David Selznick, Nazi Art and Amazon

Fifty thousand dollars: The asking price was staggering in 1935.

By the age of 33 David Selznick had produced such films as King Kong, Dinner at Eight and a Tale of two Cities at RKO prior to heading his own production unit at MGM. In 1935 he formed his own independent company Selznick International Pictures.

Katharine (Kay) Brown a story editor he had known at RKO was one of the first people Selznick hired to work for his new studio. Ms. Brown would work in New York and bring any literary properties that had good film potential to his attention. He already knew her capabilities from the fact that she brought Edna Ferber’s Cimarron to RKO.

It took less than six months for Kay Brown to make her presence known at Selznick International. She alerted the studio to a Civil War Story by an unknown writer Margaret Mitchell. Macmillan, the publisher, had sent review copies of the novel out and the feedback was positive. Several film companies had voiced an interest and one had offered $25, 000 for film rights.

At first glance Selznick was only luke warm to the possibilities because of his present financial circumstance relative to the size scope and production cost that would be needed for that kind of picture.
However, within the week he was becoming more enthusiastic about the book. And it was only the $50.000 asking price for the rights that put him off at that moment. That was a staggering price, more than anyone had paid for any property to that date especially for a book that was yet unproven.

Of course all that changed in a matter of months, the book proved its worth and was becoming America’s best selling novel -- ever.

During those days of Selznick’s hesitation Kay Brown alerted Jock Whitney about the book and its possibilities. Whitney was a man of means and was no stranger to David Selznick; he had financed other Selznick pictures in the past. And to eliminate some of Selznick’s financial problems Jock Whitney wired Selznick that he would purchase the film rights to Gone With the Wind and hold them for Selznick International.
(To be continued)

World War II and Nazi Stolen Art
(Continued)

The Goring Collection and selected excerpts:
‘The formal ceremony went off without a hitch and Natalie looked beautiful in her white silk and lace-wedding outfit. Jacob found time at the reception to congratulate the bride and groom. Then he meandered around and studied the guests that had gathered for the occasion. The diversity of the group was puzzling to him. A wide spectrum of politics was represented, extending from the radical left to the extreme right. He spotted one of the Hollywood ten, across the room, talking to a conservative congressman that had voted that group in contempt of congress and sent them off to jail. Jacob shook his head and mused, “Only in America.”

Someone gripped his arm and guided him toward the terrace. "Jacob, dear boy. I need a word with you."

"Tony Rockwell! What a pleasant surprise." Then Jacob stood back and said, "You're looking good."

"Looks can be deceiving, dear boy, but I had to get you alone and thank you -"

"Don't even say it. There's no need," Jacob said ruefully. "I know how you feel and extolling the subject won't change the matter one whit. It was all a bad scene. The Congressional Hearings, the Black List and all the rancor that went with it."

"I suppose you're right, Jacob. But please allow me at least one observation. Of the people I've associated with on the Hollywood left, you Jacob are the only one I know that has character and integrity. Which leads me to wonder if you are truly as far left politically as you profess to be."

"I suppose I should accept that as a compliment, although I'm not sure it's deserved," Jacob said as he put his hand on Tony's shoulder and smiled. "Now, we can continue this conversation some other time, my friend, but today is a celebration, so lets go inside and have some champagne."

‘On his return trip to San Francisco Jacob had time to think and reflect on his experiences of the past three days. What was truly amazing to him was how he had fit right in with the Bromfield family and their friends. Then as he looked out at the California countryside he was reminded of Tony Rockwell’s remark about his political leanings. ‘…Are you truly as far left as you profess to be?’ Jacob was aware that his zest for the Communist Party was not as strong as it once was. But he hadn’t really thought it was that obvious to others.

When Jacob got back to San Francisco, he taught his classes, attended cell meetings, and kept his lecture schedule, but nothing was the same. His feelings about democracy were growing while his passion for the Marxists ideology seemed to be slowly ebbing away. He considered his new attitude toward American Democracy and tried to put a timeline on just how and when he had started to change. As near as he could judge it followed his prescribed course for citizenship, which seemed to be only an appetizer. For when he finished those studies, he began reading biographies on the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist papers. Jacob believed that the most profound difference in his thinking was provided by a short phrase written by Thomas Jefferson into the Declaration of Independence. ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’

And while those words from the Declaration of Independence rang loud and clear, the words of Karl Marx were now sounding hollow and thin. However, the question Jacob needed to answer was not so simple -- what did he intend to do regarding his new feelings about democracy? It was a slow and agonizing process, and while he had not completely renounced communism, he decided that it was time to formulate a plan in the event that he ever made the decision to turn. Then over the next few months Jacob explored a half dozen different scenarios including possible talks with his KGB and CIA contacts. In the end though, he took one central idea and worked a plan out in meticulous detail, which included a checklist of what he needed to take along and what could be left behind.
(To be continued)

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Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.

Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

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