THE BRIEF, MADCAP LIFE OF KAY KENDALL

THE BRIEF, MADCAP LIFE OF KAY KENDALL. Eve Golden with Kim Kendall. University Press of Kentucky; 2002.

Since most if not all of the major stars have been covered ad nauseam, many publishers have come out with books on 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier celebrities. British actress and comedienne Kay Kendall [Les Girls; Wings of Danger), who did indeed have a brief life and career, fits into the lattermost of those categories. Kendall was talented and tragic, dying young of leukemia, which her husband and family tried very hard to keep her from knowing until nearly the end. Her husband was Rex Harrison, and Kendall would have probably been forgotten by all but her most obsessive fans, however many, if it had not been for that association with a much bigger star. Kendall's marriage to Harrison played out during a time when the latter was ascendant due to his triumphs in both the stage and screen versions of My Fair Lady. Eve Golden's entertaining and page-turning book won't necessarily have you admiring Kendall's character, although she was probably no worse than a lot of other husband-stealing, rather "trampy" and superficial starlets; Kendall also became full of herself. (Kendall stole Harrison from Lilli Palmer, who had herself broken up an earlier marriage to Harrison. Harrison claimed that he primarily married Kendall only because she was dying.) Kendall was great friends with Dirk Bogarde and his partner, Anthony Forwood. Biographer Golden does a very good job dissecting Kendall's films and performances while never neglecting her interesting personal life. 

Verdict: Good read for those interested in this talented if minor British actress. ***. 

MUSIC BY MAX STEINER

MUSIC BY MAX STEINER: The Epic Life of Hollywood's Most Influential Composer. Steven C. Smith. Oxford University Press; 2020. 

Gone with the Wind, Now Voyager, King Kong, Of Human Bondage, Charge of the Light Brigade, White Heat, The Fountainhead, Johnny Belinda, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Mildred Pierce, Since You Went Away, Casablanca, The Letter, Dark Victory, Jezebel, Angels with Dirty Faces, A Star is Born (1937) -- this barely scratches the list of the 241 scores composed by the great Austrian-born Max Steiner. This excellent, well-researched, and very thorough biography examines Steiner's family and early life in Vienna, his early years working on Broadway, the first pictures that he began scoring, up to his triumphs on such as Gone With the Wind (for which he did not win an Oscar and should have) and scores that did win Academy Awards, such as Since You Went Away, Now, Voyager and The Informer. Steiner clearly understood the importance of underscoring to bring out the emotional sub-text in motion pictures, a style that was later implemented by many other composers in Hollywood. At first, some people thought it was strange to hear, say, a symphonic orchestra in the middle of the desert, but eventually audiences came to appreciate the music blaring from the speakers while the actors did their thing onscreen. Music By Max Steiner looks at his various, often troubled, marriages, his problems with the studios and producers such as Selznick, his gambling and profligate spending which left him deeply in debt until, lo and behold, he actually composed a hit song with his theme from A Summer Place. The book also looks at the sad, tragic and all-too-brief life of his handsome only son, Ronald, who committed suicide at 21 (and was possibly gay). Steiner's music has complemented many great movies and enriched movies that even Steiner wished he hadn't had to work on, but although he occasionally wrote a less-than-compelling score, that didn't happen very often. My favorite Steiner theme: the sensitive and lovely waltz that signifies the relationship between Olivia de Havilland and George Brent in In This Our Life. (Author Smith doesn't comment on this, but with so very many movies to choose from it's inevitable that some of your favorites will be overlooked.) The book gets rather technical at times but that shouldn't blunt your enjoyment even if you're not a musicologist. 

Verdict: Excellent biography of a gifted composer whose life and work richly deserves to be re-examined. ****.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

ROBERT WISE: THE MOTION PICTURES

ROBERT WISE: THE MOTION PICTURES. J. R. Jordan. Newly Revised and Updated. BearManor; 2020.

Although Hitchcock, John Ford, Billy Wilder and William Wyler, among others, may get the lion's share of the attention and critical kudos, the fact remains that Robert Wise was not only a solid and highly-skilled director who worked in many genres, but the architect of many successful and famous motion pictures. Beginning as an editor -- Wise worked on Welles' Citizen Kane and Magnificent Ambersons, among others -- his first professional directorial credit was for producer Val Lewton's Curse of the Cat People. (He returned to the horror genre with The Body Snatchers and the marvelous Haunting). Although today Wise is probably best remembered for directing the box office blockbusters The Sound of Music and West Side Story, in his younger days he helmed such gritty film noir-type pictures as Born to Kill, Odds Against Tomorrow and The Set-Up. Wise also did two major science fiction films, The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Andromeda Strain. He also helmed Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the unfortunate Star!, among others. Some of his other notable films include Three Secrets and Tribute to a Bad Man, and there was the very occasional stinker, such as Executive Suite.

