One of Hollywood's most famous and controversial filmmakers shares his fascinating reminiscences about the world of film, offering anecdotes about the notable actors and actresses with whom he has worked, his various movies, and his personal life."
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Director-producer Kramer personifies independence. Here, he candidly considers mistakes made, opportunities lost, and battles won in a career that has so far spanned over half a century. Most evocative is the travail of an aspiring producer in 1950s Hollywood. For someone with ideas, organizational skills, and formidable persuasive powers, the transition from studio to independent production during this era was ideal. Less beholden to moguls (but not necessarily financiers), Kramer exercised creative input in the selection of material and in casting and directorial decisions. Bolstered by the confidence of his convictions, he has at times shown a penchant for expose themes and has often courted controversy to his own detriment. But for every fistful of flops, there has been a masterpiece?The Caine Mutiny, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. As with most film biographies of this ilk, it invariably helps to have seen the films discussed, but for such readers this is a richly satisfying work.
-?Jayne Plymale, Univ. of Georgia Lib., Athens
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
-?Jayne Plymale, Univ. of Georgia Lib., Athens
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Legendary Hollywood producer/director Stanley Kramer touts himself as "the most frequently picketed producer in movie history," a distinction to which he is entitled as the force behind such landmark films as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, On the Beach, High Noon, and The Wild One. Kramer tells a remarkable history of life in Hollywood during the depths of the McCarthy era and other cold war exigencies. His memoir captivates the reader with anecdotes from working with such troublesome stars as Marlon Brando and Humphrey Bogart as well as the legendary misanthrope Harry Cohn, president of Columbia Pictures, Kramer's boss and chief nemesis. But the memoir is most noteworthy for its exemptions. Written in a crisp, clipped prose, the book is nearly all business. Brief opening passages describe growing up on the streets of Hell's Kitchen in Lower Manhattan, but few formative interests. Kramer states his politics as a "Roosevelt democrat," but nothing on how he reached that position. A paragraph is devoted to his 12-year marriage. Consumed by his crusade to make challenging films for a complacent America, Kramer gives the impression that Hollywood was his life. Ted Leventhal
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An honest description of life in the movies,
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This review is from: A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: A Life in Hollywood (Hardcover)
Stanley Kramer has been a lonely wolf in Hollywood. When he started at the end of 40's he was unique in his approach. He had many economical flops in a row, but then always had a real blockbuster. His strategy was to film controversial subjects with famous actors. Sometimes this worked very well. One must admire his courage. I have seen quite many of his pictures (Champion, Cyrano, High Noon, The Wild One, The Defiant Ones, Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Invitation to a Gunfighter) and liked them all. If you want to read about the making of films, this is for you. It does not tell much of personal life, which suits me well. Read and enjoy it!
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