Dear Denis –

I hope you got my wire.

It is (as the Americans say) “swell” that Blind Man’s Buff has such a success. (I laughed heartily, when I read in a Dublin paper that the play “makes history”. Heaven I wished that the history which our Hitler makes may be as bloodless).

Two weeks ago I came back from my Californian lecture tour. I was flying from one place to the other, speaking sometimes four times in 24 hours. I reached all social strata and I think the tour was useful. – The atmosphere of this country has immensely changed since 1929 – to its good. One feels in every place a new spirit – if Europe perishes, its best spirit will be preserved here. – Today I am back on my way to California. I told you in London that I have written two film stories (Lola Montez and The Road to India, the Epic of the Suez Canal). I shall write for M. G. M. Lola Montez as a screen play. I have not the slightest prejudice against such work. The art-handicraft of film is a vehicle with which I like to drive for a short time.

– Now to “Blind Man’s Buff”. The script in its final version is really needed, dear Denis. McClintic, one of the few sincere and intelligent producers of America (by the way, as you may know, the husband of Katharine Cornell) read your first version and decided in 12 hours to produce it. He is anxious to see the revisions which you made during the rehearsals of the Abbey. What he suggested is the same what we talked over in our letter. I told him that the jury scene is probably cancelled and that (after our correspondence) you decided to develop the character of Anice in an interrogatory during the trial scene and in the last scene. (And perhaps to show in the first scene, that she knows the weakness of the doctor.)

Please, do understand me right. I should not have dared to talk about these possible alterations – if your letter would not have given me the impression that you agreed.

Concerning the puppet scene I think now you were right.

– I wrote you that Freedman will represent the play. But Freedman’s position was difficult, he had a quarrel with Madden before and he did not want to have a new one. So, when I heard, that Curtis Brown is your London agent, I decided to give him also Blind Man’s Buff for America – as Curtis Brown represents my book-rights for England and all my old plays for America. I think it is the best solution to have one agent for both countries. – I welcome it that Curtis Brown London cooperates with Peacock.

My comedy “No more Peace” will be done in March, “The Machinewreckers” in April.

Kindest regards for you and Mrs. Johnston –

and my gratitude for your work.

Yours ever

Ernst Toller.

Santa Monica

(California)

Hotel Miramar.

Apparat

my wire] D. i. 1937-02-04_johnston d

that Blind Man’s Buff has such a success] Blind Man’s Buff wurde am 26.12.1936 im Abbey Theatre in Dublin unter der Regie von Hugh Hunt uraufgeführt. Das Stück lief 24 Mal, bevor es wieder vom Spielplan genommen wurde. Hierzu brach das Abbey Theatre zum ersten Mal seine „two week rule“, die besagte, dass ein Stück nie länger als zwei Wochen lang gespielt werden sollte (vgl. TW, Bd. 2, S. 768).

in a Dublin paper] Toller meint vermutlich eine der zahlreichen Rezensionen im Dublin Evening Herald, dem Irish Independent, der Irish Press oder der Dublin Evening Mail. Vgl. Spalek 1969, S. 499–507.

Two weeks ago I came back from my Californian lecture tour.] Spätestens am 22.1. war Toller wegen einer Erkrankung (vgl. 1937-01-23_johnston d) wieder in New York City.

speaking sometimes four times] Emendiert aus: sometimes four times speaking

strata] Emendiert aus: stratas

Lola Montez] Das Drehbuch, an dem Toller zuerst unter dem Titel Betsy James und anschließend u. d. T. Lola Montez arbeitete, trug zuletzt den Titel Heavenly Sinner. Es wurde nie verfilmt und scheint nicht erhalten geblieben zu sein.

The Road to India] Der Weg nach Indien (TW, Bd. 5, S. 257–291) folgt dem Verlauf der Konzept- und Bauarbeiten am Sues-Kanal durch Ferdinand de Lesseps und wurde ebenfalls nie verfilmt. Vgl. zu Tollers Arbeit beim Film ausführlich den Kommentar in TW, Bd. 5, S. 454–563.

in our letter]  D. i. 1936-11-24b_johnston d.

the puppet scene] In der ersten Szene des zweiten Akts von Die blinde Göttin wird vor Gericht eine Szene aus der Vergangenheit der Angeklagten mit einer Puppe nachgespielt, die aber spricht und handelt wie ein lebendiger Mensch. Johnstons Äußerungen zu dieser Szene konnten nicht ermittelt werden.

“No more Peace” will be done in March] Nie wieder Friede! wurde Ende Februar in New York und Anfang April in Pittsburgh gespielt.

“The Machinewreckers” in April] Die New Yorker Premiere der Maschinenstürmer fand am 10.4.1937 statt.

Mrs. Johnston] D. i. Shelah Richards. Richards und Johnston trennten sich noch im selben Jahr.