J. R. Jordan's well-written tome finally gives Wise his due with an illustrated book that covers all of his motion pictures. Each essay gives a background to the film, why Wise chose the project, his working methods on the set, synopses, important highlights of each picture, and lengthy quotes from people, including crew and cast members, who worked with Wise. Aside from one man who claims Wise was unsympathetic when he was injured on the set, everyone's recollections are positive. Wise was no martinet, a la Otto Preminger, but a reasonable and well-adjusted craftsman and artist who didn't need to scream at or belittle people to get what he wanted from them. Like Hitchcock, he was always fully prepared for each scene, choose his actors with great care, and only gave them direction when it was required. Wise left behind an impressive body of work and this well-researched tome will remind readers of the director's long and distinguished career. This is by no means a gossipy book, but Janette Scott's comments on Rossana Podesta when they were working together on Helen of Troy are amusing.

 Verdict: For Wise fans and film enthusiasts in general. ***1/2.

Addendum
The book is dedicated to the author's father. Joseph C. Jordan Jr. suddenly passed a short time following the publication of this article. In Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures the author wrote, "Those I interviewed for this book generally described Robert Wise as noble, patient, validating, and a class act. Such words, in short, apply to Dad."

Mr. Jordan's wife, Rosetta, preceded him in death by 37 years (see photo). He missed her terribly and never remarried. The author was fortunately afforded the opportunity to be at his father's bedside on the day of the passing. Prior to the moment of death, the author faced his father and said, "This is a special day. You're going to be with Mom again." Mr. Jordan's face lit up, as his excitement was clearly apparent. He passed a short time later.

CHANGE LOBSTERS AND DANCE

CHANGE LOBSTERS AND DANCE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Lilli Palmer. Macmillan; 1975.

Apparently without a ghostwriter, Lilli Palmer [Body and Soul] writes affectingly of her life and a bit of her career and writes so well that she proves as talented an author as she was an actress. Palmer tells of growing up a Jew in Berlin, leaving the country for France and then England when Hitler reared his ugly head, her early struggles to have a career as an actress and winding up as part of a singing act in sleazy nightclubs, her work in theater and films, and her marriage to Rex Harrison. From an insider's pov, Palmer tells of the effect Harrison's affair with Carole  Landis [Out of the Blue], a suicide, had on her and her husband's lives -- they essentially had to flee Hollywood for New York until My Fair Lady changed everything -- as well as the major impact of his affair with co-star Kay Kendall [Les Girls] , whom Harrison had to take care of as she was dying, a fact that was kept from her.  It was difficult for Palmer to continue co-starring with Rex Harrison in "Bell, Book and Candle" in London after he fell in love with Kendall, but the producer wouldn't let her out of her contract. She lied and told Harrison that she would return to him after Kendall's death, but told him the truth afterward. Palmer then had a happier marriage to Argentinian actor and author Carlos Thompson [Raw Wind in Eden]. Palmer provides interesting portraits of such folk as co-stars Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and close friend Laurence Olivier, as well as of Noel Coward, Greta Garbo, Helen Keller, and the malicious Hedda Hopper, but the best sections relate her impressions as anti-Semitic feelings grew in Germany, and her reactions when she returned to make films in her homeland many years later, wondering which of her co-workers were Nazis and which weren't.

Palmer goes behind the scenes of a couple of her movies, but most of her film work is only mentioned in passing. (She doesn't even mention stuff like The House That Screamed.) Interestingly, second husband Thompson did not want her appearing on the New York stage because, as she puts it, "I couldn't possibly ask him to sit around and twiddle his thumbs for a whole year ... " this coming not long after Thompson spent two years away from Palmer researching a book! Sadly, Palmer died of cancer about ten years after this book was finished, and Thompson committed suicide four years later.

Verdict: Absorbing and very well-written memoir. ***1/2. 

THE LOST ONE: A LIFE OF PETER LORRE

THE LOST ONE: A LIFE OF PETER LORRE. Stephen D. Youngkin. University Press of Kentucky; 2005.

