Film History | Hollywood Yesterday

Hitchcock and the Censors by John Bellheimer (Review of a Fascinating Book!)

February 21, 2022 By Joi

Hitchcock and the Censors

Though I have never taken Film History college courses, I do consider myself somewhat of a film historian. I mean, I’ve probably read as many books about Hollywood (primarily old Hollywood) as any film historian with a degree to show for their efforts! The main differences are that I never have to pass difficult tests, write essays, finance the great education, and (admittedly) my self studies are confined to old Hollywood, whereas those with college educations study a far greater number of films and different eras.

I have built up (and continue to do so regularly) a wonderful library of books that provide a wealth of information. Books about Alfred Hitchcock, not surprisingly, provide a great deal of information and insight into making films during that particular period of time.

Description of Hitchcock and the Censors From Amazon:

Edgar Award Winner: This lively account of the director’s battles with the Code Office is “an essential addition to any Hitchcock shelf” (Mystery Scene Magazine).

From 1934 to 1968, the Motion Picture Production Code Office controlled the content and final cut on all films made and distributed in the United States. Code officials protected sensitive ears from standard four-letter words, as well as a few five-letter words like tramp and six-letter words like cripes. They also scrubbed “excessively lustful” kissing from the screen and ensured that no criminal went unpunished. Thus, throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock had to deal with a wide variety of censors attuned to the slightest suggestion of sexual innuendo, undue violence, toilet humor, religious disrespect, and all forms of indecency, real or imagined.

During their review of Hitchcock’s films, the censors demanded an average of 22.5 changes, ranging from the mundane to the mind-boggling, on each of his American films. Code reviewers dictated the ending of Rebecca, absolved Cary Grant of guilt in Suspicion, edited Cole Porter’s lyrics in Stage Fright, decided which shades should be drawn in Rear Window, and shortened the shower scene in Psycho.

In Hitchcock and the Censors, John Billheimer traces the forces that led to the Production Code and describes Hitchcock’s interactions with code officials on a film-by-film basis as he fought to protect his creations, bargaining with code reviewers and sidestepping censorship to produce a lifetime of memorable films. Despite the often-arbitrary decisions of the code board, Hitchcock still managed to push the boundaries of sex and violence permitted in films by charming—and occasionally tricking—the censors and by swapping off bits of dialogue, plot points, and individual shots (some of which had been deliberately inserted as trading chips) to protect cherished scenes and images. By examining Hitchcock’s priorities in dealing with the censors, this work highlights the director’s theories of suspense as well as his magician-like touch when negotiating with code officials. Read more on Amazon (Amazon link).

Alfred Hitchcock on the Set of Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock is a favorite director of many film lovers (including mine). The man was a genius. After reading Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer, I’ve realized that he was even more of a genius than I ever gave him credit for!

From the Back Cover

Throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock had to contend with a wide variety of censors attuned to the slightest suggestion of sexual innuendo, undue violence, toilet humor, religious disrespect, and all forms of indecency, real or imagined. From 1934 to 1968, the Motion Picture Production Code Office controlled the content and final cut on all films made and distributed in the United States. During their review of Hitchcock’s films, the censors demanded an average of 22.5 changes, ranging from the mundane to the mind-boggling, on each of his American films.

In his award-winning Hitchcock and the Censors, author John Billheimer traces the forces that led to the Production Code and describes Hitchcock’s interactions with code officials on a film-by-film basis as he fought to protect his creations, bargaining with code reviewers and sidestepping censorship to produce a lifetime of memorable films. Despite the often-arbitrary decisions of the code board, Hitchcock still managed to push the boundaries of sex and violence permitted in films by charming—and occasionally tricking—the censors, and by swapping off bits of dialogue, plot points, and individual shots (some of which had been deliberately inserted as trading chips) to protect cherished scenes and images. By examining Hitchcock’s priorities in dealing with the censors, this work highlights the director’s theories of suspense as well as his magician-like touch when negotiating with code officials.

I have a peculiar habit when meeting a new book that I have probably confessed on the old Hollywood blog before… I go straight to the index and search for names of my favorite stars… then I read what is said about each one on the pages listed. I know, I know, it goes against every rule of reading a book from front to back, but I find that I simply MUST read about my favorites before actually beginning at the first.

