Thursday, May 28, 1936. Sylvia Schulman is the teletype operator in Los Angeles. Harriett Flagg, a secretary
in the New York office is on the east coast teletype:
NY
NY 1-1366 T
OK
PIONEER SELZNICK
MAY 28, 1936
KB FROM DOS IS SHE THERE
YES BUT PLS WAIT AS THINK SHE WANTS HIM TO HAVE MESSAGE BEFORE
HE STARTS ON GONE WITH THE WIDN
OK
TO SS FRO M HF
KB IS ON PHONE TO PARA BUT HERE IS MSG SHE JUST GAVE ME
THE AGENT ON GONE WITH THE WIND HAD GIVEN HER WORD TO ONE COMPANY WHICH
I ASSUME TO BE METRO THAT IF THEY MAKE HER A 65,000 OFFER BY FIVE THIRTY
THIS AFTERNOON THE PROPERTY IS THEIRS STOP ANOTHER COPANY HAS SAID
THEY ARE READY TO TALK BUSINESS ON THE ASKING PRICE IF SHE DOES NOT
CLOSE THIS AFTERNOON STOP I SCREAMED BLOODY MURDER AND TOLD HER I COULD
NOT BE SIDETRACKED THIS WAY AND THAT OUR WAVERING HAD NOT BEEN DUE TO
A LACK OF INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY BUT C DUE TO OUR CASTING
PROBLEMS OF THIS MAGNIFICENT BOOK AND THAT IF SHE DIDNT SELL IT BY
FIVETHURTY THIS ATERNOON AND MR SELZNICK WAS WILLING TO PAY 65,000
THE PROPERTY WAS TO BE MINE STOP SHE SAYS THAT IF SHE DOES THIS IT WILL
BE DOUBLECROSSING THE OTHER COMPANY BUT A LITTLE DOUBLECROSS IS NOTHING
TO ME AND IF MR SELZINICK IS GOING TO AUTHORIZE ME TO MAKE THIS OFFER
I AM IMMEDIATELY GOING OVER AND SIT ON HER DOORSTEP UNTIL FIVETHIRTY
INCIDENTALLY SINCE I KNOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR DOS TO HAVE READ
ANY OF THIS BOOK THE STUFF AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT
AND THE SCENE BETWEEN SCARLET AND RHETT WHEN RHETT IS ABOUT TO BE
HAGXXX HANGED IS ONE OF THE MOST LUSH THINGS I HAVE EVER READ
END HF
TIS KAY THERE NOW
MIN |
Brown is back and Selznick answers:
|
TO KB FROM DOS
TOVNGOE I AM IN TOUGH SPOT ON GONE WITH THE WIND STOP PROBLEM IS
AS FOLLOWS STOP WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RONALD COLMAN FOR THE
LEAD STOP SPENT LATE LAST NIGHT ALKING STORIES WITH HIM AND FOUND
MYSELF SELLING HIM THIS STORY STOP HE SEEMED VERY NTERXXINTERESTED
INDEED AND WE DISCUSSED MATTER OF SOUTHERN ACCENT STOP
HE THINSK HE WOULD LOVE TACKLE IT AND SAYS HE WOULD SPEND NEXT
SEVERAL MONTHS MAKING STUDY OF IT AND IS SURE HE COULD MASTER IT AND
I DONT DOUBT THAT HE COULD STOP IN THIS CZSE I WOULDNT WORRY
ABOUT AN MPXXIMPORTANT WOMAN FOR THE LEAD - OR THAT IS A BIG STAR
- BUT MIGHT TRY SOMEONE LIKE HOPKINS OR BANKHEAD STOP I ONLY KNOW
THE STORY FROM SYNOPSIS STOP YOU KNOW TH BOOK STOP DO YOU THINK
COMAN IS INSANE FOR IT QUESTIONMARK STOP
EVEN IF COLMAN IS RIGHT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT TAKES HIM FOREVER TO
MAKE UP HIS MIND STOP IF METRO DEAL FALLS THRU, DCOULD YOU AIRMAIL
ME VERY GOOD BREAKDOWN STRESSING THE MANS ROLE SS AND COULD YOU
KEEP LINE ON IT FOR 24 HOURS AFTER MY RECEPT OF THIS BREKDOWN
IN WHICH CASE I WOULD GO OVER STUDIO WHERE COLMAN IS WORKING AND
TALK WITH HIM GETTING AN ANSWER IMMEDIATELY IF I HAVE TO HIT HIM ON
THE HEAD STOP IF METRO DEAL FALLS THRU, AND INCIDENTALLY I
