Okay movie lovers, it’s that time again! Let’s take a look at five terrific books about film that you may not be aware of. Covering a diverse array of film genres, each of the following with entertain you while enhancing your knowledge about beloved movie favorites.
The Thin Man: Murder over Cocktails
The Thin Man films are one of the most highly regarded and successful series of films from Hollywood’s classic era. This book looks at the people who populated the films, including full chapter profiles of its stars, William Powell and Myrna Loy, whose chemistry together was a huge reason for the success of the films. As Nick and Nora Charles they knocked the stereotypes of on-screen marriage out of the park and replaced the stiff and formal with fun and sexy. But not to be forgotten are the great character actors who added their own special magic to each and every film. Each chapter includes profiles of these actors as well as the creative teams behind the films.
The book offers up detailed synopses of each of the films as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes and trivia. If you love The Thin Man then this is the book for you!
They called her “Little Miss Miracle.” With the wink of an eye and a dimpled grin, Shirley Temple brightened smiles, melted hearts, and set toes a-tappin’. Born the year before the Great Depression, indescribably adorable Shirley was just what the world needed to lift itself out of the doldrums. She was, said Irvin S. Cobb in presenting Shirley a special Oscar in l935, “the world’s greatest gift of joy and happiness.”
Lifelong fan and renowned collector Loraine Burdick has compiled this treasure chest of memories of the irresistible youngster with the fifty-two perfect curls. Featuring never-before-published photos, glorious color portraits, and rare publicity pieces, The Shirley Temple Scrapbook takes us into Loraine’s very own magical place dubbed “Shirleyland.”
The Scrapbook chronicles Shirley’s stellar career, from her start in the Baby Burlesks to her standout performances in such films as Bright Eyes and Captain January. We become privy to how Shirley became the first toddler to promote the film industry; why her hand-holding song-and-dance routine with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in The Little Colonel was considered so controversial; and what made her shine among Hollywood legends Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert, Cary Grant, Rudy Vallee, Gary Cooper, and Carole Lombard–to name just a few!
Loraine Burdick’s valentine to Shirley Temple invites us to relive, or perhaps discover for the first time, some of the most glorious films of the twentieth century, sneak a peak at the styles of the day, and get a realistic view of Shirley’s personal and professional thrills and disappointments on the road to fame.
Roger Ebert, the famed film writer and critic, wrote biweekly essays for a feature called “The Great Movies,” in which he offered a fresh and fervent appreciation of a great film. The Great Movies collects one hundred of these essays, each one of them a gem of critical appreciation and an amalgam of love, analysis, and history that will send readers back to that film with a fresh set of eyes and renewed enthusiasm–or perhaps to an avid first-time viewing.
Ebert’s selections range widely across genres, periods, and nationalities, and from the highest achievements in film art to justly beloved and wildly successful popular entertainments. Roger Ebert manages in these essays to combine a truly populist appreciation for our most important form of popular art with a scholar’s erudition and depth of knowledge and a sure aesthetic sense. Wonderfully enhanced by stills selected by Mary Corliss, the film curator at the Museum of Modern Art, The Great Movies is a treasure trove for film lovers of all persuasions, an unrivaled guide for viewers, and a book to return to again and again.
The Great Movies includes: All About Eve, Bonnie and Clyde, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Jaws, La Dolce Vita, Metropolis, On the Waterfront, Psycho, The Seventh Seal, Sweet Smell of Success, Taxi Driver, The Third Man, The Wizard of Oz, and eighty-five more films.
Hollywood At Play: The Lives of the Stars Between Takes
Fans from around the world continue to be fascinated by classic-era Hollywood (1925-1960) and its larger-than-life stars. Nostalgia for this simpler, more glamorous time offers a safe and temporary escape from our complex lives. The authors capture this era with in Hollywood at Play, featuring unique and rarely seen images of such legendary stars as Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, W.C. Fields, and Tyrone Power enjoying fun and relaxation outside of their studios. Hollywood at Play presents iconic images of the classic stars taking time out from the demands of celebrity to enjoy dancing, bike-riding, roller skating, bowling, and playing tennis; diversions offering a chance to relax and be themselves. This delightful and unique book will appeal to classic movie fans, and enthusiasts of celebrity, fashion, and Hollywood history. The photos contained in Hollywood at Play come from the collection of Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee, Hollywood’s first and oldest family-owned photo archive. From the 800,000 images available in their collection the authors have chosen over 200 fascinating and rare photos to include in this book. Among the photos are eight rare photos of a young Marilyn Monroe at play; Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland frolicking at a pool party; Steve McQueen and James Garner astride McQueen’s iconic motorcycle between takes of The Great Escape; Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee out on the town; Sammy Davis Jr. hamming it up with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra; and many others.
We wept at his Oscar-winning role in Marty. . .we gasped when he took on Frank Sinatra in From Here to Eternity. . .we were riveted by his compelling performances in The Dirty Dozen, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Ice Station Zebra. . .and we laughed at his television sitcom McHale’s Navy. We loved all of Ernest Borgnine’s many portrayals, but what did we know about the man behind the famous roles? Now for the first time, he tells us in his own words the fascinating story of his life in this witty, candid, and revealing memoir.
For more than fifty years, Ernest–or “Ernie” as he’s known to his friends–has been one of the most recognized, celebrated stars in Hollywood as well as a respected, talented actor, and a living legend. Stretching from his childhood as the son of Italian immigrants to a spectacular career that is still thriving in his 91st year, from the early days of live TV to the voiceovers for The Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants, Ernie tells of the trials and tribulations on his road to fame, the friendships he shared with some of the silver screen’s biggest stars, and the glamorous leading ladies he loved.
Acclaimed for his ability to play sensitive and tough-guy roles equally well, he was also famous for squaring off against some of Hollywood’s most formidable actresses–including Bette Davis in A Catered Affair and Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar. Recalling his experiences starring in classic movies such as The Poseidon Adventure, The Wild Bunch, and Escape from New York, he reveals personal insights and irresistible stories about cinema’s greatest icons–including Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Kirk Douglas, Montgomery Clift, Gary Cooper, Janet Leigh, Raquel Welch, Gene Hackman, Rock Hudson, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Curtis, Alan Ladd, Glenn Ford, and Burt Lancaster. And with characteristic frankness, he also talks about his off-screen loves and passions.
A must for every film buff, Ernie: An Autobiography is a fascinating memoir–filled with secrets, well-remembered details, and never-before-told stories–of a star who has thrived in the changing world of Hollywood for more than half a century, and endeared himself to legions of fans everywhere.
Each week, our Sunday Funday feature showcases the latest and greatest in the world of collectibles, apparel, books, and soundtracks.