For a Few Dollars More, Rare U.S. Continuity Script by Travis Trewin

For a Few Dollars More, Rare U.S. Continuity Script by Travis Trewin

Here is a wonderful little piece written by friend of the Archive, Travis Trewin. Based in Australia, all of the following images are from his private collection and we thank him for sharing. 

Travis said, ‘This is a Combined Continuity Script for the film FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE. Created by Laura Rosser’s Film Continuity Service in Hollywood, California, on October 3rd, 1966, for the United Artist’s release of the film in America on 10th May 1967.

A Combined Continuity Script (CCS) is an extremely labour-intensive post-production script that includes a shot-by-shot description of the visual and audible content of the film, complete with the frame-precise time codes, visual description of the action on the screen, graphics, forced narratives and dialogue.  It is therefore not a traditional production script used on the film set by the director and crew, but a far more detailed script of the final film print.

When a production is distributed internationally, the CCS serves as a guide that provides compliance (censorship) officers the information they need to conform the production to the legal standards of their region. It’s a necessary part of deliverables to networks or a studio and is an invaluable tool to re-edit the content if needed for different market sensibilities.

A CCS is also very helpful with subtitling and dubbing a film into foreign languages. Once the in and out timecode of the dialogue has been captured on paper, the duration can be calculated and the dubber has a precise idea of the time that is available to fit in the dialogue in the foreign language.

It is unknown how many copies of this CSS were made, but there is evidence of only two surviving copies. In auction records, this copy sold on emovieposter in 2017 for $401.00, and then again in 2021 for $615.00’ (to its current custodian, Travis).

‘A second copy, evident by different aging patterns and some writing in pencil on the front cover, sold on emovieposter in 2015 for $85.00, then on Heritage Auctions in 2018 for $218.00 and again in 2019 for $480.00. A CCS for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly sold on emovieposter in 2017 for $486.00. This appears to be the only record of one surfacing or selling. There seems to be no record of one for a Fistful of Dollars.’

We would like to thank Travis for this detailed account and contribution to the Archive. it really offers a great insight as well as a great education for people who are perhaps unfamiliar with the purpose of a Combined Continuity Script. Many thanks Travis. 

Below: Some samples from the For a Few Dollars More Continuity Script

Below: The second copy of the script known to exist

Below: The CCS for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly sold in 2017 for $486.00