It was to the eternal frustration of much-admired actor Peter Lorre that he was forever seen as some sort of "horror star," and never quite got the kind of roles that he wanted, and that would have lifted him into a more exalted category. Of course, nowadays most film enthusiasts who are familiar with Lorre's work in various genres have come to recognize his dramatic ability as his numerous fine performances certainly attest to. This lengthy, in-depth biography of the actor covers his life as a Jewish emigre from Austria to his move to the United States, details his coming to international attention thanks to his starring role in Fritz Lang's M, looks into his Hollywood career and the frustrations it engendered, and examines his private life, including his three marriages and serious, life-long drug addiction. Along the way he appeared in such notable films as the first version of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much, Mad Love, Crime and Punishment and Casablanca, starred in a series of Mr. Moto movies, and directed his one and only picture, the controversial Der verlorene ("The Lost One"). In his later years he appeared in everything from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, along with a Jerry Lewis film, The Patsy, and Roger Corman's The Raven and Tales of Terror. The Lost One is a solid bio, although I wish it was perhaps a bit more entertaining; the passages devoted to Lorre's relationship with Bertolt Brecht eventually become tedious and there are other dry stretches. The details of Lorre's divorce from his first wife, Celia Lovsky, with whom he remained close, are never quite made sufficiently clear. Otherwise, this is a good book on an important film figure.

Verdict: Possibly not the last word on Lorre, but he certainly deserves this exhaustive look at his life and career. ***. 

DORIS DAY: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

DORIS DAY: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door. David Kaufman. Virgin; 2008.

Doris Day was a celebrated actress, singer and movie star, becoming a top box office attraction in the sixties, but she was also thought of by non-fans as a precious, virginal, saccharine-coated antique, a mere aberration, whose films were sickening. She was funny, but not as funny as Lucille Ball. She could sing well, but she was no Judy Garland. Her very real dramatic talent, however, as evidenced by performances in such films as Love Me or Leave Me and The Man Who Knew Too Much, was ignored or forgotten by her critics and even the general public. Some of this was Day's fault, as she turned down roles in The Graduate and The Children's Hour to make more of her formula sit-com movies such as The Glass Bottom Boat. Her husband, Marty Melcher, was responsible for running her career, and he nearly ran it into the ground. Turning over fiscal responsibilities to a crooked lawyer who was later disbarred due to Melcher's bad advice, Day lost millions. Day was more complicated than her image would suggest, apparently having an affair with an African-American baseball player, as well as at least two affairs with married men (Patrick O'Neal was one), possibly leading one jilted wife to commit suicide. Day did smoke and drink when she wanted to, and didn't believe in organized religion. Day was an absentee mother to her son, Terry, and when she got annoyed with someone for some alleged minor malfeasance, she would cut them off forever without a word. Day claimed that all she ever wanted out of life was a husband and family and a secure home life, and got no real pleasure out of her fame, success and riches. (Poor Doris!) When I first began David Kaufman's very thorough (perhaps too thorough) biography of Day, I was afraid it would be a mere fan boys ruminations, but this is a well-researched, incisive -- and unsparing -- look at Day's life, career, personality, and character, good or bad. As Day got older, disappointed with her married life, career, and her unstated realization that fans who didn't really know her intimately were no substitute for real friends, she turned to numerous pets for comfort. Her three other marriages all failed, and she came to rely more on animals than people. (She gave a homeless man some money only because he had a dog with him!) After reading this excellent bio you can decide for yourself if Day is nice or a nut or somewhere in between. David Kaufman also wrote a notable biography of Mary Martin, Some Enchanted Evenings.

Verdict: More about Doris Day than you may want to know. ***1/2.

P.S. I LOVE YOU: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF PETER SELLERS

P. S. I LOVE YOU: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF PETER SELLERS. Michael Sellers. E. P. Dutton; 1981.

In this revealing, entertaining, and well-written book, the son of Peter Sellers talks about his life with his famous father, his siblings, his mother, and his father's assorted other wives, including actresses Britt Ekland [Asylum] and Lynne Frederick [Schizo]. The portrait that emerges is of a man who never seemed quite satisfied no matter what he got out of life, which in terms of success, wealth and prestige was considerable. Paranoid, mercurial, and often inexplicably temperamental, Peter Sellers would routinely disown assorted children on what some might deem a whim, although he was often mortally offended, such as when his daughter Victoria tactlessly referred to him as looking like a "little old man" in Being There. (Victoria was the daughter of the hated second wife, Britt Ekland). Michael Sellers and his siblings had a life of privilege for the most part, although his father was, like most movie stars, probably more concerned with his status in the industry than with anything else, although he undoubtedly loved his children as much as he was capable of. The final chapters of the book deal with how fourth wife Frederick somehow managed to get virtually all of her estranged husband's fortune away from his own children. This is an intimate and frank portrait of its subject, although I'm not certain if we needed to know about Seller's late-in-life bouts with impotency.