When I first sat down with this fascinating book, I found SO MANY of my favorites listed in the index that I grabbed a tall glass of raspberry tea and settled in my favorite den chair and got comfortable. Maureen O’Hara, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Lucille Ball, Barbara Bel Geddes, Ingrid Bergman, Robert Montgomery, Ethel Barrymore, Anne Baxter, Joan Fontaine, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Cary Grant… I found a wealth of information for each star and, in spite of reading about each one regularly, learning new things about many of them along the way.

Make no mistake about it, however, Alfred Hitchcock is the star of this show and rightfully so. I have more profound respect for him, his talent, his PATIENCE, his willpower, and his lasting fingerprints on moviemaking and film as we know it.

There were about 20 times, in the course of reading this book that I LITERALLY closed the book, sat it down, and took a moment to process what I had read… to absorb, if you will, the boldness of of the man and the magic of the legend.

I was fascinated beyond belief the number of battles he had to wage over somewhat expected things such as kissing to a fairly unexpected wink that, in my opinion, brilliantly and poetically closed his career. Whether you love film history, Hitchcock, and/or MANY of old Hollywood’s greatest stars, this is absolutely the next book you need to add to your library.

You can find this wonderful book on University Press of Kentucky or Amazon (Amazon link).

Wonderful Book on Alfred Hitchcock and His Films: Alfred Hitchcock (The Legacy of Victorianism)

November 13, 2021 By Joi

Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism by Paula Marantz Cohen

When I think in terms of old Hollywood books (biographies, autobiographies, film studies, memoirs…), I think of some as falling under their own sweet category: Film History. These are the books that allow those of us who consider ourselves to be Film Historians by way of our own reading, research, and (of course) film viewing and dissecting.

This is meant to take absolutely nothing away from those who have – through great diligence, hard work, and study – have earned their film history degree from a University. These film historians have my utmost respect and I would share a cup of coffee and/or Twitter conversation with them any day of the week.

Not all of us have the opportunity for a college film degree education, so we have to create the environment ourselves and creating such an environment begins one place in particular… our library! Some of my favorite books to review are those which would fit within a film history library because I love few things more than educating myself on things that fascinate me: Old movies, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, American History, Ancient Egypt, Bob Gibson, old Hollywood stars and directors, and so on.

The book pictured here, Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism by Paula Marantz Cohen is one of the newest additions to my old Hollywood library and it most definitely features prominently on the “film history” shelf.

I LOVE that Alfred Hitchcock Introduces the Reader to Each Chapter!

From the Back Cover:

This provocative study traces Alfred Hitchcock’s long directorial career from Victorianism to postmodernism. Paula Marantz Cohen considers a sampling of Hitchcock’s best films—Shadow of a Doubt, Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho—as well as some of his more uneven ones—Rope, The Wrong Man, Topaz—and makes connections between his evolution as a filmmaker and trends in the larger society.

Drawing on a number of methodologies including feminism, psychoanalysis, and family systems, the author provides an insightful look at the paradox of a Victorian-style gentleman who evolved into one of the leading masters of the modern medium of film. Cohen posits that Hitchcock’s films are, in part, a masculine response to the domestic, psychological novels that had appealed primarily to women during the Victorian era. His career, she argues, can be seen as an attempt to balance “the two faces of Victorianism”: the masculine legacy of law and hierarchy and the feminine legacy of feeling and imagination.

Cohen asserts that Hitchcock’s films reflect his Victorian legacy and serve as a map for ideological trends. She charts his development from his British period through his classic Hollywood years into his later phase, tracing a conceptual evolution that corresponds to an evolution in cultural identity—one that builds on a Victorian inheritance and ultimately discards it.

Wonderful Pictures from Hitchcock’s Films

This extremely well-researched book provides such insight to Hitchcock’s films that I fully intend to watch each one, book in hand, and see them in a whole new light. The author, Paula Marantz Cohen, does such a beautiful job of taking you through Hitchcock’s wonderful films, one by one. You see a picture take shape and realize that… when looked at in this way… his films not only provide you with an overall view of film history but of world history as well.

Trust me when I say the view is utterly fascinating.

I love many things about this book, including:

The informative, yet easy to read style of writing by Paula Marantz Cohen.
Meeting Alfred Hitchcock, the man, as well as Alfred Hitchcock, the legend.
Revisiting favorite films and seeing how they fit into the larger picture.
The wonderful photos included.
The fact that Alfred Hitchcock, himself, through his unmistakable profile, welcomes you to each chapter of the book.

