Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

10 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 18, 1931 BUYING THE SCREEN STORY Though literary problem confronts producers, they are lining up many plays and novels which have been currently popular on Broadway and elsewhere By AILEEN ST. JOHN-BRENON WITH the coming of spring and conventions, motion picture producers have put their market baskets over their arms, left their sv^^ivel chairs in Hollywood and Broadway and \-entured forth into the literary market places for a frenzied buying of dramatic raw produce. Some of it, experience has shown, will find its way into cold storage, but no matter. For weeks past authors have been on the well known edge, fearing, lest in the fevered excitement of hurried purchasing their literary stalls will be overlooked. Old plays, books, novels, manuscripts have been taken out of trunks and attics and enticingly displayed alongside of the new ones in the hope of attracting the editorial eye and pocketbook, unmindful of the fact that a few months hence loud lamentations will rend the air over the dissimilarity of the celluloid off shoot and the original manuscript. But again, no matter. The buying season is at its height, and author's bank accounts are swelling while producers shelves are bulging. Plays, novels, short stories, authors, once again they are being lined up for Mr. Exhibitor. .Stage plays current on Broadway acquired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer are Noel Coward's latest offering, "Private Lives" ; Pirandello's widely discussed drama, "As You Desire Me," and "Grand Hotel," the author of which, Vicky Baum, is due here momentarily to wield her clever pen for the screen. Ivor Novello's "The Truth Game" recently concluded a four month's Broadway run and has been purchased by MGM and despite the ban against musicals "Flying High," George White's brilliant musical production, occupies an important place on the same company's list of new purchases. MGM has also bought the football story "Huddle" by Francis Wallace, published serially in College Humor. The unproduced plays,' one the Flungarian "Ferike as a Guest" by Ladislas Bus Fekete and Alexander Goth, and "Nightcourt" by Mark Hellinger and Charles Beahan have been bought by Metro. A play which Crosby Gaige was destined to produce but never did. "Rivets" by Jack McDermott, has been purchased by United Artists who has likewise signed Ursual Parrott as well as purchased her new book, "Love Goes Past." Miss Parrott, speeded by George T. Bye who secured a Fifth avenue bus and a cohort of literary friends to take her to the Twentieth Century last week, has just arrived in Hollywood to assume her new duties. Faith Baldwin's "Skyscraper" and Fannie Hurst's novel, "Five and Ten," have both gone to Metro. The spirit of revivals is by no means dormant, — even if so valuable a piece of property as "The Great Divide" needs must l^e revived as "Woman Hungry," and the rights to Margaret Mayo's pretty play "Polly of the Circus," a hit of 1907, also goes to MGM who likewise has acquired Katherine Brush's "The Red Headed Woman," "Bridge vs. Bridge" by Edward McKenna, also "Pigboats" by Edward McKenna. Despite the difficulties presented by a film version of "Tomorrow and Tomorrow," Philip Barry's successful play now running on Broadway, the film rights have been obtained by Paramount. Two war stories, "Step Daughters of War" and Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms," have also gone to this company which also has secured Bromfield's Twenty Four Hours," "Graft" and "Silence," while squabbles continue unabated between Dreiser and the organization over the novel, "An American Tragedy," with the latest reports from Dreiser being "I will fight for my literary character if it takes years." Despite his indignation he is "not necessarily" finished selling his film rights to his works. But when they are sold they will be sold as they are. "I don't want to compel them to lose money, but I don't want to be injured either, and I don't think they would lose money if they stuck to reality," adds Dreiser, who made his money out of realism. RKO Radio is concentrating on the author rather than the finished product. That is to say, instead of buying published material — plays, magazine stories and novels — and getting authors to rewrite it for screen purposes, the company is catching its authors first and buying original stories for the most part. In pursuance of this policy three stories have be'fen bought from John Howard Lawson, Louis Weitzenkorn and Nell Baker. RKO Pathe, according to the scenario department will concentrate on novels for its program as yet incomplete. "Five Star Final," one of the most sensational plays on Broadway this season, has been purchased by First National, and the novel, "Sob Sister," has gone to Fox. Robert Sherwood's amusing comedy, "So This is New York," purchased by Paramount who is developing a distinctive poHcy as regards to authors and plays. Don Henderson Clark's best seller, "The Impatient Virgin," following close upon his "Millie," has become the property of Universal which will bring, it seems, two different stories by Erich Maria Remarque to the screen, "Fate" and "The Road Back," and it is "The Road Back" which is Remarque's sequel to "All Quiet on the Western Front." There is some talk about Remarque himself coming to the Universal lot in the autumn to associate himself with the latter production. A series of shorts by Bugs Baer have been transferred to RKO Pathe. The problem of obtaining material for next season's programs has been giving producer's something to worry about. It's by no means all beer and skittles even if you have the ducats. As one producer jxjinted out the stage which is the logical source from which to seek dramatic material has proved inadequate. Of some 500 plays which have been produced this season about 300 have come to New York. Of these less than 20 have been found good picture material — three have not yet been purchased — "Tonight or Never," there having been talk of it for Gloria Swanson ; "The House Beautiful" and "And as Husbands Go" one of the best pieces of material on Broadway. This leaves big gaps in production programs. For this purpose Paramount has formed the Ray-Miner Corporation to produce plays which before production have been selected with a view to their motion picture suitability. Already six plays or more have been selected. And the companies are still meeting the problem by signing authors who have proved their worth — Ursula Parrott, Sam Raphaelson, A. A. Kline, John Howard Lawson, Zoe Akins. Beclcy Gardiner, Willard Mack.