Verdict: Good read about a comic genius with assorted issues. ***.

MR. STRANGELOVE: A BIOGRAPHY OF PETER SELLERS

MR. STRANGELOVE: A BIOGRAPHY OF PETER SELLERS. Ed Sikov. Hyperion; 2002.

"He was amoral, dangerous, vindictive, totally selfish, and yet had the charm of the devil." -- Sellers' first wife.

Mr. Strangelove adeptly traces the career and personal life of one of the cinema's funniest men, the brilliant Peter Sellers. There is his early association with Spike Milligan, with whom he did radio and TV programs; his relationship with his ever-loving if too controlling mother, Peg, as well as his several wives (including actress Britt Ekland) and children; and of course the many, many movies he appeared in. Sellers was like many powerful, successful film figures -- a man who could be monstrous one minute, even with his own children, and then turn around and be remarkably generous. Doted on by his mother, Sellers became self-absorbed at an early age, but many of his companions make clear that he could also be a very good friend. His career took precedence over everything else, as it does with so many driven film stars. Mr.. Strangelove also goes behind the scenes of Sellers' movies, both famous and obscure, such as The Pink Panther films, Dr. Strangelove, The Magic  Christian, Being There, Murder By Death, The Wrong Box, and many, many more. Sikov perhaps spends too much time on Milligan and the Goons (a comedic group/program of which Sellers was a part early in his career); otherwise this is a solid bio.

Verdict: Interesting look at a comic genius. ***.

NOTORIOUS: THE LIFE OF INGRID BERGMAN

NOTORIOUS: THE LIFE OF INGRID BERGMAN. Donald Spoto. HarperCollins; 1997.

Donald Spoto gives Bergman the bio treatment and it's largely a sympathetic look at her life and career. As usual, Spoto claims some sort of friendship with his subject, beginning with his interviewing her for a book on Hitchcock. Spoto covers all of her films made in Sweden, Hollywood, and Italy; her first marriage to Petter Lindstrom (whom apparently came to see her as rather self-absorbed and negative even after he was happily re-married); her affair, marriage and collaborations with Roberto Rossellini; her third marriage to a theatrical producer which ended up as a loving friendship but a failed romantic union; her assorted relationships with a variety of men; her comeback in Anastasia; and her emergence as a star and talent of the first rank even as she eventually battled cancer. Spoto perhaps tries too hard at times to cover up for his subject's obvious flaws as a person, and some of the things he writes are a little inexplicable, such as how the gay/bi Tony Perkins was "frozen in terror at the touch of a woman" [!] when he appeared with Bergman in Goodbye Again. This is ridiculous, considering Perkins did numerous love scenes with women during his career, and eventually married and had two children. Spoto, like most biographers, talks over and over and over again about Bergman's "beauty," but she was actually rather average-looking and certainly no sex symbol, although she apparently had no trouble making herself available and attracting men.

Verdict: Solid, engaging, and very well-written, if imperfect, bio of Bergman. ***1/2.

THE HAMMER VAULT

THE HAMMER VAULT: Treasures from the Archives of Hammer Films. Marcus Hearn. Titan; 2011. Revised and Updated Edition.

This beautiful over-sized coffee table book is a compendium of photos and memorabilia relating to the famous -- some might say infamous -- Hammer studios, who chiefly made horror films but branched out to other genres from time to time as well. Hammer studios made a name for itself with its new, bloodier versions of Dracula and Frankenstein, and made stars of such as Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Some of the filmmakers most associated with the studio include Val Guest, Terence Fisher, and Jimmy Sangster, among others. The book is chock full of production stills, behind-the-scenes shots, annotated shooting scripts, posters, drawings, press books, letters, publicity kits, and all manner of esoterica relating to the studio. The book covers all of the output of the studio from the very early days (The Quatermass Xperiment) to more recent films such as The Woman in Black, providing a fairly complete history of Hammer. You can also read about Hammer projects that were announced or conceived but never came to fruition.

Verdict: A must for the obsessive Hammer enthusiast. ***.

