NAME ABOVE THE TITLE

A quote from “BACKSTORY,Interviews With Screenwriters of Hollywood’s Golden Age” edited by Pat McGilligan:

 

“The ‘name above the title’ may well have been FRANK CAPRA, but savoured among old-time screenwriters is the apocryphal story of how ROBERT RISKIN, the writer of LADY FOR  A DAY, IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT , MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, LOST HORIZON and other ‘Capracorn’, entered the director ‘s office in a fury, threw 120 blank pages of  script on his desk, and announced ,

“Here!  Let’s see you give THAT the Capra  touch!”

 

Let’s hear it for the writers! Their place on the studio totem pole was ridiculously low.

 

Robert Riskin, Frank Capra

Robert Riskin, Frank Capra

Robert Riskin was married to FAY WRAY from 1942 till his death in 1955.  He directed one film, WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE in 1937, with GRACE MOORE and CARY GRANT. (That’s one I wish was on DVD )

 

Robert Riskin, May Robson, Frank Capra

Robert Riskin, May Robson, Frank Capra LADY FOR A DAY

 

 

WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE, from left, Cary Grant, Grace Moore, 1937

WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE, from left, Cary Grant, Grace Moore, 1937

 

 

2 responses »

  1. Vuenna, you might be interested in this post from one of the film forums I’m on: posted by Brooksie:

    “When You’re In Love (1937) On GetTV

    I don’t think it’s been mentioned already, but on 6 May the US free-to-air station GetTV are playing Sony’s recent digital restoration of Columbia’s When You’re In Love (1937). Not only is it an under-seen early Cary Grant picture, but it’s the notorious film for which Louise Brooks was consigned to the dance chorus.

    It sounds like a high quality restoration (there’s an interview about it here) and will be appearing on TV only a week after its big-screen debut at the TCM Classic Film Festival, so it’s quite amazing that Sony have decided to release it for free on TV.

    GetTV is a good source for obscure Columbia pictures from the 30s and 40s that don’t tend to get a lot of play on TCM (this month’s festival of Ann Miller starring vehicles and the Warner Baxter Crime Doctor films have been particularly enjoyable) but it seems that they are switching to a more classic TV-heavy format next month.

    It wouldn’t hurt to drop them a line and let them know that we absolutely do want to see more restorations like this, and more of the early Columbia catalogue beyond the usual Capras that we’ve all seen so many times.”

    The link mentioned in the above post is here:
    http://www.get.tv/blog/when-youre-love-gettv-interview-rita-belda

    • That’s great news. Many thanks. I used to have it on video and would love to see it again.
      I’d love a Grace Moore box set of One Night of Love, The King Steps Out, I’ll Take Romance and When You’re In Love. Wishful thinking! But this is a start.
      I wonder when it will be out on DVD.

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