I’ve always been a movie fan. From the silents to modern classics, I’ll watch most anything. But, the golden age of Hollywood (30s - 40s) has never been rivaled. The studio system knew how to churn out magnificent motion pictures.
While I loved movies, I never cared who wrote or directed them. I just knew the actors. Once I started studying screenwriting I found that Frank Capra directed many of my favorite films, and Robert Riskin wrote many of his classics. It Happened One Night, You Can’t Take it With You, and my all-time favorite Mr Deeds Goes To Town.
I found on ebay a one page contract from Frank Capra Productions signed by both Riskin and Capra. It gives Capra an extra $25,000 for working over time on pre-production for what would eventually become Meet John Doe (Cooper/Stanwyck). I LOVE THIS FILM.
A really cool part about this contract is the stationary. This filmmaking God’s allowed the address to read “HOllywood”. As a person who has spent the better part of their life working in offices, stationary does not have errors.
I set out to find a photo of the two to frame with this. What do I find? A 40 page contract signed by Jean Arthur (star of my fave Mr. Deeds) for a 3 picture deal in 1938. I know the memorabilia shop this came from, I’ve been going there since the 80s. What I can’t understand is how they didn’t know the value and what pictures this contract was for.
On the first page she’s signing for “You Can’t Take it With You” (yes, the Capra/Risken classic). A few pages in, they talk about purchasing the rights to Odets Golden Boy. She’s not bound to the project. But, is being considered. Since Stanwyck ended up playing Lorna Moon, I looked up what Arthur’s next two pictures were for Columbia. Only Angels Have Wings with Cary Grant and Mr Smith Goes to Washington. MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON!
Miss Arthur was paid $50,000 per picture (1938 mind you), at $5,000 a week with most shoots lasting ten weeks.
I still need a Capra/Riskin photo, and now I need something amazing to put Arthur’s contract in to put it on display.
Both are just way too cool.
While I loved movies, I never cared who wrote or directed them. I just knew the actors. Once I started studying screenwriting I found that Frank Capra directed many of my favorite films, and Robert Riskin wrote many of his classics. It Happened One Night, You Can’t Take it With You, and my all-time favorite Mr Deeds Goes To Town.
I found on ebay a one page contract from Frank Capra Productions signed by both Riskin and Capra. It gives Capra an extra $25,000 for working over time on pre-production for what would eventually become Meet John Doe (Cooper/Stanwyck). I LOVE THIS FILM.
A really cool part about this contract is the stationary. This filmmaking God’s allowed the address to read “HOllywood”. As a person who has spent the better part of their life working in offices, stationary does not have errors.
I set out to find a photo of the two to frame with this. What do I find? A 40 page contract signed by Jean Arthur (star of my fave Mr. Deeds) for a 3 picture deal in 1938. I know the memorabilia shop this came from, I’ve been going there since the 80s. What I can’t understand is how they didn’t know the value and what pictures this contract was for.
On the first page she’s signing for “You Can’t Take it With You” (yes, the Capra/Risken classic). A few pages in, they talk about purchasing the rights to Odets Golden Boy. She’s not bound to the project. But, is being considered. Since Stanwyck ended up playing Lorna Moon, I looked up what Arthur’s next two pictures were for Columbia. Only Angels Have Wings with Cary Grant and Mr Smith Goes to Washington. MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON!
Miss Arthur was paid $50,000 per picture (1938 mind you), at $5,000 a week with most shoots lasting ten weeks.
I still need a Capra/Riskin photo, and now I need something amazing to put Arthur’s contract in to put it on display.
Both are just way too cool.
