Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

STORY COSTS UP: $3,703,000 FOR PLAYS ALONE IN 1944 Several Million More Went for Other Properties in Year of Record Prices Hollywood spent $3,703,000 in 1944 on play purchases and several million dollars more on tiovels, books and stories, exclusive of the sums invested by film companies in backing Broadway plays. A total of 160 properties, not ;ounting original stories purchased on the west :oast, was recorded by 11 companies. Several studios doubled their book and play purchases of 1943, and Twentieth CenturyFox and Warner Bros, lead in the race to acquire valuable literary properties. Story and play editors of the majors and literary agents estimate that 1944 was the all-time high for motion picture money on Broadway and along literary row. Stories and Plays Sold At New High Prices Marketable stories and legitimate shows were sold at sky-high figures which have been :limbing upward in the pattern of bidding set iince the war. The war boom market resulted :n more money earmarked for the buying of lecessary source material and that fact, plus :he limited output of well known authors and playwrights, heightened Hollywood's literary interest. The bulk of the material was escapist in theme. A list of books, plays and stories, representing he outstanding purchases of 1944, follows : COLUMBIA Novels: "Tomorrow Will Sing," by Elliott \rnold; "Sing No Sad Song for Me," by Ruth southard. The company purchased Janet Doran's lovel "Together Again," for the title, which was ised for the Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer reease. Plays : "Jacobowsky and the Colonel," at a re)orted price of $350,000; "Over 21," Ruth Gorton's comedy, $350,000; "Another Love Story," at in estimated $35,000, and "Tars and Spars," the loast Guard tabloid revue, at an estimated $35,000. vlETRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER The company purchased about 20 novels during he year, among them, "The Green Years," A. J. Zronin's latest book for which MGM paid $200,100, Metro's top price for a novel in 1944. Other mtstanding books were "Green Dolphin Street," )y Elizabeth Goudge, a Literary Guild selection md winner of MGM's $125,000 prize novel conest; "Image of Josephine," by Booth Tarkington; 'Taps for Private Tussie," by Jessie Stuart, and 'The History of Rome Hanks," by Joseph Penlell. Plays: "On the Town," the new musical by i-eonard Berstein, Betty Conden, Adolph Green md Jerome Robbins; "Cabbages and Kings," un)roduced musical by Stella Unger and Alec Tem)leton; "Violet," by Whitfield Cook; each of these hree purchased at a reported price of $100,000. iose Franken's "Soldier's Wife," at an estimated 575,000; also her play called "Holiday," known as 'Fortnight" ; "Laugh Parade," musical by Ed A''ynn and Harry Warren; "The Damask Cheek," )y John Van Druten, $35,000; "Belle of New ifork," by Hugh Martin, and "For Better or A'^orse," by Louise Gaige. PARAMOUNT Plays: "Searching Wind," by Lillian Hellman, mrchased by Hal Wallis for a reported $100,000, o be released by Paramount; "Feature for June," inproduced play by Gfaeme Lorimer and Eileen NOVEL AND SCREENPLAY WRITTEN ON ORDER MGM is fashioning a new method of script writing, the tailor-made screenplay written by a famous author with specific stars in mind for leading roles. According to a Hollywood report, Louis Bromfield has agreed to write a novel for Metro, tentatively called "Colorado", based on historic events In that state In 1890. When the story Is completed, Mr. Bromfield will serialize It for Cosmopolitan magazine, and MGM will screen It. Van Johnson and Lana Turner are the stars around whom Mr. Bromfield will build his superWestern. Joseph Pasternak already has been chosen to produce the projected film. The deal was worked out by Vladimir Vetlugin, Louis B. Mayer's story consultant, and William Fadlman, head of the MGM story department. Tighe ; "Red, Hot and Blue," musical by Cole Porter, Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse. Books : "The Lost Weekend," by Charles Jackson and "O'Halloran's Luck," by Stephen Benet. PRC PICTURES Novels : "Crime, Inc.," by Martin Mooney ; "Phantom of 42nd Street," M. Raison; ''Detour," Martin Goldsmith; "King of Proxy Street," Stanley Kauffman ; "Once Too Often," Whitman Chambers ; "I Ring Doorbells," autobiography by Russell Birdwell ; "First Illusion," short story by Fritz Rotter ; "Deadline," story by Harry Hoyt. Rays : "Angel Island," by Bernie Angus, at a reported price of $30,000. MONOGRAM "Alaska," a novel by Jack London, and "Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More," short story. REPUBLIC One novel, three stories and 43 originals were purchased. RKO RADIO Novels : "Two Girls on a Ladder," by Beatrice Leon; "Married at Leisure," Virginia Lederer ; "None So Blind," Mitchell Wilson; "Mr. Angel Comes Aboard," by Charles G. Booth, appeared in Liberty as a serial, film title probably will be "Johnny Angel." "Deadlier Than the Male," James Gunn ; "Deadline at Dawn," by William Irish, probably will be retitled "Welcome to the City" ; "Avalanche," by Kay Boyle; "Remember the Day," by Kenneth Horan at a reported $30,000; "This Is My Brother," Louis Paul; "I Am Thinking of My Darling," by Vincent McHugh at a reported $30,000 ; also seven Zane Grey novels. Plays : "The Fabulous Invalid" ; "Those Endearing Young Charms," purchased from Samuel Goldwyn at a reported price of $165,000; "Mama's Bank Account," book by Kathryn Forbes which was made into the play, "I Remember Mama," to which RKO owns the screen rights, $150,000. EDWARD A. GOLDEN ■ "The Master Race," Herbert Biberman ; "The FBI in Peace and War," Frederick L. Collins ; "The Kaiser Wakes the Doctor," Paul de Kruif, and "Breakfast at Sardi's," radio program. SAMUEL GOLDWYN "Simone," novel by Lion Feuchtwanger ; "Earth and High Heaven," novel by Gwethelyn Graham ; "Back from the Sword," unpublished novel by McKinlay Kantor. INTERNATIONAL "Countess of Monte Cristo," original by George Beck and Frank Tarlof? ; "It's a Pleasure," original by Lynn Starling and Eliot Paul ; "Tomorrow Is Forever," novel by Gwen Bristow ; 'Along Came Jones," original purchased by Gary Cooper ; "Belle of the Yukon," original by Houston Branch, and "Woman in the Window," by J. H. Wallis. TWENTIETH CENTURY-FOX Books and novels : "Bell for Adano," John Hersey, $100,000 ; "Hangover Square," by Patrick Hamilton; "Boomerang," 'by Commander William Chambliss, appeared in the Saturday Evening Post; "Cluny Brown," by Marjorie Sharp, $100,000; "The Fallen Angel," by Marty Holland; "Leave Her to Heaven," by Ben Ames Williams, $100,000; "The Razor's Edge," by W. Somerset Maugham, purchased from Samuel Bronston, on a scale arrangement with the author ; "Captain from Castile," by Samuel Shellabarger, $100,000 ; "Forever Amber," bought the option, and if the Production Code Administration approves the screen treatment, will purchase, at a reported price of $200,000; "Anna and the King of Siam," by Margaret Landon. Stories : "Sally and the Senator," original by Laszlo Vadany and Montague Banks ; "No Place Like Home," original by Leonard Spiegelgass ; "The Rebirth of Flower McRoy," Ann Chidester ; "Our Moment Is Swift," Dale Eunson ; "The Little Horse," Neila Gardiner White ; "The Lonely Journey," original by Marvin Borowsky, and "But for the Grace of John," original by Sidney Kingsley. Plays : "Junior Miss," by Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields, at a reported price of $400,000. UNIVERSAL "The Happy Hypocrite," by Max Beerbohm ; "This Way Out," novel by James Ronald, and "Uncle Harry," play by Thomas Job. WARNER BROS. Novels and stories : "Hotel Berlin," by Vicki Baum ; "Land I Have Chosen," by Ellin Berlin, at a reported price of $150,000 ; "Christmas in Connecticut," by Aileen Hamilton ; "Mildred Pierce," James A. Cain ; "The Trial in Tom Belcher's Store," Samuel Derieux ; "One Man's Secret," Rita Weiman ; "The Frontiersman," Thomas Williamson ; "Honeymoon Freight," Donald E. Keyhoe ; "The Man Who Died Twice," Jack Sobell and Paul Francis ; "Bill Bruce Becomes an Ace," Henry H. Arnold; "The Big Sleep," Raymond Chandler; "The Big Bow Mystery," Israel Zangwill ; "Murder in the Big Bow," Fulton Oursler (Anthony Abbott) ; "Too Young to Know," Harlan Ware. Plays : Warners made the all-time record in play purchases in "Life With Father," by Russell Crouse and Howard Lindsay, with a down payment of $500,000; "Voice of the Turtle," at a reported price of $500,000; "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," $225,000; "Chicken Every Sunday," by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein, $250,000; "Wallflower," by Reginald Denham and Mary Orr, $75,000; "The Visitor," by Kenneth White, $75,000; "Pillar to Post," by Rose Simon Kohn, $50,000 ; "Escape Me Never," Margaret Kennedy ; "Autumn Crocus," Dodie Smith ; "Stolen Life," Karel J. Benes ; "The Desert Shall Rejoice," Robert Finch ; "Monsieur Lambertier," Louis Verneuil. Warners also bought the rights to make a film based on the life of Cole Porter ; rights to "Mr. (Continued on following page, column 3) VIOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 13, 1945 2>