About this title: Jean Arthur starred in some of the brightest screwball and social comedies of the 1930s and '40s: Mr Deeds Goes to Town, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take it With You, The More the Merrier, The Talk of the Town, The Devil and Miss Jones. Yet Arthur was something of a mystery woman: she shunned interviews, hated the trappings of Hollywood, wanted simply to do her work and be left alone. The fact that John Oller's biography is the first book about this much loved star demonstrates how thoroughly Arthur succeeded in pulling a veil over her life.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Limelight Editions
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780879102784ISBN:0879102780
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. clean pages fast shipping with delivery confirmation number. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 358 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Limelight Editions
Date Published: 1997-03
ISBN-13:9780879100902ISBN:0879100907
Description: Very Good. Hardback w/DJ, Minor cover wear, Pages clean SHIPPED IMMEDIATELY: We ship every business day with the most careful packaging you'll find. Choose Expedited Shipping for delivery within 2-5 business days. (Standard Shipping may take 2-4 weeks for delivery) GUARANTEED: Your satisfaction is always assured with BobsNeatBooks. Our items are carefully inspected and described and may be returned for any reason within 7 days. read more
Description: Like New. Book appears unread, but may have a publisher's mark or minor shelf wear. We are the Twin Cities' largest independent book store. read more
Description: Like New. Book appears unread, but may have a publisher's mark or minor shelf wear. We are the Twin Cities' largest independent book store. d. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Limelight Editions
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780879102784ISBN:0879102780
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. pb, 1999, some minor shelf/edgewear, very nice clean text, no underlining/highlighting, very nice condition, binding tight, SKU-A085, A small family business committed to BIG service! Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 358 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: 1st PB ed
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Limelight Editions, NY
Date Published: (1999)
Description: Photos. VG lg sz PB. Arthur was somewhat of a mystery. She shunned interviews, hated the trappings of Hollywood, wanted simply to do her work. And be left alone. Oller's insightful, painstakingly research analysis of Arthur's life and career raises the curtain on the complex, conflicted person behind the screen persona...a unique star who turned out to be a genuine eccentric, maddening at times, but lovable in her vivacious humanity. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: PROSCENIUM PUBL/LIMELIGHT EDIT
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780879102784ISBN:0879102780
Description: The luminous star of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Shane, and other classic films was, as the subtitle aptly puts it, "the actress nobody knew. " Jean Arthur (1900-91) kept her personal life private, disdained the Hollywood publicity machine, and was... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Limelight Editions
Date Published: 1997-03
ISBN-13:9780879100902ISBN:0879100907
Description: Good. Excellent customer service. May ship from alternate location depending on your zip code and availability. Satisfaction guaranteed! ! read more
"Very good biography about one of my favorite actresses who I knew little about. It seems she was reclusive and somewhat peculiar person, especially in her later years. Oller did a fine job covering both her personal life and amazing career."
"She had a unique voice, one that Frank Capra, her frequent director, once described as accurately as anyone has, as "a thousand tinkling bells." She could be street smart and innocent all at once. She was one of the best actresses working in the genres of the screwball and romantic comedies of the '30s and '40s: wonderful in films such as "The Whole Town's Talking" (1935), "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1936), "Easy Living" (1937), "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), and one of my favorites, "The More the Merrier" (1943). She pretty much played the same character in all these films, a working girl finding excitement and romance in the hustle and bustle of the deco metropolis. There's a purity to her hard to duplicate. And yet, as this book's title suggests, virtually nothing was known about her. She cloaked her life in mystery; even more so than Garbo herself. This biography is the first attempt to find out who this reclusive woman was. I love Arthur's screen persona and her films. So let's just see who she was...
Into chapter one and liking this author's very readable style and presentation. No jargon, just good straight analysis, well ordered, all the words chosen for smooth comprehension. Already I've learned a lot about Jean Arthur and I'm only on page 7. So let's see... Liking this...
Chapter Two: This guy has done his homework, and he can write. It's obvious already that this is an excellent bio. Just upped it to four stars.
OK, so I've read it and am impressed by Oller's research. This was not an easy subject; I admire his persistence in tackling a star who eluded the grasp of so many others.
Arthur was an introverted, complex, virtually friendless character, but she "owned" herself, as much as one can who is eaten up with various personal issues. She was not a joiner; probably the most reclusive and mysterious of all movie stars; she didn't play the game, was uncompromising. She took on the most ruthless tycoon in Hollywood, Harry Cohn (head of Columbia Pictures) - defied him repeatedly and eventually won. She challenged him during the time when star contracts made them virtual chattel... She stayed out of the social game in town, didn't associate with other stars; refused publicity. Went home and read and listened to music and gardened and tended to her pets and associated with a very small circle of friends seemingly selected for *not* having any connection to the movies. She followed her own bliss, but by doing so also found dissatisfaction and sadness, and problems with alcohol.
Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are about her later years; her problems with various stage productions and as a college acting teacher. It was in these venues that her eccentricities most perplexed her colleagues and charges.
Here's what one of the persons from her very small circle of friends said about her: "She's a seagull just flying with the breeze...she's strictly her own person, nobody else's. Ever."
This is a valuable addition to the movie star bio genre. And about time, since it seems the thousandth bio of Marilyn Monroe will doubtlessly outsell it, even though Arthur starred in far more classic films, and was more talented.
"Interesting insight into Jean Arthur, an actress I adore! Reading about her life made me realize that it's the characters she played that I adored not the real person. Sometimes it's good not to know some things about people. Ignorance is bliss!!"
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