Ernst Lubitsch : A Biography Trouble in Paradise by Scott Eyman - 2015 is
The only full-length biography of legendary film director Ernst Lubitsch, the director of such Hollywood classics as Trouble in Paradise, Ninotchka, and The Shop Around the Corner.
Ernst Lubitsch
Born: January 29, 1892, Berlin, Germany - produces 65 silent films before moving to America
1922 Moves to Hollywood- Warner Pictures Signed him to a three year six picture contract
Died: November 30, 1947, Los Angeles, California, United States
Lubitsch directed two of my favourite movies, Ninotchka and To Be or Not to Be.
"Born in Berlin and transported to Hollywood in the 1920s with the help of Mary Pickford, Lubitsch brought with him a level of sophistication and subtlety previously unknown to American movie audiences. He was quickly established as a director of unique quality and distinction. He captivated audiences with his unique “touch,” creating a world of fantasy in which men are tall and handsome (unlike Lubitsch himself) and humorously adept at getting women into bed, and where all the women are beautiful and charming and capable of giving as well as receiving love. He revived the flagging career of Marlene Dietrich and, in Ninotchka, created Greta Garbo’s most successful film. When movie buffs speak of “the Lubitsch touch,” they refer to a sense of style and taste, humor and humanity that defined the films of one of Hollywood’s all-time great directors. In the history of the medium, no one has ever quite equaled his unique talent." From the publisher
My bottom line, if you love the movies of Lubitsch you will be very grateful for the comprehensive insightful biography that Scotf Eyman has written.
Scott Eyman takes readers behind the scenes of such classic films as Trouble in Paradise (1932), The Merry Widow (1934), Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938), Ninotchka (1939), The Shop around the Corner (1940), To Be or Not to Be (1942), and Heaven Can Wait (1943), which together constitute one of the most important and influential bodies of work in Hollywood. Eyman examines both the films Lubitsch crafted and the life he lived―his great successes and his overwhelming anxieties―to create an indelible portrait of Hollywood's Golden Age and one of its most respected artists.
Eyman begins with Lubitsch's grandparents. He details his education and his dislike of working in his father's clothing business. The family were not extremely observing of Jewish orthodoxy but they were proud of their heritage and aware of the way others felt about Jews.
Eyman explains a lot about the German movie industry and then the flight of many to Hollywood. Once in Hollywood Lubitsch begins to earn significantly more than in Germany. Some of his films were commercial successes others were flops. I learned a lot about the business side of Hollywood.
Eyman talks about the numerous romantic relationships of Lubitsch with actresses. He was a central figure in the Los Angeles area European film community. He was a loyal friend and inspired this in others.
I highly reccomend this book.
"Scott Eyman was formerly the literary critic at The Palm Beach Post and is the author or coauthor of sixteen books, including the bestseller John Wayne and Pieces of My Heart and You Must Remember This with actor Robert Wagner. Eyman also writes book reviews for The Wall Street Journal, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune. He and his wife, Lynn, live in West Palm Beach."
From his publisher
Mel Ulm
1 comment:
My goodness, I can certainly imagine what a thrill it must have been to read this, knowing how many of his films you've watched in recent weeks!
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