Following the 100th anniversary of the release of Louise Brooks' first film, The Street of Forgotten Men, I thought to post this about my 2023 book, The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond, the most recent publication of the Louise Brooks Society. Click HERE to purchase a copy. Or, click HERE to learn about other publications of the LBS.
The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond
is a deep dive into the history of a single film - its literary source,
its making, exhibition history, critical reception, and, most
surprising of all, its little known legacy. Few film titles become a
catchphrase, let alone a catchphrase which remained in use for
half-a-century and resonated throughout American culture. The Street of Forgotten Men (1925) is one such film.
This provocative stab at realism was described as "strange" and "startling" at the time of its release. The Street of Forgotten Men was directed by Herbert Brenon, who is best known for Peter Pan, The Great Gatsby, Beau Geste, Laugh, Clown, Laugh and other early classics. The film was shot by Harold Rosson, one of the great cinematographers whose credits include Gone with the Wind and Singin' in the Rain.
And, it features a stellar cast (Percy Marmont, Mary Brian, Neil
Hamilton) which includes a future screen legend at the very beginning of
her career (Louise Brooks).
At 389 pages and with more than a hundred illustrations both large and small, The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond tells
the story of the film in rich, historical detail. As this book shows,
this forgotten gem is exemplary of film making & film culture in the
mid-1920s. Along with vintage clippings and unusual images - including
rare production stills and location shots, this new book features all
manner of historical documents including the short story on which the
film was based, the scenario, a rare French fictionalization, newspaper
advertisements, lobby cards, posters, and more. Among the book's many
revelations:
-- Multiple accounts of the making of the film - suggesting what it was like on the set of a silent film.
--
A survey of the film's many reviews, including one by the Pulitzer
Prize winning poet Carl Sandburg, another by a contributor to Weird Tales, and another by Catholic icon Dorothy Day, a candidate for sainthood.
--
Newly revealed identities of some of the film's bit players - a noted
journalist, a future screenwriter, a soon to be famous actress, and a
world champion boxer - which include accounts of their working on the
film. There is also the story of Lassie's role in the film (no, not that Lassie, the first screen Lassie).
--
A look at the music associated with this silent film: the music played
on set, the music depicted in the film, the music heard before the film
was shown, and the music played to accompany the film itself (including
the rare Paramount cue sheet and an alternative score).
-- And
more... from the film's censorship records to its mention on the floor
of Congress to its showing in multiple churches to its purchase by the
United States Navy to a notice for the film's last documented public
screening - at, of all places, a Y.M.C.A. in Shanghai, China in 1931 -
six years after its release!
The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond includes
dozens of illustrations and images and features two forewords; one is
by noted film preservationist Robert Byrne, whose restoration of The Street of Forgotten Men
saved it from undeserving obscurity. The other, by acclaimed film
historian Kevin Brownlow, is an appreciation of Herbert Brenon which
reveals little known details about the movie drawn, in part, from his
correspondence with Louise Brooks.
All-together, there is much to recommend about The Street of Forgotten Men,
which was both a popular and critical success at the time of its
release. The film is based on a story by a noted writer of the time; it
was made by a significant director, shot by a great cinematographer, and
features a fine cast which includes a future screen legend.... these are just some of the many points of interest.
My book is a deep dive into the history of just one film, though the primary intention of this book to show
how one film might be exemplary of film making and film culture during
the silent era.
There is more to this story.... One of
John Donne's famous poems begins "No man is an island entire of itself;
every man / is a piece of the continent, a part of the main". To me,
what Donne's verse says about humanity is what I believe about
significant works of art, including films. Everything is connected in
some way, in that nothing is created in a vacuum. I have kept Donne's
lines in mind while writing this book. If anything, this book achieves
one thing - it places The Street of Forgotten Men
in the rich cinematic and cultural context of its time.
I had long thought of writing a book about The Street of Forgotten Men,
and have been unknowingly gathering material for years, if not decades
.... With the film's restoration, it should begin to make its way into
the stream of available films. I hope this book prompts the interest of
film buffs and film scholars alike, and acts as a companion work for
those who have the opportunity to see the film. I also wrote this book
for another reason, because it is a book I would like to read about this
or any film. Does it matter that The Street of Forgotten Men is a somewhat lesser film in the larger scheme of things, or in the history of film?
No. Because, no film is an island.
“It’s very much a ‘start to finish’ look at the film’s history…. The
book is not only a deep dive into the history of this particular film,
but it also serves as an excellent example of precisely how silent
Hollywood created and marketed some of its finest products back in its
heyday. It’ll be both interesting and helpful for film history scholars,
and perhaps be a springboard for similar book projects in the future.” —
Lea Stans, Silent-ology
AUTOGRAPHED copies available direct from the author @ $35.00 (includes
shipping & handling within the USA). To place an order via PayPal,
please send an email to louisebrookssociety AT gmailDOTcom
More about the
film can be found on The Street of Forgotten Men (filmography page) on the Louise Brooks Society website, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary online.
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 © 2025. Further unauthorized use
prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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