Feedback, Comments, Love Letters: 2002From: tales@soltec.net (Ray Elliott) Don Fraser: I've forwarded your message and question to several members of the James Jones Literary Society, none of whom seem to know much to tell you. I think Tom Wood, the society's archivist/historian at the University of Illinois, Springfield, which has many Jones' papers, may be your best bet for some information. His e-mail address is wood@uis.edu. Another source might be Barbara Jones, University of Illinois Rare Book & Special Collections Librarian, who oversees the Jones papers, including the original FROM HERE TO ETERNITY manuscript, that are housed at the library. My own limited responses and/or comments are after your questions. >Greetings - I realize this question is a bit off from the purpose of the JJLS, but I am at a loss to whom I might direct it otherwise. >I would like to know to what extent James Jones participated in the making >of the film, From Here to Eternity?" For instance: >I realize his own screen play was not used, but what, if anything from his screen play might have been used? Jones was hired as a consultant and had some input, I'm sure, but I haven't been able to find out any more than that. Tom Wood might have some information. >Is his screen play in existence? Again, Tom Wood or Barbara Jones may be of some help. Material at their respective institutions are well catalogued, as are the Jones papers at Yale University; the University of Texas, Austin, has a large collection of Jones papers that are currently being catalogued. >Also, did James Jones make any sort of appearance in the film? I have viewed the movie many times and believe I could be persuaded that he does appear in several scenes shot indoors, presumably in Hollywood. I've been told that he didn't appear in the movie, but it's an interesting question. Tim Zinnemann, FHTE director Fred Zinnemann, seems to be very knowledgable about his father's movies and has produced a documentary tribute to his father, and may have some of the answers you seek. >Could you answer these questions for me, or perhaps better yet, direct me to another authoritative source(s)? >Many thanks and sincerely, >Don Fraser Thanks for your interest. Best, Ray Elliott 217 384-5820 From: tales@soltec.net (Ray Elliott) Date: 01/16/2002 From: Subject: James Jones Participation in Film FHTE FYI: The man from the Office of Naval Research requesting the information on FHTE says the attached remarks include the following rgard Jones being in the film: "...Another bit of casting trivia: author James Jones played an uncredited bit character. If anyone knows what Jones looks like, see if you can spot him!...." RE >From: "Fraser, Donald" >Mr. Elliott - Thank you again. I will try Yale University first. I've enclosed the remarks made by Ms. Judi Hoffman when introducing FHTE at the Library of Congress as a candidate film for the National Film Registry a few years ago. (I've inquired of the the Library of Congress as well, and have yet to hear.) In her remarks she mentions a bit part for James Jones and challenges the audience to pick him out. >Don Fraser Ray Elliott 217 384-5820 Candidates for the National Film Registry: James Jones based his first novel in 1951, From Here to Eternity, on his own military experience as a World War II veteran, and created a scathing portrait of peacetime military life in the U.S. army in the months before Pearl Harbor. Although Jones' novel became a best-seller and winner of the National Book Award, movie studios were, perhaps understandably, a bit concerned about the chances of turning the violent and sexual 860-page story into a motion picture that could be accepted by both the Army and the Production Code censors in the Breen Office. Warner Bros. and 20th Century-Fox did attempt initial treatments of the book, only to finally dismiss it as unfilmable because of excessive profanity, sexual situations, and unflattering views of the military. When Harry Cohn, president of Columbia Pictures, bought the film rights to the novel for $82,000, the project became known as "Cohn's folly." Cohn, for those of you not familiar with the movie mogul, had a reputation built on aggressive, rude, and tyrannical behavior. Director Fred Zinnemann referred to Cohn as "a robber baron, predatory and cunning," and admitted to initially disliking Cohn so much that he asked his agent to get him off the film. Cohn rejected several writers' treatments of the novel--including one by Jones himself--before accepting a screenplay by Daniel Taradash that managed to retain the spirit of the novel and appease the Breen Office censors by getting rid of the novel's profanity and its frank portrayal of prostitution. The character of Lorene was changed from a prostitute in a brothel to a "hostess" at a social club (although, as you will soon see, the film left little doubt in the mind of the viewer as to what that hostessing entailed). The screenplay also dropped the novel's references to male prostitution on the part of Maggio and Prewitt. To get the Army's crucial approval and technical support, two additional changes were made in the transition from book to movie: none