Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks (Wisconsin Film Studies)

Called “God’s angry man” for his unyielding demands in pursuit of personal and artistic freedom, Oscar-winning filmmaker Richard Brooks brought us some of the mid-twentieth century’s most iconic films, including __Blackboard Jungle__, __Cat on a Hot Tin Roof__, __Elmer Gantry__, __In Cold Blood__, and __Looking for Mr. Goodbar__. “The important thing,” he once remarked, “is to write your story, to make it believable, to make it live.” His own life story has never been fully chronicled, until now. __Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks__ restores to importance the career of a prickly iconoclast who sought realism and truth in his films. Douglass K. Daniel explores how the writer-director made it from the slums of Philadelphia to the heights of the Hollywood elite, working with the top stars of the day, among them Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons, Sidney Poitier, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, and Diane Keaton. Brooks dramatized social issues and depicted characters in conflict with their own values, winning an Academy Award for his __Elmer Gantry__ screenplay and earning nominations for another seven Oscars for directing and screenwriting. __Tough as Nails__ offers illuminating insights into Brooks’s life, drawing on unpublished studio memos and documents and interviews from stars and colleagues, including Poitier, director Paul Mazursky, and Simmons, who was married to Brooks for twenty years. Daniel takes readers behind the scenes of Brooks’s major films and sheds light on their making, their compromises, and their common threads. __Tough as Nails__ celebrates Brooks’s vision while adding to the critical understanding of his works, their flaws as well as their merits, and depicting the tumults and trends in the life of a man who always kept his own compass. Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians Outstanding Book, selected by the Public Library Reviewers Called God's Angry Man For His Unyielding Demands In Pursuit Of Personal And Artistic Freedom, Oscar-winning Filmmaker Richard Brooks Brought Us Some Of The Mid-twentieth Century's Most Iconic Films, Including Blackboard Jungle, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Elmer Gantry, In Cold Blood, And Looking For Mr. Goodbar. The Important Thing, He Once Remarked, Is To Write Your Story, To Make It Believable, To Make It Live. His Own Life Story Has Never Been Fully Chronicled, Until Now. Tough As Nails: The Life And Films Of Richard Brooks Restores To Importance The Career Of A Prickly Iconoclast Who Sought Realism And Truth In His Films. Douglass K. Daniel Explores How The Writer-director Made It From The Slums Of Philadelphia To The Heights Of The Hollywood Elite, Working With The Top Stars Of The Day, Among Them Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons, Sidney Poitier, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, And Diane Keaton. Brooks Dramatized Social Issues And Depicted Characters In Conflict With Their Own Values, Winning An Academy Award For His Elmer Gantry Screenplay And Earning Nominations For Another Seven Oscars For Directing And Screenwriting. Tough As Nails Offers Illuminating Insights Into Brooks's Life, Drawing On Unpublished Studio Memos And Documents And Interviews From Stars And Colleagues, Including Poitier, Director Paul Mazursky, And Simmons, Who Was Married To Brooks For Twenty Years. Daniel Takes Readers Behind The Scenes Of Brooks's Major Films And Sheds Light On Their Making, Their Compromises, And Their Common Threads. Tough As Nails Celebrates Brooks's Vision While Adding To The Critical Understanding Of His Works, Their Flaws As Well As Their Merits, And Depicting The Tumults And Trends In The Life Of A Man Who Always Kept His Own Compass.--back Cover Of Trade Paperback. Hollywood By Way Of Philadelphia -- Writing Movies At Home And At War -- Swell Guys, Brutes, And The Blacklist -- In The Director's Chair At Mgm. Crisis ; The Light Touch ; Deadline--u.s.a. ; Battle Circus ; Take The High Ground! ; Flame And The Flesh ; The Last Time I Saw Paris -- Writing And Rocking Around The Clock. Blackboard Jungle ; The Last Hunt ; The Catered Affair -- Taking Literature From Page To Screen. Something Of Value ; The Brothers Karamazov ; Cat On A Hot Tin Roof -- Independence And That Old-time Religion. Elmer Gantry -- Two Hits And One Major Miss. Sweet Bird Of Youth ; Lord Jim ; The Professionals -- A Journey Into Capote Country. In Cold Blood -- On Marriage, Larceny, And America's Beauty. The Happy Ending ; $ ; Bite The Bullet -- New Directions And Two Wrong Turns. Looking For Mr. Goodbar ; Wrong Is Right ; Fever Pitch. Douglass K. Daniel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 14 1. Hollywood by Way of Philadelphia 17 2. Writing Movies at Home and at War 32 3. Swell Guys, Brutes, and the Blacklist 47 4. In the Director’s Chair at MGM 69 5. Writing and Rocking around the Clock 93 6. Taking Literature from Page to Screen 124 7. Independence and That Old-Time Religion 143 8. Two Hits and One Major Miss 157 9. A Journey into Capote Country 181 10. On Marriage, Larceny, and America’s Beauty 195 11. New Directions and Two Wrong Turns 212 Conclusion 227 Filmography 234 Notes on Sources 236 Bibliography 248 Index 252