UNDERSAND THERE IS IS NO EXECUTIVE THERE WHO HAS ANY PARTICULAR INTEREST
IN IT, BUT THALBERG IS LIABLE TO TAKE GAMBLE WITHOUT EVEN READING IT
- COULD YOU POSSIBLY GET A ONE WEEK OPTION PAYING 1000 BUCKS OR
SOMETHING OF SORT FOR IT IF NECESSARY STOP IT IS ALSO POSIBLE
JXXXXXXXXXXXXOMIT LAST FOUR WORDS STOP IF WE HAVE TO BUY IT
TO GET IT AT ALL WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CHANCE THAT IF WE DIDNT USE
COLMAN WE COULCD GET GARY COOPER OR SOMEONE ELSE LATER ON UNLESS BOOK
DEVELOPS IMPORTANTLY ENOUGH TO BE BIG ATTRACTION ON THE BOOK ALONE
AS IN CASE OF MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION STOP THINK YOU OUGHT TO TAK
XXTALK THIS ALL OVER WITH MR WHITNEY IMMEDIATELY ALTHO I STILL THINK
65,000 IS TERRIFIC PRICE AND IF METRO DEAL FALLS THRU, I CAN IF YOU
WISH AND IF IT WILL BE OF ANY VALUE GET A LINE ON JUST WHAT THEY
MIGHT HAVE PAID
END DOS
|
Ronald Colman would have been
working on Lost Horizon at Columbia with Frank Capra at this time.
Irving Thalberg headed his own production
unit at MGM where Selznick had done the same before forming SIP. Since they
had adjoining bungalows at the studio, they came to know each other well
and developed a long standing though friendly rivalry.
Lloyd Douglas' bestseller, Magnificent
Obsession, was the story of a drunk playboy who becomes a surgeon in
order to restore the eyesight of the woman he blinded in a automobile accident.
The film version, released in 1935, starred Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor.
The legendary actress, Tallulah Bankhead,
was known primarilly for her work on the stage, especially The Little
Foxes, 1939, The Skin of Our Teeth, 1943, and Private
Lives, 1947. Her most recent films were made in 1932: Devil and
the Deep, Thunder Below and Faithless. Bankhead was an
old friend of Jock Whitney and urged him to use his influence with Selznick
to get her a screen test for the role of Scarlett.
 |
 |
 |
| Ronald Colman |
Tallulah Bankhead |
Gary Cooper |
Sometime later that day, Thursday, May 28:
May 28,
1936
GO AHEAD ON GONE WITH THE WIND
TO KB FROM SS
DOS WAS CALLED OUT ON SET TO BE GONE ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINS WILL CALL
YOU IMMEDIATELY HE RETURNS
END
TO SS FROM KB
I HAVE READ 1,000 PAGES OF THIS BOOK AND BELIEVE ME IT IS SOMETHING
I AM NOT AL ALL SURE THAT METRO HAS NOT CLOSED AS I KEPT AGENT
WAITING IN OFFICE UNTIL SIXTHIRTY LAST NIGHT ONLY TO TELL HER WE
WERE REGRETFUL DONE IN BUT IT WAS IMPOSSBILITY FOR US TO CLOSE AND TO
GO AHEAD WITH METRO I WILL CALL HER WHILE I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM DOS
I HEAR "ALLAH/ IS ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT
END KB
TIS INDEED STOP HOW ARE YOU AND WE WILL CALL
END
END-
|
Apparantly Selznick is back in the office so Brown writes:
May 28, 1936
FROM KB TO DOS
MIN PLS
WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ACCORDING TO TELETYPE INQUIRIES
COLMAN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT EVERY WAY EXCEPT ACCENT AGE
BEARING