of the brutal treatment inside the Stockade would be shown, and the novel's sarcastic promotion of an unethical officer was changed to a forced resignation. While Zinnemann thought the first imposed change was actually an improvement, he hated the Army's second condition. "It led to the worst moment in the film, resembling a recruiting short," he said, "It makes me sick every time I see it." According to Zinnemann, it was writer Taradash and producer Buddy Adler who convinced Cohn to hire the up-and-coming director. He and Cohn clashed immediately. In a passage from his autobiography, Zinnemann relates their first furious argument on the day the two men met, when the director voiced his discomfort with Cohn's top choices for the lead character of Prewitt; John Derek or Aldo Ray: "Cohn asked, 'Who is it you want?' 'Montgomery Clift.' That was when Cohn became very angry indeed. The sense of his tirade was that this was an idiotic suggestion. Clift was wrong for the part of Prewitt... He was no soldier and no boxer and probably a homosexual, said Cohn... I wanted Clift because this story was not about a fellow who didn't want to box: it was about the human spirit refusing to be broken, about a man who resists all sorts of pressure from an institution he loves, who becomes an outsider... It was quite clear to me, if difficult to explain, what Clift would make of that character." Zinnemann had directed Clift in his first lead movie role, 1948's The Search, and was adamant in his choice of Clift for From Here to Eternity. The director claims to have given Cohn an ultimatum and left the studio exec screaming... but Cohn delivered a script to Clift the following day, and hired the actor for $150,000. Backing the casting of Clift as Prewitt was James Jones, whom Clift had met at a New York City literary party. The two men became drinking buddies, and some sources claim Jones suggested the casting of Clift before Zinnemann was even hired. Jones would later remark, "All my girlfriends said Monty Clift acted just like me in From Here to Eternity." The other major casting decisions also have their own interesting stories and myths; it appears that only Burt Lancaster was a clear and unanimous choice for the role of Sergeant Warden. In fact, Frank Sinatra--who would go on to win an Oscar for his performance as Maggio--had to fight and plead for the role, after first choice Eli Wallach backed out. Sinatra's marriage to Ava Gardner was in trouble, his career was in a slump, and throat problems made him fear his singing days were over. As the story goes, Sinatra heard about From Here to Eternity and, knowing he would be perfect as the Italian private, bombarded Cohn, Zinnemann, and Adler with pleading telegrams signed "Maggio." At the time, Sinatra was with Gardner in Nairobi where she was filming Mogambo, but he reportedly flew back to Hollywood on his own dime when the notoriously cheap Cohn relented enough to allow a screen test. Rumor has it that Sinatra offered to play the role for free, or even pay Cohn for the opportunity, and Gardner called Cohn from Africa with a last-minute plea on behalf of her estranged husband. My favorite myth has it that Sinatra got the part because of his mob connections; a wild rumor that supposedly inspired the famous horse head scene in the movie The Godfather! In reply to that story, Zinnemann states in his autobiography, one would assume tongue-in-cheek, that "At no time were horses' heads involved in the casting decision. The author of The Godfather was using poetic license." Whatever the real story, Sinatra managed to win the role of Maggio for a paltry salary of $8000, and then turned in arguably the best acting performance of his career, one that was uniformly praised and awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor of 1953. If you can imagine this, the first actress signed to play the part of Karen, the adulterous captain's wife, was Joan Crawford! Legend has it that she quit because she hated the costumes, but it is more likely that she differed with the production team over the direction of her character or her lack of top billing. Cohn was reportedly considering Jennifer Jones or Joan Fontaine, when agent Bert Allenberg phoned with a novel suggestion: "What about Deborah Kerr?" According to Zinnemann, he, Adler, and Taradash thought such casting against type was a brilliant idea, and Cohn didn't need persuading because he "could see the showmanship in it." Other accounts, however, have Cohn reacting in typical belligerent manner to what he thought was an incredibly stupid idea until the others managed to talk him into signing the previously ladylike Kerr. Zinnemann couldn't win all the casting battles, however, and he knew it. So, when Cohn insisted on a Columbia contract player for the part of Lorene the social "hostess," the director went along with Cohn's choice of Donna Reed, a surprising bit of reverse type-casting on the part of the studio exec, considering that Reed was probably best known for her role as the goody-goody wife in It's a Wonderful Life. Zinnemann's top pick for the part was said to have been Julie Christie, whom Cohn reportedly