Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1942)

December 2 6, 1942 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 61 STUDIOS ACQUIRE 25 STORY PROPERTIES IN NOVEMBER Purchases for Month Off Considerably from 46 Recorded in October Story purchases for film production declined sharply during November. The total of properties acquired was only 25, the lowest for any month in the past 12. The total compares with 39 story buys in November of 1941 and 46 purchases last month. Of the 25 properties acquired by major studios in November, 12 were originals, 12 were books and there was one play purchased. The highlight of the November acquisitions was the deal between Twentieth Century-Fox and David O. Selznick by which the former acquired "The Keys of the Kingdom," best selling novel by A. J. Cronin; "Jane Eyre," novel by Charlotte Bronte, and "Claudia," the play by Rose Franken. Other important purchases in November were "The Free French," the tentative title of a biographical story about General Charles de Gaulle by William Faulkner, acquired by Warner Bros, for a 1943 production ; "Victor Hugo," biography of the French writer by Matthew Josephson, bought by Twentieth Century-Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's purchase of the film rights to Erskine Caldwell's "All Night Long," which is a story of Russian guerrillas. Properties Purchased During November Advance Agents to Africa, original, purchased by Paramount. Brian Donlevy, William Bendix, Walter Abel and Albert Dekker are in the cast. All Night Long, novel by Erskine Caldwell, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. The story deals with Russian guerrillas. Claudia, play by Rose Franken, acquired by Twentieth Century-Fox in deal with David O. Selznick. William Perlberg will produce and Dorothy McGuire will be starred. Free French, The, tentative title of biographical story about General Charles de Gaulle by William Faulkner, purchased by Warner Brothers. Gay Nineties, The, formerly "Life of Tony Pastor," purchased by Warner Bros, for production by Jack Chertok. Gone With the Draft, book by Park Kendall, purchased by Republic. Harvey Girls, The, novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams, purchased by Metro-Goldwn-Mayer. Honey Boy, The, original by Dailey Paskman, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. I Cannot Sail Your Seas, novelette by Martha Cheavens, who wrote "Penny Serenade," purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. The story tells of the experiences of two people forced by circumstances be STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month Originals Books Plays Tota December, 1941 16 10(a) 26 January, 1942 27 9(b) 4 40 February 44 10(c) 3 65 March 40 15(d) 2 57 April 43 8(e) 5 56 May 30 11(f) 5 46 June 35 16(g) 4 55 July 24 12(h) 4 40 August 35 130) 4 52 September 22 io(i) 2 34 October 32 9(k) 5 46 November 12 12(1) 1 25 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 360 43(m) 39 542 (a) Including 4 (b) Including I I (c) Including 3 I (d) Including 4 2 (e) Including 2 I (f) Including 4 2 (g) Including I I I (h) Including 3 I I (i) Including 2 I (k) [I) [ml Including 4 Including 2 2 Including 2 Including 26 8 4 4 2 2 I magazine stories, film and song. magazine stories and song. magazine stories and musical compositions, magazine stories and newspaper comic strip, magazine stories and radio scripts, magazine story, song and poem, films, radio script and song. magazine stories, newspaper comic strip and radio serial. magazine stories. magazine stories and songs. novelettes. magazine stories, musical compositions, radio scripts, films, newspaper comic strips, novelettes and poem. yond their control to start life over on three separate occasions. Jane Eyre, novel, acquired by Twentieth Century-Fox in deal with David O. Selznick ; Kenneth Macgowan, producer ; Robert Stevenson, director ; Joan Fontaine, star ; adaptation of novel by John Houseman and Robert Stevenson ; screenplay by Aldous Huxley and Ketti Frings. Keys of the Kingdom, The, novel by A. J. Cronin, acquired by Twentieth CenturyFox in deal with David O. Selznick. Nunnally Johnson will produce. Liberator, The, original, purchased by Warner Bros. The story deals with a Consolidated B-24 bomber. Lighthouse Maisie, original by Robert Halff, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. Madame Gibraltar, original by Mason Wright, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. Man the Guns, original by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. Marching Along, autobiography of the late John Phillip Sousa, acquired by Twentieth Century Fox. At the same time all film rights to his songs were obtained by the studio. The picture will be made under the title, "Stars and Stripes Forever." Nunnally Johnson will produce. "Private Hargrove" Is Bought by Metro Meet the People, original and unpublished treatment, by Ben Barzman, Sol Barzman and Louis Lantz. Mr. Bullfinch Takes a Walk, original by Philip Dunne and Charles E. McCarthy. Screenplay by MacKinlay Kantor. Private Eddie Dawson, story of an A.E.F. soldier in Australia; screenplay by Ivan Goff, purchased by Warner Bros, for production by Mark Hellinger. Refugee Smith Stories, originals by Eustace Cockrell, purchased by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. See Here, Private Hargrove, book by Marion Hargrove, purchased by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. Snatching of Bookie Bob, The, original by Damon Runyon. purchased by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. Time Between, The, novelette by Gale Wilhelm, acquired by Warner Bros, as a starring vehicle for Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan. Time of Peace, original by Ben Ames Williams, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. Victor Hugo-, biography by Matthew Josephson, purchased by Twentieth CenturyFox. Lamar Trotti will produce. The book was written at the request of the studio, which shared the cost of a year's research into Hugo's life. Shift Exploitation Men Changes in the field exploitation staff of RKO Radio Pictures were announced this week by Terry Turner. New assignments will send Donald Prince to Boston, Robert Pryor to Los Angeles and San Francisco, Ted Wynn to Minneapolis, David Cantor to Philadelphia, Harry Reiners to New York and New Haven, and Al Selig to Pittsburgh. Gardner Wilson, new staff member, will cover Atlanta, while Allen Lester goes to Dallas and Oklahoma City, replacing Ronald Ames, who has entered the army. Sells Colorado House Frank Barnes has sold the Capitol theatre, Springfield, Col., and has left for the Army. George Nescher of Valley Falls, Kan., bought the house. 950 of Union in Service The musicians union in Chicago has reported that a total of 950 members now are serving in the nation's armed forces.