Overview

"An Armenian national raised in Russia, Rouben Mamoulian (1897--1987) studied in the influential Stanislavski studio, renowned as the source of the ""method"" acting technique. Shortly after immigrating to New York in 1926, he created a sensation with an all-black production of Porgy (1927). He then went on to direct the debut Broadway productions of three of the most popular shows in the history of American musical theater: Porgy and Bess (1935), Oklahoma! (1943), and Carousel (1945). Mamoulian began working in film just as the sound revolution was dramatically changing the technical capabilities of the medium, and he quickly established himself as an innovator. Not only did many of his unusual camera techniques become standard, but he also invented a device that eliminated the background noises created by cameras and dollies. Seen as a rebel earlier in his career, Mamoulian gradually gained respect in Hollywood, and the Directors Guild of America awarded him the prestigious D. W. Griffith Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1983. In this meticulously researched biography, David Luhrssen paints the influential director as a socially conscious artist who sought to successfully combine art and commercial entertainment. Luhrssen not only reveals the fascinating personal story of an important yet neglected figure, but he also offers a tantalizing glimpse into the extraordinarily vibrant American film and theater industries during the twenties, thirties, and forties."

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9780813136769

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Reviews

"a brisk well-researched survey"" - TLS"

Mamoulian: Life on Stage and Screen by David Luhrssen. Biography by Shepherd Express arts and entertainment editor and longtime film critic gives an overdue spotlight to Rouben Mamoulian, who as a director shaped some of Broadway and Hollywood's most notable achievements from the 1920s through the '50s, including 'Applause' (1929), ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' (1932), 'Becky Sharp' (1935), 'Queen Christina' (1935), 'The Mark of Zorro' (1940), 'Oklahoma!' (1943) and 'Carousel' (1945). -- The Sunday Journal Sentinel

a brisk well-researched survey - TLS

Mamoulian: Life on Stage and Screen by David Luhrssen. Biography by Shepherd Express arts and entertainment editor and longtime film critic gives an overdue spotlight to Rouben Mamoulian, who as a director shaped some of Broadway and Hollywood's most notable achievements from the 1920s through the '50s, including 'Applause' (1929), ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' (1932), 'Becky Sharp' (1935), 'Queen Christina' (1935), 'The Mark of Zorro' (1940), 'Oklahoma!' (1943) and 'Carousel' (1945). -- The Sunday Journal Sentinel

David Luhrssen has done yeoman work in researching the neglected theatrical aspect of Mamoulian's career, recreating it with a graceful and often colorful style. Luhrssen does equal justice to Mamoulian's films, giving full attention to his unique style and the technological and artistic advances he helped bring about. This important book helps restore the limelight to an influential artist who has been unjustly overlooked in recent years. -- Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career --

<p> David Luhrssen has done yeoman work in researching the neglected theatrical aspect of Mamoulian's career, recreating it with a graceful and often colorful style. Luhrssen does equal justice to Mamoulian's films, giving full attention to his unique style and the technological and artistic advances he helped bring about. This important book helps restore the limelight to an influential artist who has been unjustly overlooked in recent years. -- Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career --

a brisk well-researched survey - TLS

Author Information

David Luhrssen is the Arts & Entertainment Editor at Shepherd Express and has worked as a film critic for more than twenty years. He is the author of several books, most recently Hammer of the Gods: The Thule Society and the Birth of Nazism (Potomac, 2012) and Mamoulian: Life on Stage and Screen (Kentucky, 2012).

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