Idols of Modernity: Movie Stars of the 1920s (Star Decades: American Culture/American Cinema)

With its sharp focus on stardom during the 1920s, Idols of Modernity reveals strong connections and dissonances in matters of storytelling and performance that can be traced both backward and forward, across Europe, Asia, and the United States, from the silent era into the emergence of sound. Bringing together the best new work on cinema and stardom in the 1920s, this illustrated collection showcases the range of complex social, institutional, and aesthetic issues at work in American cinema of this time. Attentive to stardom as an ensemble of texts, contexts, and social phenomena stretching beyond the cinema, major scholars provide careful analysis of the careers of both well-known and now forgotten stars of the silent and early sound eraDouglas Fairbanks, Buster Keaton, the Talmadge sisters, Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Colleen Moore, Greta Garbo, Anna May Wong, Emil Jannings, Al Jolson, Ernest Morrison, Noble Johnson, Evelyn Preer, Lincoln Perry, and Marie Dressler. With Its Sharp Focus On Stardom During The 1920s, idols Of Modernity Reveals Strong Connections And Dissonances In Matters Of Storytelling And Performance That Can Be Traced Both Backward And Forward, Across Europe, Asia, And The United States, From The Silent Era Into The Emergence Of Sound.

bringing Together The Best New Work On Cinema And Stardom In The 1920s, This Illustrated Collection Showcases The Range Of Complex Social, Institutional, And Aesthetic Issues At Work In American Cinema Of This Time. Attentive To Stardom As An Ensemble Of Texts, Contexts, And Social Phenomena Stretching Beyond The Cinema, Major Scholars Provide Careful Analysis Of The Careers Of Both Well-known And Now Forgotten Stars Of The Silent And Early Sound Era—douglas Fairbanks, Buster Keaton, The Talmadge Sisters, Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Colleen Moore, Greta Garbo, Anna May Wong, Emil Jannings, Al Jolson, Ernest Morrison, Noble Johnson, Evelyn Preer, Lincoln Perry, And Marie Dressler.

Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 1. Douglas Fairbanks: King of Hollywood......Page 34 2. Buster Keaton: Comic Invention and the Art of Moving Pictures......Page 54 3. The Talmadge Sisters: A Forgotten Filmmaking Dynasty......Page 78 4. Rudolph Valentino: Italian American......Page 100 5. An Appetite for Living: Gloria Swanson, Colleen Moore, and Clara Bow......Page 121 6. Greta Garbo: Fashioning a Star Image......Page 150 7. Anna May Wong: Toward Janus-Faced, Border-Crossing, "Minor" Stardom......Page 172 8. Emil Jannings: Translating the Star......Page 195 9. Al Jolson: The Man Who Changed the Movies Forever......Page 215 10. African American Stardom Inside and Outside of Hollywood: Ernest Morrison, Noble Johnson, Evelyn Preer, and Lincoln Perry......Page 240 11. Marie Dressler: Thief of the Talkies......Page 263 In the Wings......Page 283 Works Cited......Page 298 Contributors......Page 310 Index......Page 314 Focusing on stardom during the 1920s, this title reveals strong connections and dissonances in matters of storytelling and performance that can be traced both backward and forward, across Europe, Asia, and the United States, from the silent era into the emergence of sound. Focusing on stardom during the 1920s, this title reveals strong connections & dissonances in matters of storytelling & performance that can be traced both backwards & forwards, from the silent era to the emergence of sound