You can find Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism on The University Press of Kentucky website, as well as countless other wonderful old Hollywood biographies, film history books, and memoirs. It’s one of my favorite sources for Old Hollywood books AND there’s currently a great deal going on! Information about their Holiday Sale is available on their homepage.

This book would make an excellent gift for any film lover in your life.

Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism (Amazon link) is also available on Amazon.

Thanks for reading! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Alfred Hitchcock: The Legacy of Victorianism by Paula Marantz Cohen

Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish: A MUST-Have Book for Film Historians (Review)

May 27, 2021 By Joi

Vitagraph: America’s First Great Motion Picture Studio

Film Historian is a term that can find itself in the middle of many hot debates. Those who have studied in college classes (for anywhere between 2-4 years) for the dubious distinction of being a “film historian” and those of us who have studied outside of a college setting (over the course… excuse the pun… of a lifetime) because we believe ourselves to already be “film historians” sometimes disagree over who can and who can’t claim the term.

I sometimes wish I had earned a degree to prove to others that I am a film historian, but then I wonder…. would I be a better cook if I had been to cooking school? No. (sorry, I’m full-on cocky about my cooking!).

Like all film historians – those with the college degree to prove it and those without – I arm myself with as many books as possible to feed my addiction. Biographies, autobiographies, memoirs… trivia books… if it has to do with old Hollywood, classic radio and classic television, it’s on the bookshelves, frequently consulted and forever treasured.

The book pictured here, Vitagraph: America’s First Great Motion Picture Studio by Andrew A. Erish is the latest to join my collection and quickly became a favorite. This fascinating and eye-opening book feels like a textbook (if only my Psychology textbooks had been half as fascinating!) – one that would be used when studying film history.

Yes, inside OR outside of college.

When I took photos of it to use for this review, I even created a new folder for it titled “Film History.” First time I’ve ever done that, which should tell you how informative and deliciously interesting this book is.

But, wait, there’s more.

I just created a whole new category (and Vitagraph is the first entry) called Film History because this book has renewed the desire within me to learn all I can about the fascinating subject.

Vitagraph is from the University Press of Kentucky and was sent to me to read in exchange for telling you about it. My review and opinion were, of course, left entirely up to me. I’m guessing they really had no idea just how much I would love this book.

The Vitagraph Review

When writing book reviews for Hollywood Yesterday (or my other blogs, for that matter), I’m always left with a quandary – describing how much I enjoyed reading the book without spoiling it for future readers. It’s the same with movie reviews, too, if we’re being honest, which is why my movie reviews and book reviews sometimes tend to be shorter than some – I figure, the less I say, the less apt I am to give anything away that I want others to discover for themselves AND the less I hold them here, the quicker they can get there to order the book or watch the movie!

From the Back Cover:

In Vitagraph, Andrew A. Erish provides the first comprehensive examination and reassessment of the company most responsible for defining and popularizing the American movie. This history challenges long-accepted Hollywood mythology that simply isn’t true: that Paramount and Fox invented the feature film, that Universal created the star system, and that these companies, along with MGM and Warner Bros., developed motion pictures into a multi-million-dollar business. In fact, the truth about Vitagraph is far more interesting than the myths that later moguls propagated about themselves.

Established in 1897 by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith, Vitagraph was the leading producer of motion pictures for much of the silent era. Vitagraph established America’s studio system, a division of labor utilizing specialized craftspeople and artists, including a surprising number of women and minorities, whose aesthetic innovations have long been incorporated into virtually all commercial cinema. They developed fundamental aspects of the form and content of American movies, encompassing everything from framing, lighting, and performance style to emphasizing character-driven comedy and drama in stories that respected and sometimes poked fun at every demographic of Vitagraph’s vast audience. The company overcame resistance to multi-reel motion pictures by establishing a national distribution network for its feature films. Vitagraph’s international distribution was even more successful, cultivating a worldwide preference for American movies that endures to the present. For most of its existence America’s most influential studio was headquartered in Brooklyn, New York before relocating to Hollywood.

Finally, here is a historically rigorous and thorough account of the most influential producer of American motion pictures during the silent era. Drawing on valuable primary material long overlooked by other historians, Erish introduces readers to the fascinating, forgotten pioneers of Vitagraph.

