Golden Age Hollywood screenwriter Charles Brackett was an
extremely observant and perceptive chronicler of the entertainment
industry during its most exciting years. He is best remembered as
the writing partner of director Billy Wilder, who once referred to
the pair as "the happiest couple in Hollywood," collaborating on
such classics as "The Lost Weekend" (1945) and "Sunset Blvd"
(1950).
In this annotated collection of writings taken from dozens of
Brackett's unpublished diaries, leading film historian Anthony
Slide clarifies Brackett's critical contribution to Wilder's films
and Hollywood history while enriching our knowledge of Wilder's
achievements in writing, direction, and style. Brackett's diaries
re-create the initial meetings of the talent responsible for
"Ninotchka" (1939), "Hold Back the Dawn" (1941), "Ball of Fire"
(1941), "The Major and the Minor" (1942), "Five Graves to Cairo"
(1943), "The Lost Weekend," and "Sunset Blvd," recounting the
breakthrough and breakdowns that ultimately forced these
collaborators to part ways. Brackett was also a producer, served as
president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and
the Screen Writers Guild, was a drama critic for the " New Yorker,"
and became a member of the exclusive literary club, the Algonquin
Round Table. Slide gives readers a rare, front row seat to the
Golden Age dealings of Paramount, Universal, MGM, and RKO and the
innovations of legendary theater and literary figures, such as
Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Ferber, and Dorothy Parker.
Through Brackett's witty, keen perspective, the political and
creative intrigue at the heart of Hollywood's most significant
films come alive, and readers will recognize their reach in the
Hollywood industry today.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!