OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

by Frances Marion ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1972

Yesteryears of only yesterdays -- a sort of animated film index of who made what when and sometimes did what with whom -- in a nice way -- by the veteran scenarist whose name appeared on so many of the big ones. Frances Marion started out as a commercial artist and went to Hollywood in the early years (Griffiths -- yon Stroheim) and, after selling her first story for $125 for a Mary Pickford vehicle which burned up before it was released, went on to work steadily through the '20's and '30's and '40's with which this mostly deals. The warden of Sing Sing complimented her on the accuracy of his words in her script and she allowed as how it was all based on diaries, ""a woman's safety deposit box."" So is this -- and you'll meet Chaplin and Lillian Gish and Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford and Marie Dressier (a special friend) and Garbo and Harlow and just about everyone. Occasionally there'll be something a little new (a nice anecdote about Harry Cohn for a change; the sad ending -- suicide -- of Hedda Hopper's lateblooming love affair) but most of it is just film filler, voluble, kind for the most part, and forgettable. She describes herself as having the ""open face of a kitchen clock"" -- that would apply here.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1972

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1972

Categories: NONFICTION