Archive of five original screenplays for unproduced films written by and belonging to novelist and poet Robert Nathan

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1944-1970. Archive of five vintage screenplays and scripts belonging to novelist and poet Robert Nathan. Included in the archive are: one Draft script for an unproduced film titled "Red Shoes Run Faster," one script for an unproduced play titled "The Ice Maiden," one early treatment script for an unproduced film adaptation of Nathan's novel "Mr. Whittle and the Morning Star" (here under the working title "Mr. Whittle's Apocalypse"), one Draft script for an unproduced script titled "The Fundamentalist," and one Draft script for an unproduced film adaptation of Nathan's novel "So Love Returns."

Three scripts with manuscript pencil annotations, ostensibly made by Nathan, and one with a single copied manuscript annotation.

Born in New York, Robert Nathan attended Harvard briefly, beginning in 1912, before choosing to drop out and take an advertising job to support his family. In 1919 Nathan wrote his first novel, the semi-autobiographical "Peter Kindred," and would go on to find success as a writer, most notably with "The Bishop's Wife" in 1928 and "Portrait of Jennie" in 1940 (both of which were adapted into films in 1947 and 1948, respectively). Nathan would also write a number of plays, children's books, and poetry collections, even dabbling in screenwriting with "The Clock" in 1945 and "Pagan Love Song" in 1950.

Red Shoes Run Faster:

Blue Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer titled wrappers, noted as copy No. 2 on the front wrapper, dated 10-30-44, with credits for screenwriter Hagar Wilde. Title page integral with the first page of text. 131 leaves, with last page of text numbered 31. Mimeograph duplication on yellow stock, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good plus, bound with two gold brads.

The Ice Maiden:

Blue titled wrappers with credits for playwright Robert Nathan. Lacking title page. 114 leaves, with last page of text numbered 3-1-39. Mimeograph duplication, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound internally with three silver brads.

Mr. Whittle's Apocalypse:

Red generic Famous Artists Corporation wrappers. Title page present, undated, with credits for screenwriter Robert Nathan. 125 leaves, with last page of text numbered 123. Mimeograph duplication, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine, bound internally with two silver brads.

The Fundamentalists:

Brown wrappers with manuscript ink annotations noting the title and the name of screenwriter Robert Nathan. Title page present, undated, with credits for screenwriter Robert Nathan. 68 leaves, with last page of text numbered 67. Xerographic duplication, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good plus, bound with two gold brads.

So Love Returns:

Housed in a green three-ring binder with a typed label affixed on the front binder noting the title, the date February 11, 1969, and the name of screenwriter Robert Nathan. Title page present, dated January 30, 1969, noted as Final Draft, with credits for screenwriters Oskar Werner and Robert Nathan. 120 leaves, with last page of text numbered 115. Carbon typescript, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine.

[Book #154079]