Bombshells to Blasters, An Auction You Can't Refuse Pt. 1

First Time To Auction

20th Century Studios, 1955. Original 5-page carbon copy interoffice memo on 8.5 x 11 in. yellow onion skin. Sent by producer and Marilyn Monroe agent Charles K. Feldman to film director and co-screenplay writer/adapter Billy Wilder and dated 1-30-55. In the memo, Feldman suggests edits to the screenplay. The document reads, in part: “Dear Billy: You have just left my house and I am dictating this over the phone to my girl. I am making these suggested cuts to the final screenplay. In telling you of these cuts, I am suggesting some based on my overall feeling at the preview – that we have a wonderful picture but that we are anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes too long. Eliminating, if possible, this period of time, in my opinion, will make it an even greater picture. On reflection, I don’t believe we should put in The Fine and Dandy dancing sequence, even though it might play and would be helped enormously by the music. You recall I suggested it to you after the preview. Here are my suggestions for what they are worth, most of which, I believe, have been discussed and some of which have been discussed with me by DFZ [Darryl F. Zanuck].” Feldman goes on to enumerate scenes and dialog he suggests cutting including this example: “4. When I saw DFZ on Saturday, the one thing he asked was whether or not the “Hot Dog scene” was out. Scene 8, page 10. I am mindful of the fact that Richard is eating the hot dog as he comes to the house. However, it is possible to cut this Scene 8 until he goes up the steps. I think at this point he would have finished the hot dog anyway. If not, it might mean an elimination of Scene 9, EXT. FOUR-STORY HOUSE, EARLY EVENING. Frankly, I would be in favor of eliminating the hot dog sequence. You are trying to prove in the overall picture that he is cutting down on his weight, cutting out cigarettes and that he doesn’t want to get involved with girls, etc. Certainly the Vegetarian Sequence will prove that by his drinking the soda pop, giving up of cigarettes, and the fact that he breaks his vows in the first scene in the picture by going to a hot dog stand. It didn’t get the laughs and slowed down the story. DFZ is firmly opposed to it. I think you should give serious consideration to it. And, in fact, the scene was excised, although you can still see “Richard” (Tom Ewell) licking hotdog remnants from his fingers as he approaches the stairs to his house. The memo contains some pencil markings throughout. There are some recommendations that weren’t adopted as in the suggestion to lose an opening scene when Richard tries to follow his wife and son on their train to give the boy a canoe paddle he’d left behind. That scene remains intact in the film. There are many such examples found throughout the document. Retaining 2-hole punches at the top of the pages and bound together by a single staple in the upper left corner. Exhibiting only minor age. In very good to fine condition.