Allow me to say, somewhat red-faced, that I had no idea how vital Blackton and Smith’s contributions were. When my daughters were small, we’d build elaborate homes for their Barbies. We’d use the largest, sturdiest building pieces for the foundation. Without saying it, we knew that was the most vital part of the entire creation. Certainly the foundation wasn’t the flashiest component, but everything else rested upon it and would come crashing down without it.

As I reached the end of reading Vitagraph (or as I nearly finished the film history course!), these Barbie mega houses came to mind. Blackton and Smith were the foundation upon which so very much (yes, flashier and more eye-catching) was built upon.

Mixed in with the excitement of meeting new faces and acquiring so much wonderful knowledge was a hint of melancholy. These names (Albert E. Smith and James Stuart Blackton) should be as remembered and honored today as other film greats. It’s my sincere hope that Andrew A. Erish’s wonderful, wonderful book helps make this happen.

What I Love Most About Vitagraph:

I am, for better or worse, a VERY visual person, even when it comes to books. I appreciate efforts put into books to make them attractive and Vitagraph is a knock-out. Not only is the cover (from the image to the eye-catching fonts used) positively handsome, the nostalgic, wonderful photos throughout the book are a joy. I look at them over and over.
For posts on Hollywood Yesterday, I often dive into research of a particular individual or film. It can be very time-consuming, especially if the individual has not had a great deal written about them. I can only imagine the time and effort that went into researching this particular subject and these bold, BRAVE, world-changing individuals (more about them in a minute!). The research, alone, boggles the mind. Author Andrew A. Erish’s respect for the people he has written about (and subsequently brought back to life for us to meet) is palpable. When you come across an author who has dedicated so much of their life to shine light on the life of others, it’s a beautiful thing. If we’re being honest, it’s something that never fails to make this book lover remember why she fell in love with books in the first place. Blackton and Smith would be so incredibly honored and happy with this book.
This book is as bold as its subject. It doesn’t hesitate to let you know what is the truth, what’s close to the truth, and what couldn’t be further from the truth if Albert Pujols or Barry Bonds had taken a whack at it with a bat!
There is no other book like this in existence. Erish has taken a subject that was buried deep in history and excavated it. Film history is better and richer for his efforts.
About halfway through the book, I started fantasizing about a movie or documentary being made based on this book. I try not to allow myself to do that, as I am very much a “live in the moment with your eyes wide open” person, but every now and then I can’t help myself.
As I often say in my Old Hollywood book reviews, I get a HUGE kick out of coming across names that are as familiar to me as my own when reading a book. Bumping into familiar faces on the pages of a book brings me the same type of joy as one feels when they bump into a friend in the store. A few encounters in Vitagraph: Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Mary Pickford, Jean Paige, Theodore Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin, and many others (I want to leave the reader a few surprises they’ll get a kick out of).
Finally, what I love most about Vitagraph is simple: Albert E. Smith and James Stuart Blackton. Neither man was born anywhere near Hollywood. The fact that two English-born Americans contributed so greatly to Hollywood and American entertainment fascinates me. Imagine stepping foot in another country and, within a comparatively short amount of time, reaching far into its future and influencing it so much. Can you imagine the self confidence, boldness, and fearlessness? So far from your home in what must have seemed like a whole new world.

I always tell people that you can never, ever underestimate the power of films and entertainment. They influence so much in and around us – fashion, expressions, hairstyles, cars, ideologies… make no mistake about it, nothing stays solely “in the movie” or “on the tv.” It reaches out and touches us all.

It’s high time the fingerprints of Albert E. Smith and James Stuart Blackton get the credit they deserve and I very much hope you’ll add Vitagraph to your personal library. Andrew A. Erish has written a masterpiece.

You can find Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish on The University Press of Kentucky or Amazon.

Hollywood in Kodachrome: A Book You MUST Have if You Love Old Hollywood

August 10, 2020 By Joi

Hollywood in Kodachrome

I believe I’ve mentioned on the Old Hollywood blog (as well as on my Old Hollywood Twitter page) just how cruel July treated me. Obviously, I’m in the same quarantine boat with everyone else as this global pandemic tragically carries on. However, July gave me a few more blows. My MUCH loved 17 year old cat died in my arms (gut-wrenching to say the least), and then the next day (while cooking and crying… not a good mix), I badly burned my arm and chest with hamburger grease.

