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Lillian Gish: Her Legend, Her Life
Charles Affron
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Description for Lillian Gish: Her Legend, Her Life
Paperback. At the time of her death in 1993, Lillian Gish was universally recognized as a film legend. This title uncovers a life that was cast in the shadow of self-generated myth. It shows how the actress carefully shaped her public identity while keeping much of her life private. Num Pages: 445 pages, 70 b/w photographs. BIC Classification: APF; BGF. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 236 x 167 x 25. Weight in Grams: 682.
At the time of her death in 1993, Lillian Gish was universally recognized as a film legend. In this revealing and absorbing narrative, Charles Affron uses newly released documents to uncover a life that was cast in the shadow of self-generated myth. Filling the gaps left by Gish's selective memoirs and authorized biographies, he shows how the actress carefully shaped her public identity while keeping much of her life private. This is a "New York Times" Notable Book.
At the time of her death in 1993, Lillian Gish was universally recognized as a film legend. In this revealing and absorbing narrative, Charles Affron uses newly released documents to uncover a life that was cast in the shadow of self-generated myth. Filling the gaps left by Gish's selective memoirs and authorized biographies, he shows how the actress carefully shaped her public identity while keeping much of her life private. This is a "New York Times" Notable Book.
Product Details
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2002
Publisher
University of California Press
Number of pages
445
Condition
New
Number of Pages
445
Place of Publication
Berkerley, United States
ISBN
9780520234345
SKU
V9780520234345
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1
About Charles Affron
Charles Affron is Professor of French at New York University. He is the author of Sets in Motion, Cinema and Sentiment, Divine Garbo, and Star Acting: Gish, Garbo, Davis. He lives in New York City.
Reviews for Lillian Gish: Her Legend, Her Life
"To the very end, she did her part in raising awareness about the endangered legacy of silent film. But her insistence on going to any means to guard and sugarcoat Griffith's legacy distorts the reality of the silent film era. The truth, plain and simple, would serve a greater purpose today in bolstering awareness of the great work done by silent film artists. With this book, Affron takes a step in that direction by demystifying the actress and the world in which she worked."-Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times; "Gish, born in 1893, lived for 99 years. She spent the first quarter of a century becoming a legend and the last three-quarters of it acting as shaper and custodian of that legend.... Though most of Gish's story is known, we've never had it told with such balance and completeness. Affron completes the picture by restoring details Gish resolutely omitted."-Jay Carr, Boston Globe; "Well written, ambitious and intelligent, this biography is an essential addition to the work on Gish and on American film and theater."-Publishers Weekly; "Affron unearths the less edifying facts airbrushed out of his subject's memories yet retains his respect for her pioneering artistry. Gish emerges here as a stronger, savvier woman than we have met in previous accounts."-Wendy Smith, Variety; "[Affron] politely, consistently refutes Gish's line, remaining unfailingly generous to his subject's art and indomitability, all the while fastidiously and expertly devastating the fairy tale in which she wrapped herself. If we are ever to rescue silent film from its status as a dwindling cult's enthusiasm and restore it as a vital part of our cultural heritage, we need more work of this balanced and balancing kind."-Richard Schickel, New York Times Book Review; "[A] deeply honest book.... Granted unprecedented access to Gish's private letters and journals, [Affron] has used his privilege well. Stripping away Gish's own layers of selective memory and self-invention, and eclipsing earlier 'authorized' biographies, he challenges many assumptions.... A balanced and detailed portrait."-Jeanine Basinger, Washington Post