An archive of seven Elstree Studios reader's report for Evelyn Waugh's novels. Comprising: 1. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. 11pp. Typed on rectos only. Dated 24th July 1945. "This is a very brilliant picture of an English Catholic family and provides first class background and character material that could, of course, be used in the screen medium. Unfortunately the plot has little dramatic semblance and would need very radical reconstruction, and the semi-reiligious theme and its moral implications might well bring one face to face with knotty problems vis a vis the censor." 2. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. 3pp. Typed on rectos only. Dated June 1945. A second contemporary assessment of the novel: "An extremely well written book with material for more than one story. It has no moral and in parts is unsavoury. Dipsomania as a heritage cannot be glamourised, even with beautiful Brideshead as a setting. There is too much drinking and too much theological discussion." 3. MEN AT ARMS. 2pp. Typed on rectos only. Dated 24th September 1952. "This book is the first part of a trilogy that Mr. Waugh intends to write, and I feel that when the other two books are written, there might be possibilities of making an amusing film of military life. Unfortunately, this one book is not sufficient to form the basis of any film material." 4. SCOOP. 4pp. Typed on rectos only. Dated 11th September 1956. The report is based on an anonymous screenplay: "Good story idea here, poorly scripted. Reader suggests that with tougher, brighter scipting [sic — scripting] this story - taken from the Evelyn Waugh novel of the same name - might make a good movie. Recommended - but with emphasis on need for more vigorous, more sophisticated script." 5. DECLINE AND FALL. 7pp. Typed on rectos only. Dated 10th October 1963. The report is based on an anonymous screenplay and concludes: "This is a charade that appears feeble and uninventive". The report has additional opinions appended to it which argue that the present script is unsuitable for film adaptation, but that "scripted by someone of the calibre of Brian Forbes and with an actor who has the necessary youth, charm, and naivety to make the character of 'Pennyfeather' both likeable and credible, it might well prove a success." 6. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. 5pp. Dated 6th November 1961. "In spite of its high literary virtues, I can't see this subject as film material." 7. THE SWORD OF HONOUR TRILOGY. 8pp. Dated 29th November 1961. "There is, quite definitely, not sufficient in any one book of this Trilogy for a film. I do not think the three put together would prove a good basis for a picture... If the second and third volume had been even as lively as the first (or better still more so) a film story might have been possible. As it is, however, the story becomes steadily more and more downbeat as it progresses."
 
An extraordinary contemporary and hitherto unseen record of the assessment of Evelyn Waugh's work for screen adaptation. Film production companies have been basing themselves at Elstree since 1914, and in most cases, their archives have been dispersed, lost or destroyed. This unique and hitherto unknown document from surviving ABPC reader reports has not been seen since its composition seventy years ago and has never before been offered for sale.