THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1958.
It's cash, cash all the time
for the man
at the
top
WHILE the cobbles of Bradford's steep streets gleamed like
evening
tinction was helping me to choose a tie." "Take my tlp," he said. "Buy an all-wool one at 6s. 6d. They never wear out."
The Man was wearing a furry grey trilby ("It cost over two guinens, so
they puf my initials Inilde freo"). Underneath the damp, furry rim, the face was eager, powerful.
It was the face of the
new aportin of muccess
---MP John Braine, author of Room at the Top.
Do
۱۰
you remember the crash with which that novel hit tho book world just under a year ago? Do you remember the slightly startled welcom o which the critics cx- tended to its tough woman-loving hero Joe Lampton the boy
from the street near
the mill who was determined to
find room at the top, to get an
of
Aston Martin, a drawerful three-guinea shirts, a girl with a Riviera sun-lan?
That welcome is still being extended, 'A few weeks ago I wrote that Braine's sales were 30,000. By this week-end they are 33,000.
And on the day I went to Bradford the people from the studios were moving in to make their plans for the film of Jor Lampton's struggle to the top.
What difference has Joe's success made to John Braine?
From the centre of Bradford we drove out to Braine's new house. We drove past the small cobbled street avhere he was born. We drove up past the mill chimneys and the flicker- ing gas-lamps.
We drove to the Top--the prosperous heights above Brad- ford, I remembered the words of Joe Lampton in the novel when he came to lodge there fos the Arst time:-
"I was going to the Top, inta a world that even from my first brief glimpses piled me" with excitement: big houseT with drives and orchards atid nani- cured hedges, expensive cars- Bentleys, Lagondas, Daimlers, Jaguars parked everywhere du a kind of ostentatious litter,.."
WASN'T WELL
S_wo_drove_un_towards the Amos Jolts Bralne told me about the time when he first wrote those words for Joc~~
"I had been down in London trying to live as a free-lance writer, 1 wasn't very well. Then I heard that my mother had been killed by a car in Brad- ford, I go a recurrence of the TB. I first half in the Forces.
"Soon I was back in zanatoriuma at Grasslagton. 1 had no money, No job. Nothing. "I suppose I thought I was going to die. But after week there I told myself;
ROBERT
QURTARIKANFINEMEN
PITMAN'S
GREETENERIFE TIME SEZAROVUTO SOSEA 128 ZEROKSEN
book page
John Braine
-£5,000 for
film rights of
his first book,
but £50,000
for the
Baxt que...
The big bus strike was ch then. I remember sitting at hume watching the pickets and thinking: 'All right, lads, you
can keep your bus.*"
'ALL FOR MONEY'
SLIM di with big pretty eyes came in. It was Pat Braine. She handed Lie Anthony to his father. The father said:—
Harvey said "Oh, 'look at those factory
heavenly! smoke,"
And
chimneys; how thai gorgeous
A GOOD PLACE
BOVE Shipley Braing pointed to a wood on the windswept He said: edge of the moors. "Joc would do some of his love-making there. It's a good place here for
smooching- you're hardy."
A lorry pulled out from the side of the road,, Harvey sald:į "We put out 'our hand when we do that, Mr Lorry-driver,"
Before lunch we stopped the car outside a Bradford pub. Blaine sald: "It's a tough fres. But I can't promise that the blood will be running out under the door,"
"Some of the crities thought 1 meant Joe Lampton to be an unsympathetic character Just because he was out for the inoney, Mind you, they're all for money themselves, but they don't ke heroes in books to want it, I think Joe is a human sort of chap. I agree he got getting a rich mon's daughter In the family Inside, as we ordered drinks, way. But there are worse ways dour faces watched-Harvey's. poised cigarette holder, his of getting there. I know one or
clastic-sided boots, 1wo very well-thought-of chizens round here who've done just the same thing.".
to the top by
I took charge of
We talked about, accidenta, Brážne said, "I've purposely- tried not to find out who was
Antholly held out his deiving the car-that-killed my mother,—I-know-that-if-|-zvi the chance I'd kick him to death,"
arms to me, hirn
Writing
Ills father said: is my life. I love my wife, 1 love my son. But if they
were killed tomorrow I'd carry on writing a week or so after the funeral
We talked about Joe Lamploo, Harvey gave his views.
