Film Adaptation of F. S. Fitzgerald's Story

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Story Writers

FRANCIS SCOTT FITZGERALD (1896 - 1940)
was an American author of romantic novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigmatic of the Jazz Age in 1930's-40's, a term he coined himself. He finished four novels, 'This Side of Paradise', 'The Beautiful and Damned', 'Tender Is the Night' and his most famous, 'The Great Gatsby'. He wrote with subtlety, revealing the true nature of his characters like he was slowly undressing them. Fitzgerald wrote stories of youth and promise, as well as of his own despair and disillusionment. He was a brilliant author who led a celebrity lifestyle in New York and the French Riviera with his wife Zelda, which ended tragically his death when he was aged only 44 and hers a few years later. Both smoked and drank themsleves to a heart attack and breakdown, which was why he wrote "the happy need no drink at all".

He wrote with a wry humour, contrasting the lifestyles of the rich with the poor, while extolling that which are precious and transient - that being romance and happiness. As he observed in his writings, the rich often has everything except love and happiness which ironically cannot be bought, and sadly, does not last forever. As he wrote in one of his novels: 
"I'm not sentimental, I'm as romantic as you are. The sentimental person thinks things will last, while the romantic person has a desperate feeling that they won't!”  

Scott Fitzgerald's message, however, was to ‘let go’ of the regret and bitterness and instead, join in the
‘youth and happiness that is all around .. profligate as the sunshine’ (‘The Bridal Party’). 

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WRITER-PRODUCER CHRISTINE W.F. CHAN
was mentored by her Dad, a Reuters journalist who loved literature, and was as honest and good-looking as Gregory Peck in 'Roman Holiday'. Christine was brought up on Hollywood movies classics by her Dad, and took up lessons in screenwriting and film production at London's BFI, where she attended Bafta Masterclasses given by renowned Directors, Writers and Producers. She recently took up a refresher production course at the Raindance Film School in London.

She first fell in love with Fitzgerald's writings on her way to the Cannes Film Festival when she read at the airport, ‘The Bridal Party’. Thinking it was a nice, short story which could be easily made, she adapted it for film production. Working part-time and self-financing development was no easy task! The script has since evolved with the world's changing moods and values as Co-vid Depression hit the global stage, reminiscent of the 1920-30 Depression era.

Written nearly a hundred years ago, yet it still feels like it is a story set in today's times. 

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Script and Treatments registered with Script Vault U.K.& WGA. Bridal Party Ltd / Christine W.F. Chan (C) 2022*

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