Gone with the Wind

Beverly Hills, CA: Selznick International, 1938. Draft "recapitulation" script for the 1939 film, a shortened version written by MGM screenwriter Bradbury Foote as part of an editing process involving Foote and fellow studio screenwriter Lawrence Stallings.

An uncommon and historically significant example of the exhaustive script development process maintained by Selznick International in its brief history.

In October of 1938, struggling to adapt Margaret Mitchell's monumental 1000-page novel, producer David O. Selznick sent the latest draft of Sidney Howard's script to Foote and Stallings. Hoping to complete the script before filming commenced, and thus working within a tight time frame, Selznick gave the writers just over a week to come up with edits. Foote's rewrite gave the film a happy ending, closing with Rhett and Scarlett in each others' arms—a suggestion that Selznick hated. Ultimately, in spite of Selznick's wishes, filming began in January of 1939 without a completed script, with numerous daily revisions issued well into production.

Blue titled wrappers, with a date, November 8, 1938, in manuscript pencil on the front wrapper, and a credit for Foote. Distribution page present, with receipt intact. 24 leaves, with last page of text numbered 23. Carbon typescript on onionskin stock, rectos only. Pages about Fine, wrapper about Fine, bound with two staples.

National Film Registry. Ebert I. Godard, Histoire(s) du cinema.

[Book #171722]