Silent Stars

Amazon.com

Through concise biographies, explorations of filmographies, and captivating still shots, Jeanine Basinger offers remarkable insight into both the on- and offscreen lives of the cinema's first stars. Basinger shows an incredible knack for getting past the average movie fan's barriers to appreciating silent film actors: the larger-than-life acting style, frequently goofy plots, and general difficulty in finding films of all but a few luminaries like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Deft plot synopses, careful explanations of the skills needed for silent acting, and a genuine affection for the movies she's describing allow Basinger to give the reader a real sense of why these early actors were so beloved--and why they are so deserving of tribute. Mary Pickford, long unfairly maligned for playing saccharine little girls, is revealed to be a shrewd and highly professional performer, involved in every aspect of film production, careful to expand beyond her audience's expectations of her, and possessing deft comic flair. The lives and careers of two silent cowboys, the soulfully stoic William S. Hart and the flamboyant Tom Mix, are also compared and contrasted--oddly enough, to the detriment of neither. The book also covers the great sex symbols like Pola Negri and Rudolph Valentino and takes a welcome dive into the comedies of Mack Sennett. Equally engaging as browsing material or a cover-to-cover read, Silent Stars gives voice to both the sung and unsung pioneers of film. --Ali Davis

Book Description

From one of America's most renowned film scholars: a revelatory, perceptive, and highly readable look at the greatest silent film stars -- not those few who are fully appreciated and understood, like Chaplin, Keaton, Gish, and Garbo, but those who have been misperceived, unfairly dismissed, or forgotten.

Here is Valentino, "the Sheik," who was hardly the effeminate lounge lizard he's been branded as; Mary Pickford, who couldn't have been further from the adorable little creature with golden ringlets that was her film persona; Marion Davies, unfairly pilloried in Citizen Kane; the original "Phantom" and "Hunchback," Lon Chaney; the beautiful Talmadge sisters, Norma and Constance. Here are the great divas, Pola Negri and Gloria Swanson; the great flappers, Colleen Moore and Clara Bow; the great cowboys, William S. Hart and Tom Mix; and the great lover, John Gilbert. Here, too, is the quintessential slapstick comedienne, Mabel Normand, with her Keystone Kops; the quintessential all-American hero, Douglas Fairbanks; and, of course, the quintessential all-American dog, Rin-Tin-Tin.

This is the first book to anatomize the major silent players, reconstruct their careers, and give us a sense of what those films, those stars, and that Hollywood were all about. An absolutely essential text for anyone seriously interested in movies, and, with more than three hundred photographs, as much a treat to look at as it is to read.

Customer Reviews:

A Thorougly Enjoyable Book.......2005-01-27

I wanted to learn more about the silents, and started with "The Parade's Gone By". It was good, but a bit too technical. What I really wanted was to know about the great personalities of the silent screen, and this book fills the bill. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would have liked even more profiles. Each chapter deals with a silent star, some quite well known, some not so. There is also an excellent overview of silent films in general. The author writes in an enjoyable, easy-going manner, but there is plenty of information, and great photos. There are wonderful takes on Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino, Pola Negri, Gloria Swanson, The Talmadge Sisters, Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, and so many more, even Rin Tin Tin! Really a great read, with some unforgettable tid-bits. (You'll never believe what Pola Negri said she would always remember Valentino for, or where Rin Tin Tin drew his last breath). Wonderful book.

SILENCE IS INDEED STILL GOLDEN!.......2003-05-26

They had faces then . . . those silent screen icons known as Clara, Lon, Pola, Gloria, Mabel, John, Mary, Douglas, Rudolph --- even Rin-Tin-Tin. From the pen (and meticulously researched and always thoughtful mind) of film scholar Jeanine Basinger comes this must-have tome, as important for its reconstructed historical chronicle as it is for its wit, humor and revelatory insights. Those expecting gossip will find it; those yearning for an academic, yet never boring, read will find it as well. The 300-plus photos are an added treat; was there anyone more handsome than Ramon?

Silent Stars--an essential reference work.......2003-01-26

There is very little I can say about this book except that i totally and completely recommend it to anyone who loves silent pictures as much as I do.

Okay but..........2003-01-05

The main reason why I liked this book were her chapters on Colleen Moore and Constance Talmadge, which otherwise have little information given about them. Sure she lets the character's image get in the way, but that is the way they were presenting themselves!
I can understand selecting just a few people. Enough has been said about the greats like Lillian Gish and Charlie Chaplin and she does clarify this in the dedication page. There was a chapter that annoyed me. I don't care how influential he was. Rin Tin Tin is a dog! She could have put a human in his spot. What about the vastly ignored Louise Fazenda instead?