Talk about pain! The emotional and physical pain sort of battled it out to see which one would bring me down first. Naturally, this lasted for weeks… long, long weeks.

My daughter Brittany bought me a book (the gorgeous one you see here, Hollywood in Kodachrome by David Wills) to lift my spirits. The fact that she DID it lifted them sky high (I swear, I have the sweetest family – I thank God for them every single day). Each time I look at the book – which sits out, prominently, because it’s such a work of art, I think about Brittany and smile.

(Review Continued Below….)

Judy Garland and Lena Horne

I’ve been anxious to tell y’all about Hollywood in Kodachrome (link to the book on Amazon) because it’s one I know you’ll love as much as I do. I look through it so often and, each time, notice something about a photograph or star I hadn’t noticed before.

I love to look at the photographs and dissect the colors used, the makeup (when applicable… literally), clothes, props, lighting, etc. Like acting, SO much goes into photography… and yet, when it’s done extraordinarily well, you don’t see the effort… you just see the magic.

This book is one work of magic after the other after the other after the other.

Book Description from Amazon:

Hollywood in Kodachrome is a stunning portfolio of the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, captured in rich, deeply saturated color photographs reproduced from original Kodachrome negatives and curated by collector David Wills and designer Stephen Schmidt, the creative team behind Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis and Audrey: The 60s.

From Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Rita Hayworth to Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Gregory Peck—and many more—the silver screen’s elite are all here, in the full blush of youth, captured as if they were taken yesterday. But the true star is the medium itself: late-1940s sheet Kodachrome, a film stock that remains legendary for its rich tonal range, precise color, and detail.

Including a foreword by Golden Age star Rhonda Fleming, and featuring more than 200 photos from classic films and publicity shoots, Hollywood in Kodachrome is a magnificent tribute to Hollywood’s most beloved icons, captured at their glamorous best.

There are 329 pages in this extraordinary book – savoring the photos reminds me of walking through my kind of art gallery… one with only photos of Old Hollywood stars!

Some of the stars include:

Maureen O’Hara
Rita Hayworth
Lucille Ball
Lena Horne
Judy Garland
Yvonne DeCarlo (one particular photo that’ll make your jaw drop!)
Humphrey Bogart
Lauren Bacall
Clark Gable
Bette Davis
Frank Sinatra
Errol Flynn
Lana Turner
Elizabeth Taylor
Marilyn Monroe
and just about every star from the 40s you can name… with many featured more than once.

Many of the publicity shots are never-before-seen… something I can attest to and vouch for. I’ve spent my life up to my chin in Old Hollywood photographs and films and there are countless photos in this gorgeous book I’ve never seen before.

I don’t want to post many of the inside photographs, here, for several reasons:

It wouldn’t be fair to the authors, publishers, or photographers. I wouldn’t want people using the photos online without their consent. These professionals work extremely hard and give us so much – I want to always be fair to them. I only use the gorgeous Judy Garland and Lena Horne photos (above) to give you an idea just how big and gloriously beautiful the photos are. I carefully cropped them in a manner where they can’t be used anywhere online and made certain to leave the photographers’ names intact. I also thought these two photos illustrated what I was talking about when it comes to looking at the background colors, clothing, and makeup. Their lipsticks just pop with the colors around them!
I want you to have the same extraordinary experience I did each time I turned the page, wondering who I’d “meet” next! It was unspeakably fun to come across so many unexpected pictures and stars. I want you to experience that for yourself.

(Review Continued Below…)

Hollywood in Kodachrome

I also love the “outtakes” (previously unpublished) of stars in famous ad campaigns (Max Factor, Lipton, Lucky Strike, Lux, Royal Crown Cola…).

I took the picture above to try and give you an idea just how big this magnificent book is – by using one of my coffee mugs and a tumbler as comparison… and yet I’m still not convinced it captures just how big and beautiful this book is!

This is simply a breathtakingly beautiful collection of photographs of the greatest stars the world has ever known. It’s a celebration of their lives, their spark, and their magic.

You can find Hollywood in Kodachrome (link to the book on Amazon) on Amazon. When you click through the link, you’ll notice it is available “used” as well as “new.”

I couldn’t possibly recommend this showcase any more than I do. It not only lifted my spirits when they needed them most, it provides joy on a regular basis.

And Lauren looks so gorgeous sitting out to greet me each time I walk into the room!