Does anyone know anything about Ray's unproduced screenplay "The Dreamers" based on the novel by Roger Manvell?
Are there any copies of it in the public domain?
Tim

Hi Tim,

yes I know a bit about The Dreamers, most of it told to me by Bradbury scholar Jon Eller:

Roger Manvell's book was published in the 1950s. In 1957 Ray Bradbury was in negotiations with a new film company called Hecht-Hill-Lancaster. The first screenwriting job related to this was Ray's screenplay of "And the Rock Cried Out", which was never filmed. Still unpublished, some people who have read the manuscript say it is one of Ray's best scripts.

Around early 1959 Ray completed his screen treatment for the second Hecht-Hill-Lancaster job, The Dreamers. Jon Eller tells me it's a "story of killing by entering dreams", and that it was structured similarly to the British thriller Dead of Night, which Ray had seen and enjoyed. I believe Dead of Night was a "portmanteau" film, ostensibly a single narrative, but really a series of episodes strung together. I don't think Ray wrote a genuinely finished screenplay, but his treatment was apparently quite detailed. If you have seen Ray's treatment for It Came From Outer Space, you will know that his treatments are pretty much full scripts.

And no, the treatment/script has never been published. No doubt copies exist in Donn Albright's archive, and we can only hope that Ray can one day be persuaded to publish. Of course, there could be copyright complications due to the source material being Manvell's.

It isn't clear why The Dreamers was never made - presumably the film company chose to do something else instead. Incidentally, the third screenwriting job of the HHL deal was probably The Fox and the Forest, but I don't know whether this was ever written. I suspect the deal was dropped before Ray ever got round to it.

Fascinating Phil!

And thanks for such a detailed reply. I know the novel well, and have been thinking about pursuing the rights for some time.

I'm involved in filmmaking/TV production and was enormously intrigued to learn that Ray had written a script.

Although it's likely that the story could only work as a period piece today, due to certain aspects of the narrative, I'm left wondering if there's any potential in taking a fresh look at Ray's adaptation/treatment.

I'd love to investigate this further - any suggestions as to the best way to contact Ray about this? (I imagine his agent would be the obvious choice).

Regards,
Tim

Yes, contacting Ray's agents would be best:

Don Congdon Associates, 156 Fifth Avenue, Suite 625, New York, NY 10010; tel 212-645-1229; fax 212-727-2688.

By the way, it occurs to me that there MAY be a copy of Ray's manuscript in the William F. Nolan/Ray Bradbury papers at Bowling Green University, Ohio. (A large collection of Ray's papers from c1950-1980.) Details about the collection here: http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/ms0379.html

Thanks again, Phil. I've contacted the university first to see if they have anything in archive. Will keep you posted.

Regards,
Tim

Phil, FYI -
There IS a copy of 'The Dreamers' screenplay at Bowling Green, but as it was written for hire, Ray doesn't own the copyright and can't give his permission for a copy to be made. So the work will remain a mystery unless I can get to Ohio to read it on site!
Best,
Tim

Tim,

I share your frustration - I'm not even on the same CONTINENT as the unpublished RB manuscripts I wish to study!