TARZAN ON FILM

TARZAN ON FILM. Scott Tracy Griffin. Foreword by Casper Van Dien. Titan; 2016.

Griffin, who previously authored Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration, is back with a new coffee table tome that focuses on the Tarzan motion pictures and the various actors (supporting cast as well as stars) who appeared in them. There is no actual film criticism in the book, although there are loads of pictures and background notes on each production. Tarzan On Film looks at the silent Tarzan movies, the serials such as Tarzan the Fearless and The New Adventures of Tarzan, and all of the films starring everyone from Johnny Weissmuller to Mike Henry and beyond, as well as chapters on the various TV series starring the Ape Man (as well as cartoon series and animated features). You'll learn that Acquanetta of Tarzan and the Leopard Woman was born Mildred Davenport and was black passing for white, and that Woody Strode was dubbed by a British actor for Tarzan's Three Challenges, among other tidbits.

Verdict: No critical analysis, but Tarzan movie fans will love the info and photos. ***.

THE FILMS OF RODGERS AND HART

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart 

THE FILMS OF RODGERS AND HART.

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were one of the greatest song-writing duos in history, with one hit show after another, and together they created a host of wonderful songs that have become standards. Unfortunately, in general they were badly treated by Hollywood, who made adaptations of their shows with watered down or completely altered plots and lyrics, and worse, sometimes most of the songs were dropped and even replaced by the work of other songwriters. However, they did do the songs for the film Love Me Tonight -- which introduced 'Isn't It Romantic?," among others -- and other songs they wrote managed to make it to the screen in one way or another.

This week we look at a variety of films that were either loosely based on Rodgers and Hart's Broadway hits, or featured music by the famous duo. Many of the writings about the team go on about how handsome Rodgers was, and how ugly and gnome-like Hart was, but actually Rodgers was not that handsome and Hart was not especially ugly. Rodgers was perhaps more even-featured than Hart, whose face was a little more interesting. In any case, who cares? -- all these decades later both men remain giants of the musical theater and people still admire, sing, and appreciate their work. Their shows include Pal Joey, Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, I Married an Angel, Too Many Girls, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, On Your Toes, and many others. NOTE: Reviews of the film versions of Pal Joey and Too Many Girls will be posted in future weeks. 

Rodgers worked with Hart nearly until Hart's death, but Hart lived to congratulate Rodgers on his first collaboration with his new partner, Oscar Hammerstein II, Oklahoma. Rodgers and Hammerstein would etch their own impressive resume after Hart's too-early death.

LANA: THE LIFE AND LOVES OF LANA TURNER

LANA: THE LIFE AND LOVES OF LANA TURNER. Jane Ellen Wayne. St. Martin's; 1995.

This fairly short, readable volume provides an overview of the life and career of Lana Turner, whose acting talents were always questioned (in spite of giving some effective performances in certain films such as These Glamour Girls and A Life of Her Own), and whose troubled marriages and love life were widely reported on in the press. Lana, who apparently was always "Lana Turner," seemed to marry men who were less interested in the woman herself and more in her beauty, fame and money. She is a perfect example of someone who seems to have everything but whose personal life provides only heartbreak and emotional turmoil. The biggest scandal in La Turner's life was when her daughter, Cheryl Crane, stabbed Lana's brute of a lover, Johnny Stompanato, to death -- Crane wrote her own book, but questions still remain about this incident, which was turned into the book and movie Where Love Has Gone with Susan Hayward in the Lana role. Lana documents virtually every affair Turner had, as well as most of her movies, medical issues, and later years which were undeniably difficult for an aging glamour queen. One of Turner's ex-husbands, actor Stephen Crane, appeared in Cry of the Werewolf. Jane Ellen Wayne also wrote Stanwyck.

Verdict: Page turner for Turner fans and movie star enthusiasts in general. ***.

WHO NEEDS SLEEP?

WHO NEEDS SLEEP? (2006 documentary). Director: Haskell Wexler.

The famous cinematographer Haskell Wexler [pictured] put together this film which looks at the problem of sleep-deprived workers in the film industry. Wexler and others were especially galvanized after one man fell asleep at the wheel driving home to his family and was killed. As is said, this covers the film industry, but it could be about "any group of industrial workers fighting to have a fourteen hour day." Workers in the movie business typically put in 19 hour days without the commensurate salaries of the stars and [generally] the directors -- hardly a "glamorous" business. After the man's death petitions were signed and circulated insisting on a 14 (!) hour work day but it didn't stick. There has been "no real appreciable change." The trouble is that the movie makers are on a deadline to finish a film and there are variable factors at play. Still, this is a very interesting documentary showing an aspect of the movie business that few people outside the industry ever really think about. There are brief moments of celebrities being interviewed, but mostly its people working behind the scenes.

