EALING
STUDIOS

EALING STUDIOS LIMITED : EALING GREEN LONDON W5

TELEPHONE : EALING 6761

TELEGRAMS : EMTALPIC EALUX LONDON

1st September, 1954

H. van Thal Esq.,
Arthur Barker Ltd.,
30, Museum Street,
LONDON W. C. 1.

Dear Herbert,

You know that the delay in dealing with
your letter of the 6th August has been due to my
absence from the studio.

THE CURATE'S WAND is indeed an outstanding
book. What a pity you are not publishing it. I
think it will be a very big success as a novel - it
may even be sensational - but it would be a very
difficult book to film - most difficult. I am not
dismissing it, however. I am asking one or two
other people here to read it. I don't know what the
outcome will be but I thought I would let you know
that in my view it is an exceptional work and I only
wish I could be more encouraging about the film possi-
bilities. The difficulties of making it would cer-
tainly not be easy to overcome.

However, please don't take this as final.
I will write to you again.

DIRECTORS: REGINALD P. BAKER, F.C.A., F.R.S.A., CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR SIR MICHAEL BALCON
GORDON W. G. RAYNER LESLIE F. BAKER, A.C.A. HAL MASON