PHYSIQUE IN BOOK IT SAYS HE SPENT A GREAT PART OF HIS EARLY
YEARS
IN ENGLAND AND ON THE CONTINENT AND SOUTHERNERS DO NOT LIKE THE WAY HE
TALKS SINCE RETURNING HOME SO THIS OUGHT TO TAKE CARE OF THE ACCENT
DO NOT BELIEVE I COULD POSSIBLY GET OPTION NOR CAN
I HOLD IT UP
SUFFICIENTLY LONG TO AIRMAIL DIGEST TO YOU BUT I COULD TALK TO COLMAN
ON THE PHONE TONIGHT IF YOU CAN ARRANGE IT AND I GUARANTEE TO YOU THAT
I WILL SELL HIM THIS PICTURE I WILL MAKE DIGEST ON PAPER OF
EVERY
SCENE IN WHICH RHETT APPEARS AND AS A MATTER OF FACT WAS JUST
DISCUSSING THIS WITH DOROTHY AND SAYING THE PROPER WAY TO CAST THIS
PICTURE IS WITH A MALE LEAD
I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT METRO IT WAS JUST GUESSWORK ON MY PART
AS THE
ROLE IS SO GOOD FOR GABLE
THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION IS AN ELSIE DINSMORE COMPARED TO THIS BOOK
MR WHITNEY IS OUT OF THE OFFICE BUT I KNOW HE WILL LET ME SPEND
65,000 IF YOU WILL I LUNCHED WITH JOHN WHARTON YESTERDAY AND
AS
USUAL WAS GROUSING AWAY ABOUT NOT GETTING THIS STORY AND TRYING TO
BE DECENT AND SAY I KNEW IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY TO TIE UP ETC AND HE
SAID HE DIDNT THINK IT WAS SUCH A BAD IDEA TO HAVE A GREAT PROPERTY
LIKE THIS FOR TRADING PURPOSES HE DID QUALIFY HIS SPEECH BY
SAYING
HE HOPED IT WAS AS GOOD AS I SAID
I WILL LET YOU KNOW AT FIVE THIRTY AND IN THE MEANTIME DO YOU THINK
COLMAN IDEA OF TELEPHONING ANY GOOD |
The woman Brown refers to in
the second paragraph is probably Dorothy Modisett who worked with Brown
in the New York office.
Elsie Dinsmore, by Martha Finley,
was a series of juvenile books, popular from the late 1860's to the late
1930's, sold primarily through Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward mail order
catalogs.
Jock Whitney was chairman of SIP and Selznick's
primary supporter and financial backer. John Wharton was a close advisor
of Whitney's and SIP's vice president, treasurer, and general counsel. For
almost a year Wharton had been trying to restrain SIP expenditures, pointing
out diplomatically that the company was not producing films fast enough
to meet its growing overhead. Brown's telling Selznick that she had obtained
the blessing of both Whitney and Wharton no doubt influenced Selznick's
decision:
May 28, 1936
OKAY TO ARRZNGE TELEPHONE CALL TO COLMAN STOP WILL MAKE
THIS
ARRANGEMENT MINUTE YOU TELL ME PROPERTY IS FREE STOP IF COLMAN
OKAY, SATISFACTORY TO ME BUY IT OUTRIGHT BUT I DO WISH THERE
WERE SOME WAY OF CHECKING TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT OEVERPAYING
FABULOUSLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION WHATSOEVER FOR THIS
PRICE AT THIS STAGE OF THE BOOKS CAREER UNLESS WE HAVE STIFF
COMPETITION AND JUST THE OTHER NIGHT WE HAD A MEETING AT WHICH
THIS RUINOUS COMPETITION WAS DISCUSSED AND I BELIEVE I CAN
ARRANGE TO CUT SOME OF IT OUT IF WE ARE WILLING TO TALK FRANKLY TO
OTHER PRODUCERS BUT BEFORE I WOULD DO THIS, I WOULD WANT JOHN
WHARTONS LEGAL OPINION AS TO WHETHER I WOULD BE RUNNING INTO ANY
