Sir, Our company is producung a film in technicolour [sic] in association with Sir Alexander Korda and Mr. David O. Selznick, based on Mary Webb's novel "Gone to Earth." The exterior scenes are being made in Shropshire upon the hils which she made famous. The film, which is already sold in the United States and in the rest of the world, has been in production for 12 weeks and is nearly finished. We are prevented from completing the final scenes by the British Field Sports' Society, which has decided, on behalf of its members, that the theme of the film is anti-blood sports, and tha no master of foxhounds may lend his pack of hounds for the final scenes.
Apart from the injury and expense which this decision causes us, it is surely absurd to create propaganda out of a work of art and to create most undesirable publicity over a book which has become a minor classic. We need hardly say that Shropshire is humming with discussion, for and against, that gossip is spreading, and that we are forced at last to bring this difference of opinion into the open in the hope that there is a master of foxhounds with a mind of his own and enough sporting blood to help us finish the film within our budget, which is being endangered by this veto.
|
We are, &c.,
|
MICHAEL POWELL,
EMERIC PRESSBURGER
|
|
Longmynd Hotel, Church Stretton, Salop.
|
|
