REFLECTIONS IN MALE EYE (Smithsonian Studies in the History of Film and Television) [Hardcover]

John Huston (Author), Gaylyn Studlar (Author), David Desser (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The films of director Huston, which include such classics as The Maltese Falcon (1941) and The African Queen (1951), are the subject of the dozen essays collected here. Predictably, the quality is uneven; among the best are James Agee's influential essay championing Huston's craft and Andrew Sarris's negative assessment. The insightful analysis of Moulin Rouge (1952) by Virginia Wexman best explores the masculinity theme stated in the book's title. The winner of many accolades before his death in 1987 (including an Academy Award for Treasure of the Sierra Madre , 1948), the multitalented Huston continues to be the subject of debates regarding his status as a great director. This volume is enriched by the inclusion of an interview with Huston and two of his short stories. Recommended for subject collections.
- Richard W. Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian (April 17, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560981946
• ISBN-13: 978-1560981947
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,488,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Many Points of View, December 31, 2002

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Thomas Stamper (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: REFLECTIONS IN MALE EYE (Smithsonian Studies in the History of Film and Television) (Hardcover)

This volume is a collection of various pieces of film scholarship on John Huston. Mostly, the book is a rebuttal of those in the autuer camp who have considered Huston to be an empty suit. The early part of the book admits that Huston may have no clear visual style, but certainly a thematic one. The constant theme running through his films is the masculine identity against the world. From there, several scholars examine films and groups of films searching for the Huston perspective.

The essays themselves are varied. The first section considers his ideology. Here writers examine his WWII documentaries, THE RED BAD OF COURAGE, TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE and the obscure WE WERE STRANGERS among others.

Part two considers the Huston take on masculinity examining such films as THE MALTESE FALSON, MOULIN ROUGE, and REFLECTIONS IN THE GOLDEN EYE. The book wraps with an interview, some biographical sketches and even a few John Huston short stories that were written before his film career.

Through the book nearly every major Huston film is considered and examined, sometimes by more than one author. It's a great book for film scholars, though casual filmgoers may get bogged down in the arguments and footnotes.