F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood :: Biography Biographies Essays

F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood I saw the novel...was becoming subordinated to a mechanical...art...I had a get it on that the talkies would make even the best selling novelist as archaic as silent pictures. (Mizener 165) F. Scott Fitzgerald was keenly aware of the shift in the publics interest from novels to movies. This diverge do Hollywood stand alone for Fitzgerald as the sole meat for expressing his talent and for gaining appropriate recognition, as well as the new modal value to make money. For F. Scott Fitzgerald, the combination of celebrity and financial benefits made Hollywood an bid scene.In 1927 Fitzgerald got his first chance to go to Hollywood. The financially strained Fitzgeralds go out to California when Scott accepted an offer from John Considine of United Artists. opus in Hollywood, Zelda and Scott fell into a lively social scene. It was during this time that Scott met the actress Lois Moran. The vernacular attraction inspired Scott to take a screen t est so that he could star in a movie with her. While Scott neer got to act with Lois, he did use her to create the character of Rosemary in Tender Is the Night - even including the screen test arrangement complaisant engagements aside, Fitzgerald worked hard on his script for United Artists. Titled Lipstick, the movie was to be designed specifically for Constance Talmadge, a well-known actress of the time. The script was ultimately rejected, however, and the Fitzgeralds leave California. Years later, Fitzgerald commented on this time in Hollywood, At that time, I had been loosely acknowledged for several years as the top American source both seriously and, as far as prices went, popularly. I...was confidant to the sharpen of conceit. Hollywood made a big fuss over us and the ladies all looked very beautiful to a man of thirty. I aboveboard believed that with no effort on my part I was a fall apart of magician with words...Total result - a great time and no work. I wa s to be paid only a small amount unless they made my picture - they didnt. (Mizener 205) Fitzgerald had officially begun his painful relationship with Hollywood, which for the remainder of his life would at the same time represent endless promise and unceasing frustration.The second time Fitzgerald went to Hollywood was in 1931, under the invitation of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who wanted Scott to do an adaptation of Red-Headed Woman, a restrain by Katherine Brush.