Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

January 9, 1932 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 13 DEMAND FOR ORIGINALS GROWS, FILM STORY PURCHASING SHOWS Fabulous Prices Are Asked for "Best Sellers" and Plays, and New Order of Economy Held To Be Motivating Factors The original story as a source of screen material is becoming increasingly in demand with all producers, a study of the story purchases of the principal producing companies during the past six months reveals. The trend to originals, already marked by a decline in purchases of novels, magazine serials and short stories, is expected to reach a peak with the drafting of production schedules for the 1932-'33 season. Fabulous prices being asked for screen rights to "best sellers" and successful stage plays, together with the new order of economies and retrenchments being placed in effect throughout entire production organizations, are regarded as being largely responsible for the new prominence of originals in the production scheme. Story Buying at Standstill Meanwhile, story purchasing by leading producers is virtually at a standstill for the time being. Chamberlain-Brown and the American Play Co., both of New York, report fewer story purchases by motion picture companies for this time of year than for many years past. The fact that purchases for 1932-'33 production schedules will not be in full swing for some time is not regarded as an explanation of the producers' buying inactivity by these two largest story agencies. That an increase in story purchase within the next few months is assured, is not doubted by the agents, but that its volume will approach that of other years is regarded by them as unlikely. Contemplated reduction in the number of pictures to be made next year is also regarded by the agents as retarding, if not explaining, the present story buying inactivity. Demand for Writers Grows A second factor indicating the increasing demand for originals as observed by story agents is the increase in demand for writers, the bulk of whom are represented by the story agents. Studios, they report, are negotiating for large numbers of writers, with numerous options and contracts resulting. The explanation, the agents believe, is that studios are preparing for a vastly increased use of original material. Substantiating this belief is the opinion of the story editor of a major producing organization, who said : "We have experienced excellent results with original stories which cost us $2,000 or $3,000, and we have had indifferent results with 'best selling' novels for which we paid $30,000 to $50,000. Why shouldn't we use more originals ?" Story Purchases of Six Months Following is a list of the story purchases closed by leading companies within the past six months : COLUMBIA: "The Halfway Girl," from novel "Via Manhattan," by Hawthorne Hurst "Gentlemen for Sale," original story. "Hollywood Speaks," original story "Vanity Street," from Fannie Hurst's short story, "Park Avenue" "The Substitute Wife," from Red Book serial, "Help Yourself to Happiness," by Frank R. Adams "The Artist's Model," from the short story, "The Rented Body," by Rupert Hughes "Zelda Marsh," novel by Charles G. Norris "Shopworn," original story V METRO-GOLD WYN-MAYER : "Three Wise Fools," novel by Austin Strong "Bridge vs. Bridge," story by Edward McKenna "Are You Listening?", by J. P. McEvoy "After All," play by John Van Druten "The Awakening," story by John Van Druten "The Christian," novel by Hall Caine "Red Headed Woman," novel by Katherine Brush "Honolulu," story by Mildred Cram "Night Court," play by Charles Beahan and Mark Hellinger "Strange Interlude," play by Eugene O'Neill "Wet Parade," novel by Upton Sinclair "Red Son of Carlisle," story by Jim Thorpe and Russell J. Berdwell "Eskimo," novel by Peter Freuchen "Letty Lynton," novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes V PARAMOUNT PUBLIX : "Two Kinds of Women," based on play, "This is New York," by Robert E. Sherwood "The Man I Killed," from play by Maurice Rostand "No One Man," from novel by Rupert Hughes "The Black Robe," from "The Shorn Lamb," by William Locke "Flagrant Years," from novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams "The Broken Wing," from play by Paul Dickey and Chas. W. Goddard "Dancers in the Dark," original by James Ashmore Creelman "Wayward," from the novel, "Wild Beauty," by Mateel Howe Farnham "Shanghai Express," based on a story by Harry Hervey "Tomorrow and Tomorrow," from the play of the same name "The Wiser Sex," based upon a play by Clyde Fitch "The Miracle Man," by Frank L. Packard "The Sky Bride," original by Russell Hol man "Sensation," from the play, "Misleading Lady," by Charles W. Goddard and Paul Dickey V RKO (Radio Pictures and Pathe) : "Westward Passage," a novel by Margaret Ayer Barnes Agents Doubt That Story Buying Will Reach Volume of Other Years; Demand for Writers Shows Large Gain "District Nurse," a novel by Faith Baldwin "Veneer," a play by Hugh Stange "Pickup," a novel by Eunice Chapin "Symphony in Six Million," a story by Fannie Hurst "Breach of Promise," a story by Austin Parker "Women Need Love," an original story by Ursula Parrott "Love a la Carte," an original story by John Lawson "Daughters of Joy," an original story by John Lawson "Every Girl," original by John Lawson V TIFFANY: "Hotel Continental," an adaptation by Warren Duff "Two Gun Texas," original story by Frederick Austin "Whistlin' Dan," original story by Frederick Austin "Strangers of the Evening," novel by Florence Wagner "Lena Rivers," novel by Mary Jane Holmes "The Last Mile," play by John Wexley "Silent Thunder," novel by Andre Suta "Luxury Girl," novel by Mayse Greig "Those We Love," play by George Abbott V UNITED ARTISTS : "Cynara," play based on the novel, "An Imperfect Lover" V UNIVERSAL: "Adventure Lady," story by Dale Collins "Ambition," story by Emile Gauvreau "Speed Crazy," original story "Michael and Mary," play by A. A. Milne "Brown of Culver," original story V WARNER-FIRST NATIONAL: "The Poor Nut," play by J. C. and Elliott Nugent "The Rich Are Always With Us," novel by E. Pettit "She Means Business," play by Samuel Shipman "Tarnished," novel by Vida Hurst "Love Is a Racket," novel by Rian James "In the Night Watch," play by Claude Far riere and Lucien Nepoty "Cabin in the Cotton," novel by Harry H. Kroll "The Gold Fish Bowl," novel by Mary C. McCall "Mendel, Inc.," play by David Friedman "The Rakish Halo," novel by Harriet Henry "Tinsel Girl," play by Maurine Watkins "Two Seconds," play by Elliot Lester "The Ferguson Case," play by Courtenay Terrett and Granville Moore "So Big," novel by Edna Ferber "Eight to Five," story by Maude Fulton "Circulation," original by Courtenay Terrett