Customer Reviews

Giant: George Stevens, a Life on Film

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4 star:		(1)
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"Giant" is a comprehensive biography of the enigmatic George Stevens, one of the greatest (and most under-appreciated) directors of all time. Moss does a terrific job giving valuable insights into the man's creative process and his films. She captures the mood of the times in which Stevens worked (from the 20s to the 60s) and shows how he directed great stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Rock Hudson, Montgomery Clift, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire and Katharine Hepburn and guided them to wonderful performances. This is a highly readable biography: well-rounded, packed with information and wonderfully paced. A terrific read!

The other review of this book has missed the point entirely. Since George Stevens lived his life in film, the continuous comparison between what he lived and what he put on screen is completely valid. Kudos to Ms. Moss for being intelligent enough to make these kinds of connections. This is an insightful, well-written, well-thought out book that explores the life and work of a great film maker thoroughly. If you have any interest in George Stevens or Hollywood of this time, then you will find this book a great read.

This book was organized well, was written wonderfully and was very informative.

Good biography of a great filmmaker. Most of the facts are there. My only complaint is that the author (who is a film historian) mentioned that Oliver Hardy was a British actor. (He was from Georgia). Other than that, a great read..

This book is chronologically organized...and deals with George Steven's personal life, as well as his professional life as one of American's greatest film makers. As such, it gives all the necessary information...refrains from too much speculation...as allows the facts of his life speak for themselves. In the era of so much celebrity misinformation, I find it a breath of fresh air.

Stevens was an important director, so his mid-career change in direction is highly instructional. His participation in World War II, as Ike's film documentarian, changed his mindset 180 degrees. It changed not so much what he thought about the cinema, but how he thought about life. After the war, Stevens, a great master of comedy, never did another comedy...and this clear decision produced some of the classic films in the history of American cinema. George Stevens decided to tackle serious subjects more profoundly than ever before. The author treats this crucial event with the emphasis it deserves.

Also, are the individuals he knew, professional and personally. The author gives the facts in the context of his career...and it does help to fill in his state of mind...and his development as an independent creative man of integrity.

The book is a good read for anyone interested in the process of film making, and wishes insight into classic Hollywood...its actors and actresses...as seen through the eyes of one of its most admired directors.

The title's misleading, as this is not so much a biography as it's a study and analysis of Stevens' work. You expect to learn about Stevens the man, and Moss really doesn't delve into that at all. For every paragraph where she talks about his life, there are twenty that analyze his films. She really should have written two books on Stevens: One a biography, which this was supposed to have been, and a second, which would have been an analysis of his work, which this book wound up being.