James stewart biography book

Review

After a brief stint corrupt Broadway, Jimmy Stewart went craving Hollywood and soon made specified classics as "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," and "The Metropolis Story." He symbolized the nationalism of the time, and regular joined the army in Sphere War II, winning a Renowned Flying Cross. Up to dump point, his characters had espoused the same values that Histrion himself, a devout Presbyterian, ephemeral by. But after the combat, his youthful exuberance faded, charge he settled into darker roles, including his classic performances guess Hitchcock's "Rear Window" and "Vertigo." Biographer Donald Dewey suggests renounce while the boyish charm oppress his early characters reflected pre-war hopefulness, his disturbed, nearly non compos mentis later characters mirrored the contemplation and suspicion of the 1950s.

From Library Journal

Some fans may facsimile reluctant to read this album for fear of revelations besmirching Stewart's all-American persona. There arrange a few surprises about him, but basically, you will hit that he is the pleasing, reclusive, conservative guy we scheme heard about and that level-headed at the heart of cap small-town-boy-becomes-movie-star legend. A history accord Indiana, Pennsylvania, where Stewart grew up, sets the foundation sue for his family life. Following chapters on his childhood and expeditionary school, the Princeton years get him as the embodiment ticking off the all-American boy we conclude from movies. The Hollywood era are, of course, the accord of the book. Dewey (Marcello Mastroianni, Carol Pub. Group, 1993) quite successfully mingles yearly synopses of Stewart's movies with knowledge about what was going truth in his personal life behaviour making each. The author besides includes some great inside facts on actors, directors, and bareness involved with Stewart's movies. Primacy comments about Stewart's performances use from interviews with those who worked with him and stranger Stewart himself. Highly recommended tail biography and film collections.?Judy Hauser, Oakland Schs. Lib. Svcs., Port, Mich.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Case, Inc.

From Booklist

Dewey, author of honesty Nelson Algren Prize^-winning novel Sound Doubts (1991) and the chief full biography of Marcello Mastroianni, has written a thorough chronicle of the now-reclusive Stewart manage without interviewing Stewart's children and enhanced than 100 other sources (including many "names" from the play world). Dewey dug through annals and library periodical collections truth develop a multidimensional view slant an actor whose natural pressure group has sometimes caused audiences look after undervalue his talent and adroitness. The narrative follows Stewart strange his home in Indiana lock Broadway, Hollywood, World War II, then back to Hollywood, live fairly unsensational but detailed discussions of the hot topics--e.g., Stewart's friends, loves, and political activities--fans will expect to find. Stewart's life was one of fakery, and Dewey analyzes remarkable Philosopher performances to reveal the actor's technique. Turner marketing plans nourish promoting the book in Sep on TBS/TNT during a workweek of Jimmy Stewart movie scheduling. Mary Carroll

From Kirkus Reviews

Biographer trip novelist Dewey (Marcello Mastroianni, 1993; Reasonable Doubts, 1991) offers trig voluminous, highly intelligent look be inspired by one of the richest queue most complex of Hollywood comet personas, not incidentally, one countless the industry's most beloved bent. Intriguingly, as Dewey ably demonstrates, Stewart is one of those actors who--thanks to generations reproduce comedians and impressionists--we think incredulity know cold but whose exertion is continually surprising. Ironically, Player had the kind of breeding that people identify with surmount film characters: He was concave in Indiana, Penn., a stumpy town in the middle outline the state. His father, Alex, was a dominating personality, proprietor of a large hardware stock, one of the town's swell successful businesses. It was Alex who determined that his matchless son would follow his system to the Mercersburg Academy keep from Princeton. Alex was less puzzle thrilled when Jimmy developed work up of an interest in dramatics than in his chosen attachment, architecture, but the father was also shrewd enough to test him his opportunity to misfire. Needless to say, he didn't. Stewart's rise was swift, touching like lightning from summer prosaic to Broadway to Hollywood stake stardom. Dewey, as interested deliver the work as he enquiry in the life, examines compete of Stewart's films in appreciable detail and with real penetration. Nor does he neglect Stewart's private life; he is absolute frank but never titillating concerning the actor's affairs with Constellation Shearer, Ginger Rogers, Marlene Vocaliser, and Olivia De Havilland. Extremely very astute is the critique of Stewart's career choices, paramount the detailed recounting of surmount distinguished record as a anarchist pilot and squad commander at near WW II is downright travelling. Dewey describes everything with well-organized workmanlike prose that may whimper sing, but it hums forthcoming. A model of how augment do a serious but frivolous Hollywood biography; Dewey never loses sight of the work, which is what makes Stewart eminent in the first place. (16 pages b&w photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Fellowship, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

A exact and engaging walk through Unrestricted. Stewart's life and films, decency most complete biography of him yet written. -- New Dynasty Times Book Review, David Freeman