Classic Hollywood Lore

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     When I am not planning library programming, I am a dedicated fan of classic films. I’ve presented several Pre-Code Film Festivals at various libraries featuring films from the early 1930s. You might find it interesting (and shocking) to see just what your grandparents (or your great-grandparents) were watching when they went to the movies.

Beginning September 7, we will be presenting a monthly Classic Film series so you can enjoy the classic films. We will feature a film historian to introduce each film.  It’s free and you can find film listings and movie times at homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

In the meantime, read up on these great titles listed below:

 

The Fixers: Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling and the MGM Publicity Machine   By E.J. Fleming | Nonfiction – Biography
The Fixers: Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling and the MGM Publicity Machine  By E.J. Fleming | Nonfiction – Biography

Eddie Mannix and Howard Strickling were “the Fixers” for MGM in Hollywood’s golden age. When film legends found themselves in trouble, these two took care of them—solved their problems, hid their crimes and kept their secrets. Through a complex web of contacts in every arena, they covered up some of the most notorious crimes and scandals in Hollywood history, keeping stars out of jail and out of the papers.

George Hurrell
George Hurrell’s Hollywood: Glamour Portraits 1925-1992  By Mark A. Vieira | Nonfiction

The quote “They had faces then” seems made for George Hurrell, the creator of the Hollywood glamour portrait.  The “Rembrandt of Hollywood” captured movie stars of the golden era with bold contrast, and seductive poses producing portraits of the stars with a signature blend of the ethereal and the erotic. It’s a beautiful coffee table book of the stars.

Hollywood Dreams
Hollywood Dreams Made Real: Irving Thalberg and the Rise of M-G-M  By Mark A. Vieira | Biography

Nicknamed the “Boy Wonder,” Irving Thalberg was running Universal Studios at 20, and cofounded MGM at 24. Between 1924 and 1936, he supervised 400 memorable movies, making stars of Harlow, Gable and Crawford. By the time of his death at 37, Thalberg had lifted film to the level of fine art. This is a fresh portrait of the prime architect of the studio system and an enchanting tour of the magical world he created.

Hollywood
Hollywood: The Movie Lover’s Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A By Richard Alleman | Travel

This is the classic guide to who-did-what-where in Los Angeles, on- and off-screen, including descriptions and histories of the movie star mansions, cemeteries, historic hotels, clubs, restaurants, movie palaces and museums. Let it be your travel guide and historic guide for all things Hollywood!

Pre-Code
Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema; 1930-1934  by Thomas Doherty | Nonfiction

We tend to think of black-and-white movies as representing a sanitized world, but in fact, censorship in American cinema wasn’t imposed until 1934, when the production code began to be enforced. The “pre-code” era epitomized loose dames, hot whoopee and coked-up killers, and it was full of complicated women and dangerous men!