Zugsmith's script at auction, Monash, Welles...

[Tony]

Here's a TOE script that was sold at auction on Nov. 24th, 2014. It's Albert Zugsmith's screenplay named "Badge of Evil" dated Jan. 1957, and it has a red Universal cover and was sold with an 8 page press book. Now, most of us have the Feb. 5th, 1957 screenplay in photocopy form with a plain white cover (with a typed name of "Badge of Evil" but with a handwritten title of "Touch of Evil") so what interested me was the earlier date. However, when one reads the text it says: "blue revision pages dated as late as 2/4/57", which makes it almost contemporaneous with the Feb. 5th version. In addition, "This is an earlier version of the script containing various altered and deleted scenes. Most notably, the pivotal character of Tana is not present in this draft—Welles' old friend Marlene Dietrich later agreed to play the part as a favor to him (she is not present in the Feb. 5th version either- her character must have been a last minute addition). In one incredibly gruesome scene, an assassin's splash of acid, meant for Vargas, hits an alley cat instead, which the police shoot—in the film, the acid hits a poster. (This cat scene "omitted" in Feb. 5th version) The film's central town, Los Robles, is referred to as "San Vicente" throughout, (the Feb. 5th script calls it "Los Robles) and there is a one-page printed notation about the name change. The aftermath of the film's climax is totally different: instead of the iconic scene of Tana mourning Quinlan, there is light-hearted banter between Vargas and his new bride, Susie (Janet Leigh) as they head off on their honeymoon, which includes several lines of expository dialogue which were reworked for actor Richard Deacon's character in the finished film."

I'm still searching for the Paul Monash script (dated July 24th, 1956), to determine what Welles took from the Whit Masterson book, the Monash script, and what he added/subtracted added on his own.

Here is the link: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22196/lot/279/

Oh yeah- it sold for $10,625 US!

[Roger Ryan]

"...which includes several lines of expository dialogue which were reworked for actor Richard Deacon's character in the finished film..."

That would be Mort Mills, I believe, as Deacon is not in the film.

[jbrooks]

I'm still searching for the Paul Monash script (dated July 24th, 1956), to determine what Welles took from the Whit Masterson book, the Monash script, and what he added/subtracted added on his own.

Just in case you (or others) were unaware, that topic is covered in some detail in Terry Comito's book on "Touch of Evil."

[Tony]

too bad about the cat...

[Tony]

The name change from "Badge" to "Touch' seemed to happen quickly, between Jan 24th and Feb. 5th. Tana must have been added at the last second.