http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Peggy Webling and the story behind Frankenstein
The 1931 Universal Pictures film adaptation of Frankenstein directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff as the now iconic Monster claims in its credits to be 'Adapted from the play by Peggy Webling.' Webling's play sought to humanize the creature, was the first to position Frankenstein and his creation as doppelgängers and offered a feminist perspective on scientific efforts to create life without women, ideas that suffuse today's perceptions of Frankenstein's monster. Buried in a private archive, scholars have never had access to the original play script and so could not fully chart the evolution of Frankenstein from book to stage to screen. In Peggy Webling's Frankenstein, Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum (Webling's great grandniece) and Bruce Graver present the full texts of Webling's unpublished play for the first time. A vital critical edition, this book includes the 1928 Library of Congress version of the play Frankenstein with a short manuscript census, the 1927 British Library version of the first production of the play in Preston, Lancashire, the 1930 Prompt Script for the London production, held by the Westminster Archive, London, Webling's private correspondence including negotiations with theaters managers and Universal Pictures, family letters about the production process and selected contracts, the text of the chapter 'Frankenstein' from Webling's unpublished literary memoir, The Story of a Pen for additional context, an exposition on Webling's life that bears directly on the sensibilities and skills she brought to the writing of her play, the history of how the play came to be written and produced, the relationship of Webling's play to earlier stage adaptations, an exploration of playwright and screenwriter John L. Balderston's changes to Webling's play and how the 1931 film compares. Offering a new perspective on the genesis of the Frankenstein movie, this critical exploration makes available a unique and necessary 'missing link' in the novel's otherwise well-documented transmedia cultural history.
Peggy Webling's story -- The other woman who created Frankenstein -- From Peake to Whale, and Webling's missing link -- 1927 version, registered with the Lord Chamberlain on 25 November 1927 -- 1928 version, copyrighted with the US Library of Congress on 7 September 1928 -- 1930 prompt script, performed in London 10 February-12 April 1930.
written and edited by Bruce Graver and Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum.
Includes bibliographical references (pages [317]-326) and index.