“GRAPES OF WRATH”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1939, Page 4

“GRAPES OF WRATH”

PURCHASED BY ZANUCK,

Darryl Zanuck has added another valuable story property to his list, from which his 1939-40 specials will be chosen, with the purchase of i "Grapes of Wrath,” a new novel by the American writer, John Steinbeck. This book, which cost Twentieth Cen-tury-Fox £14,000, has been included in the category of great books such as “Gone With the Wind,” “The Rains Came,” and "Drums Along the Mohawk.” The purchase was made possible by the elastic production policy established by Zanuck, which makes it possible for the studio to take advantage of any development in the story market. Although the book was put into the hands of skilled adaptors within, a few days of purchase, it is not yet known if a treatment, suitable to Zanuck, will.be available in time to include this story in the 1939-40 lineup. It is Zanuck’s firm belief that this film will go down in immortality on the American screen as "Les Miserables" has in French literature.

In its first week this book sold 94,000 copies and has gone into a new edition, ample proof that when it is made it will have a ready-made audience waiting for it.