DEAD SUNNY AFTERNOONS

Thomson, David (2005) Dead sunny afternoons NEW REPUBLIC, 6&13 42-43

Daniel Fuchs is not a household name like Hemmingway, Faulkner and Updike. He was a writer of the 30’s and died in 1993. His fictional works did not sell so he had a day job as teaching substitute for 7 years in the Brooklyn public schools. His first three novels SUMMER IN WILLIAMSBURG (1934) HOMAGE TO BLENTHOLT (1936) and LOW CAOMPANY (1937) did not make much money but got a modicum of critical support. Then he headed to Hollywood to write scripts for movies. Rather, he was to improve upon already written scripts that didn’t go well with the movie. Thus, he had a part in DARK ISLAND, NO BREAD TO BUTTER, and CRISS CROSS. His most commercial success was LOVE ME OR LEAVE with Doris Day. He also did an admirable job on ROCK OF THE WESTIES.

LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME won him an Oscar and his final screen play was JEANNE EAGLES in 1957. What he did know was that Hollywood was a lot better than Brooklyn and he could write to make Hollywood suits happy. Crowds enjoyed happy mid-range not too intellectual films with happy endings. Middle brows buy tickets. Highbrows enjoy art on the cheap.

And so a new compilation is out with pieces of many books by Fuchs. He was happy because he believed he knew his limits, he saw enjoying California as his day job and worked when he was needed for great money and a life far from Brooklyn.