Pictures at a Revolution

Starred review from October 29, 2007
While one might think that the films discussed in this book have been thoroughly plumbed (The Graduate
; Bonnie and Clyde
; In the Heat of the Night
; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
), Entertainment Weekly
writer Harris offers his take in this thorough and engaging narrative. Instead of simply retelling old war stories about the production of these five Best Picture nominees at the 1968 Oscars, Harris tells a much wider story. Hollywood was on the brink of obsolescence throughout the 1960s as it faced artistic competition from European art films and financial implosion due to an outdated production system and rising budgets. Harris doesn’t shy away from complexity in favor of easy answers, and the personalities that he profiles—among them Sidney Poitier, Mike Nichols, Warren Beatty and Richard Zanuck—are certainly worthy of the three dimensional approach. Harris also peppers his narrative with moments that capture the rising cultural tide that broke in the late ’60s: chipping away at the moralistic Production Code, and Hollywood’s inconsistent engagement with the Civil Rights movement are continuous sources of interest throughout this fascinating book.

Starred review from April 28, 2008
With meticulous research and a masterful blending of information, Harris delivers a detailed and intriguing exploration into the significance of the five films nominated in 1968 as Best Picture for the Oscars (Bonnie and Clyde
, Doctor Dolittle
, The Graduate
, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
and In the Heat of the Night
). Harris illustrates how the nominated films represented a paradigm shift in Hollywood and the country. From the origins and finessing of the scripts to the selection (or rejection) of the principal actors along with all the typical Hollywood folklore, Harris weaves the narratives of each film into one cohesive story, clearly detailing how these films were interconnected and how each reflected the changing mood of the country. In a light, calm and reassuring voice, Lloyd James reads almost flawlessly. Despite the presence of numerous popular actors in the account, James resists the urge to do impersonations and instead lets the person's words speak for themselves. This outstanding audio is intriguing, lively, entertaining and educational. Simultaneous release with the Penguin Press hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 29).

Starred review from November 15, 2007
American films have always been both a reflection of our times and an indicator of what we as a society could become. Harris, who writes "Entertainment Weekly"s "Final Cut" column, examines this dual nature through the nominees for Best Picture at the 1967 Academy Awards, thus encapsulating the sea change of Hollywood and America in that turbulent decade. The five nominees contained such disparate films as "Bonnie and Clyde, In the Heat of the Night" and "Dr. Doolittle" Harris follows these movies from their conception to Oscar night, showing not only how these films were made through exceptional access to their creators and stars but also what the films represented as statements of race, identity, and a new kind of violence ("Bonnie and Clyde"s would change film forever). Harris's experience covering film and television shows on every page, as this is the most engaging and, dare this reviewer say, entertaining book on the movies to be written in years. Highly recommended for all academic and public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ"10/15/07.]Peter Thornell, Hingham P.L., MA

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2008
Film critics and historians can turn out some of the deadliest prose on the planet, so when the odd Pauline Kael or David Thomson rises above the stereotype, its always a cause for celebration. Add Mark Harris to the short short list of film writers who can tell a story. And what a story it is! Harris uses the Academy Award nominations for Best Pictureof 1967 (Bonnie andClyde, The Graduate, In the Heat of the Night, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, and Doctor Doolittle) as the lens through which to view the cultural revolution of the late 1960s as it affected the movies. Moving back and forth in time in the manner of some of our best narrative nonfiction fiction writers (from John McPhee to Laura Hillenbrand), Harris tracks the genesis of each of the five movies as they came to reflect the building war between Old and New Hollywood: Doctor Doolittle, of course, represents the old way, a mediocre, big studio musical determined to milk the last possible dollar from the cash cow that was Sound of Music, while Bonnie and Clyde, the brainchild of two precocious Esquire editors, was unquestionably the avatar of the New World. The backstory on the films never fails to fascinatea perfect blend of cultural commentary and film-business analysisbut the miniportraits of all the personalities (from dying Spencer Tracy to fish-out-of-water Dustin Hoffman to wunderkind director Mike Nichols to dozens more) are unfailingly spot-on, always delivering something about these overexposed celebrities that we didnt know or hadnt thought about in just that way. No contest, this is one of the best film histories ever written. Dont miss it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)