TROUBLE IN HAVING SUCH DISCUSSIONS SO THIS AFERNOON YOU MIGHT ASK
JOHNS OPINION OF THIS STOP HOWEVER IF PROPERTY IS AS GREAT AS YOU
APPARENTLY THINK IT IS , AND I MYSELF AM BECOMING INCREASINGLY SOLD
ON IT THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT AND DISCUSS IT, I DONT THINK WE
SHOULD PERMIT TEN OR FIFTEENTHOUSAND STAND IN THE WAY STOP DISCUSS
ALL ASPECTS OF THIS WITH MESSRS WHITNEY AND WHARTON STOP MY
ANGLE IS PERFECTLY OKAY CLOSE FROM A PRODUCTION STANDPOINT PROVIDED
CLOLXXXCOLMAN IS SOLD BY YOU TONIGHT STOP FINANCIAL ANGLE ON PRICE
AND POINTS I HAVE RAISED CONCERNING DEALING WILL HAVE TO BE PASSED ON
MY MESSRS WHITNEY AND WHATRTON SOTP IF ABOVE IS ALL CLEAR WE CAN
STOP NOW UNTIL YOU ADVISE US IT IS OKAY ARRANGE COLMAN CONVERSATION
END DOS
END KB
|
Brown's reply:
May 28, 1936
TO DOS FROM KB
REFERENCE GONE WITH THE WIND
GEE WIZ, MASSA SELZNICK, -- THATS MY OLD SOUTHERN HERIGXXX HERITAGE
COMING UPON ME STOP I AM IN UNDER THE WIRE BY A TECHNICALITY STOP THE
COMPANY BIDDING HAS OFFERED 60,000 STOP THE AGENT WILL BE AT MY HOUSE
AT TEN OCLOCK OUR TIME TONIGHT WHILE I MAKE THE TELEPHONE CALL TO MR
COLMAN STOP MR WHITNEY HAS APPROVED 65,000 AND MR COLMAN MUST KNOW
THAT HE HAS GOT TO BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT OR REJECT AT THE END OF THIS
TELEPHONE CALL STOP IT IS UNDERSTOOD BETWEEN THE AGENT AND MYSELF IF
WE DO NOT CLOSE AT 65,000 SHE WILL SELL THE PROPERTY TOMORROW MORNING
AT 60,000 STOP IF TEN OCLOCK MY TIME IS NOT AGREEZBLE TO COLMAN PLEASE
TRY AND MAKE IT NOT LATER THAN ELEVEN STOP I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE BOOK
AND MARKED ALL THE SITUATIONS AND AM PREPARED TO GIVE IT THE WORKS IF
I CAN STAY SOBER UNTIL THAT TIME
END KB
WILL GIVE TO DOS IMEDIATELY AND CALL YOU BACK
END IS THIS SS
YES
OK END |
The next day, Friday, May 29, 1936, Brown writes to Schulman:
May 29, 1936
D SIP LOS ANGELES GA
IS SYLVIA THERE FOR KB
MIN PLS
HERE TIS
IS THERE ANY NEWS I ON COLMAN YET
NO NOTHING YET STOP DOS HAS JUST ARRIVED AND WILL TELEPHONE
HIM SOON AS THE FIRE ENGINES STOP RUNNING BY OUR STUDIO STOP
WILL PROBABLY HAVE DEFINITE WORD FOR YOU LATER IN AFTERNOON
END STOP LAST NIGHT WHEN SENT COLMAN SYNOPSIS AND BOOK CALLED
HIM AND TOLD HIM TO READ BOOK RATHER THAN SYNOPSIS BECAUSE LATTER
OBVIOUSLY READ BY READER WITH WOMAN STAR IN MIND AND THAT PARTS
OF RHETT AND SCARLET EQUAL AND PERHAPS SHADE MORE FOR RHETT SO
YOUR WORRIES ON THAT SCORE SHOULD NOT EXIST
END SS
MR SELZNICK IS NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND A CHANGE IN THE FIGURE FROM
65000 TO 60000 BUT TELL HIM I HAVE WRITTEN LONG DETAILED LETTER
WHICH AM AIRMAILING TONIGHT STOP HERE IS THE LOWDOWN ON SITUATIO
AND PLS ASK MR SELZNICK TO KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL THE AGENT GOT
HERSELF IN A HELL OF A FIX WITH REJECTING RKO S OFFER OF 60,000 FOR
HEPBURN ON THE OFF CHANCE WE C WOULD COME THRU LAST NIGHT STOP THEY
CALLED HER AND TOLD HER THAT IT WAS PRETTY LOUSY TREATMENT AND SHE IS
