Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Femme Noir Bad Girls of Film by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry ISBN 13: 9780786404292. Often thought of as primarily male vehicles, films noirs offered some of the most complex female roles of any movies of the and . Stars such as Stanwyck, Tierney and Crawford produced some of their finest performances in noir, while such lesser known actresses as Peggie Castle, Hope Emerson and made a lasting impression on moviegoers with their roles in the genre. These six women and 43 others most frequently featured in films noirs receive biographies that focus primarily on their work in the genre and its impact on their careers, with a filmography of noir appearances. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Karen Burroughs Hannsberry writes regularly for Classic Images and Films of the Golden Age. She lives in Chicago. From Booklist : The , according to Hannsberry, is recognized by its somber mood and tone; cynical heroes and villains; and visual elements like looming shadows, foggy nights, and rain-swept streets. Most of these films were produced during the 1940s and 1950s. The "femmes" of film noir are the actresses featured in these movies, and this book recounts the personal and professional stories of 49 of them. Each entry begins with a striking black-and-white studio portrait set off by a black border and captioned with the entrant's name in large print. An essay ranging in length from 7 to 15 pages follows, providing a biography and an account of film roles. One, and sometimes two, publicity stills often accompany the text. Entries are finished off with a "Film Noir Filmography," in which the director, producer, cast, month/year of release, and running time of each film are listed. The references that follow are usually citations of magazines and newspaper articles, and, in a few cases, books. Who are the femmes of film noir? Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford, Ida Lupino, Barbara Stanwyck, and Gene Tierney are among the quintessential types. Less familiar are Peggy Cummins, Hope Emerson, Coleen Gray, Ella Raines, and Helen Walker. A few actresses better known for other kinds of film roles--Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, and Lana Turner--are included because each appeared in at least a few noir films. A bibliography of several pages and an index by personal name and film titles completes a work suitable for reference and performing-arts collections in academic and large public libraries. Femme Noir: Bad Girls on Film. Did you wish you had an encyclopedia filled with biographies of all the excellent femme fatales who made their mark during the film noir period? Look no further than Karen Burroughs Hannsberry’s fabulous two-volume series Femme Noir: Bad Girls on Film . This 643 page compendium, split into two volumes, focuses on every woman who worked in film noir, whether they appeared in one film or one-hundred. With interesting backstory provided on each actress, and copious research throughout, Femme Noir is a superlative read for true fans of classic film in general, and film noir in particular. Hannsberry takes on quite the undertaking in providing forty-nine mini-biographies of the ladies of film noir. I sit in awe of what Hannsberry’s accomplished because none of the biographies feel underwritten or content to regurgitate old material. I was fascinated to discover additional factoids about , considering how hard information is to find on her. The author certainly understands what makes these ladies so fascinating and she goes in-depth into, not just exploring the roles but their lives, from their personal relationships, to how they got started in the genre. Not every actress described led a Hollywood life, either before or after. Stars like Virginia Huston vanished into the ether after their time was done, while others like Ava Gardner (who is pictured on the cover) went on to have A-list careers. For a few, like Gene Tierney, film noir was a stepping stone to an accomplished and diverse career in other genres. Included with each mini-biography is a synopsis and brief analysis of the characters and films each actress was in. It does become a problem if you’re reading this book in order, all at once. While Hannsberry does vary the wording and description of films, if two actresses were in the same film, reading the same plot summary can become tiresome. Towards the end of the book, if you find yourself seeing the same titles, you can easily gloss over the plot descriptions. It’s here that Femme Noir works best as an encyclopedia where you can read only the actress you want to. I believe that does a disservice to the book, though, because there’s such a broad spectrum of actresses represented; not just classic beauties like Tierney, but strong B-movie Queens like Marie Windsor, Audrey Totter, and unconventional beauties like Signe Hasso. Each actress is written about with respect, and always with an eye towards showing her contribution to the film noir movement. Since each bio runs about six or so pages, there’s no room for fat, so gone is the filler and salacious details. Remember, this is not a full biography of several actresses. If you want an in- depth look at a particular star, consider buying a biography specifically about them. The bios also include two beautiful photos per piece, and is just wonderfully presented as a whole. For those who don’t know, Karen Hannsberry is the editor of the fantastic newsletter The Dark Pages