Reclining Figure

by Harry Kurnitz

As told by Kerr in the New York Herald-Tribune: "Playwright Harry Kurnitz has hit upon a background that generates its own chaos: the sleek, effusive and cheerfully dishonest world of the art experts. He has set up a gullible millionaire who keeps ten-cent cigars in a twelve hundred dollar spice chest and who is fond of collecting the recent masters. He runs him afoul of a high-pressure dealer who is given to crying like a baby when parting with his treasures, a hard-drinking 'restorer' with a talent for forgery and a soft-headed young salesman with high ideals and, unfortunately, a hot property on his hands. The chicanery pyramids with an easy logic, throats are cut with casual charm," and the intrigue mounts delightfully as romance and art mix to everyone's satisfaction.

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Also wrote novels under the name Marco Page.

Reviews

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful comedy-caper that reminded me of "How To Steal a Million". The skeevy art world, comedy, and romance collide over a Renoir in millionaire's mansion. Is it forged? Is it not? Read it (and while you're at it, put it on at your local theatre guild).