Page 64 - RICHERT VS. SORKIN THEFT OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND THE WEST WING

1 'President's'analysb still on credit watch
Contlnuedfronpogc I
Alan Hom, accusid Sorkin of writing a ,.near dupticale"
screenplay and demanded the
also pegged rhe acquisition to fa- cilitating Redford'i involverrrent as producer and star in ..The American President.,'
"Castle Rock coutd not have made the pict ure without securing
Rock filrn is characterized by
yogd Redford's cornpany -
tuq't olt an acceptable
script. Redford's involvenrent bei gins in t984 and he first discussed it in 1989 wirh Reiner, who tially nixed ini-
writer admir having
ert's scripr and thar Richen be compensated for his contribu- tions to the cornpleted
obti- and "a fairand appropri- ale gesrure." Maltby had bien head of developrnenr at Witd-
{ilnr. Hom's reply last week clari-
exec at Horn confirmed that the com-
- rhe inirial srages of the RiJhert
tracl to wrile ,.The
fied that both Sorkin
Rob Reiner had been told rhe
Sorkin and Reiner mcr-wirh
ford in March 1993 at which tirne Redford sumnrarized the story of "Elopes."
"basics" of
,.The Elroupes" boy KRoDben
:!orl9
I
I
| _- Sorkin's attorney, Richard j Hel)er, to.ld . 6uifA pre- ; arbitration hearing f.e_
gunrelrt that she has no
tual entitlernenl with respcct to
r!nose conrpany
owned the script.
corlrt?c.
The- wrircr - who had nor yet started the script said ie wouldn't -
rhat Sorkin was hired to wrjie an originnl script and rhar Castle Roclihad
cttons would avoid
and please Wildwood and Uni-
versal. " os Rcdford
acquired ,.The president
from Elopei,;
"Elopes" dates
and is leg,endary in the indusrry
and. Reiner were partners on the qloJgcr unril two monrhs bcfore tllming began, wlren Redford
.Universal to avoid h;;l;g two sirnilarl;' thcrned projccts ii
back to tggl havc becn in'-
to
thc nlarkcrplace. ilein'j
1911g1
tor the wrilers who
votved and each onc.s inability
oui citing unhappiness wlth the script,
rcad Rich-
and director
Horn stated: ..perhaps
Red_
.president Redf[ord,
legal wrangle
business affairs added that be.
rights," said a senior Universal. "We would win that lawsuit,"
the assignmenr. Heller said rhat Sorkin's
the
in
nmterial but had no involvement in the Reinerpicture.
con. Anterican President" is dared Augusr 1992.
pany did nor want to get
rr'e havc chosen not io pay Ms. Malrby, making rhe legaiai
into a wirh Universal. Jesse Whittpnberg of Castle Rock
.
Horn as both coruractual
shooring
garion" "a
'TheAmerican president,"but
fcf t thar ac.knowledging her pasi
conlroversy
screenplay wjrh .,an eyi Rerlford prcsident,.t to Mr.
wc
be interested in rewrit- rng that.script.but rvould pursue a
ltgllta
"WE WOULD WIN THAT LAWSUIT," says the Universal Lawyer.
But Universal is not bound by WGA rules that will not allow a lawsuit after a decision by the guild is reached, as the US courts have given the guild the power over deliberations about screenplays.
But what if fraud is involved?
Even then, the Guild investigates itself.