Verdict: Sobering. ***.

THE COMPLETE KAY FRANCIS CAREER RECORD

THE COMPLETE KAY FRANCIS CAREER RECORD. All Film, Stage, Radio and Television Appearances. Lynn Kear and John Rossman. McFarland; 2008.

This book is the companion volume to the authors' fine Francis biography Kay Francis: A Passionate Life and Career. This is an exhaustive, very well-researched look at the long and fascinating career of Kay Francis, who is now being rediscovered and reappraised by film buffs thanks to TCM and books like this one. This hardcover tome with lots and lots of photos is not just a dry reference book of lists, but has synopses and reactions to all of her movies, including background notes about each film, as well as a sampling of often contradictory reviews. [The strangest one is when a Mick LaSalle compares Allotment Wives to Mildred Pierce and is quoted thusly: "But Allotment Wives is tougher, harder, and stronger, and Francis' performance outshines anything Crawford ever did." Actually while I was watching Allotment Wives I kept thinking how much better and more appropriate Crawford would have been in the part! Different strokes ... ] These essays are written with humor and intelligence. The authors unearth some interesting and bizarre things about Confession, which was a shot-for-shot remake of Mazurka (much like Gus Van Sant did a shot-for-shot remake of Psycho). The reviews of both her movies and stage appearances [the latter section also has lengthy background notes] make clear that many critics did not dismiss her as an actress as some have wrongly believed. The authors clearly admire and enjoy Francis but if they think she's not at her best in a particular vehicle, they say so. The lengthy appendix listing many of the players who worked with Francis also has a lot of often surprising information in it. For more about the actress' personal life [although there's quite a bit on that in this book] see the authors' Francis bio. NOTE: Both books can be ordered at the McFarland web site or call 800-253-2187 to order.

Verdict: For every Francis fan's bookshelf. ***.

SECOND FEATURE: THE BEST OF THE 'B' FILMS

SECOND FEATURE: The Best of the 'B' Films. John Cocchi. Citadel Press;1991. 

A big over-sized paperback from Citadel Press, John Cocchi's Second Feature is a very entertaining look at some of the best -- and a few of the worst -- "B" movies ever made. While I faithfully look at the schedule for Turner Classic Movies (and even look at many of the movies), a lot of the pics in this volume escaped me; even film buffs will find a lot that is new to them in Second Feature. The book is dedicated to The Cooperative Film Society at Joe's Place (1967 - 1982) -- as well as to Joe Judice and Chris Steinbrunner - and an interesting aspect of the book is that Cocchi occasionally relates how members of the society reacted (both positively and negatively) to some of the films he writes about in his book. Second Feature is divided into sections by film genre, and lists many different films with a pithy write-up on each with background details. There are loads and loads of great photographs, many full-page. An obvious labor of love and lots of fun for B movie enthusiasts! 

Verdict: Great! ***1/2.

BEHIND THE SCREEN

BEHIND THE SCREEN: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1910 - 1969. William J. Mann. Viking; 2001.

A very interesting look at the gay influence on films -- especially the look of films -- during the first half of the 20th century. It's difficult even today to know who's gay or who isn't due to the closet, sham marriages, and the fact that most gays are non-stereotypical, so undoubtedly many influential individuals were left out of the book. Since open, more flamboyant gays tended to go in for costuming and interior design over say, camera work or directing (although there were certainly gays in those fields, as Mann notes and uncovers) the book has what seems like a disproportionate number of pages devoted to the more "feminine" fields and at times gets a little tiresome because of it. Mann also examines how fan magazines dealt with various actors' gay persuasion. Some of the names whose lives and work Mann examines include Mitchell Leisen, Charles Brackett, Charles Waters, Kay Francis, Dorothy Arzner, Cary Grant, J. Warren Kerrigan (one of the first big stars), Ross Hunter, Irving Rapper, etc. He also looks into marriages between gay men and lesbians (Edmund Lowe and Lilyan Tashman) who formed a kind of loving bond while getting their thrills outside the marital bed (although Mann takes these faux relationships perhaps more seriously than he should). There are odd omissions in the book, however. Still, some readers may find it an eye-opener. Well-researched.

Verdict: A worthwhile read, if hardly the last word on the subject. ***.