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The Scarlet Letter (film edition)
by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Lillian Gish)
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Fine/Near Fine
- Seller
-
Glendale, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
A film tie-in edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlett Letter (1926) starring Lilian Gish and directed by Victor Seastrom. A book that s usually found without the rare colorful jacket - especially in this condition. I ve coupled it with an original vintage promotional photo of Gish from the film. The original first edition of this work was first published in 1850 and has enjoyed many stage and film adaptations over the past 170 years. The Gish/Seastrom collaboration was the first feature film version of Hawthorne s work. This was part of a film deal MGM s Irving Thalberg had given Lillian Gish which gave her unprecedented control (especially for a woman) of the production as she chose the screenwriter, Director and male lead. Gish decided to forgo part of her salary for greater artistic control but still ended up being paid something like $800,000 per film at MGM - an insane amount in the mid 1920s and only later matched by Greta Garbo in the 1930s. An attractive purchase for any cinema fan.
Synopsis
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Scarlet Letter (film edition)
Reviews
On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 012
- Title
- The Scarlet Letter (film edition)
- Author
- Nathaniel Hawthorne (Lillian Gish)
- Format/Binding
- Publisher's cloth
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- Film edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Readers Library
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1926
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Cinema Studies, English Literature
- Size
- small 12mo.
Terms of Sale
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
Biblio member since 2021
Glendale, California
About Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books LLC, specializes in books from the 16th through 20th century. We stock many books in the field of literature, Western philosophy, Greek classics, the history of ideas, Medicine & Science & fine sets. We are always looking to purchase individual books in our areas of interest.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
This Book’s Categories
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Historical Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Literary Studies Literary Criticism
- Fiction & Literature Modern Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Mystery & Thrillers Mystery
- Children & Juvenile Juvenile & Young Adult Juvenile Fiction & Literature
Collecting and identifying signed letters and holographic documents
Many authors and other famous literary figures wrote and signed letters by hand, and you can find a great collection of them in the Biblio rare book room. See our great collection of handwritten letters and holographic documents
Collecting and Using City Directories
Don’t overlook that old city directory - it is priceless for authors, collectors who focus on specific cities, geneaology, and other niche interests. Learn more...
