Customer Reviews

The Complete Kay Francis Career Record: All Film, Stage, Radio and Television Appearances

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
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Some film books appeal to us for their generous use of illustrations, while others we value primarily for the detailed information they provide. "The Complete Kay Francis Career Record" is that rare book that combines both attributes. Your first impulse upon opening the book may be to savor the more than 100 gorgeous photos of Francis, crisply reproduced here, and understandably so. Having done that, go back to page 1 and let Kear and Rossman take you on a guided tour of Francis' filmography. For each of the actress' films, the authors provide a detailed synopsis, behind-the-scenes stories, a keen-eyed critical analysis, and a sampling of published reviews. The authors clearly love Francis and her work, but they are judicious critics who appreciate the best of her films, and are willing to tell the truth, often with a welcome dose of humor, about those that fall short of their goals. If you're already a Francis fan, this book will be nirvana to you; if you're not, Kear and Rossman are likely to make you a convert.

As if their remarkable biography of the legendary screen star, Kay Francis, wasn't enough, Lynn Kear and John Rossman have returned with another beautifully illustrated volume focusing on the films and career of this often forgotten cinema icon from the 30's and 40's. The Complete Kay Francis Career Record is lavishly illustrated with fabulous photographs from the films of Kay Francis and feature many other fixtures from Hollywood's golden era, among them William Powell, Martha Raye, George Brent, Carole Landis, and Walter Huston and many others. Each of Miss Francis' films is studied and reviewed in-depth with complete film credits, associated trivia, story plotlines, scripted diaglogue, and rare, previously hushed up behind the scenes secrets that are published here for the first time. The book also reviews her stage career which dates back to 1920 and resurfaced in the mid 40's after her fifteen year film career had ebbed. The authors also share with the reader the major radio appearances of Kay Francis as well as her few forays into the new television medium of the early 50's. There is also a revealing section on "The Players" who were a part of Kay Francis' frequently passionate life that includes legendary stars who were Francis co-stars on stage and screen and in many cases, in the bedroom too, and there is also a review of the stage career of Francis' less successful, actress mother, Katherine Clinton... Memorabilia related to Francis' career is researched and presented in an appendix here as are a listing of Miss Francis' residences and perhaps most interesting among the many wonderful illustrations are vintage advertising, soundtrack recording reproductions, and movie magazine covers on which Francis regularly appeared throughout her fashion-fueled career. This is a masterfully researched, entertainingly written, and must have companion volume to Kay Francis: A Passionate Life and Career, the biography published by these authors in 2006... Both of these titles are highly recommended and a must for any serious film buff's library.

While I agree with the previous reviewers of all their praises for this book I for one thought it should have had a laminated color section in the middle of the book (like so many others of this genre) with color lobby card/movie poster illustrations (especially with the $55 price tag the book has!).

This is a fantastic book. There is so much information in it. One of the best books I have ever read!