H. G. Wells and the Film Producer

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 12

H. G. Wells and the Film Producer

Did Hollywood ■ once entertain the staggering idea of filming “The Outline of History,’ 1 of “producing” tho complete story of the universe. Iron: the moment whon a fragment of mutter detached itself from t.lio sun to tlio day when —'well, to the day when i\l r H. G. Wells appeared on tho nlane:t into which that fragment evolved? says a London critic. Though we may not know l'or certain, there is strongly corroborative evidence that tlio answer is in the affirmative. That evidence is in the first volume of “The World of William Clissold.” Let it bo said at ouco that in a foreword to what ho obviously intends to be his masterpiece, Mr Wells is at great pains' to deny that this is his autobiography, and to assert that William Clissold is a fictitious charnteerBut ho adds, “All novelists use actual experiences in their work.” One. surely, of tho actual experiences of Mr Wells is thus recorded of “Clissold”:—

X am reminded of something I was told the other day by a man who is hj way of being a prominent historical writer. He was ‘‘approached,” as they say, by one of those big American film producers. People, the film man apologised, were displaying a certain curiosity about the general history of mankind. It was an unaccountable lapse, and no doubt a temporary one, but it could not be ignored. Would it bo possible for my friend to prepare the scenario for a scries of films of such a history? A glimpse was given, carelessly but attractively, of dollars falling in showers. My friend considered various dil-

Acuities, but decided that somethin;' of the sort cculd he done. “The t>ublio wants to know about thing*.’ he agreed. The film man expressed great optimism about the scheme but in rather doubtful tones. His reason was in conflict with his instincts and mental habits. The latter were the better exercised and the more powerful. There was a pause in the discussion. It was evident that a difficulty had to be considered. “T wonder now,” said th« film man “if it wouldn’t be possible to run .some little story through this series—something about a boy *rul liis girl, and a bit of trouble between them, or a levcnge or something of that sort. So as to have a thread of human interest in it.” A. thread of human intereatr—in the history of mankind ! The conversation ended in discord.

And that* mrely, despite a|l Mr Wells’s vehement appeal to reviewers to treat his new book as r work of fiction and not an autobiography is why “The Outline of History” has never been filmed.