Beautiful Photographs but Dreadful Read.......2000-10-09

I'm a huge fan of the silent cinema and it is the primary focus of my film studies, which is why I would recommend this book only if you have the money to spend on its beautiful pictures. Otherwise I'd save my money. There's been enough written so far that we don't need another book full of the fan's perspective. Basinger has allowed her own personal attachment to these films to cloud her writing which just drips with sentiment that is out of place. Brownlow has just as much love, if not more, yet his work is far more personal and enjoyable. Her goal in writing the book, she claims, was also to talk about those stars who have been forgotten or are misperceived by today's public but she only talks about the latter. Of my associates everyone that I spoke with had known all of the stars discussed with the exception of Colleen Moore(!!!). For crying out loud she includes Mary Pickford, the Talmadge sisters, Rudolph Valentino, and Douglas Fairbanks. Sure they might have stereotyped images connected with them, but that's for a reason. Only a personal agenda motivates her to write about them and explain how she finds substance to Valentino's acting, or how Fairbanks was just as funny in his comedies as he was exciting in his swashbuckling. This book would have been far more enjoyable if it had dealt with stars that truly were forgotten of which there are far too many.

Average customer rating:

One of the best classic SF books I have ever read.

The Silent Stars Go By
James White
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0345371100
Release Date: 1991-08-13

Customer Reviews:

One of the best classic SF books I have ever read........1997-11-06

When I read this book I really enjoyed it. I read so many books that when I picked it up several months later and started reading, I read it again and enjoyed it as much as the first time I read it and added it to my keeper pile. In the future Ireland survives the dark ages to rule the world. They sponser the first starship to a new world but there are problems with religious beliefs and the behavior of some of the crew. When they reach the new world, these people are the last to leave the ship and diverted thousands of miles away from the colony. The struggle for survival and reaching the colony make for a great read.

Average customer rating:

A Predictably Sweet Story...
Heartwarming and Predictable
Depth of Emotion
Heartwarming historical with a unique twist on love....
The religious story line takes away from the overall story.

Silent Star
Tracie Peterson
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0764228242

Book Description

In the 1940s, the small Pennsylvania town of Haven is rather subdued with their young men facing battles in far-away Europe. Young Andy Gilbert, burdened with his job of delivering telegrams bringing the news of those missing or killed in action, faces the coming holidays with dread and discouragement. With each new message he must deliver- met by screaming mothers, grief-stricken wives, and weeping families--he longs to join the ranks of the numbered dead. Only one elderly woman recognizes the pain and suffering tormenting Andy--and it is through her wisdom that the stars again can shine for Andy and for a town that desperately needs the hope those stars represent. A touching novella book from a bestselling novelist.

Customer Reviews:

A Predictably Sweet Story..........2006-07-26

I finished this book in about 2 hours. It's a sweet little story about a boy (Andy) in 1944 who's lost both of his parents at a very young age, and is burdened with being the bearer of bad news. Andy works for a telegram company, and has the daunting task of delivering war telegrams to the family's of dead/missing soldiers.

Because of his job, the towns people of a small Pennsylvania town have come to fear, and ignore him. They look at him as a curse, and with his parents dead, his loneliness reaches an almost breaking point. But a sweet old widowed woman sees he's in need of a friend, and makes it her mission to turn this young boys life around.

While this was a charming little story, I was surprised at how religious it was. It's not that apparent in the beginning, but by the end of the book, I felt I was practically reading the bible. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, I felt it took away from a story that was already thin. If your looking for a spiritual uplifting, or a light quick read, then I definitely recommend this...but other than that, there's really not much here.

Heartwarming and Predictable.......2006-07-24

If you'd like a quick heartwarming read and don't mind that the end is predictable, then read this book. It's a simple but sweet story about a young man who goes to war in the only way he can. There is a theme of hope and the symbolism of stars interwoven throughout. I appreciated the point of view of the messengers during the war and the things they may have gone through.

The storyline flowed well, though I found myself able to easily put the book down. The characters were simple though there was some attempt at making them more three dimensional. Everything was happily wrapped up at the end, in a Miracle on 34th street sort of way.

Personally I found it a little boring because I don't like predictable stories with two dimensional characters. But I liked the ending of the star symbolism and the writing structure (grammar, etc.) was sound.

