Hobson's Choice. First Draft.

117-page filmscript. Loose leaves in folder. Carbon copy text printed on rectos only. It is said that David Lean also co-wrote the script. Together with seven Typed Letters Signed (all written in April and May 1953) to the artist John Armstrong, who was the costume designer for this film. Two of the letters are from David Lean on his Cineguild headed notepaper: ''Thank you very much for replying so promptly to Vincent's telegram. He tells me that he has spoken to you on the 'phone, and that you have asked to see a script of 'Hobson's Choice', and I therefore enclose our draft. I would be much obliged if you would return it as soon as possible as we have so few copies and are about to start on the shooting script. It is awfully hard to put down the question of style in black and white, but very roughly I would like the finished film to have a Dickensian quality about it, and at all costs to avoid being aggressively 'period'.'' There are four Typed Letters Signed from the Associate Producer, Norman Spencer. The first encloses a list of the 20 ''most important'' costumes. The others deal with the contract. The film, based on the 1916 play by Harold Brighouse, starred Charles Laughton and was released in 1954. It won the British Academy Film Award for Best British Film.Pages of script slightly creased and marked. Letters also slightly creased and marked. The folder is creased. Good.…