Movie Moguls

Today, I'd like to share a book not unrelated to my subject. I bought "Memo from Darryl F. Zanuck". A book gathering memos from the head of 20th Century Fox for years (during the Golden Age) at a time when these men had complete control over their productions.


In the same styme only with a pronounced focus on Gone With The Wind, I loved the book of memos from David O. Selznick.


It's fascinating to find the personalities of these men through the lines, but also to learn about the making of famous films. One memo deals with Marilyn Monroe and her desire to have her acting coach from the very beginning of success (Don't Bother To Knock). A few apparently insignificant words about casting or script can turn out to be crucial for the fate of the film as we, today's viewer know.


The memo battle between Alfred Hitchcock and Zanuck about the only film he did for Fox, Lifeboat is also included.

Also, Anna and the King of Siam could have starred Olivia de Havilland under the direction of Lubitsch. Thanks to a couple of memos, A letter to Five Wives, became A letter to Four Wives, then A letter to Three Wives, each time knocking out a wife from the scenario.

Masterpieces such as All about Eve are talked about and others that could have been made at Fox like A Streetcar named Desire (produced at Warner's because of missed opportunity).

This book tells you of the films you saw, but also of the ones you could have seen, with different actors, cuts, scripts that the ones you know. Buy Zanuck's book on amazon.com and Selznick's that I mentioned : he comes across as more tyrannical but just as passionate and interesting if not more.

That's all for today folks!