Majestic Hollywood
The Greatest Films of 1939
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Book Presentation:
1939 was a watershed year. The Great Depression was barely over; economics, politics, and culture braced for war. There was a lull before the storm and Hollywood, as if expecting to be judged by posterity, produced a portfolio of masterpieces. No year before or since has yielded so many beloved works of cinematic art: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Gunga Din, Only Angels Have Wings, Destry Rides Again, Beau Geste, Wuthering Heights, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Ninotchka, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Dark Victory, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Women, and of course, Gone With the Wind.
Majestic Hollywood showcases fifty films from this landmark year, with insightful text on the cultural significance of each movie and entertaining plot descriptions. Also included are stories from the legendary artists who made the films: directors William Wellman and John Ford; cinematographers Arthur Miller and Lee Garmes; actors Judy Garland, Rosalind Russell, Ray Milland, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Olivia de Havilland.
This world of entertainment is illustrated by rarely seen images. Made during the most glamorous era in movie history, whether scene stills, behind-the-scenes candids, portraits, or poster art, the photos are as distinctive, evocative, and powerful as the films they were meant to publicize. Presenting the best of these images and the stories behind them, this book is a cavalcade of unforgettable films from 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year.
About the Author:
Mark A. Vieira is a photographer and author who specializes in Hollywood history. He has lectured at USC, UCLA, Lincoln Center, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Vieira has appeared in documentaries such as TCM's Moguls and Movie Stars and Complicated Women. He is also the author of George Hurrell's Hollywood, Cecil B. DeMille, and Into the Dark, among other film-related titles. Vieira resides in Los Angeles.
Press Reviews:
This popular history, complete with rare film stills, is recommended for vintage film fans."
-Library Journal
See the publisher website: Running Press
> From the same author:
George Hurrell's Hollywood (2023)
Glamour Portraits, 1925-1992
Forbidden Hollywood (2019)
The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies
Into the Dark (2016)
The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950
Cecil B. Demille (2014)
The Art of the Hollywood Epic
by Cecilia DeMille Presley and Mark A. Vieira
Subject: Director > Cecil B. DeMille
Harlow in Hollywood (2011)
The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital, 1928-1937
by Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Vieira
Subject: Actress > Jean Harlow
The Making of Some Like It Hot (2009)
My Memories of Marilyn Monroe and the Classic American Movie
by Tony Curtis and Mark A. Vieira
Subject: One Film > Some Like It Hot
> On a related topic:
Hollywood's Golden Year, 1939 (1989)
A Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration
by Ted Sennett
Subject: On Films > Per period
The Last Word (2020)
The Hollywood Novel and the Studio System
Hollywood Goes Latin (2019)
Spanish-Language Cinema in Los Angeles
Dir. María de las Carreras and Jan-Christopher Horak
Subject: Countries > Latin America
Hollywood's Spies (2017)
The Undercover Surveillance of Nazis in Los Angeles
Subject: History of Cinema
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