Hemingway, ErnestThe Old Man and the Sea. London: Jonathan Cape, 1955 8vo. Half title, illustrations by C.F. Tunnicliffe and Raymond Sheppard. Half-cloth and illustrated paper boards; some warping and foxing to boards and endpapers, endemic to books from the Caribbean, in dust jacket with some fading to spine, bit of edgewear and some closed tears along top edge, with a "With the Compliments of the Author" panel pasted to rear flap. The second English edition, first printing, second issue, and the first illustrated edition. A wonderful association copy of The Old Man and the Sea, inscribed by Hemingway on the half title to film director and producer Fred Zinnemann: "Dear Freddy: Better luck if there is a place where we get better luck, Papa." Laid in are two photographs of Ernest and Mary Hemingway at a table with Fred Zinnemann, who had made an unofficial trip to Cuba in October 1955 to discuss the project with Hemingway before being brought on as director. Additionally laid in is a typed sheet with the heading: "December 20th, 1955 / "Old Man of the Sea" / Lima - Peru" containing notes on prices, accommodations, restaurants, etc. associated with filming on location in Peru. There is also a pictorial postcard from a group fishing expedition in Peru for capturing footage for The Old Man and the Sea film, that includes Hemingway and Mary, as well as cinematographer Hans Koenekamp. They spent April in Cabo Blanco, Peru, fishing every day and getting footage of Marlins for the film. The card's typed message is addressed to film producer Norman Cook and Fred Zinneman at the Hotel Rosita De Hornedo in Havana, Cuba, from Joe Barry, who's name appears in minor film roles throughout the period, as well as in the Leland Hayward archive at the NYPL, and was likely working as a production assistant on this shoot. Sent on 1 May 1956, he writes about the photo on the verso: "This is the one we got but he did not give us any action, 730 lbs. 13 Ft 5 In. long. Too bad, he might have been the one, it is one foot longer then [sic.] the biggest one caught here but not as heavy. We are still trying and hope we get what we came here for. My best wishes to you both and hope to see you soon."&nbsp; Leland Hayward, who had persuaded Life magazine to serialize the novel, acquired the rights to The Old Man and the Sea in 1953, Hemingway was brought in to work on the script—eventually handled by Peter Viertel—and supervise the fishing scenes. Fred Zinneman's first film The Wave (1936)—shot on location in Mexico with non-professional actors—was one of the earliest examples of a social realist film. He had recent success with the films High Noon, From Here to Eternity, and Oklahoma! Zinneman was unhappy with the difficulty in capturing marlin and shark activity suitable for use in the film, and after a mechanical marlin sank in the waters off of Cuba, Zinneman walked away, saying afterwards: "It made little sense to proceed with a robot pretending to be a fish in a studio tank pretending to be the Gulf Stream with an actor pretending to be a fisherman." His son, Tim, gives a more colorful version of his parting from the film: "My father had been directing the movie of 'Old Man and the Sea' but had a series of fights with Spencer Tracy and quit in the middle of shooting. Hemingway took my father’s side and gave him the book with the 'better luck next time' message. They remained good friends until Hemingway’s death... Hemingway, Tracy and Leland Hayward were the producers of the film. Tracy would get drunk and habitually show up five or more hours late on the set (at sea). My father was furious and quit. Hemingway backed up my father and went to see Hayward at his hotel in Havana – got into an argument with him and punched him out." A letter sent to Zinneman by Hemingway in August 1956, after the project has already wrapped, reads, "Will not write any atrocity stories about the picture. You must be as sick of them as I am," and congratulates Zinneman on passing up an offer to work on a film version of The Sun Also Rises (Christie's, 2005). Finally, laid into the book is a Christmas card to Zinnemann's family written by Mary Hemingway, and sent during the Hemingways' European trip at the end of 1956: "Dear Z's—we really ought to be together in this fine town—best to have all three of you—Mary (Hemingway) (Paris)" Beneath Mary's inscription, Hemingway writes: "Love Papa. Hope things go well." A lovely association between Hemingway and someone he saw as a close friend until the end of his life. REFERENCESGrissom A.24.1; Baker, Carlos, Ernest Hemingway: A Life, pp. 533

The Old Man and the Sea, association copy inscribed to film director Fred Zinnemann

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