Booklist Review
Old Hollywood never dies. In a worthy mate for his Complicated Women (2002), LaSalle argues that the filmic ideal of modern man derives from leading men of the "pre-Code era," between the full acceptance of sound in 1929 and the imposition of the notorious Hays Production Code in 1934. That era, says La Salle, was dominated by two assumptions: "If you played by the rules, you'd lose," and "if you were shrewd and brave enough, you could beat the system." This dandy theoretical footing, though, is secondary to what's really appealing here: smart vignettes about the stars, their films, and the era. The usual suspects--Cagney, Cooper, Gable, et alia--receive their due, but also limned are the now-shadowy Warren William, Ramon Novarro, and John Gilbert. LaSalle, once again expert in selecting the telling anecdote about a subject, makes his love of his subject evident throughout a highly readable work of film history. Wallace's book jacket fittingly features a picture of the Hollywood sign in its original splendor. His arch and choppy writing style contributes to an overall aura of smug amusement reminiscent of Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylons (1975 and 1984), but he isn't as well organized as Anger. He can be long on detail, but long and quirky. He mentions that corrupt D. A. Buron Fitts killed himself with a gun "identical to that used by Mary Miles Minter's mother . . . to kill [director William Desmond] Taylor" --a fascinating tidbit, but presented innocent of the complexities of the Taylor case. No matter. Wallace's emphasis clearly indicates where his and the book's focus lies: in tasty, scandalous stories of Hollywood back when the stars and the movies were bigger than big, huger than huge; that is, before the 1950s. And Wallace doesn't just expose actors and cops; studio czar Harry Cohn, among many off-screen others, comes in for some well-deserved exposure, too. --Mike Tribby
Library Journal Review
Hollywood's heritage is the subject of these two books. Wallace follows up his Lost Hollywood with Hollywoodland, his ruminations on various happenings in Tinseltown's history, including a foreword by famed tap dancer Ann Miller. Chapters include "Getting High in Hollywood," "Bombshells-Blonde, Brash and Built," " `Twilight' Guys and Gals," and "The Lowest of the Low-The Hollywood Screenwriter." Unfortunately, there is no bibliography, which made this reviewer curious about the research. Hollywood Remembered contains more than 30 short recollections from various Hollywoodites, such as actress Evelyn Keyes, comedians Steve Allen and Jonathan Winters, and writer Charles Champlin. Zollo (Songwriters on Songwriting) presents a brief history of Hollywood's "Golden Age," a sprinkling of memoirs, and a tour describing the hot spots. The memoirs are quite fun to read, and one does get a real feel for the Hollywood of yore. While Hollywoodland focuses on the seamier side and is a light diversion, Hollywood Remembered is a vivid work incorporating the personalities of the interviewees. Both books are recommended for film collections and larger public libraries where interest warrants.-Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
