The 100 Greatest Film Books of All-Time

The Hollywood Reporter has released a list of the 100 greatest film books of all time, as determined by a jury of 300 "Hollywood heavyweights." The list is made of of books largely about the contemporary film industry (aka Hollywood), thought there are a handful focusing on film history and individuals from the past -- including Louise Brooks. As a matter of fact, Louise Brooks' own Lulu in Hollywood came in at number 44 on the list. Aside from Brooks, the only other silent film star is Charlie Chaplin, whose Autobiography tied for 61st. (Notably, as well, Brooks is the only silent film star pictured in the article's banner image, seen below. In addition, Brooks is depicted on the cover of another book on the list, Vito Russo's The Celluloid Closet, which tied at number 22.) The list of books can be found HERE. I encourage everyone to check it out.

Illustration by The Sporting Press, via The Hollywood Reporter

Of Lulu in Hollywood, the Hollywood Reporter stated, "Like a comet, this American actress with a trademark black bob burned brightly (she was one of the biggest stars of the 1920s, especially in the German films Pandora’s Box and Diary of a Lost Girl) and then was gone — until she resurfaced late in life as a writer. This collection of essays captured the frustrations of being a liberated woman in early Hollywood." Brooks' 1982 book received a respectable 34 votes.

Each of the books featured on the list also contained a suggestion for related reading: the title paired with Lulu in Hollywood is The Kindness of Strangers, by Salka Viertel. I don't know how or why this otherwise excellent memoir was chosen, but certainly a much better choice, and a far more influential & germane book would have been Louise Brooks, by Barry Paris. The latter was / is a key work in keeping a spotlight on the actress. And, in my humble opinion, it too should have been included on the list. It is a truly great biography.

I would also like to make another point: while it is true that this "collection of essays captured the frustrations of being a liberated woman in early Hollywood," Louise Brooks was NOT "one of the biggest stars of the 1920s". She was only a second tier star, an up-and-coming actress whose career / moment in the spotlight lasted only a few years. Her standing in Europe, after having appeared in the German films Pandora’s Box and Diary of a Lost Girl, was certainly greater than in America, but that standing only lasted a couple of years, from 1929 to 1930.

via The Hollywood Reporter

Brooks' standing in film history rests on her rediscovery. That is her story. And notably, one of the books which aided that rediscovery, Kevin Brownlow's The Parade's Gone By ..., is ranked at number 12 on the Hollywood Reporter list. What's more, Brooks received a special acknowledgment in Brownlow's classic work, which reads, "I owe an especial debt to Louise Brooks for acting as a prime mover in this book's publication."

I would like to toot my own horn here a bit.... Lulu in Hollywood was published in hardback in 1982. It was reviewed widely and sold well, and was reprinted in paperback. It remained in print for a number of years before eventually going out-of-print. This is the life-story of many books. They come and they go. The same with the Barry Paris' biography of the actress, which is truly superb. If you consider yourself a fan of the actress and haven't read both books, then you are missing out.

 

Believe it or not, but there was a time in the late 1990s when both Lulu in Hollywood and the Barry Paris biography were out-of-print. Both books could be hard to find, especially for some fans, and nice, 1st edition copies of both books started to command high prices. As the head of the Louise Brooks Society, I led a grass roots campaign to bring both books back into print. And succeeded.

Due to my efforts, both Lulu in Hollywood and the Barry Paris biography were reprinted by the University of Minnesota Press in smart looking new editions in the year 2000, and each have remained in print ever since. I am proud of this bit of cultural activism, and I even received an acknowledgement in both books.

If you haven't yet read Lulu in Hollywood or the Barry Paris biography, or for that matter Kevin Brownlow's The Parade's Gone By...., then do so today. Each book is available for purchase online or may be borrowed through your local library. The Hollywood Reporter list is chock-full of good reading and recommendations. Check it out HERE. 

And, if you are looking for another good book to read, might I also recommend my just published book, The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond. It is a deep dive into the history of Brooks' first film, and what's more, it features a foreword by Kevin Brownlow, who in 2010 the Hollywood Reporter notes "became the first film preservationist ever awarded an honorary Oscar." Who knows, maybe someday, my new book will make a list of worthwhile books.

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2023. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.