thought was not attractive enough. From Here to Eternity was filmed in only 41 days, from early March to May, 1953, at the Columbia studio in Hollywood and on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Having gained the cooperation of the Army, Zinnemann shot much of the film on location at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu and used military police sergeant Bill Mullen as technical advisor. Army surplus stores around the country were searched to provide enough pre-Pearl Harbor rifles, canvas leggings, and flat helmets for the large cast. Real soldiers, who had to be trained in handling the antiquated rifles, played extras. Another bit of casting trivia: author James Jones played an uncredited bit character. If anyone knows what Jones looks like, see if you can spot him! The movie was budgeted at around two million dollars, making it one of the costliest films of the year. In addition to the army barracks, other location scenes were shot in Hawaii, notably the famous beach scene between swimsuited Lancaster and Kerr, shot near Diamond Head. Even if you've never seen the movie, chances are you've seen shots of what has become one of cinema's most well-known moments. According to Zinnemann in his 1992 autobiography: "That scene, regarded as sensational and extremely provocative a mere 25 years ago, seems harmless and friendly by today's standards. Although it was shot very much as written, the movie censors, who knew the script by heart, nevertheless insisted on deleting four seconds of it. In later years I found that even more had been snipped out by theater projectionists, as a souvenir no doubt. For many years the tourist buses used to stop outinely at this point on the Hawaiian shore to let people admire 'the spot where Burt and Deborah made love in the waves.' It is a curious contribution we have made to popular culture." When asked in the late 1980s what it was like shooting the infamous scene, Lancaster simply answered, "It was cold, and I was wet."! During shooting, Clift intensely threw himself into preparation for playing Prewitt, as he was known to do with all his characters. As Cohn had remarked, the actor initially knew nothing about boxing, bugling, or soldiering. Monty insisted on long bugle training sessions with Manny Kline, even though he knew any playing he did in the film would be dubbed, because he felt it was important to get his throat and mouth movements just right. He drilled with fellow cast member and real-life WWII sergeant Claude Akins, and asked endless questions on soldiering techniques. Similarly, he studied boxing with former junior welterweight champion Mushy Callahan, and even boxed with author James Jones, a former Golden Gloves contender. Whether or not Clift succeeded at portraying a good boxer, however, is up for interpretation: one Academy Awards history claims that cinematographer Burnett Guffy and editor Bill Lyon were asked to cover-up Clift's boxing inability; tasks that may have helped both men win an Oscar. Even a Clift biographer admitted that the actor's greatest liability in the film was "his tendency to punch like a girl." Remarking years later on Clift's obsession with his role, Zinnemann said: "For many months after the end of filming, Monty continued to be possessed by his own creation--Private Prewitt. He was quite unable to get out of that character. By his intensity he forced the other actors to come up to his standard of performance." Clift was also, for the first time on a movie set, openly drinking, and drinking heavily. In fact, Clift, Sinatra (who was one of Monty's favorite singers), and Jones struck up a fast friendship during filming, mostly centered on drinking and talking until all hours of the night. In Patricia Bosworth's biography of Clift, she quotes a press agent who described the unlikely group of friends as "a motley trio." Jones described their evenings simply: "We'd talk about the injustice of life and love, and then Monty and I would listen to Frank talk about Ava Gardner." According to Jones, Sinatra was so depressed over his failing marriage one night that he threatened suicide, and it was Clift who talked him out of it. From Here to Eternity wrapped on time, and Cohn decided to use a new electronic monitoring system for the previews. Luckily, there was little or no change needed after the positive responses they received, because Cohn apparently declared that the movie would open at Broadway's Capitol Theater in August--August 5th, to be exact. To use Zinnemann's words, the production crew "thought that Cohn had gone mad." There was no air-conditioning in the theater, and, according to the director, no one had ever thought of releasing a major film in mid-summer. They made the date, however, and Zinnemann recounts in his autobiography an interesting story of opening night: "I was in Los Angeles when the picture opened on Broadway, on a sweltering August night. No premiere, no limousines, nothing. At 9pm, Marlene Dietrich (whom I hardly knew) called from New York and said that it was midnight there but the Capitol Theater was bulging, people were still standing around the block and there was an extra performance starting at one in the morning! I said, 'How is that possible? There has been no publicity.' 