JOHN WAYNE: AMERICAN - Hardcover

Roberts, Randy; Olson, James S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0029238374 ISBN 13: 9780029238370

Publisher: Free Press, 1995

Synopsis

The story of John Wayne's life and career explains how his popularity suffered due to Cold War politics, examines his fiercely conservative values, and cites his contributions to the film industry. 40,000 first printing. Tour.

About this title

About the Author

James S. Olson is professor of history at Sam Houston State University.

Reviews

Although John Wayne is arguably the most popular actor in history--he ranked among the top 10 box-office attractions for 25 consecutive years--he's been relatively neglected by film scholars. Prefatorily, Roberts and Olson grind the ax that Wayne has been marginalized by pop-culture elitists because of his political conservatism, which, as they point out, was always "outspoken but nonideological." Yet they provide a balanced, thoroughly researched portrait that traces his career from a lengthy apprenticeship in countless western potboilers through the wartime films that established his character as an American ideal to the later ones that played upon his real-life status as a proud but anachronistic icon. They're particularly insightful about the development of Wayne's distinctive acting style--the halting cadence of his speech, his distinctive walk, and other studied mannerisms. Wayne's movies remain hugely popular 15 years after his death, and indeed, he starred in some of Hollywood's finest films, as those pop-culture elitists will attest; still, this is the first substantive, serious biography of him and, as such, fills a big gap. Gordon Flagg

Despite its rather defiant title and a prolog that asks why "critics and historians [have] refused to grant Wayne his deserved spot in the pantheon of Hollywood greats," this is a remarkably nonpartisan biography. The authors, both professors, are neither adept analyzers of the Wayne canon nor stylish writers, but their work's importance lies in its thorough research. Many personal papers and oral histories not available to, or used by, previous Wayne biographers were consulted. Especially revealing are the stories detailing how a man who was a top box-office attraction for nearly a quarter century let several fortunes slip through his fingers by trusting unscrupulous or incompetent managers. This thorough look at one of this country's enduring stars is recommended for all film collections.?Thomas Wiener, editor, "Satelite
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Free Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0029238374
• ISBN 13: 9780029238370
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 752