Customer Reviews

William Powell: The Life and Films

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

 

 

Bryant's book is an outstanding contribution to the literature about classic Hollywood cinema. The author provides an engaging telling of Powell's early life and early stage career. He then embarks on a detailed biographical filmography of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars. It is THE outstanding introduction to the film career of William Powell. Bryant provides insightful and intelligent commentary in his evaluation and critique of Powell's entire film output, including his early silent films. The book is all the more valuable due to the paucity of literature devoted to Powell. An added bonus is the inclusion of several rare photos, including a sweet portrait of Powell taken when he was a mere four years old; a photo that my three-year old daughter is especially taken with. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in classic Hollywood film in general and in the life and work of William Powell in particular.

Thank goodness, we are finally getting a new book on the life and career of one of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s greatest stars. There are too few books out about William Powell who made acting look effortless. I loved him in The Thin Man series, My Man Godfrey, Life with Father, The Great Ziefield, Mr. Roberts, and in anything with Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, & Clark Gable. They just don't make them like they used to!!! This is a great book to learn not only about his films, but also about his personal life. If you are interested in the Golden Age of film, don't miss this book!

This book was a well written & informative filmography of William Powell, one of my favorite actors. Unfortunately, I was looking for a biography. The longest biographical sections cover his early life and his life after he retired from the screen. Information about his life in between is sketchy. His courtship, marriage and divorce from Carole Lombard is covered in a total of seven paragraphs. However, as stated, this is an excellent book for those only interested in the films of William Powell.

This author definitely did his homework on William Powell's films, and he is a fairly good writer. But if you buy this book expecting a biography, you will be disappointed. There is some information about Powell in the book, but the majority of the book is spent recapping the plots of his many films, one by one. I found that very tedious. Having someone explain a movie plot to you is never ideal, but in this case it was also a bit infuriating. In a $35 book (soft cover!), I was expecting much more. I'm sorry to be so negative, but I would never recommend this book to anyone but a film archivist. The author's hard work is admirable, but it is extremely misleading to call this a biography.

At long last, a really insightful, nuanced book about one of my favorite actors. Bryant has an istinctive feel for his subject, one of the great film actors from Hollywood's golden age. Powell so deserves a book like this--one that does justice to his real impact on the screen. Bryant has it exactly right: Powell is "captivating good company."

William Powell: The Life and Films by Roger Bryant is an elegantly written, intensely researched volume. Bryant painstakingly recounts the production of each and every Powell film (including the "lost" silents), providing a plot summary of each. His engaging text is intelligent, and includes pertinent and informative comments regarding Powell's co-workers, family, and friends without interrupting the flow of narrative.

Bryant is quick to point out that this volume is not a biography, but more a study of Powell's career with some biographical data included to put things into context. It is kind of a cross between Charles Francisco's 1985 Powell biography and Lawrence Quirk's Citadel "Films Of..." effort; less a biography than the former and with fewer photos than the latter.

All told, this well-written, intensely researched volume is right up there with the very best of the genre and definitely worth it's rather hefty cover price.

In reality it is not so much a biography as the title implies, as it is an analysis of Powell's career with its emphasis placed on his films (both existing and the early lost films). While the book delved into Powell's early life and education (primarily in Kansas City), it really didn't say much about his first marriage to Eileen Wilson, his second short lived marriage to screen beauty Carole Lombard, his relationship with actress/comedienne Jean Harlow, or his relationship with his only child David.
The thrust of this book is Powell's film career and the author goes into great detail regarding the films plots, Powell's performances, critical opinions, and how they all fit into the mosaic of Powell's success as a film actor.
If I hadn't recently picked up a copy of the out-of-print FILMS OF WILLIAM POWELL, I probably would have enjoyed this book more. However, it was apparent that both books covered essentially the same territory. After I finished this book, I realized that I really didn't walk away with much new information re: Powell.
If you know little about Powell's film career, this is a nice book. However, it really isn't a biography. There was much about Powell's personal life that wasn't included in this book, and there is much information that is readily available which was passed over or just minimally looked at.

This bio certainly is a quick read because much of the content can be scanned or just ignored. It does not really address William Powell's personal life. The author makes a few references here or there, but no in depth information about the man behind the actor. If you like reading thumnail sketches of Powell's movies, then this is the book for you ... or better yet, get most of the same information more interestingly presented from Leonard Matltin's Movie Guide. Leonard's book is a better buy too.

Bryant does a very good job of balancing Powell's work in films with the story of his life. I'm a big fan of William Powell but have never read a biography of him. This one will open your eyes to Powell's complete career without getting too detailed...and make you love the man even more. Husbands: buy your wife a copy of this book for her birthday. (Mine did.) She'll love YOU for it.

what i have read the book is well written and informative. so far i like it.