The Man Who Saw a Ghost

August 13, 2012
McKinney (Magic Circle: The Beatles in Dream and History) follows Henry Fonda’s path from his Omaha origins to Hollywood heights. Throughout McKinney examines the contradictions in Fonda’s persona from all angles: “His ego has usually manifested itself as aloofness; now it is an animal thing—prowling the dark wood, savage, protective of its territory.” Film critiques probe the influence of various events on Fonda’s performances (such as the suicide of his wife Frances); McKinney views what he calls his “psychological biography” as an effort to capture “a broad, deep, comprehensible sense of Fonda, the essence of his life and the weight of his work.” Writing in the present tense, McKinney’s self-conscious style often distracts readers from his subject. His need to tinker with ordinary language produces some oddities; rather than write “TV set,” he substitutes “entertainment appliance.” Despite much evident research into Fonda’s tragedies and triumphs, in the end, McKinney undermines his own narrative with gimmicks. 14 b&w photos throughout; two 16-page b&w photos unseen by PW.