'They smell it,' she said." The movie was uniformly well-received by critics and a hit at the box office, bringing in something like 17 million its first few months. Variety declared it "an outstanding motion picture in this smash screen adaptation... an important film from any angle, presenting socko entertainment for big business... raw, tough dramatic stuff of great entertainment pull for adult ticket buyers," with "a cast seemingly so perfect for the roles it would be hard to imagine anyone else playing the characters." The New York Times found it "a film almost as towering and persuasive as its source," and stated that "as a job of editing, emending, re-arranging, and purifying a volume bristling with brutality and obscenities, From Here to Eternity stands as a shining example of truly professional moviemaking." The film received a record-setting 13 Academy Award nominations, including, as Zinnemann put it, "an incredible one for costumes, which consisted largely of uniforms and a bikini for Deborah." All five major cast members were nominated, as well as director Zinnemann, cinematographer Burnett Guffey, writer Taradash, editor William Lyon, composers George Duning and Morris Stoloff, and the movie itself. On Oscar night, From Here to Eternity took home eight awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Black and White Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Recording, and Best Supporting Actor, Frank Sinatra, and Best Supporting Actress, Donna Reed. Kerr lost to Audrey Hepburn for Best Actress, and Clift and Lancaster, both nominated in the Best Actor category, likely split the From Here to Eternity vote and lost to William Holden. This was Clift's third of four career Oscar nominations, all of which he would lose. According to his biographers, Clift was, for the first time in his life, very upset about not winning He reportedly exclaimed to New York movie critic Howard Thompson, "What do I have to do to prove I can act?" I hope you'll agree after tonight's screening that From Here to Eternity certainly proved that Clift, and the rest of the talented cast, could act, in case you had any doubts! Now I will shut up and let the film roll -- the Best Picture of 1953, From Here to Eternity. Judi Hoffman is the moving image and recorded sound cataloger for the National Digital Library and the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division at the Library of Congress. She holds a M.A. in Critical and Cultural Studies of Radio-Television-Film and a M.L.I.S. from the University of Texas at Austin. From: "Kevin Heisler" Hi Ray, Don, I asked my older brother, Joe, to do some research on this question. He found a terrific book published by UC Press, Berkeley (1991) with a Daniel Taradash interview. (Backstory 2: Interviews With Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s, edited by Pat McGilligan): excerpt, p. 309 "Please tell Dan Taradash how much I liked it," wrote James Jones to the producer of FHTE (1953). "I don't see how in hell he could have managed all the rearrangements he has...and still come up with an interpretation that hits so close to the original intention of the book." note: the above letter is not included in George Hendrick's To Reach Eternity: The Letters of James Jones. In an interview (p. 316), Taradash notes (much as George Hendrick did): "Well, the only person I know of who had worked on it was Jim Jones himself. He wrote a treatment, and he ruined his book. He was worried about censorship -- everyone was -- and in his treatment, the captain's wife (the Deborah Kerr role) is his sister! No movie. And the captain didn't apply the "treatment" to Prewett (sic). He was a nice fellow and when he found out about the treatment, he got furious." Taradash later states:(to Harry Cohn) "I said, "I'll give you two ideas. The first one is, instead
of
Maggio just petering out and being discharged and sent back to
Brooklyn,
Maggio should be just the way he is There's further information about the casting of the film, from Taradash's POV. It's interesting to note that James Jones had two clear goals in asking Burroughs Mitchell to negotiate the right to do a treatment based on the novel: December 2, 1950 Dear Mitch, As far as the movie rights are concerned, I have only two desires. The first, and main one, is that I get as much money out of the sale as I can, and to hell with how they butcher it up ... The second concern is that I would like, if at all possible, to get a couple months work or so out there on the script ... I want this because someday, along with all the other goddam novels I want to write, I want to write a goddam novel on Hollywood. A really good one has never been done, with the possible exception of "Last Tycoon" which was not finished." TRE: Letters p. 178 From: "Fraser, Donald" Thanks, Kevin. This is very interesting. Fantastic stuff... almost like being a fly on the wall. Regarding my question about Jones appearing in FHTE, I found a publicity photo in a Deborah Kerr biography that shows, Lancaster, Sinatra, Kerr, Zinneman