Marooned

Frank Capra (producer, intended director)
Walter Newman (screenwriter)
Martin Caidin (novel)

N.p. Frank Capra Productions, Inc., 1965. Second Draft script for an unproduced film by screenwriter Walter Newman, with Frank Capra credited on the title page as "Producer-Director," and with Capra's production company, Frank Capra Productions, Inc. heading the front wrapper. The script is 247 pages, which would roughly amount to a four hour film.

In 1965 Capra was in negotiations to get the financing for Newman's adaptation of Martin Caidin's 1964 novel. Unfortunately, the project was too ambitious, and the cost too great to get the production off the ground, even after Capra had heavy revisions made to the script. Columbia Pictures' producer M.J. Frankovich offered Capra $3 million to make the film, requiring a downsizing of the project too great for Capra to accept, prompting him to abandon the project.

Walter Newman is the acclaimed, three time Academy Award nominated screenwriter of "Ace in the Hole" (1951), "Cat Ballou (1965), and "Bloodbrothers" (1978), as well as the uncredited screenwriter of "The Magnificent Seven" (1960) and "The Great Escape," both of which he renounced credit on after disputes with the same director, John Sturges (who would go on to direct "Marooned" in 1969, and perhaps not surprisingly, abandon Newman's screenplay, and hire screenwriter Mayo Simon). Newman is perhaps best known for his unproduced 1970 screenplay "Harrow Alley," called by some "the greatest screenplay never made," a 172 page macabre story of the Great Plague in mediaeval England, and is regularly taught in film writing classes, and has for years, as recently as 2018, been rumored to be in production.

A film adaptation of Caidin's novel was made in 1969 by director John Sturges, with a screenplay by Mayo Simon, and starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, and Gene Hackman.

Three astronauts, after spending months in orbit, prepare to return to earth, only to find the rocket boosters won't fire, and their oxygen levels declining.

Blue titled wrappers, noted as SECOND DRAFT on the front wrapper, dated APRIL 14, 1965. Title page present, dated April 14, 1965, noted as SECOND DRAFT, with credits for screenwriter Walter Newman and Producer-Director Frank Capra. 249 leaves, with last page of text numbered 247. Mimeograph duplication, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good, with light soiling, creasing, and small closed tears at extremities, bound with two gold brads.


[Book #150580]