SCREEN MATERIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 12 (Supplement)

SCREEN MATERIAL

FAMOUS books purchased HIGH LITERARY STANDARD Months of preparation and discussion are necessary before any film company can announce its production schedule for the forthcoming year. For example, " Treasure Island." which M.G.M. are now making., was first contemplated over a year ago. It is for this reason that most of the bigger companies hold the talking ■' picture rights of many well-known j pfjrvs and books, which, nevertheless. I cave not yet been filmed. However, j the Sarge sums expended in acquiring this material for the screen hare not necessarily been wasted. Obviously, j ' there is great competition among pro- ] daeers for best-sellers, and these are j bought, rather than see them go to j ether studios, even if production plans cannot include them at the moment. Many recent best-sellers have been secured for filming in this way. Hugh Walpole's " Vanessa," which was bought by M.G.JI., is planned for Helen Hayes. Another favourite Walpofe/, novel" is " Portrait of a Man wrth Red Hair." Some time ago the screen rights were acquired by Paramount, obviously with a view to starring Qasrles Laughton in the title part, which he made famous on the London stage. Paramount also purchased the sensational first- novel, " Hatters Castle," : by A- J. Cronin, with the idea* of ; baring. Sylvia Sidney as the daughter : and /Langhton as the eccentric, halfcraaed father. Incidentally, Cronina " Grand Canary " has just been filmed by Fox,* with Warner Baxter as principal. Charles Morgan's " The Fountain," which had a great success in England and in America, was bought by Radio for Ann Harding. " The Good Earth," by Pearfr Buck, a best-seller with a Chinese setting, was recently bought by M.G.M. for £32,000. Last, bat by no 'means least, is Hervey Allen« record-breaking " Anthony Adverse,"

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which is to be filmed by Warner's, who are now engaged on adapting it for the screen. Naturally, the vogue for history is reflected in some of these literary purchases. M.G.31. hare bought "Two Thieves," by Manuel Komroff, who prepared Marlene Dietrich's film " The .Scarlet Empress," from Catherine the Great's personal diaries. It is hoped to star Clark Gable and Robert Montgomery in this Biblical story. For Katharine Hepburn, Radio have acquired a number of works which are either historical or biographical in character. These include the wellknown stage play, The Tudor Wench." a study of Queen Elizabeth; and " Prelude to Love," a story based on the life of George Sand, the famous Fretich writer.

British authors are very well represented. Somerset Maugham's " The Painted Veil " has been bought by M.G.M. The film will star Greta Garbo and Herbert Marshall, and will be directed by Richard Boleslavskv. Radio are still considering the production of a picture based on Galsworthy's short story, " The Apple Tree," the rights of which they hold. The same company had Katharine Hepburn in mind when acquiring " Three Came Unarmed," by E. ' Arnot Robertson, the author of " Four Frightened People." Robert Hichens, whose "Bella Donna" and " The Paradine Case " have been filmed, has sold his " Snake Bite " to Universal. M.G.M. holds " The Vortex," by Noel Coward; they also have twq stories by the young Cornish writer, Crosbie Garstin, who met a tragic death by drowning. These are " Chjna Seas," in which Clark Gable and Jean Harlow will appear, and " The Laughing One." Among the American playwrights who have sold work to the studios is Eugene O'Neill, whose "Ah, Wilderness," has been purchased by M.G.M. Already he has been filmed many times with " Anna Christie," " Strange Interval," and, more recently, " Emperor Jones " and " I Have Lived " (from O'Neill'i play, "The Constant