StudienVerlag - Oapen

An Forrest Judd
Cranbrook/Kent, 31.7.1950
Ms. o. U., ÖNB
Dear Forrest Judd,
Thank you for your letter of 26th, which certainly came as a shock. I have given it
very careful consideration, and what I have to say is this.
(1) My advice is, if you sign Magnani, do INQUEST. If you can’t do INQUEST, don’t
sign Magnani. The alternative story you sent me is a fifth hand saint’s story with
a magazine gloss; a man of your standards ought not to fall for such a thing. […]
(2) I don’t agree that INQUEST can’t be done now; always provided that one can
shoot in Europe (or in India, which will not be involved in any war anyway). As
for the „left“ tendency of the novel, it is quite unnecessary for the film, as we are
not sold on Rotha’s idea of making it a documentary with a few puppets stack on
for the sake of continuity. As you see it, as I see it (and, for that matter, inspite of
the different approach, as Frank Sundsrom sees it), this is the tragedy of some
character or characters in troubled and tragic times, without any political bias.
That is as valid today as it always was.
(3) Regarding CHILDREN, you know that I for one was never happy about Corwin’s
approach; so I can’t be unhappy about his withdrawal. He is of course right, and
you are right, that the film can’t be done in its original shape. […]
(4) There is, however, another possible approach: the one I talked to you about on
May 21st at Cranbrook, and which at that time you did not appreciate. I am
prepared to commit myself (and I mean that verbally) to adapt the story in
such way that it is of an up-to-the-minute topicality. That would take me two
months’ script work. And Frank Sundstrom should do Smith – a priest from the
American backwoods, an European immigrant (or the son. of an immigrant).
And the children would come from that „secret society“ of „Avengers of Our
Parents“ behind the Iron Curtain, desperately trying to get out.
(5) I am so certain of my case that I am prepared in principle to consider the following
variants to our existing deal. (a) is what I said in my last letter -viz. Kildine
pay me the 10.000 dollars on CHILDREN due next month, and I go ahead on
any story writing you think most urgent, on an expenses basis, further payments
to fall due only when the respective film is lined up; and (b), as a new alternative:
Kildine pay me now the whole 20.000 and consummate the existing story
writing contract within, say, six months, and in exchange I leave to Kildine a six
months’ option to replace, if they so wish, CHILDREN by either ZAHAROFF
or KARRIERE or BLIND MAN’S BUFF (which Lion Feuchtwanger thinks one
of the best film propositions in existence) or BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON
(the film possibilities of which you have not yet appreciated so far, I think).
Such an alteration of our contract would however have to be signed before the
second payment of 10.000 becomes due on August 22nd – i. e. within the next
three weeks.
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