Aside Braine told me: "You know, I've read the show-page stuff about Harvey. I was ex- pecting an absolute morohle "I don't write for money. But clot. But this man knows more when I've finished writing I get about the book than I do." the limit for it, I got £5,000
Braine looked round the pub. for the film rights at Room at
the Room at For the next book I In
Top Joe the Top.
Lampton goes back to his little want £50,000,"
Jocul bar and grandly orders
"You've got a novel to wrile Gleefully Anthony clutched gins. But Braine had more to fral, Bo I began wrlilng kot my hair. His father said: show than money. Here he was with a cheap ballpoint pen by "After the next book I'll put in with flm star, director, and my bed in the ward,"
Our car came to the country town of Bingley. We stopped outside a big Victorian house. Braine said: "I paid £2,150 for 1. Cash. If It had been in Hampstead, It would have cost at least £5,000,"
Braine showed me round the Tooma inside. They were full
central heating here..."
'IT JUST STANK'
HILE Anthony explored my mouth with his pink fingers I asked: "How for has your next book not?"
"i wrote 30,000 words lust.
of new furniture. In the big. year: But when I read it later
old kitchen Braine pointed out just stunk, St
now I'vo
attendant crille. Nor was he anboticed.
^ ittle man came forward. He shook Braine's hond, He said: "Mr Braine. I've read your book." He paused. Then 10 added: "It was quite good."
BOOKS IN BRIEF
washing machine and a pin store as the it's called The THE FEAST OF LUPERCAL,
drier. He said:-
Vods; that's name of some imaginary evil people that two
"I've paid cash for everything small boys pretend are running In this house,
Not that I go their town.
for all that talk about the "One boy beconies. à tough terribly working classes filing their houses with things they success. The other is a sensitive haven't paid for. It's just that failure, and he is the one who I can't bear the thought of pay- all remembers the game about
the Vodi," ing anybody interest.
I asked: "What were things
Bico a year ago?
by Brian Moore.
The tale of Dev-for 10 years
a teacher at the Catholic college
in Delfest, where he was taught himself as a boy and 'Una Clarke, the pretty young girl who sets his gentle, shy heart
Moore-hi burning. Novelist
first book was Judith Hearte van a native of Belfast, no There was a ring at the door. lives in Canada. But he bril A loud, very Yorkshire volco Huntly remembers his home cried: "Allo, allo?"
elty. His new
the book': Is saddest, most adult love story I "Oh, we were living in Wasen- It was a neighbour. He said: have read for years, deld then. The publisher's What's this 1 hear about this
(Deutsch, 15.) advance had helped us to put Laurence Harvey with the down money on a house there. In-di-da Voice playing Joe But we were still poor enough. Lampton? How can We had no stair carpet. We had Yorkshire?, He'll make a proper curtains in only two Toome." right mess of it,"
Braine pointed to a sofa with
wood slats against the wall of
he speak
Bralne poured drinks, neighbour joined us.
The
Then the the kitchen. He said: "Some doorbell rong again..
it was one gave us that We thought eurence Harvey himself. It was wondtorial"
was, not worried about bls
Ho went on Title Anthony accent. He sald
He
BANK
was enly three wędka old when "As abay all I know was the book was published, Pat,, Lithuanian. Then I learned my wife, had gone back to Afrikaans. Then ordingly hospital for an operation.
English. I can't see why York-
was working at a library miles shire should bent me." out. On three nights a week
I got home at nine,
with
The next day I went Braing and Harvey and his
Then 1 suddenly I read direcion on a tour of Joe then reviews. Apa the Tellers Lamplon's country, and telegram'started coming rig
"Outside") Bradford.
im. The first thing we bought pointed a thick finger, was a stále carpet. Then, when the kind of roodhouse, in the the morial rights were sold. I book, Full of posh people bunt- gave up my job.
Ing with Sneak and burgundy,
* am not losing the pagui
Proll again this Friday
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