Guide to Michael Neyman's Screen adaptation, stills, and film for the original version of John Steinbeck's story FLIGHT, 1957-1961
Processed by Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Sean Quimby.
Department of Special Collections
Green Library
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, CA 94305-6004
Phone: (650) 725-1022
Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu
URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc
© 2002
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Guide to Michael Neyman's Screen adaptation, stills, and film for the original version of John Steinbeck's story FLIGHT, 1957-1961
Collection number: M0767
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- Green Library
- Stanford University Libraries
- Stanford, CA 94305-6004
- Phone: (650) 725-1022
- Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu
- URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc
- Processed by:
- Special Collections staff
- Encoded by:
- Sean Quimby
© 2002 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Neyman, Michael. Screen adaptation, stills, and film for the original version of John Steinbeck's story FLIGHT,
Date (inclusive): 1957-1961
Collection number: M0767
Creator:
Neyman, Michael
Extent:
3.5 linear ft.
Repository:
Stanford University. Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
None.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights
reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To
obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the
Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.
Provenance
Purchased, 1995.
Preferred Citation:
Michael Neyman's Screen adaptation, stills, and film for the original version of John Steinbeck's story FLIGHT. M0767. Dept.
of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Biography
Neyman had read FLIGHT in Berkeley High School; he wrote a screenplay in 1955; succeeded in obtaining the rights to film it
in 1956 "through the kindness of John Steinbeck," and by 1959 succeeded in obtaining $80,000 from 27 shareholders in a corporation.
He was then 23. But he went over budget and the picture was taken away from him by the principal investor, Barnaby Conrad,
and both script and footage changed considerably. Michael Neyman studied cinema at USC, continued his career as a professional
cameraman, but never again tackled a theatrical feature.
A 1959 column by Paine Knickerbocker quotes Steinbeck at the time on Neyman: "Your script of 'FLIGHT' is the most exact translation
of story to film I have ever seen. There is no softening, no sweetening, no attempt to sentimentalize. But I have not the
slightest idea wehter it will work." In 1955 Steinbeck gave Neyman a two-year option, with the proviso he would approve the
finished work. In 1959 Steinbeck extended the option and withdrew the demand. By the time Neyman was out of the picture and
the investors had ponied up $240,000, Steinbeck spent a weekend writing and recording a commentary to soup up the picture,
for producer Conrad.
Scope and Content
Included are Neyman's original versions: some preliminary film
shots, his film, such of it as has been preserved, stills from the film
and related prints, correspondence, publicity from his day, and ephemera.
Access Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Conrad, Barnaby, 1922-
Drutman, Irving.
Grunwald, Henry.
Hitchcock, Alfred, 1899-
Knickerbocker, Paine.
McClure, Michael.
McCord, Ted, d. 1976.
Otis, Elizabeth.
Parkinson, Thomas.
Scanlon, Bob.
Scott, Henry.
Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968.
Wilisie, Mike.
Zinneman, Fred, 1907-
Motion pictures.
Negatives.
Photoprints.
Scripts.
Box 1, Folder 1
"Flight" script. Video/audio version. [June 1957]
Box 1, Folder 2
"Flight" script. Stencils.
Box 1, Folder 3
"Flight" shooting script revised. Video/audio version. [Oct.1958]
Box 1, Folder 5
Barnaby Conrad's suggestions for revising the script.
Box 1, Folder 6
"Flight" stencil for film teaser opener.
Box 1, Folder 7
"Flight" Production, Inc. stationery.
Box 1, Folder 8
"Flight" Film Register (for Box #2)
Box 1, Folder 10
"Flight" Publicity Photos.
Box 1, Folder 12
"Flight" Film Stills. [Dec. 1960]
Box 1, Folder 13
"Flight", 62 prints of film scenes.
Box 1, Folder 14
"Flight", 28 prints of film scenes.
Box 1, Folder 15
"Flight", various stills and prints.
Box 1, Folder 16
"Flight", prints [Miscellaneous].
Box 1, Folder 17
"Flight", Photo Negatives.
Box 1, Folder 18
"Flight", captions for stills.
Box 1, Folder 19
"Flight", bills and receipts. [1959-61]
Box 1, Folder 20
Newspaper clippings relating to the production of "Flight". [1957-59?]
Box 1, Folder 21
Correspondence to Michael Neyman. [Elizabeth Otis, Fred Zinneman, et. al.] [1960-66]
Box 1, Folder 22
Correspondence from Michael Neyman. [to John Steinbeck, Fred Zinneman, Alfred Hitchcock, Thomas Parkinson, Barnaby Conrad
et. al.] [1960-1967]
Box 1, Folder 23
Material written by Michael Neyman: "Introduction"(autobiographical), "Previous Photographic Experience", Berkeley High School
grade sheet (1951), "Preliminary Proposal", "Double Boomerang" (screenplay).
Carton 2, Folder 1
#35. Core. Slate: Flight / Dir. Neyman / 11-2-59
Physical Description: Black and white, 35 mm. 380 feet.
Carton 2, Folder 2
#42. Duplicate.
Physical Description: 35 mm. 250 feet.
Carton 2, Folder 3
#7. Slate: Flight / Neyman/ 10-16.
Physical Description: 3'' core. Black and white, 35 mm. 260 feet.
Carton 2, Folder 4
#47. Slate: "Prod. Flight Revue / Dir. Neyman / 11-2-57.
Physical Description: brown metal 400' reel. Black and white, 16 mm. Double perfs.
Carton 2, Folder 5
#34. Paper label: "Cam. orig. (rev.) w/mag TRK FLIGHT PILOT 1968 most valued film check splices". 1968
Physical Description: Brown 400' steel reel. Black and white, 16 mm. Single perfs. Three minutes.
Carton 2, Folder 6
#3. Original. Slate: "Flight / Dir. and Cam. Neyman / 10-28-59".
Carton 2, Folder 7
#48 Slate: "Prod. E Ramirez-test / Dir. and Cam. Neyman / Produced by Ruth Dwyer Agency.9-3-56.
Physical Description: Tails out on 2'' core. Black and white, 16 mm. Double perfs.
Carton 2, Folder 8
#38. Core. Black and white 35 mm. Slate: "Flight / Neyman / 7-2-59.
Physical Description: 250 feet.
Carton 2, Folder 9
#4 Flipped, reversed, etc.
Physical Description: Black and white, 35 mm. 200 feet.
Carton 2, Folder 10
Bundle of film strip negatives for "Light Test".
Carton 2, Folder 11
Bundle of film strip negatives for "Light Test".
Carton 2, Folder 12
Bundle of film strip negatives for "Light Test".
Carton 2, Folder 13
Bundle of film strip negatives for "Light Test".
Flat Box 3, Folder 1
"Flight". Oversized photographs and contact prints.
