A Night at the Opera

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1934. Early draft script for the 1935 film, credited to famed songwriting duo Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby and screenwriter James Kevin (J.K.) McGuinness.

Kalmar and Ruby, who had contributed to earlier Marx Brothers films ("Duck Soup," "Horse Feathers," "Animal Crackers") were brought in as screenwriters at Groucho Marx's insistence. Although Groucho purportedly loved the drafts generated by Kalmar and Ruby—which included in one iteration a version of the story that would resurface as Mel Brooks' "The Producers" over 30 years later—the pair's ideas were rejected by producer Irving Thalberg. Almost all of the story and music was rewritten, with screenwriting credits ultimately going to George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, accompanied by uncredited dialogue from Jack Benny comedy writer Al Boasberg.

In this early draft, Harpo stars as the "World's Greatest Tenor"—who neither speaks nor sings throughout the entirety of the film.

Blue titled MGM wrappers, dated Nov. 9, 1934, on the front wrapper, with a stamp reading Dec. 17 1934 just below the printed dated, stamped production No. 2014 and Temporary/Complete, File Copy, and Vault Copy, with credits for Kalmar, Ruby, and J.K. McGuinness. Title page integral with the front wrapper. 131 leaves, with last page of text numbered 131. Mimeograph duplication, rectos only. Pages Near Fine, wrapper about Near Fine, bound with two gold brads.

Godard, "Histoire(s) du Cinema."

[Book #172354]