Act One (film)

Act One is a 1963 American film starring George Hamilton, directed and screenwritten by Dore Schary. It is the film version of the autobiographical book Act One by playwright Moss Hart.

George Hamilton later complained that "Schary de-ethnicized the entire production and took out the brilliance for good measure".

In 1929 young Brooklynite Moss Hart, influenced by the great playwrights, devotes his leisure time to writing for the theater. Failing in his aspirations, however, he accepts a job as social director in the Catskills and then stages plays at the YMHA in Newark.

Eventually he takes the advice of agent Richard Maxwell and writes a comedy, Once in a Lifetime, which deals with the early days of Hollywood films, despite the fact that his knowledge of the movie industry is derived from the pages of Variety.

After being subsidized by a friend, Joe Hyman, he sends the manuscript to producer Warren Stone, who promises a decision within a week. When months pass without any word, Hart's friends sneak a copy of the play to Sam Harris, who agrees to produce it if George Kaufman will collaborate on the script and also direct.

Although Kaufman consents, the Atlantic City opening is a failure, and he considers quitting until Hart comes up with an idea that both men feel will turn the play into a hit. It finally opens to rave reviews in New York City in September 1930, thus beginning the long-lasting Kaufman-Hart collaboration.

Film rights were bought by Warner Bros who assigned George Axelrod to write the script. Eventually the project went to Dore Schary, who had known Hart for a number of years.

"I've tried to deal with Moss as I knew him," said Schary. "The film is more about character than the theatrical world. But I think his story represents more than just a guy trying to success in a tough, creative field, It's about his frustrations in trying to reach a dream, and then it isn't what he expected when he gets there. You might call it a typical American theme."