As a historian I found this book lacking the clarity and strength in sources that appear in the biographies that he has written.
As a social history this lacks sufficient sources to make some of the arguments. He also uses sources that would be better used in a cultural history. ( )

Fascinating and readable. Examines the subject field by field (screenwriters, set designers, directors) and era by era (early Hollywood, WWII, twilight of the studio system). Sources are clearly cited, whether they're dinner-party stories recalled from memory or period employment records. ( )