Songs from Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Presentation copy with a lengthy inscription from the writer to Darryl F. Zanuck, the producer of the 1938 film, in which Berlin hopes that Zanuck will get his money back. The inscription is dated just over nine weeks before the premiere. Berlin could not have known that the film would be one of the studio's highest-grossing films of the 1930s. The inscription reads "Dear Darryl - About two years ago you said, 'I'd like to do a picture called "Alexander's Rag-time Band"' - Well, you've done it, and I hope it lives up to all your expectations - But should it happen that you don't get your money back, you will at least have this book of the songs, which I'd like you to accept with my deep appreciation - Irving Berlin. 5/24/38". Following the success of the films Top Hat, Follow the Fleet, and On the Avenue, Berlin was asked by Zanuck, one of the founders of 20th Century Fox, and vice-president of production, to work on a film incorporating some of Berlin's old songs, including 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' (from 1911). The film was released on 5 August 1938. The volume has no title page but carries a photomontage of scenes from the film and a page listing the production staff and cast. The contents is structured as "New Songs" (3 titles) and "Old Songs" (26 titles). The old songs are presented with black and white illustrations of the individual sheet music covers. Berlin had a number of copies bound for presentation. Copies inscribed to Lamar Trotti (the co-author of the screenplay), Sidney Skolsky, and Jerome Kern have appeared at auction since 2006. Quarto. Original presentation black morocco, front cover lettered in gilt, covers with ruled borders in gilt, rear cover with film studio's motif in gilt, patterned endpapers, gilt edges. Housed in a custom black cloth folding box. Extremities a little worn, some surface marks to covers, front inner hinge splitting at foot, some browning to endpapers: a very good copy.…