and Jones at the foot of a ladder to an airplane with a caption indicating the group was preparing to leave for location shooting on FHTE. As it is a publicity shot, one can't place too much stock in it, I wouldn't think, but I have found numerous references of Jones socializing with Clift, Sinatra, and even Lancaster during the filming. I believe Jones is credited as a technical consultant on the film... I forget, for sure, but if true, it would seem to indicate an opportunity for him to have been in a scene or two. I also found a citation in a Lancaster biography, "Against Type" (I think), that indicates Jones remained in Hollywood for a while with help from Lancaster under the auspices of working on a Hecht-Lancaster production project for Lancaster. This seems to jive with the citation your brother found regarding Jones' desire to work for a while in Hollywood to gather material for a novel. Thank you very much, and please thank your brother for me as well. From: Karmel84@aol.com Date: 02/25/2002 Subject: hi do u have any summaries for from here to eternity From: Nuveden@aol.com Date: 03/06/2002 Subject: THE THIN RED LINE I AM NOT SURE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER MY QUESTION. HOWEVER, HERE IT IS. IN HIS NOVEL, THE THIN RED LINE, THERE IS A PASSAGE ABSOLUT THE SOLDIERS ATTACKING A MACHINE GUN NEST LOCATED AT THE TOP OF A HILL. ACTUALLY THERE ARE TWO NESTS. I WAS ON A DESTROYER ESCORT IN 1944-1945 CALLED THE CLARENCE L EVANS, DE 113. CLARENCE L EVANS WAS A MARINE ON GUADELCANAL AND WAS AWARDED A MEDAL FOR LEADING HIS MEN UP A HILL AND DESTROYING TWO MACHINE GUN NESTS. THE ACTION IS SO SIMILAR TO THE BOOK, THAT I WAS WONDERING WHETHER JAMES JONES NOTES INDICATE WHETHER THE ACTION WAS THE SAME. CLARENCE L EVANS WAS KILLED TWO DAYS LATER. OUR SHIP WAS NAMED AFTER HIM. MY SHIPMATES WILL BE HAVING A REUNION IN ALBANY AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEM THAT THE JONES BOOK REFERENCE WAS INDEED THE SAME. PERHAPS YOU CAN HELP ME. From: "Wood, Thomas" According to the info on the ship at http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de113.htm "" Clarence L. Evans Born 27 April 1923 at Saginaw, Missouri. Clarence Lee Evans enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve 31 May 1941, and after training at San Diego, served in the field from 20 January 1942 until 25 November 1942, when he was killed in action on Guadalcanal. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in capturing two enemy machine gun nests 2 days before his death. "" Jones saw action somewhat later in the American assualt on Guadalcanal. His unit (Company F, 27th Infantry Regiment), like Evans', made assaults on machine gun nests, most notably on Jan. 10, 1943 when Jones was injured. (MacShane, pp. 53-54.) But I believe Jones based the experiences of "Charlie Company" in the book on those of his Company F. So, as far as I know, although Jones and his Army comrades witnessed battle situations similar to those that Evans and the Marines encountered, I don't believe they're identical. But the WWII military history experts out there might know otherwise.... Thomas J. Wood From: "3boys" <3boys@tampabay.rr.com> Do you know of any sites that give reviews of From Here to Eternity? Your help would be greatly appreciated. From: John Curry Date: 05/01/2002 Subject: The Thin Red Line Hi, I recently inherited a copy of The Thin Red Line -- I read it and its great. A friend told me I should check to see if the book is a first edition, but I have no way of knowing how to do that. Is there someone I can email to see it this is a first edition? It has a copyright of 1962 James Jones, published by Charles Scribner's and Sons, and then A-6.62[H], printed in the United States of America, Library of Congress Catalog Number 62-12099. Any help will be appreciated, John Curry From: Michael Mullen Richard (or "Rich" since this is Jones business)-- I do have a 1st ed. of TRL, but I don't seem to have it here. The copy I have here has this code: D-12.62 [H]. I am inclined to believe that this is the 4th printing, printed in Dec. of 1962. The "H" could perhaps indicate a hardcover. Anyway, it sounds like the guy who wrote does have a first edition. Mike From: "Wood, Thomas" The answer is: probably. The novel went through 3 printings in 1962, but the "A-6.62[H]" is a good indication that it's a first edition. From looking at listings at www.abebooks.com, it's worth $20-$110 (less if no dust jacket), depending on its condition. Thomas J. Wood From: Frederic Thibault (Fedegrifo@ie.ibm.com) Hi, Just to tell you the link displayed in J. Jones's Welcome Page leading to the history of the 27th gets the surfer to nothing, I found out another link though, with interesting data about the regiment's history (including for instance a regimental history up to 1931, pictures of the rgt. in schofield, account of the 27th at Guadalcanal stating the Galloping Horse ridge instead of Thin Red Line's Dancing Elephant, etc.): http://www.kolchak.org/ Hope it will be of some help, Regards/Cordialement E-mail: _frederic@ie.ibm.com From: "Annette Mason" (amason@moultonborough.k12.nh.us) Fellow Board