Customer Reviews

The Studio

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a terribly funny and telling documentary. Mr. Dunne, who had a considerable reputation and experience as a screenwriter, somehow convinced the powers at Twentieth Century Fox to give him carte blanche and complete access to every peculiar nook and sneaky cranny at the studio. Sitting in on major meetings with the Zanucks,writers, producers, agents, stars, attending gala openings and hanging about sets, Dunne was the ultimate fly-on-the-wall. The movies in production during the year (1967)he spent soaking up this rarified atmosphere included "Dr. Doolittle," "Star," and "Hello Dolly," which means we get great dish on Rex Harrison, Barbra Streisand, Anthony Newley, Gene Kelly and Walter Matthau, to name only a few.

The stories are told in a droll, straight-ahead manner, which makes the gags even funnier. One can scarcely believe the kinds of things that Hollywood Heavies utter, apparently unashamed and on a fairly regular basis.

For the record, Mr. Dunne, also the author of a number of first-rate novels, was the late husband of writer Joan Didion, whose current memoir about dealing with his death - "The Year of Magical Thinking" - is deservedly at the top of the charts these days.

Absolutely brilliant-people in Hollywood still refer to "AD" (After Dunne), and you know a book like this won't happen again. The attitude is "Where you find clowns there is usually a circus", and the level of amaturism on display here is astounding. The best section has to be the one on the making of the legendary flop "Dr. Dolittle"-you are there as they read the disastrous preview cards. A $18 million investment is on the line, and all the producer's girlfriend can think of is stealing a silver tray from a restaurant and what dress to wear for the premiere. Hilarious, and still required reading at film study courses today.

Unlike the other reviewers here, I thought the book (considering when it was written) is a bit of tame, high-level overview of the studio workings. I didn't find it boring, nor did I find it to be a great page-turner. I would have preferred a more in-depth review of the studio workings. However, it was interesting to read the names from the past and the TV shows that were described...Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea...and the movies...Dr. Doolittle, Planet of the Apes...and more. I did find the parts on how Richard Zanuck decided which movies would get made and which ones didn't to be interesting - pretty much a gut feeling and a whim. I think this book is only for diehard studio fans and not the casual reader of Hollywood history.

Excellent, casual writing style. Great stories of the Zanucks and others, their gut-based and fact-less decision making and egos. An easy read on that quick plane trip from Hollywood to your Napa hideaway.

I loved the author's great storytelling of the crazy ways decisions were made by brilliant people, based on their gut instincts, experience and few facts. Dated, but great background to help explain why decisions are still made in crazy ways in Hollywood. Easy and fun reading about the Zanucks and their cohorts.

Although a little dated (originally written circa 1969) this is still one of the great inside stories about what goes on (or more precisely did go on) in the old Hollywood. Written about the time that the old studio system finally collapsed, it collects some great anecdotes for film buffs. Besides, it is well written.

An interesting insider's account of Hollywood. However, the endless dialogue is exhausting and makes for uncomfortable reading. More descriptive passages would have been useful.

If you like reading about "inside" Hollywood, this is a book I
highly recommend. Dunne goes inside 20th Century Fox and tells all. Actually quite funny.