Depth of Emotion.......2006-05-15

Silent Star was well written and captured the depth of emotion experienced by those surviving WW II - those at home, waiting and praying. This book explores the impact of war on a typical young man who did not fight in the war but was left to struggle with his own doubts and fears. It offered a glimpse at the positive, spiritual renewal of a soul lost to despair.

Heartwarming historical with a unique twist on love...........2005-12-31

I see the story in a different way than the previous reviewer. Sometimes I think it's a disadvantage to read previous reviews and at other times an advantage. I didn't see the Jesus/Andy theme referred to at all. I believe the author's intention was to show the life of someone who has lost everything (his entire family.) Because of his job delivering telegrams, he lost even the love most people receive as part of everyday life, and more importantly, the human contact people need to feel loved. He was ostracized, which made him bitter toward God, who he believed took his family and left him with nothing but a depressing way of life. Some days he didn't care if he lived anymore. Then in walks the older lady who treats him like a normal person with the need for care and concern, and things start to turn around for him in his heart. I thought it was a beautiful illustration of how the love of one person can change the future of another by instilling hope into the person's life. In regards to how the story was written, I found it a bit blah with two much backstory up front in the very beginning (about his parents) but once the older woman entered the scene it picked up from there and even got my eyes watering at one point (which rarely happens when I read.) It was definitely worth my while, though I probably won't read it again.

The religious story line takes away from the overall story........2005-01-22

"Silent Star" is a heartwarming, very relaxed book to read, but I was unaware of its religious theme. From the synopsis of the book, I thought it would have been more of a historical fiction (which it is classified as, but it should be classified into the religious genre), as I had not read a book about anyone who delivered the dreaded messages telling families that their sons, fathers, and husbands had died in battles during World War II. This topic was barely used, and it was only to bring in the religious aspects, which disappointed me. Also, the protagonist kept changing from Andy to Estella, and it seemed that the antagonist wasn't very clear, either. There was absolutely no character development, and I wish more time was spent on the people, rather then their religion. My final complaint is that author Tracie Peterson was practically saying Andy was Jesus Christ, which I found erroneous. The similarities she presented to the reader were too similar, and I found that disturbing. However, this story does show the closeness of neighbors during this troublesome time in history, which we rarely experience in this day and age. I "sorta" recommend.

Average customer rating:

Silent star
Colleen Moore
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0006BTYIM

Average customer rating:

Secret and Silent Men of 1798
James Caulfield
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Revolutionary | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Freemasonry | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1412029120
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Product Description

Academia has ignored the presence of Freemasons in Irish history. This omission leaves a void that curtails the vital information needed to complete the sorry picture of 1798.

Average customer rating:

its all about mirrors
The Great Post-War Japanese Novel?
A difficult but brilliantly written novel
a moribund, melodramatic piece of Japanese weirdness...
Weird and wonderful surreal tragi-comedy

Silent Cry (Five Star)
Kenzaburo Oe
Manufacturer: Serpents Tail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1852426020

Book Description

The Silent Cry traces the uneasy relationship between two brothers who return to their ancestral home, a village in densely forested western Japan. While one brother tries to sort out the after-effects of a friend's suicide and the birth of a retarded son, the other embarks on a quixotic
mission to incite an uprising among the local youth. Oe's description of this brother's messianic struggle to save a disintegrating local culture and economy from the depredations of a Korean wheeler-dealer called "The Emperor of the Supermarkets" is as chillingly pertinent today as it was when
first published in 1967. Powerful and daring, The Silent Cry is a thoroughly compelling classic of world literature.

Customer Reviews:

its all about mirrors.......2005-01-02

this is the first novel i read by kenzaburo oe. and its simply superb. the post war its brilliantly portraid in this book. when a couple of brothers return to their hometown, each one has some experiences that changes his vision of the world. but theres another aspect that i loved in it. there was a revolution a century ago, directed by their grandgrandfather. slowly, they go discovering more about this, and finally they mirror the characters and the revolution. its a success repeating itself. the time is a circle. Oe proves it brilliantly here. Its a bit hard to read, but its worth it. DO IT!

The Great Post-War Japanese Novel?.......2004-09-06

Many critics believe The Silent Cry (not it's translated title: which would be Footbal in the First Year of Mannen) is the great post-war Japanese novel, ranking above even Mishima's The Sea of Fertility tetraology.

