The films of Carole Lombard,

Citadel Film Series

by Frederick W. Ott

Films and career of Carole Lombard.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1972

Reviews

[Anthony McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In 1942 Carole Lombard was at the height of her screen career. In addition, her successful marriage to Clark Gable had singled them out as one of the most devoted couples in Hollywood. The Gables devoted much of their off-camera time to appearances at bond rallies for the-then urgent sale of war bonds. In March of 1942 Carole Lombard had been the major speaker at a rally in her native Indiana, and was flying back to Hollywood. The plane landed in Las Vegas for refuelling and then continued westward. Twenty-three minutes later it had crashed into Table Rock Mountain, killing all twenty-two passengers, including Carole Lombard."
This early Citadel edition (1972) is a wonderful tribute to Carole - her complete career from early Mack Sennett comedies to her great comedic starring roles in classic films such as 'Twentieth Century;' 'My Man Godfrey,' 'Nothing Sacred,' 'Mr & Mrs Smith' and 'To Be or Not to Be'; the latter released after her death.
Illustrated with hundreds of stills from her films, plus a biographical summary of her life with many rare and candid photos. 192 pages.
(Review based on 1972 Citadel Press hardcover edition.)

" She brought great joy to all who knew her and to millions who knew her only as a great artist. She gave unselfishly of time and talent to serve her government in peace and war. She loved her country. She is and always will be a star, one we shall never forget, nor cease to be grateful to."
...... Franklin D. Roosevelt

[Madame Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole Lombard was one of the most funniest actresses to grace the screen. She had that star quality that anyone can notice. Her movies ranged from comedies to melodramas. She was a versatile actress who had so much to give. The short introductory bio is worth this book alone. I have to pull out all of Lombard movies and finally give them an overdue revisiting.

[Phil Syphe · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Films of Carole Lombard’ features a condensed biography of this once highly successful superstar who started her career in 1921 and ended it prematurely in 1942 when she tragically died in a plane crash.

After the biography, we get overviews and details of her films and shorts. Also included are contemporary film reviews.

Most impressive of all are the photos, which (if I remember correctly) feature on every page. These include personal snaps, film stills, and behind the scenes shots.

According to Internet Movie Data Base, I’ve seen 53/78 of Carole’s films/shorts (two twice). Can’t say I enjoyed all of them, but that had nothing to do with her acting ability, which in my opinion was always top notch.

‘The Films of Carole Lombard’ is an easy and engaging read, recommended to Lombard fans, classic Hollywood fans, and anyone interested in the period (1908–42). Life was notably different in Carole’s day, which makes it interesting from a historical perspective, something that’s also represented in the photos.