Wanted - solution to an unsolvable problem?

[Naphtali]

I have what may be an unsolvable problem. I am trying to locate an affordable/downloadable shooting script or final script for the 1954 motion picture, "Vera Cruz," starring Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster.

I remember a script, of some sort, for "Vera Cruz" was sold on eBay about two years ago. I attempted to acquire a copy from the buyer - without success.

Over the years myriad detailed searches online for a shooting script or final script - heck, I would take a continuity script - has found nothing.

Help me out here?

[COSteve]

What with copyright issues, I'm not sure a downloadable would be legal.

[Naphtali]

What with copyright issues, I'm not sure a downloadable would be legal.

Steve:

While you may be correct in this specific case - apparently, neither of us knows either way - there are several web sites devoted to acquiring and making available such scripts/screenplays for download. There are more than 1500 items available, this being a conservative estimate.

Unfortunately, older documents are scarce, excepting "classic" examples, such as "Casablanca," etc. "Vera Cruz" is older rather than a classic.

[Doc Hudson]

Are we to assume that you are talking about the 1954 Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster movie of that name? Or is it one of several other movies with the same title?

i don't have any useful ideas at the moment, the tow ideas I did have didn't pan out, but I will keep trying.

Additional info;

I just found this at: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthep ... cfr10g.htm

Vera Cruz was total improvisation because the script was always finished about five minutes before we shot it, and we'd sit right down and work it out and then shoot it as we went along. I'm not sure that's the right way to work (3)

Apparently, it is entirely possible that no complete script still exists.

[Gun Smith]

In doing a little searching I found a statement that may sum up your problem. One researcher found , when interviewing people in the film, that there wasn't much of a script to work with and it actually was written as it was being made, day to day. So there may never have been a completed script that would even be available today.

[Naphtali]

I'm familiar with the Caputo article.

Yes, I refer to the 1954 version starring Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster.
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Regardless how on-the-fly screenplay writing had been, changes would have been typed, paginated and color-coded, and distributed to everyone who needed the pages. At the end of filming, there would have been "X" number of such scripts, excluding the continuity script (If you have never seen one of these, you're in for a blinding headache. Members of the industry responsible for continuity are special - like people who create multilevel indices for a living.)

From the sale of some sort of script/screenplay on eBay about two years ago, something exists.

[CJM]

Well, since a script is just a typed listing of the dialog and actions for a movie, and it sounds like you want the text of the movie, not a momento from the movie; why not buy the movie and sit down and make your own script from the movie?

[sgtgrinche]

i just watched the movie this weekend if you would like to borrow it i would gladly send it to you

[Naphtali]

Well, since a script is just a typed listing of the dialog and actions for a movie, and it sounds like you want the text of the movie, not a momento from the movie; why not buy the movie and sit down and make your own script from the movie?

The mechanics of describing action, dialogue, parentheticals, et al. are what I want to see. Think of what I seek as being a series of overlay transparencies of skeleton, muscles, nervous system, and circulatory system, that when assembled become a representation of a body. This is an analogy of a shooting script