If there's one thing that should be mentioned first about this novel, is that it achieves for Japan exactly what Voss does for Australia, and what The Tin Drum achieves for Germany . Like all of these, an epic landscape is evoked to explore the major issues, profoudnly yet simply handled. It also has the markings of a masterpiece, in that it reads like both a summary and yet at the same time an advancement on all that the author has said to date, on a canvas of a biblical size (a definition that, in my opinion, ought to extend the franchise to other masterpieces: Faulkner's Absalom! Absalom! or David Storey's Saville, for instance). This explores every facet of post-atomic, post-imperial Japan's inner life - all the more remarkable for being able to slice through the all-pervasive level of regimentation. It's also a wry commentary on the 'Emperor system' of thought that was so prevalent at the time, and led to the ritualistic suicide of Oe's friend, Yukio Mishima.

A difficult but brilliantly written novel.......2003-01-30

Oe in " The silent cry" deals with the perplexing problem of finding ones root. The novel is a story of about two brothers who return to their village, each for their own reasons.

The story deals with by the main characters search for answer to ýhow does a modern man communicate( in philosophical sense )?ý One brother thinks, we can communicate by death and in our silence. The other wants to communicate by connecting his present with the past of the society.

It is a difficult novel due to the hard subject matter. But Oe does SPLENDID job in expounding the difficult issues through his excellent narrative.

a moribund, melodramatic piece of Japanese weirdness..........2002-09-30

Despite all the glowing comments in previous amazon.com reviews I must confess that I really don't see how The Silent Cry can be judged as anything other than a strange (read: unbelievable, contrived), totally depressing piece of (otherwise well-written) literature. It compares poorly to some of Yukio Mishima's and Haruki Murakami's better works. Having lived in Japan for years I shudder to think what sort of image it projects about post-war Japanese youth.

The story is a bit complex. Generally it portrays the lives of dysfunctional brothers returning to their ancient country estate, and somehow making parallels between their lives and those of their great-grandfather and his brother during the time of the Meiji restoration (1860s). Some of the insights are interesting, but sadly these are buried in what can be described as a mess. The modern day (actually, circa 1960) brothers and the friends and family have an impossibly depressing, unfortunate lives. The wife is an alcoholic, children/siblings/friends commit suicide and/or suffer from horrible physical/mental anomalies. In this 300 page book no one, and I mean *no one*, so much as smiles. So you think the Japanese people are a nature-loving, inherently serene people? If so I suggest you do NOT read this book!

Having said all this, the story does pick up some pace towards the end (..after an extremely tedious first half). And generally speaking the author, and the translator, have produced nice prose. A shame it is all wasted on a strange story with neurotic (and uninteresting) characters.

Bottom line: time would be better spent on reading some better examples of modern Japanese literature. Best give The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (Murakami) a try and forget The Silent Cry.

Weird and wonderful surreal tragi-comedy.......2001-06-24

It has been said by some that to know a country is to read its novels; far better than to read its (manufactured) history. Novels too are manufactured but novels are more likely to expose the emotional and spiritual "truth" of the country concerned. In THE SILENT CRY the writer OE covers much historical, emotional, social, Japanese ground but does it in such a way as to make it a wonderfully entertaining journey for the reader. I for one would love to read a Freudian criticism of it. For example, a recurring motif is suicide, in various forms, one being hanging and that image is conveyed by a the anti-hero's best friend who removed all his clothes, painted his head red, shoved a cucumber up his arse and then hanged himself; another being the anti-hero's brother who shot himself in the head the remains of which reminded the brother of a pomegranate. Such vivid imagery recurs throughout this novel. Another distinguishing feature of it is its lack of cliches, its almost poetic prose, poetic in the sense of dense. You daren't skip a phrase let alone a line. It is a rich read. Historically, the novel covers the transition from an agrarian village life to the impact of the supermarket, racism, the vulnerability of the Japanese economy (this written in 1966- in 2001 have the Japanese finally faced up to real economic reform?)foreigners, and on the cover, an artistic representation of the Hiroshima ground zero. The one-eyed hero is self-effacing and has an alcoholic wife, retarded son and is a cuckold. His brother is vain, hostile, proud, an adulterer who has sex with his retarded sister. It is true that it is reminiscent of the Cain and Abel story or the Brothers Karamazov and I think it deserves mention in that mythical company. Its themes that resonate with me most tellingly are the need for one and one's country to come to terms with the truth about the past. The anti-hero Mitsu is on a search for the "truth" throughout the novel.As an individual I need to come to terms with my mother's suicide as well as other aspects of my personal history. As an Australian, my nation needs to come to terms with its past and our genocidal attitude to Aboriginal Australians. The second theme for me is that constant internal worrying and guilt can be self-defeating - at the close of the novel Mitsu feels "throughout the time remaining to me..a hundred pairs of eyes (of his cat, of his great grandfather, brother, wife) would glitter like a chain of stars in the night of my experience. And I would live on, suffering agonies of shame under the light of those stars, peering out timidly like a rat, with my single eye, at a dim and equivocal outer world..."(p.269) Yet, at the urging of his now pregnant wife, he chooses to accept a job in Africa instead of a job at a University, symbolic I would guess of his need to accept the past come to terms with it and get on with living, for some sort of peace. Survival becomes the key to that peace. Its weird at the end too because despite all the preceding horrors, the novel's ending creates in the reader a wry grin or satisfying chuckle as the anti-hero realises with his new job he may be able to achieve an important personal goal - building a thatched hut.A memorable read.