which is a film noir resource for all fans of the genre. She isn’t an author writing on a whim, but possessing in-depth knowledge and a genuine interest in the topic. I’m planning on using this as a future resource for any and all film noir needs, and I recommend you do, as well. Interested in purchasing today’s book, you can do so here: Femme Noir : Bad Girls of Film by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry (2009, Trade Paperback, Alternate) The lowest-priced item in unused and unworn condition with absolutely no signs of wear. The item may be missing the original packaging (such as the original box or bag or tags) or in the original packaging but not sealed. The item may be a factory second or a new, unused item with defects or irregularities. See details for description of any imperfections. What does this price mean? This is the price (excluding shipping and handling fees) a seller has provided at which the same item, or one that is nearly identical to it, is being offered for sale or has been offered for sale in the recent past. The price may be the seller's own price elsewhere or another seller's price. The "off" amount and percentage simply signifies the calculated difference between the seller-provided price for the item elsewhere and the seller's price on eBay. If you have any questions related to the pricing and/or discount offered in a particular listing, please contact the seller for that listing. Search AbeBooks. We're sorry; the page you requested could not be found. AbeBooks offers millions of new, used, rare and out-of-print books, as well as cheap textbooks from thousands of booksellers around the world. Shopping on AbeBooks is easy, safe and 100% secure - search for your book, purchase a copy via our secure checkout and the bookseller ships it straight to you. Search thousands of booksellers selling millions of new & used books. New & Used Books. New and used copies of new releases, best sellers and award winners. Save money with our huge selection. Rare & Out of Print Books. From scarce first editions to sought-after signatures, find an array of rare, valuable and highly collectible books. Textbooks. Catch a break with big discounts and fantastic deals on new and used textbooks. ISBN 13: 9780786414840. The film noir male is an infinitely watchable being, exhibiting a wide range of emotions, behaviors, and motivations. Some of the characters from the film noir era are extremely violent, such as Neville Brand’s Chester in D.O.A. (1950), whose sole pleasure in life seems to come from inflicting pain on others. Other noirs feature flawed authority figures, such as ’s Jim McLeod in Detective Story (1951), controlled by a rigid moral code that costs him his marriage and ultimately his life. Others present ruthless crime bosses, hapless males whose lives are turned upside down because of their ceaseless longing for a woman, and even courageous men on the right side of the law. The private and public lives of over ninety actors who starred in the films noirs of the 1940s and 1950s are presented here. Some of the actors, such as Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Edward G. Robinson, , Raymond Burr, Fred MacMurray, Jack Palance and Mickey Rooney, enjoyed great renown, while others, like Gene Lockhart, Moroni Olsen and Harold Vermilyea, were less familiar, particularly to modern audiences. An appendix focuses on the actors who were least known but frequently seen in minor roles. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is also the author of Femme Noir: Bad Girls of Film (1998) and writes regularly for Classic Images and Films of the Golden Age. She lives in Chicago. From Booklist : Film noir presents gritty stories and guilty viewing pleasure. About 90 male actors of classic film noir titles of the 1940s and 1950s are featured in this volume. The researcher will find the expected (James Cagey, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum), the less well known (Morris Carnovsky, Douglas Fowley), and actors who transcend the genre (Kirk Douglas, Alan Ladd). The author also wrote Femme Noir: Bad Girls of Film (McFarland, 1988). For the new volume, she chose actors who have played significant roles in several film noir releases, and viewed 240 films in order to describe the plots and characters accurately. Most of the volume treats these "bad boys" in depth, in A to Z entries ranging from five to twelve pages in length. Personal life stories are intermingled with discussions of films. While the emphasis is on noir, some films outside the genre are discussed if they are seminal to the actor (e.g., the Andy Hardy series for Mickey Rooney). A filmography and bibliography conclude each entry. Black-and-white photos help the reader identify individual actors, some of whom, such as Jay Flippen and Gene Lockhart, may well be remembered more for their "mugs" than for their monikers. An additional 25 actors are given one-page treatments in the first appendix. Another appendix gives noteworthy lines, arranged by broad topic such as "Regarding Dames," "Sizing Up the Other Guy," and "Penetrating Put-downs" (e.g., Richard Widmark's line "I wouldn't give you the skin off a grape," from Kiss of Death). Following the general bibliography, an index lists titles, names, and awards. Depth rather than breadth is the key to this enjoyable reference work, which will be welcomed by the film fan as well as well as the researcher and is recommended for larger film collections. RBB Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.