpah continued to work with Siegel on three more films in short order, including "Private Hell 36" (1954), "The Annapolis Story" (1955), and the classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), which was also produced by Wanger. This copy belonged to Sam Gordon, property master on the film. Gray studio wrappers, with Gordon's name and some "doodle" embellishment in holograph ink by him, as well as some pencil doodles near the top edge in holograph pencil on the front wrapper. Credits in manual type for Wanger, Allied Artists, and a notation of "FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT" at the bottom of same. 117 pages, with blue revision pages throughout, all dated 8/13/1953. A triangular chunk (2 x 3 x 4 inches) of the front wrapper and the first thirteen pages have been torn away, small splashes at the top right corner of a few leaves, else pages are Near Fine. Wrapper is Very Good+ with some wear at the upper right corner, bound with two gold brads. The best script possible from one of the key "shot on location" prison films in the noir category, the important first joint venture between Wanger and Siegel, and an early effort for Sam Peckinpah. Selby 333, Lyons p. 181. [Book #110577]. (read more)

Stangeland, Karin Michaelis (play); Frances Hyland, Saul Elkins (screenplay); Lamar Trotti (revisions).
The Holy Lie [Star for a Night] (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1936. Original screenplay for the 1936 film, "Star for a Night" (here using a pre-release working title, "The Holy Lie"). Based on the play by Karin Michaelis Stangeland, written for the screen by Frances Hyland and Saul Elkins, and starring Claire Trevor and Jane Darwell. Noted as the "Revised Final Shooting Script" on the front wrapper. Good to Very Good in original bradbound studio wrappers, with blue revision pages inserted throughout, and several penciled notations to the front wrapper indicating when changes were inserted, and the letter "H." at the top right corner in red pencil (possibly indicating that this was Francis Hyland's copy). Mimeographed sheets, rectos only. 115 pages. Pages Very Good or better, wrappers extremely dry with frayed edges. [Book #102434]. (read more)

Sturges, Preston (director, writer); Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Rudy Vallee (starring).
The Palm Beach Story (Original Screenplay, actor Rudy Vallee's copy).
Paramount, 1942. Original screenplay for the classic 1942 screwball comedy, "The Palm Beach Story," written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, and Rudy Vallee. The script is dated November 21, 1941, attractively bound in recent green leatherette with gilt titles and rule at the front board and spine panel, with Vallee's name in gilt at the bottom right corner of the front board, and the script date at the heel of the spine. The script is apparently one that Vallee put together as a gift upon completion of the film, and he has inscribed the first page, "Nov 11 / 1941 / David! This is my original. Rudy Vallee." Additionally, Vallee's (very amusing) lines are circled in red throughout, presumably by the actor. First page of the script is Very Good, all other pages Near Fine, binding Fine. A superb original document from one of the warmest films of the screwball comedy era, and the film that many consider to be the last in the cycle. [Book #106086]. (read more)

Trumbo, Dalton.
Johnny Got His Gun (Original Screenplay).
Cinemation Industries, 1968. Final Draft Script for the 1971 film, "Johnny Got His Gun," directed and adapted for the screen by Dalton Trumbo, and starring Timothy Bottoms, Donald Sutherland, and Donald Barry. Based on the 1939 novel by Trumbo, which the acclaimed screenwriter tried for most of his career to bring to the screen. Yellow studio wrappers, with the title stamped at the center of the front wrapper. Title page present, with "Final Draft" and a date of April 21, 1968, with screenwriter-novelist credit for Trumbo. Holograph ink notation reading "#123" just above the date, likely a copy number. 136 pages, with pink, yellow, and blue undated revision pages throughout. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound with three gold brads. An important original document for the film that bookended Trumbo's career by way of its literary origins. [Book #110536]. (read more)

Werner Joerg Luedecke (novel); Marlon Brando (starring).
Morituri (Original Screenplay).
TCF, 1965. Final shooting script for the 1965 film, "Morituri," bound in blue studio wrappers, with edges yapped. "FINAL" printed at the top right corner of the front wrapper, with a date of May 16, 1963 printed just below the title (the film was not released until 1965). Lacks title page, but "MORITURI" appears in caps and underlined at the top of the first page. Pages are light green, with no revision pages. Pages in Fine condition, wrapper Very Good, bound with three gold brads. [Book #109104]. (read more)

Westlake, Donald (novel); Wendell Mayes (screenplay).
The Bank Shot (Original Screenplay).
Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972. First Draft Screenplay for the 1974 heist film, "Bank Shot," based on the 1972 novel by Donald Westlake and starring George C. Scott. This draft dates one year from the time Westlake's novel was first published (we know of only one earlier draft, from 1972). One of the more creative caper comedies from the rich vein of crime films made in the 1970s, wherein a bank temporarily being housed in a mobile home begins to look appealing to a crew of ex-cons. Very much a sister film to the 1972 adaptation of Westlake's "The Hot Rock." Yellow studio wrappers, rubber-stamped No. 32, showing the film's title and "Landers/Roberts Productions," along with a few contemporary ink notations on the front wrapper. Title page present, dated August 27, 1973, with credits for screenwriter Wendell Mayes. 115 pages, principal pages on white stock, with blue and yellow revision pages throughout, dated variously between 9/6/73 and 9/16/73. Pages and wrapper Near Fine, very slight offsetting to the right edge of the front wrapper, bound with two gold brads. [Book #113795]. (read more)

Woolrich, Cornell (William Irish) (novel); Catherine Turney (screenplay).
I Married a Dead Man (Original Screenplay).
Revised Draft Script (also known as a "White Script") for the 1950 film noir, "No Man of Her Own" (originally titled, "I Married a Dead Man"). Directed by Mitchell Leisen based on the 1948 novel "I Married a Dead Man" by William Irish (pseudonym of Cornell Woolrich). Written for the screen by Catherine Turney and starring Barbara Stanwyck and John Lund. One of the best film adaptations to come from the work of legendary pulp writer Woolrich, this one involving a single pregnant woman who manages, quite by accident, to change her identity and the course of her life--though not without implications. Plain white studio wrappers as issued, identified as a "Revised White Script," and dated May 25, 1949. Holograph ink notation of the names of actors Stanwyck (misspelled "Stanwick" here) and John Lund. There is an additional holograph pencil notation of the name "Lallot," presumably a crew member and likely a cameraman, as there are many holograph notations regarding camera-related movement throughout the script. Credits on the front wrapper for Catherine Turney. Distribution page present, with receipt removed. Title page present, with the same date and credits shown on the front wrapper. 131 pages, with blue and yellow revision pages at the end of the script, all dated 5-31-49. Very Good condition, with some chipping to the outer bottom corner of the first 10-12 leaves, other light wear, bound with three gold brads. A rare script from one of the better noir melodramas of the classic period. Selby 285. Silver and Ward, p. 395. In a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. [Book #111701]. (read more)