1935 Presentation Movie Script, "The Informer"
Appraised Value:
$4,000 - $5,000
IMAGE: 1 of 2
Appraisal Video: (2:28)
Appraised By:
Mike Gutierrez
Collectibles
Consignment Director
Heritage Galleries
Appraisal Transcript:
APPRAISER: What can you tell me about this movie script entitled "The Informer"?
GUEST: Well, it was tossed on the side of the road. This landlord was cleaning out an apartment, and he just had a pile of books. And being a book lover, I asked him if I could take some of these books. And among these books was this particular item.
APPRAISER: This is a presentation leather copy. You can tell right at the bottom where it says "presented to." These are specially made scripts for the cast and the crew. Additionally, what they've done is they have signed their names on the inside. On this particular page, we've got Victor McLaglen, who was the star of the movie, and other cast members. In 1936, it was unanimously voted by the New York critics as the best picture.
GUEST: Oh...
APPRAISER: However, it did not get Best Picture for an Oscar. It did, however, win four Academy Awards.
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: And, uh, including Victor McLaglen, who was the star of the show, and John Ford, the director. It also received Best Score, and it got the Best Screenplay by Dudley Nichols. All have signed this book.
GUEST: Oh, my.
APPRAISER: And also, in reviewing all the signatures-- the signatures are all authentic and genuine.
GUEST: Oh!
APPRAISER: You can see that the binding on the side is starting to come apart. That can be repaired, and it wouldn't affect the value. I would highly recommend you do that. Interesting enough, Dudley Nichols, who won Best Screenplay for this movie...
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: ...was the first person in Academy Award history to decline an Oscar.
GUEST: I'll be darned.
APPRAISER: There was a feud between one of the guilds and the studios at the time, and Mr. Nichols decided that he would not accept his Academy Award. First time in the history.
GUEST: Wow. Well, it's fascinating.
APPRAISER: This is one of the earliest cast and crew signed scripts I've ever seen.
GUEST: Wow. Huh.
APPRAISER: If this went in auction, the value of this would probably be $4,000 to $5,000.
GUEST: Holy Toledo! (both laughing) Wow. Oh. Nice piece of garbage...
APPRAISER: Well...
GUEST: ...on the curb of Madison, Wisconsin.
APPRAISER: You bet.
GUEST: Thank you very much.
APPRAISER: You bet.
GUEST: That's wonderful. (laughs) Wow!
