Six Screen Plays by Robert Riskin

Six Screen Plays by Robert Riskin by Riskin, Robert. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780520205253.

Screenwriter Robert Riskin (1897-1955) was a towering figure even among the giants of Hollywoods Golden Age. Known for his unique blend of humor and romance, wisecracking and idealism, Riskin teamed with director Frank Capra to produce some of his most memorable films. Pat McGilligan has collected six of the best Riskin scripts: Platinum Blonde (1931), American Madness (1932), It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Lost Horizon (1937), and Meet John Doe (1941). All of them were directed by Capra, and although Capras work has been amply chronicled and celebrated, Riskins share in the collaboration has been overlooked since his death. McGilligan provides the "backstory" for the forgotten half of the team, indispensable counterpoint to the directors self-mythologizing autobiography―and incidentally the missing link in any study of Capras career. Riskins own career, although interrupted by patriotic duty and cut short by personal tragedy, produced as consistent, entertaining, thoughtful, and enduring a body of work as any Hollywood writers. Those who know and love these vintage films will treasure these scripts. McGilligans introduction offers new information and insights for fans, scholars, and general readers.