Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history, this "wonderful history of the golden age of the movie moguls" (Chicago...
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Dec 13, 2008
Cwn_annwn_13
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Not that it was bad but I was disappointed in this book. The subjects that interested me the most, the majority of movies made then portraying characters that represented how the Jews viewed themselves in American society, the schisms between the more established Jews who had immigrated from Germany and the ones from eastern European countries, the muscling in and manipulation of Hollywood by Jewish political groups like the ADL and AJC, and the gradual evolution of Hollywood into a tool of glob
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Sep 05, 2008
Greta
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Fascinating book about how the common experiences of 1st generation Jewish immigrants, usually with absent or unsuccessful fathers, strove for success and assimilation, and approval from gentiles and previously assimilated Jews. Thesis is that they created a world they could control, onscreen and off and were afraid of doing anything to draw attention to their religion, fearing a backlash from gentiles and loss of power. Didn’t get along with next generation of Hollywood Jews—writers and actor
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Jun 03, 2011
Andrewh
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Despite the dubious subtitle, this is really a social history of the early days of Hollywood, when it was a business with little or social status and consequently of little interest to the WASPs who ran American business and the dramatic arts. The colourful entrepreneurs who set up the great studios which dominated the industry until 1960, such as Louis B. Mayer, Jack Warner and Adolph Zukor, are presented here as barrow-boy types, with an eye for a business opportunity in an open field (literal
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Dec 28, 2011
Jeff
rated it:
A substantial hunk of this book involved the whole HUAC/witch-hunt/Commie story, which I wasn't really expecting (I would categorize that as after the "invention" of Hollywood).
I would have liked more specifics about specific movies and directors, tying it into the Jewish angle if necessary, but we didn't get much of that except for Frank Capra (funny, he doesn't look Jewish). I am whining. I do find most of these early moguls to be compelling guys, perhaps one or two merit More...
I would have liked more specifics about specific movies and directors, tying it into the Jewish angle if necessary, but we didn't get much of that except for Frank Capra (funny, he doesn't look Jewish). I am whining. I do find most of these early moguls to be compelling guys, perhaps one or two merit More...
Jul 09, 2011
Debra
rated it:
Although I wish this book included a bit more straight-out chronological biography to help me keep the Players straight, it was nonetheless a fascinating perspective to take on Hollywood history, and an interesting adjunct to, say, Malcolm Gladwell's OUTLIERS.
Nov 11, 2008
Mike
rated it:
An interesting account of the early movie moguls, recommended for anybody interested in the history of Hollywood. The early chapters detail their biographical backgrounds and careers before the movies, and the book drags a little at this point. Once you can clear this initial hurdle, the story picks up speed and you get a look at how the heads of the studios used the movies to create their own ideas of America. The author argues convincingly that this is largely due to a need to assimilate an
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Jun 15, 2007
Shira
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I enjoyed this book first and foremost as a chronicle of life in America for Eastern European Jewish immigrants at the turn of the century. The story of each of these studio founder's childhood, immigration, "making it", and their choices once their finances were secure was fascinating. Also a great history of Hollywood and L.A.
Dec 16, 2009
bryan
rated it:
If you're at all interested in the history of movies, this is highly recommended. The background bios of section one got a little too detailed for me, I found my interest waning, so I skipped to section two and found myself fascinated at the day-to-day lives of the moguls. Oh, to see LA in the 20s and 30s!
Sep 15, 2011
Spike
rated it: 
i just couldnt get into it- informative but dry. I stopped after c. 80 pgsor so
Oct 09, 2009
Eric
rated it:
Detailed and perceptive discussion of how immigrants and socially marginal people came to have such a profound influence on such a profoundly influential industry.
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