''The Scarlatti Inheritance'' is the first of 27 thriller novels written (the last four of them left in the form of manuscripts, later finalized by

ghost writer A ghostwriter is a person hired to write literature, literary or journalism, journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and pol ...

s) by American author

Robert Ludlum Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 – March 12, 2001) was an American author of 27 Thriller (genre), thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original ''Bourne (novel series), The Bourne Trilogy'' series. The number of copi ...

Premise

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

during World War II, word is received that an elite member of the

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

High Command is willing to defect and divulge information that will shorten the war. But his defection entails the release of the ultra-top-secret file on the Scarlatti Inheritance – a file whose contents will destroy many of the Western world's greatest and most illustrious reputations if they are made known. From there, the book takes itself back a few decades, and tells the story of a corrupt American soldier, his billionaire mother, and an agent working for one of the smallest secret service departments in the world.

Media adaptations

James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...

producer Albert R. Broccoli purchased film rights either before or shortly after publication. Broccoli asked Ludlum to write the script, but Ludlum was reluctant. Ludlum, who had film and theatre experience, said "I didn't leave that crowd of ocelots to go back into it." Ludlum also claimed that Broccoli sought revisions in the agreement.

Dalton Trumbo James Dalton Trumbo (December 9, 1905 – September 10, 1976) was an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including ''Roman Holiday'' (1953), '' Exodus'', ''Spartacus'' (both 1960), and '' Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' (194 ...

was subsequently signed to write the script and worked on it in 1975. Documentary filmmaker Saul Swimmer would produce and direct.

Lew Grade Lew Grade, Baron Grade, (born Lev Winogradsky; 25 December 1906 – 13 December 1998) was a Ukrainian-born British media proprietor and impresario. Originally a dancer, and later a talent agent, Grade's interest in television production ...

optioned the film rights in the late 1970s hoping to make a movie starring

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, Bergman is often regarded as one of the most influential screen figures in cin ...

(with whom Grade had just made ''

Autumn Sonata ''Autumn Sonata'' () is a 1978 tragedy film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, and starring Ingrid Bergman (in her final film role), Liv Ullmann and Lena Nyman. Its plot follows a celebrated classical pianist and her neglected daughter who ...

''). However Grade says Bergman decided to pull out because of the long production schedule that would be involved and the film did enter production. "A pity as she would have been wonderful in it," wrote Grade.Lew Grade, ''Still Dancing: My Story'', William Collins & Sons 1987 p 264 No film version was ever made.

References

1971 American novels American thriller novels Novels by Robert Ludlum Novels set in Washington, D.C. Novels set during World War II 1971 debut novels World Publishing Company books {{1970s-WWII-novel-stub