Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1940)

44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD March 2 I 940 HOLLYWOOD BUYS MORE STORIES IN MONTH THAN IN PREVIOUS EIGHT MGM Pays $150,000 for "The Philadelphia Story", with $100,000 More for Katharine Hepburn to Star Hollywood has purchased more new screen material in a month of the new year than it had in any of the previous eight months. In January there 61 purchases made. Forty were original stories, 15 were books and magazine articles, and six stage plays. Included in these purchases was a radio program entitled "I Want a Divorce," purchased by Paramount as a vehicle for Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. Paramount Buys "Interlochen" Following closely on its "The Great Victor Herbert" musical, Paramount has purchased the rights to "Interlochen," a story dealing with the famed National Musical Camp for Young America at Interlochen, Mich. The picture will be under the technical guidance of Dr. Joseph E. Maddy, founder of the camp and professor of radio music instruction at the University of Michigan. Andrew Stone, whose most recent effort was "The Great Victor Herbert," will produce and direct the new musical. The idea for the picture was purchased from Ann Ronell, who has been engaged to work on the music and lyrics. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer paid $150,000 for the screen rights to the Broadway stage success, "The Philadelphia Story," plus $100,000 to Katharine Hepburn to star in the picture. Miss Hepburn a short while ago purchased the screen rights to the play from author Philip Barry for the sum of $30,000, giving her a profit on the negotiations of some $220,000. The purchase price for "The Philadelphia Story" is called by far the highest paid for a stage production since the outbreak of the war last September but the price is by no means the highest ever paid for a stage play. Several have brought higher purchase figures, such as "Room Service" at $255,000 ; "The American Wav," $250,000; "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," $225,000; "You Can't Take It With You," $200,000; "Dead End," $165,000; "Dodsworth," $160,000. "Brother Rat" was bought at the same amount as "The Philadelphia Story," $150,000. Goldwyn Gets "Little Foxes" Another Broadway production, "The Little Foxes," was purchased by Samuel Goldwyn. The price was 25 per cent of the net profit with a minimum of $100,000 guaranteed. A novel, written about ten years ago by the late Heywood Broun, "The Boy Grew Older," was purchased for production by John M. Stahl. The book reflects the Broun wit and brilliance but has no political or socialistic theme. It concerns mostly the life of a man left alone with his one son and his study of the boy's growth to maturity. The picture will go into production as soon as Mr. Stahl completes releasing arrangements. Stories and Credits The month's story acquisitions, with all available production credits, follow: All This and More, an original story by Edward Dien purchased by RKO. Arise My Love. Benjamin Glazer's and John Szekely's original story. By Paramount STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month Origina s Books Phys Tot* February, 1939 33 21(a) 1 55 March 30 15(b) 8 53 April 46 12(c) 7 65 May 29 I5'd) 1 45 June 24 15(e) 4 43 July 19 5(f) 2 26 August 19 13(g) 1 33 September 23 4 2 29 October 13 13(h) 5(i) 6 32 November 12 3 20 December 17 I6(i) 3 36 January, 1940 40 I5(k) 6 61 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 305 1 49(1) 44 498 Including I (b) Including 4 (c) Including 3 (d) Including 4 3 (e) Including 3 2 Including 2 Including 3 I (h) Including 2 I Including I 2 Including 2 2 Including 4 I Including 30 9 (f) [g] (i) (i) [k] published magazine story and radio programs, published magazine stories, published magazine stories, published magazine stories, films and I radio program, published magazine stories and radio programs, published magazine stories, published magazine stories and film. published magazine stories, newspaper serial and I film, published magazine story and films. published magazine stories, films and I radio script, published magazine stories and radio program, published magazine stories, films and 7 radio programs. . as a vehicle for Claudette Colbert. Black Diamond, an original story by Ford Beebe and Sam Robins. By Universal. Boy Grew Older, The, a novel by the late Heywood Broun. By John M. Stahl for possible release through United Artists. Boys from Syracuse, The, a Broadway musical comedy. By Universal. Brtcks Without Straw, a novel by Irwin Shaw. Purchased, for possible release through Columbia, by Marion Gering. Production is expected to be in New York. Brooklyn Bridge, an original story by Arthur Caesar. Purchased by 20th Century-Fox. Niven Busch will write the screen play. Carolina Moon, an original story by Louis Kingdon. By Republic as a starring vehicle for Gene Autry. Children's Crusade, an original story by Robert Thoeran and Fritz Rotter. MGM. Paramount Buys from Universal Cup of Coffee, A, purchased by Paramount from Universal. An original story. Dance Little Lady, an original story by Joe May, Max Kolpe and Jean Lustig. Paramount. Derelict Street, an original by M. Coates Webster, to be produced by Fine Arts Producing and Distributing Corp. Bradley King will do the script. Enemy Alien, Sam Robin's original story. By Universal. Escape, a novel by Ethel Vance, purchased by MGM. Fireman Save My Child, an original story by John Grey. Universal. Finger Woman, The, an original. By Republic from Clarice Aronton. First Aid for Spots, an original story by E. P. Jones, Jr., and Robert Hyatt, bought by MGM. Remarque Novel Flotsam, Erich Maria Remarque's novel, acquired from MGM by David L. Loew and Albert Lewin. The picture will be released through United Artists. Flowing Gold, based on the Rex Beach novel and to be made by Warners with Wayne Morris star. Flying Heels, an original story by Charles Nevill Buck, first production for the newly organized Fine Arts Producing and Distributing Corp. Arthur Hoerle and John Krafft will adapt the story to the screen with Otis Garrett directing. For Women Only, an unpublished original story by Hilda Stone, acquired by Twentieth Century-Fox. 1417 Broadway, an original story by Vicki Baum purchased by MGM and dealing with the Metropolitan Opera. Great Profile, The, an original by Melville Crossman, dealing with the troubles of a famous actor and his fourth wife. Purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox as a possible vehicle for John Barrymore. Guardian Devil, an original by Johnstone Culley, purchased by Harry Sherman for Paramount release. Inside Track, a magazine story by Howard Nostrand. RKO. Idea Purchased Interlochen, an original idea by Ann Ronell, purchased by Paramount. Andrew Stone will produce and direct. I Want A Divorce, radio program purchased by Paramount to star Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. George Arthur will produce. Jupiter Laughs, play by A. J. Cronin dealing with a hospital for treatment of mental cases. Purchased by Warners. Lafayette, an original historical story by Edmund Brant. Universal. Little Foxes, The, a Broadway stage play by Lillian Hellman. Purchased by Samuel Goldwyn. Love Song, a novelette by Ursula Parrot. Bought by James Roosevelt's new company, Globe Productions. Man Who Paid Twice, The, an original by Maxwell Shane, Purchased by Universal. Mystery Ship, original by Robert Grant. Bought by Paramount as a starring vehicle for Ray Milland and Susan Hayward. Nanna Bothmia, Saturday Evening Post story on the Finnish uprising of 1918. By Roy Del Ruth. Never Say Love, an original story by Adele Comandini and Stanley Rauh. Acquired by MGM. Night in Bombay, A, Cosmopolitan magazine story by Louis Bromfield. Purchased by MGM. Old Lady No. 31, novel by Louis Forsalund. MGM. Old Spanish Trail, an original story by Martin Van Lass. Purchased by Republic. Our Children, original by Grover Jones. Universal. Parson of Panamint, The, Saturday Evening (Continued on page 48, column 3)