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COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 75
Mr. Smith. I believe it was written by Mr. Lester Mittler and Victor Trivas as The Scorched Earth.
]\Ir. INIayer. I think so.
Mr. SMrrii. Then it was assij^ned to two writers to write the first script. Do yon recall those two individnals?
Mr. Mayer. Xo ; bnt Joe l*asternak is the producer who got interested in that.
Mr. Smith. I believe the script sliows it was written by Paul Jarrico and Richard Collins. Would that be correct?
Mr. Mayer. If it says so ; yes.
]\Ir. Smith. Did you read the first script, Mr. Mayer?
Mr. Mayer. Yes, sir.
Mr. Smith. What was your opinion at that time?
Mr. Mayer. They had farm collectivism in it and I threw it out and said, 'This wilTnot be made until they give me the story they told me originally when I approved the making of it."
Mr. Smitii. In other words, the first script, in your opinion, was not producible?
Mr. Mayer. Not the first.
Mr. Smith. Wlw not ?
Mr. Mayer. Because I will not preach any ideology except American, and I don't even treat tb.at. I let that take its own course and speak for itself.
Mr. Smith. That showed an ideology or condition, so far as Russia is concerned, that you did not approve of?
Mr. Mayer. I wouldn't have it.
Mr. S:\iith. As to the last script then, was the script, in your opinion, satisfactoril}' cleaned up?
Mr. Mayer. I think so ; yes, sir.
Mr. Smith. Who was responsible, if you know, for taking the collectivism and other things out of the script?
Mr. Mayer. I ordered it out. and the producer said it would all be rewritten, and it was. That is why Taylor was delayed getting into the service.
The Chairman. May I ask a question right there ?
Mr. Smith. Yes, sir.
The Chairman. Mr. Maj^er, you say the main reason why Taylor was delayed getting into the service was because the first script had these foreign ideologies in it and was not acceptable to you, so there was this delay?
Mr. Mayer. Yes, sir.
Mr. Smith. Did a Government representative ever come to you, Mr. Mayer, about that picture, as to the making of it?
Mr. INIayer. I don't recall anybod}^ coming about the making of it. I think I told them about it or discussed it with thein. So much happened in that period, coming and going. They had an office out there — War Information, I think they called themselves.
Mr. Smith. Have you seen the picture recently, Mr. Mayer?
!Mr. Mayer. Yes, sir.
Mr. Smith. What are your feelings about the picture, as to the damage it might cause to the people in the United States, that is, misleading them as to conditions in Russia?
Mr. Mayer, What scenes are you referring to ?