Victor Fleming's JOAN OF ARC (1948) Souvenir and similar items

Vintage original 9 x 12 in. US souvenir book from the classic 1940's war drama biopic, JOAN OF ARC, released in 1948 by RKO Radio Pictures and directed by Victor Fleming. Based upon the play, "Joan of Lorraine," by Maxwell Anderson, the story tells of the abbreviated life of the 15th Century French heroine. The cast includes Ingrid Bergman, José Ferrer, Francis L. Sullivan, J. Carrol Naish, Ward Bond, Shepperd Strudwick, Gene Lockhart, John Emery, Leif Erickson, Cecil Kellaway, Selena Royle, Robert Barrat, Irene Rich, Nestor Paiva, George Zucco, and John Ireland. Produced for the film's original 1948 US theatrical release, this souvenir book consists of 16 pages featuring beautiful black-and-white and full-color photographs from the film as well as a gorgeous two-page interior spread. It is in complete in fine+ condition with light signs of wear along the spine; two vertical scratches to the left of Bergman's image and small areas of light red staining on the bottom of the front cover; and random small stains on the back cover. This film was a dream project of Ingrid Bergman, who had tried for years to have it produced. According to some biographies of Ingrid Bergman, Howard Hughes saved her from possible injury during a visit to the set when she fell off her horse. He caught her, but rather awkwardly, with one hand firmly on her crotch. Hughes made sure no photographs of the incident were taken (or survived). Joan of Arc was the first film to receive 7 Academy Award nominations without receiving a “Best Picture” nomination. Producer Walter Wanger refused his honorary Oscar for the film because he was angry that the film had not been nominated for “Best Picture.”