QUENEAU Raymond. - Lot 190

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Lot n° 190
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QUENEAU Raymond. - Lot 190
QUENEAU Raymond. autograph manuscript, Mon associé, Monsieur Davis (1962); 90 pages in-4; plus typescripts and documents attached. Complete file of this unpublished screenplay for a film intended for Bourvil, but not made. With filmmaker Yves CIAMPI (1921-1982), Queneau prepared this adaptation of Chilean Jenaro Prieto's novel El Socio, and wrote the dialogue. BOURVIL was approached to play the lead role, but when he withdrew, the producers abandoned the project; the film was never made. This is the story of Viscount Louis de Léon, an eccentric and lover of jokes, who runs a small advertising business, the A.P.F. (Agence de Publicité Familiale) Christian Pratter d'Armon, his ex-wife's new husband, a prosperous and ambitious businessman, also in advertising, offers to buy the A.P.F., which is in trouble. Louis de Léon refuses, on the pretext that a wealthy South American, Mr. Davis, is going to join him. He admits to his ex-wife that this is a joke. But in the meantime, he has met a journalist, Florence, who to complete the joke writes an article about the mysterious Mr. Davis. The affair takes on such proportions that Louis de Léon wins back clients and imposes all his ideas, even the most outlandish ones, such as postage-stamp advertisements or inaudible advertising. The success is such that Pratter d'Armon finds itself on the verge of bankruptcy. But Louis de Léon is increasingly uncomfortable with this double, so far from his simple and cheerful personality. The mystification turns into a nightmare, and when he confesses the truth, he is not believed. In the end, wanting to kill Mr. Davis, Louis de Léon commits suicide. Queneau's dialogue is brilliant, full of jokes demanded by the character's character and explicitly aimed at Bourvil, as when he tries to say "soutien gorge mes pommes," or speak with an American accent. As the action progresses, the tone becomes grating, and Louis de Léon sinks into madness. The writer renders this descent into hell without pathos or grandiloquence, and the final suicide appears to be Louis de Léon's best joke, making Davis look like his killer. The working manuscript has two versions, one with 38 autographed pages, the other with 42 partly typed pages with check marks and several autographed pages, plus 10 autographed pages. There are 107 sequences In addition, there is a file of autograph plans and working notes (11 p. in-4), with breakdown and timing. "Notes Davis" by Yves CIAMPI (10 p. in-4), remarks on the characters, changes to be made to the script, etc. Typescripts: the synopsis (22 p.), plus a corrected version by Yves Ciampi with dashes and additions (29 p.); the list of sequences (4 p., missing the 1st); working script (about 130 p. in disorder with some corrections by Queneau); cut (133 p.). Typed or mimeographed Compère copies (cloth-backed): typescript of the synopsis (double carbon, 51 p.); mimeographed synopsis (39 p.); screenplay (115 p., covered on the back with autograph mathematical notes by Queneau); another mimeographed version of the screenplay (152 p.); English version of the screenplay (163 p. mimeographed, spiral-bound) Correspondence file and contract, 19 letters by Jean Rossignol (in charge of film rights at Gallimard) and the producer Jacques Simonnet (Sorafilms), 1961-1962.
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