Members: ...The agenda for our symposium in Paris has been listed on the Ernest Hemingway Home Page. Please go to: http://hemingwaysociety.org/stresa.htm See you in Paris Warren From: "Tadhg OBrien" (gpunit@iol.ie) could you give me a outline of every main charator in the thin red line from start to finish please. email me back at loboczw@hotmail.com thanks in advance ciaran o'brien From: Biblioman12@aol.com Hi, I happened upon your site while doing a Internet search. I just wanted to drop a line that I enjoyed going over the material you have available. While I've only read a couple of Jones' books, I enjoyed everything I read. By the way, I found a broken link in your archives of newsletters. The fall, 1999 newsletter appears to have a broken link. But in any case, a most enjoyable and informative site. Mike J. From: tales@soltec.net (Ray Elliott) Haven't had an Elvis sighting with my own eyes as we approach the 25th anniversary of his departure, but I did have a James Jones citing while I was looking Websters' Third International Dictionary (Unabridged) the other day to see whether pissant was one word or two-it was two. Just above pissant a word or two was another down-home piss
word, pisspoor, and the Jones citing: "Pisspoor-utterly inadequate or
thoroughly unsatisfactory: Deplorable, wretched Anybody know the original source? I don't. Ray Ray Elliott 217 384-5820 From: Rijsdijk, I, Ian, Mr (ianr@beattie.uct.ac.za) Hi, I have logged on the JJLS page many times over the past year and have found it stimulating and useful. At a conference held at the University of Cape Town, South Africa in July of this year, I presented a paper as part of my doctoral thesis on Malick's adaptation of The Thin Red Line, and how it challenges contemporary and older generic combat films in a variety of ways. Hopefully by this afternoon, the paper will be on the Net - www.uct.ac.za/conferences/filmhistorynow I'm currently 150 pages into Some Came Running which I have to admit is a sterner reading test than Thin Red Line and From here to Eternity. Nonetheless, I'm finding Jones fascinating, especially in the light of Steven Carter's book which I ordered for our Library earlier this year. Thanks for the site. From: "Bookpower" (bookpower@adelphia.net) JAMES JONES COLLECTION Description: A complete collection of all the primary works of James Jones. Also incuded are works about Jones and an interview by The Paris Review. Condition: All works are in good to very good condition in original dust jackets (if issued). Number of items in collection: 18 Price for collection: $450 includes free shipping (media mail). Contact Information: For a detailed listing reply to this email. Bookpower, 3514 Highland Drive, Carlsbad CA 92008 (Fax: 760 729 3331) bookpower@adelphia.net From: "RD Saviello" Date: 10/09/2002 Subject: World War II by James Jones I bought this book when it first came out. It was ruined in a flood. I can't find it anywhere. Will you please give me the ISBN number and the publisher Thank you Gregory Saviello From: "The Macke's" Date: 10/10/2002 Subject: james jones meeting I was trying to find out when the next Jones meeting will be held locally in Crawford County? I live in Marshall and would like more information about how to get involved. Thank you Tiffany Macke
From: Nano King <nanking3030@yahoo.com> Date: 12/07/2002 Subject: Who was Welsh's Gin Supplier in "The Thin Red Line"? Dear JJLS, I am new to James Jones. I just finished reading "The Thin Red Line" and watching both versions of the movie. Maybe this is obvious to others more literary than myself, but I'm dying to figure out who was Welsh's gin supplier in the book? Was it Witt? Am I missing something completely obvious? Thanks for your perspective and your site is great! Off to read more James Jones, Sam Bishop ICQ# 175523840 From: "marco@minimumfax.com" <marco@minimumfax.com> Date: 12/25/2002 Subject: james jones in italy I'm a publisher in italy and would like to (re-)print some of jones's books that are not available in our country? Can you help me finding out who Mr Jones's agents are? Congratulations for your website, I found lots of interesting things and news. Best wishes, Marco Cassini minimum fax piazzale di ponte milvio, 28 00191 - roma tel. 06.3336545 - 06.3336553 fax 06.3336385 www.minimumfax.com <http://www.minimumfax.com> From: MaryFeezel@aol.com Date: 12/27/2002 11:30 AM Subject: James Jones website I was just looking at some history websites and happened accross the James Jones site. Thought you might be interested to know that while James Jones is often remembered as being quite sophisticated (many who write about him mention him living in Paris), he did in fact grow up in Robinson, Il. In fact, my mother also lived in Robinson at the same time and knew him well. She said that Mr. Jones "beat up" her little brother, and that he was taught how to write by an older woman who lived with him in Robinson. She said he was arrogant and she did not like him. Just goes to show how one can rise from humble origins, and how those who know an author personally can see him differently than those who only read his works. M. Feezel, Tucson, AZ |