These Thousand Hills

Los Angeles: Twentieth Century-Fox, 1958. Final script for the 1959 Western film, dated May 22, 1958. Signed by lead actor Don Murray on the title page.

Based on the 1956 novel by Pulitzer Prize winning author A.B. Guthrie, Jr., the third installment in his sextet about the Old West. An unusual Western, with touches of the darkness characteristic of film noir, a character study of a cowboy who aspires to ascend the ranks of the burgeoning Wyoming society. He borrows the life savings of a saloon girl to start his ranch, and then marries into a higher rank. Though at first he distances himself from the saloon girl in order to run for US Senator, Murray must then come to her aid when a rancher has beaten her.

An ambitious film from director Fleischer in which we are asked to question the value of financial success and the labels of "good" and "evil." Some beautiful cinematic moments, with Lee Remick giving a standout performance as Callie the saloon girl. Set in Wyoming.

Blue titled wrappers, noted as FINAL on the front wrapper, rubber-stamped copy No. 181 and production No. 740, dated May 22, 1958. Title page present, noted as Final Script, with credits for screenwriter Hayes. 114 leaves, Multilith duplication, with blue revision pages throughout, dated variously between May 26, 1958 and June 2, 1958 Pages Very Good plus, wrapper Very Good plus, bound internally with three gold brads.

Pitts 4333.

[Book #123633]