Item No: #306811 Rinehard: A Melodrama of the Nineteen-Thirties [Gabriel Over the White House]. Thomas F. Tweed.
Rinehard: A Melodrama of the Nineteen-Thirties [Gabriel Over the White House]
Rinehard: A Melodrama of the Nineteen-Thirties [Gabriel Over the White House]
Rinehard: A Melodrama of the Nineteen-Thirties [Gabriel Over the White House]

Near Future Film Source, Signed

Rinehard: A Melodrama of the Nineteen-Thirties [Gabriel Over the White House]

Notes: 311 pages.

A near-future novel set in the United States in early 1940 (despite the subtitle), when the formerly ineffective President Rinehard is in an auto accident and following his recovery becomes an authoritarian leader, first as the Dictator of America and then of the entire world. The science fiction elements of this futuristic narrative are reinforced by the disclaimer on the copyright page: "All the characters in this story probably will be ficticious."

The author (1891–1940) was a British soldier and a close advisor to the British Prime Minister Lloyd George. The character Pendie Molloy, the president's secretary, is modeled on Frances Stevenson, Lloyd George's secretary, with whom both George and Tweed had affairs.

Rinehard was written just as Hitler was gaining power in Europe and other totalitarian leaders were on the rise. Tweed was sympathetic to the "great man" view of politics and despite the novel's comic tone, the author's sympathies are with the totalitarians. The jacket copy goes ever further: "One is tempted, after the very dramatic end of this exciting book, to pray that these things should really happen to the President of the United States, and happen quickly."

Rinehard was optioned by William Randolph Hearst and released as the film Gabriel Over the White House (the novel's US title) in 1933. Gregory La Cava directed Walter Huston and Karen Morley in the film which was an unabashed argument for Franklin Delano Roosevelt to assume complete control over the government.

The UK edition of this book, the correct first edition, is quite scarce.

Edition + Condition: First edition (first printing). A very good copy in a very good dust jacket, Cloth spine a bit faded; remnant of newspaper clipping on front pastedown. Jacket with some paper loss at the corners. This copy is signed by Tweed on the front free endpaper.

Publication: London: Arthur Barker, 1933.

Item No: #306811

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