The Fountainhead Warner Brothers Pictures Original 1949 Promotional Material Collection.

[RAND, Ayn].

$1,250.00

Item Number: 145460

Rare collection of Warner Brothers promotional materials for the 1949 film The Fountainhead, based on the bestselling novel by Ayn Rand and starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal. The collection includes a group of thirteen black and white film stills each approximately 8.25 inches by 10 inches; a Warner Bros. Campaign booklet with examples of advertisements, teasers, and one-column mats for newspaper prints; a poster for Mexican release Uno Contra Todos which measures 16.1 inches by 12.25 inches; a poster for Spanish release El Manantial which measures 26.75 inches by 37 inches; a set of six posters in multiple colors for the Italian release La Fonte Meravigliosa, together with the printed cover sheet, all measuring 26.3 inches by 18.3 inches; and a single page printed email conversation between Fred Weiss and American journalist and novelist Christopher Morley which reads in part, “Christopher: Just came across something interesting that I thought you would like to know about. These are original photographic movie stills from The Fountainhead. I have 8 of them, some great shots and all in near fine condition (a little creasing here and there is all.)” In near fine to fine condition with some creasing to the Spanish poster and email, a closed tear to a few pages and splitting to the joint of the promotional booklet, and some loss and punctures to the corners of the Mexican poster. A rare and excellent example.

Directed by King Vidor, and starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal, The Fountainhead premiered at Radio City Music Hall on July 2, 1949. For the film's Warner Hollywood Theatre premiere, Warner Bros. erected two banks of bleachers on Hollywood Boulevard to accommodate the expected mob of fans. Ayn Rand wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation herself, but later criticized the editing, production design and acting. Sales of Rand's novel increased following release and despite mixed critical reception at the time, the film has endured as a cultural touchstone, reflecting the enduring appeal of Rand's ideas and the ongoing relevance of her work in contemporary discourse on art, architecture, and individualism.