Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood Summary and Reviews

Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood
by Mick LaSalle

Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood
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Book Summary Information

Author: Mick LaSalle
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-12-19
ISBN: 0312284314
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Book Reviews of Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood

Book Review: A BRILLIANT, BALANCED WORK
Summary: 5 Stars

COMPLICATED WOMEN is a brilliant work, and far from "left-wing propaganda," as the previous reviewer suggests. Interestingly, in that previous reviewer's criticism, he (or she) uses quotations -- but they're not at all quotations from the book. They're paraphrased quotations from the TCM documentary that was made from the book. This suggests that the person didn't even read the book but only saw the TV show, which would, alas, be typical.
One of the great virtues of the book is that it has the courage to nail absolutely and forever Joseph Breen -- the man who administered and forced the code on the public -- as a foaming-at-the-mouth anti-Semite, and for this one doesn't have to trust Mick LaSalle. The evidence comes from Breen himself, in his voluminous correspondence, which is full of anti-Jewish invective. Indeed, LaSalle may go too easy on him. Evidence of Breen's anti-Semitism is even more damning in Geoffrey Black's book, Hollywood Censored.
But then, this is hardly a book about politics. It's a wonderful meld of history, film criticism and culture -- as strong as LaSalle's other brilliant book, DANGEROUS MEN -- and it's true glory is in the way it celebrates and rediscovers some of the most influential, interesting and lovable women of the previous century. It is essential reading.

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