FORD JOHN: (1894-1973) American film director, Academy Award winner. A rare Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, two pages, 8vo, Hollywood, California, n.d. (1938/39). In dark fountain pen ink Ford has penned a series of six dialogue and scene notes for his classic Western film Stagecoach (1939), in part, 'Lordsburg - Plummers leave Oriental, black cat crosses their path - younger Plummer - hysterically - shoots cat. Luke reproves him “Keep yo nerve” (Plummers = Luke, Matthew & John?)…..Buck: birth of baby - “a baby? How - I mean - why…..Curley - I'll explain it to you sometime…..Buck to Curly: “Suppose I hafter charge half-fare for the kid?”…….Hatsfield = Escape Sequence - “I overheard your conversation. I took the liberty of saddling a horse”, the Kid = Snow Sequence “has blanket - gives to Dallas, apologises “cause it smells of hoss”'. A significant manuscript relating to one of the most influential films in cinema history. Very slightly irregularly torn to the left edge and with a few small staple holes to the upper edge, none of which affect the text, otherwise VG

John Ford's Academy Award winning film Stagecoach (1939) starred Claire Trevor as Dallas and John Wayne, in his breakthrough role, as Ringo Kid. Dudley Nichols wrote the screenplay as an adaptation of The Stage to Lordsburg, a short story by Ernest Haycox. The film follows a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through dangerous Apache territory and has long been recognised as an important work that transcends the Western genre.