TO GO OVER THERE AT FIVE THIRTY STOP SHE HAS A HUNCH THAT THEY WILL
SAY THE 60,000 OFFER IS WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE KNOWLEDGE THAT
WE DID NOT CLOSE LAST NIGHT STOP THEY WILL REOPEN NEGOTIATIONS ON A
LOWER BASIS AND WHA T SHE WANTS T O BE ABLE TO DO IS TO GIVE US THE
BENEFIT OF THE 5,000 DOLLARS DIFFERENCE IN OUR PRICE AND RKO S PRICE
BUT SHE DOES NOT WATN TO WALK OUT ON THEM IF WE ARE STILL UNDECIDED
STOP THE PUB
LISHER
AND THE ATXX ARE PUSHING HER AND SHE IS IN
A QUANDARY AS TO WHA T TO DO STOP I REALIZE OUR POSITION AND THE
PROBABILITIES ARE THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING AS I DONT
BELIEVE OUR SLOW ENGLISH FRIEND READ 1,000 PAGES LAST NIGHT STOP I AM
NOT SURE THAT THE AOXX ABOVE IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR I AM SO FAMILIAR
WITH THIS THAT I MAY NOT BE EXPLAINING MYSELF VERY WELL STOP DO YOU
UNDERSTAND
END KB
TO KB FROM SS
DOS JUST WENT INTO PROJECTION ROOM BUT SAID TO TELL YOU THAT
THERE IS NOT A CHINAMANS CHANCE OF KNOWING DEFINITELY FOR A PERIOD
OF DAYS AND ALTHOUGH HE VERY REGRETFUL THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO
STOP SAYS FURTHER NO T TO STAND IN WAY OF A SALE BUT IF BOOK NOT
SOLD TO TAKE UP WITH HIM AGAIN
END
END |
The following Monday, June 1, 1936, no deal has yet been made. Brown writes:
June 1, 1936
TO DOS FROM KB
I AM ASSUMING THAT UNLESS COLMAN IS INTERESTED IN "GONE WITH THE WIND"
WE ARE NOT INTERESTED. THERE IS DEFINITE POSSIBILITY I CAN IMPROVE
PRICE BY 10,000 DOLLARS. I WILL NOT BOTHER YOU WITH THESE DETAILS
OF NEGOTIATION AS I KNOW YOU TRUST ME TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL.
I MERELY WANTED TO CLEAR WITH YOU THAT YOU DO NOT DESIRE DEAL AT THIS
PRICE AT THIS TIME UNLESS COLMAN OKAYS
|
Selznick's reply:
June 1, 1936
59 TO KB FROM DOS
YOU ARE CORRECT IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CANNOT USE "GO NE WITH
THE WIND" UNLES S COLMAN IS INTERESTED AND AT THE MOMENT IT DOES NOT
APPEAR THAT HE IS INTERESTED
END
|
sent by telephone to Katharine Brown
-5/27/36
|
|
I TOLD YOU ABOUT COLEMAN AND MAKING UP HIS MIND
STOP HOWEVER
CANT SAY X THINK HE IS WRONG BECAUSE THESE RUSH DECISIONS
ARE XXXXXX NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CALL SAFEST THING IN WORLD
STOP HE SAYS THAT IF HE HAS TO GIVE ANSWER NOW JUST FROM
READING OF SYNOPSIS AND FEW MINUTE SKIMMING THROUGH BOOK,
THE ANSWER IS NO STOP HE HAS BOOK AND IS GOING DEEPER
INTO IT IF THERE TIME BUT IF NOT IT IS WILL OF ALLAH STOP
SUGGEST YOU KEEP ME ADVISED IF YOU WILL AND WILL TALK TO YOU
FURTHER ON TELETYPE MANANA
DAVID
|
"Gone With The Wind" |
|
It seems likely, considering the previous messages, that the date here is a typo and the message was actually sent two days later on Friday, May 29 or, more likely, on Monday, June 1. In any case, Colman is out. More than a week passes before anything else happens with Gone With The Wind.
Next Page
| "Gone With The Wind" Table of Contents |
| Film Collection |
Exhibit design by Steve L. Wilson
