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Laddar... My Life East and Westav William S. Hart, Martin Ridge (Redaktör)
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Ingår i förlagsserienLakeside Classics (book 92)
Memoir of a film star in the time of passing of the American frontier culture. This is the autobiography of William Surrey Hart (1864-1946), an early twentieth century silent film actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. A unique personage in the film industry-Hart's boyhood years, besides affording tutoring in frontier values and the life of cowboys, also allowed him intimate contact with life and culture of Sioux Indians-Hart went on to become one of the first Western motion picture stars. A successful Shakespearian actor on Broadway, he appeared in Sidney Olcott's 1907 production of Ben Hur and, in 1914, he starred in his first feature, The Bargain. Hart was interested in making realistic Westerns and was noted for the authenticity of costumes and props in his films. Fascinated by the Old West, he acquired Billy the Kid's six-shooter and was a friend of both Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. From 1914 until 1926, Hart was the leading western actor for silent films. In 1925, he starred in his last film, "Tumbleweeds." Inga biblioteksbeskrivningar kunde hittas. |
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Google Books — Laddar... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)792.028The arts Recreational and performing arts Stage presentations, Theatre Standard subdivisions and types of stage presentation Techniques, procedures, apparatus, equipment, materials, miscellany Acting and PerformanceKlassifikation enligt LCBetygMedelbetyg:
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The portions on his movie career are definitely the most fascinating in the book. Hart did his own stunts, and wow, did he gets banged up. He put his horse Fritz (and other mounts) through hell as well, but he certainly asked no less of them than he did of himself. Where the book falters is in increasing sections near the end where he goes into exhaustive detail about how studio executives jerked him around in terms of money and contracts, and then repeated issues of women accusing him of having children in need of support. Those sections feel... awkward, striking a petulant mood in contrast to the more pleasant tone of the rest of the book. I can see why he wanted space to defend himself, but the way it's done was not that effective. In the case where the woman was proven to be mentally imbalanced (her impregnation was done in the spiritual realm) it felt exploitative, even triumphant.
Hart is a complex fellow. He casts himself as the hero--and his movies likewise tended toward a Victorian, moralistic tone--but he's still a man of the time. He uses the word "squaw" and forwardly acknowledges it is a derogatory term (note this was originally published in something like the late 1920s). He rode horses in a ruthless way, and took care of them lovingly, and in dying, left a large sum of money to the SPCA. He loved and championed for Native Americans, often casting them in his pictures and regarding them as lifelong friends, and also played them at times (one photograph looks as if he's in brown face make-up) and had a major role in the Battle of Little Big Horn 50th anniversary ceremony. Then there were all of the paternity cases that came up against him.
This particular edition of the book was published in 1994 by a printing company that apparently selects a classic book to revive each year as a gift to employees and shareholders. It IS a beautiful book. The print and paper quality are exceptional, and the photographs reproduced throughout are in a lovely tint. ( )