Grandma's scrapbook of silent movie stars

Average customer rating:

Grandma's scrapbook of silent movie stars
John M Kaduck
Manufacturer: Wallace-Homestead Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0870691341

Season of Love: The Gold Star/Whispers from the Past/Silent Nights/Hearts United (Inspirational Christmas Romance Collection)

Average customer rating:

Season of Love: The Gold Star/Whispers from the Past/Silent Nights/Hearts United (Inspirational Christmas Romance Collection)
Yvonne Lehman , Loree Lough , Tracie Peterson , and Debra White Smith
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Romance Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1577483502

Book Description

It is never too late to recapture the wonder of the holiday season, to wish again for your deepest dreams to come true. The backdrop of lights twinkling in the darkness and boundless good will make Christmas the perfect time for love, as the heronines in these four romantic novellas will discover. Come along as storytellers Yvonne Lehman, Loree Lough, Tracie Peterson, and Debra White Smith weave magical holiday tales of gifts that are "just right" and loves that are "meant to be." A sparkling ring - a long awaited trip - a heartwarming surprise - the thrill of life time commitment - these gifts and the loves that give them will draw your heart and imagination into a splendid Season of Love.

Lois Lowry Set 1 (The Giver, Number the Stars, The Silent Boy)

Average customer rating:

Lois Lowry Set 1 (The Giver, Number the Stars, The Silent Boy)
Lois Lowry
Manufacturer: Dell Yearling, Laurel-Leaf, Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

A Good Read for both young and old
A Delicious Read

Harvey Girl
Sheila Wood Foard
Manufacturer: Texas Tech University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0896725707

Book Description

Wanted: Young women, 18 to 30 years of age, of good moral character, attractive and intelligent, as waitresses in the Harvey Eating Houses on the Santa Fe Railroad in the West. Good wages with room and meals furnished. Liberal tips customary. Experience not necessary.

Harvey Girls served gourmet meals to passengers of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. During the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, Harvey Houses were a familiar sight to train travelers in the American West. There were one hundred Harvey Houses and about a hundred thousand Harvey Girls over the years. In a time when there were limited career choices for women, becoming a Harvey Girl offered rare independence for young ladies.

In 1919 one such Harvey Girl is feisty Clara Fern Massie, an Ozark farm girl who runs away from home on her fourteenth birthday after standing up to her harsh father. Heading west and taking a job as a waitress—a Harvey Girl—the underage Clara struggles to learn the demanding "Harvey Way" and shed her farm-girl image to become a confident, independent woman.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Read for both young and old.......2007-07-01

I enjoyed "Harvey Girl" very much. Foard is a good writer. She obviously knows her history but she also knows the value of a good story. Through the skillful use of fiction and the development of Claire, the main character,the entire era comes alive. I particularly liked the way in which the early twentieth century Ozarks culture and dialect were so faithfully portrayed. You'll like this story and learn some new things as well. I guarantee!

A Delicious Read.......2006-04-26

Harvey Girl is as delicious as the gourmet food once served in Harvey Houses along the railways of the Southwest. Sheila Wood Foard sweeps readers into the past, in a story that both kids and adults will enjoy. Ride the rails with fourteen-year-old Clara Fern Massie as she runs away from her Ozark home to become a waitress in New Mexico and later at a Harvey House on the rim of the Grand Canyon. As she learns the "Harvey Way," Clara meets movie stars, famous suffragists, cowboys and Indians while secrets and lies threaten to send her home. I especially enjoyed watching Clara mature from a country girl to an independent, young woman. Harvey Girl is historical fiction at its best, a terrific read and ideal for classroom use.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books