Between the Covers

Hardcover. First trade edition. Near fine yellow cloth boards with touch of darkening to the gutters and tiny spot on the text block in about very good illustrated dustwrapper with chipping at the edges, smudge on the front panel and sunning at the spine. A scarce novel, the play adapted from this novel won the Pulitzer Prize and continues to be produced. It was first filmed by Universal studios in 1929, shot as a silent picture, but released with a sound prologue featuring the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein III score. The mismatch failed miserably but the studio believed in the material and remade it brilliantly in 1936, taking a chance with director James Whale (then as now best known for his success with intelligent horror films) and a fine cast including Irene Dunne, Allan Jones and Paul Robeson. It was well-remade again in 1951 by George Sidney with a significantly different script and featuring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel and Joe E. Brown.

Item #461363