Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the Moment (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook) [Hardcover]

Tim Robbins (Author), Paul Newman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook | Publication Date: November 30, 1999

Official tie-in to the major motion picture coming from Touchstone Pictures later this year, from the Academy Award-nominated writer-director of Dead Man Walking and Bob Roberts. An extraordinary film, written and directed by Robbins, supported by an amazing cast, about the events in 1936, surrounding the final days of the Federal Theatre Project, when Orson Welles and John Houseman staged a renegade production of Marc Blitzstein's proletariat musical The Cradle Will Rock, which became one of America's greatest moments in the history of American theater.

The cast list:
Marc Blitzstein: Hank Azaria
Hallie Flanagan: Cherry Jones
Gray Mathers:Phillip Baker Hall
Countess La Grange: Vanessa Redgrave
Margherita Sarfatti: Susan Sarandon
Aldo Silvano: John Turturro
Olive Stanton: Emily Watson
Orson Welles: Angus MacFadyen
John Houseman: Cary Elwes
Nelson Rockefeller: John Cusack
Tommy Crickshaw: Bill Murray
Hazel Huffman: Joan Cusack
William Randolph Hearst: John Carpenter
John Adair: Jamey Sheridan
Diego Rivera: Ruben Blades
Will Geer: Daniel Jenkins

This Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook will include the story of the making of the film, historical sidebars and photos, excerpts from books and documents, movie stills, and notes by Robbins and others associated with the film.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Robbins has starred in many movies including: Bull Durham, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Shawshank Redemption, The Player, and Bob Roberts, which he wrote and directed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Newmarket Press (November 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155704399X
• ISBN-13: 978-1557043993
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #980,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely companion to the movie., January 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the Moment (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook) (Hardcover)

The book is lovely, it includes the script, a foreward by Paul Newman, wonderful photos and historical background. A must have for fans of the movie. However, the hardcover version of this book has only 150 pages (including the index) not 208 as advertised, so you are getting more than a quarter less book for your money.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great companion to the movie, June 2, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the Moment (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook) (Hardcover)

I got this after falling in love with the movie Cradle Will Rock, and it did not fail to amaze me! It balances a script with so much historical information to back it up, insights, and pictures both from the movie and the real moments of Cradle Will Rock. It has informational blurbs about Marc Blitzstein: Composer and Enigma, Orson Welles, Hallie Flanagan, Christopher Marlowe and the questioning of him being a communist, the real Olive Stanton, the death of Vaudeville, Diego Rivera, and so many other things. It also has great pictures from the film, including some candid shots. I used it as a source on my paper on the Federal Theatre Project, it's an excellent source of historical information, but it's also very entertaining to read! The day I got it I spent hours going through it. It's well worth the money, my favorite coffee table book!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo!, January 4, 2001

By 

Hiroshi Watanabe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the Moment (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook) (Hardcover)

This book includes movie script, many photos and the historical notes about the U.S. in 1930s.

The main plot is as follows: In the age of the Great Depression, the Federal Theater Project gave many U.S. people encouraging entertainment, and gave many actors and artists their jobs. The movement gave birth to Marc Blitzstein's masterpiece 'Cradle Will Rock' (directed by Orson Welles), but the play offended the reactionary congressmen. They made their soldiers lock out the theater. 'Cradle Will Rock,' can't the play see the light? Or...

In addition, the movie has the clash between Diego Rivera and Nelson Rockfeller over the Rockfeller Center's mural, etc. And the book has the detailed background notes of the movie. They are a great help for me. For example, I thought red-hunting movement was made by the Republicans, but it's my misunderstanding. And I learn that Harlem Renaissance (I like Zora Neale Hurston) wasn't an isolated and mutant movement. Etc, etc.

The movie and the book represent artists' courage. In the afterword, Tim Robbins says 'I believe threre are already too many artists who censor themselves.' I, too, think so. Bravo, Tim and his comrades ('gangs'?)! A toast to your brilliance, effort and bravery!