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Movies: Wright's Greatest Sorrow

Click here to read the story:

• How and why Wright got into the movie business

• Which movies were actually based on his stories

• Which were based on stories he had never even seen and quickly despised.

1937,    56 minutes,    FOX,    mono

Reviews: This is one of the few movies associated with Harold Bell Wright's name that got a decent review, which is ironic since Wright did not write the story or even see it before it was produced as a movie, though Wright was paid for it.  See my movie introduction page for more of the story of the 1935 Lesser/Wright contract.  In a personal letter now in the University of Arizona library, Wright mentions that the actual writer sued him when the movie was released with Wright's name on it.  He does not mention how the legal action was settled, but I suspect the judge dropped the case since it was Lesser who hired the writer, used the story, and attached Wright's name to it.

The Variety critic says, "Western of the better grade and has the benefit of the Harold Bell Wright name."  He reports that the story is familiar, but "it has received careful production attention."  

In the story Paul Kelly works in New York for a trust company.  He is sent to Arizona to try to convince Judith Allen that she should sell her property before she loses all her money on her failing milk farm business.  He takes an expert in milk production with him to help persuade her.  But when Kelly gets there he discovers that one of Allen's foreman and a local banker are conspiring to get the land for themselves because they know there is a rich silver deposit there.  The Motion Picture Guide concludes, "He foils their plans and wins Allen."

The Variety review ends with this statement, "Picture has been well edited to 56 minutes of running time, possesses good pace, maintains its suspense, and is favored by picturesque backgrounds.  Compared to most westerns, however, it hits a new low in gunfire and hard riding."

Release:  20th Century Fox

Production: Sol Lesser

Director:  Howard Bretherton

Writing/Screenplay:  "Based on a novel by Harold Bell Wright."  Adapted by Earle Snell, Harry Chandler, John Roberts

Availability: This movie is usually available from Movies Unlimited, 3015 Darnell Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154. 1-800-668-4344 www.moviesunlimited.com.