René CLAIR (1898-1981) filmmaker. 5 L.S. and one L.A.S., Neu - Lot 31

René CLAIR (1898-1981) filmmaker. 5 L.S. and one L.A.S., Neuilly-sur-Seine 1970-1971, to Stanley Appelbaum, Dover Publications, New York; 8 1/2 pages in-4 or in-8 (the L.A.S. in English). Project for an American edition of Cinéma d'hier et d'aujourd'hui [Appelbaum's translation, Cinéma Yesterday and Today, appeared with Dover in 1972]. December 24, 1970. He leaves it to his discretion whether to publish the book in its entirety, or to make "a few lightenings" for the American reader... January 15, 1971. Extracts from the French press praising the book... July 28, 1971. Answers to six cinematographic questions, the most important of which concerns his discovery of Thomas de Quincey's works, while staying at Claudette Colbert's house, and his own translation of a passage. "I don't think the tone could be very different in the original, but I didn't find Quincey attacking French literature"... October 20, 1971. A few clarifications, confirming that Paul Gilson edited Mémoires des maisons mortes, and identifying a quotation from Mallarmé... October 30, 1971. Marius and Olive are legendary characters: they were not created by Pagnol, "but by local tradition, as are the characters in little Jewish stories"...