Roland DORGELÈS
"J'étais content de mon scénario. Mais en mon absence le metteur en scène (un certain Le Hénaff, que Sacha Guitry a surnommé Le Gniaf), a tripatouillé mon texte..."
Signed autograph letter addressed to a fellow writer watching the film Coup de tête for which he is a screenwriter and dialogue writer but above all in disagreement with the director René Le Hénaff
Salies-du-Salat (Haute-Garonne) [Salies-du-Salat] s. d. [1944]|21 x 27 cm|une page recto verso
Amusing autograph letter signed by Roland Dorgelès addressed to a fellow writer concerning René Le Hénaff's film entitled Coup de tête, released in 1944, for which the author of Les Croix de Bois served as screenwriter and dialogue writer, (41 lines in blue ink) written from his retreat in Salies-du-Salat in Haute-Garonne.
Fold marks inherent to postal handling.
Roland Dorgelès shows little indulgence for cinema actors and actresses: "J'ai vu votre photo dans un illustré : vous faisiez un cours de littérature aux futures vedettes de cinéma. Elles en ont foutrement besoin !" ("I saw your photo in an illustrated magazine: you were giving a literature course to future cinema stars. They damn well need it!")
Displeased with the final editing of the film Coup de tête to which he had devoted much of himself in adapting it, then serving as screenwriter and dialogue writer, the former Poilu Roland Dorgelès denounces René Le Hénaff's attitude, who did not even take the precaution of consulting him before making some final changes to their collaboration: "J'étais content de mon scénario. Mais en mon absence le metteur en scène (un certain Le Hénaff, que Sacha Guitry a surnommé Le Gniaf), a tripatouillé mon texte ajoutant un dialogue et des gags de son goût, si bien que je me demande ce que vaut le film ainsi remanié." ("I was pleased with my screenplay. But in my absence the director (a certain Le Hénaff, whom Sacha Guitry nicknamed Le Gniaf), tampered with my text adding dialogue and gags to his taste, so much so that I wonder what the film is worth thus reworked.")
He distances himself in advance from the result obtained: "J'ai d'ailleurs demandé que l'oeuvre fut présentée comme tirée d'un roman de moi et non comme scénario portant ma signature." ("I have moreover requested that the work be presented as drawn from a novel of mine and not as a screenplay bearing my signature.") and asks as a favor of his correspondent to go see this film: "Vous avez compris ce que j'attends de votre amitié ? Allez vite voir Coup de tête pour me dire franchement ce que ça vaut." ("You have understood what I expect from your friendship? Go quickly see Coup de tête to tell me frankly what it's worth.")
Fold marks inherent to postal handling.
Roland Dorgelès shows little indulgence for cinema actors and actresses: "J'ai vu votre photo dans un illustré : vous faisiez un cours de littérature aux futures vedettes de cinéma. Elles en ont foutrement besoin !" ("I saw your photo in an illustrated magazine: you were giving a literature course to future cinema stars. They damn well need it!")
Displeased with the final editing of the film Coup de tête to which he had devoted much of himself in adapting it, then serving as screenwriter and dialogue writer, the former Poilu Roland Dorgelès denounces René Le Hénaff's attitude, who did not even take the precaution of consulting him before making some final changes to their collaboration: "J'étais content de mon scénario. Mais en mon absence le metteur en scène (un certain Le Hénaff, que Sacha Guitry a surnommé Le Gniaf), a tripatouillé mon texte ajoutant un dialogue et des gags de son goût, si bien que je me demande ce que vaut le film ainsi remanié." ("I was pleased with my screenplay. But in my absence the director (a certain Le Hénaff, whom Sacha Guitry nicknamed Le Gniaf), tampered with my text adding dialogue and gags to his taste, so much so that I wonder what the film is worth thus reworked.")
He distances himself in advance from the result obtained: "J'ai d'ailleurs demandé que l'oeuvre fut présentée comme tirée d'un roman de moi et non comme scénario portant ma signature." ("I have moreover requested that the work be presented as drawn from a novel of mine and not as a screenplay bearing my signature.") and asks as a favor of his correspondent to go see this film: "Vous avez compris ce que j'attends de votre amitié ? Allez vite voir Coup de tête pour me dire franchement ce que ça vaut." ("You have understood what I expect from your friendship? Go quickly see Coup de tête to tell me frankly what it's worth.")
€250