Joan Bennett bio is out!

[Luciaphile]

Got my copy of "The Bennetts: An Acting Family" in the mail yesterday and pretty much devoured it. There's probably about 15 pages that covers Joan Bennett's time on DS. Nothing really revelatory. She apparently did not think much of Roger Davis (are we surprised?) and her experience on HODS. Kellow talks briefly about her various incarnations on DS. He clearly doesn't rate it as her best work ever, but that's fair enough and he doesn't denigrate it as her worst work either.

I'm a huge Joan Bennett fan so obviously this was a must-purchase for me. On the whole, I'm pleased by the book. The author looks at the whole Bennett family (Richard Bennett; Constance, Barbara, and Joan) and did his homework. The coverage is accurate and objective. To my great joy, he talks as much about their films and plays as he does their lives. It's a well-researched, fair, and well-written book.

The Bennetts: An Acting Family

[CastleBee]

Thanks so much for the heads up on the book Luciaphil.  I've been looking forward to it.  Since it's so close to Christmas I may just add it to my wish list.

[Patti Feinberg]

Thanks Luciaphil.

Whatever happened with your biographing/researching Ms. Bennett?

(How much was the book?)

Patti

[Luciaphile]

It's $20 something from Amazon. More from the publisher.

Whatever happened with your biographing/researching Ms. Bennett?

It's a web site.  Here's the link.

Not the flashiest thing ever. I like to think of it as No Graphics All of the Time!!! Well, there may be images eventually. I've been reluctant to use pictures because of copyright.

[michael c]

will the book be available at regular bookstores?i had to order my diana millay book "the power of halloween" online.when i met her at the fest and had her autograph it she told me that barnes and noble keeps "selling out" of it...now why do i doubt that somehow?

[Luciaphile]

I don't know. It's from a reputable university press and actor biographies usually do well this time of year. Probably depends. Wouldn't hurt to call up your local bookstore and ask though.

[Philippe Cordier]

Sounds like a good recommendation, Luciaphil.  

I think the University of Kentucky Press also published a biography of Ida Lupino.  Sadly many of these subjects aren't remembered much today and their contributions to film (such as Lupino's ground-breaking work as a director) are slowly forgotten.  Having worked in a bookstore, I'd also have to say that biographies from academic presses generally don't sell.

[Patti Feinberg]

Hmmm...with Luciaphil's above link, when I first click it, there's some letters and Bennett, then, error, page does not exist

Patti

[Midnite]

with Luciaphil's above link ... error, page does not exist

Try it again.  There was an extra quotation mark.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Reuters News Service is circulating a review written by The Hollywood Reporter's Robert Osborne: The Bennetts, First Family of Hollywood Drama It concludes with the line: "I highly recommend it; theater people don't get more interesting, and it's a true tale well told. " So, I guess one could say Osborne liked the book. 

[Philippe Cordier]

Didn't get a chance to post this before the holidays ...

The week before Christmas I was at Barnes & Noble and was quite surprised to see the book on display along with about a dozen new biographies.

Paged through it and had to chuckle at JB's comment about RD.

The author's description of Bennett's performance in "Suspiria" as "robotic" is probably accurate ...

Would be interested in reading the sections on her collaborations with Lang and Ophuls.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Here's a review by the Palm Beach Post's Scott Eyman: The Bennetts

[Julian]

I got a copy of this book yesterday and browsed through it - I'm planning to take it to the beach the first of next month and hopefully read it cover to cover.  The author says that Joan's "finest screen perfomance" was in a movie called The Reckless Moment (1949)  I'll have to see if it's available.  I saw Father of the Bride a few weeks ago and it's the first time I've actually seen this movie from its beginning right through to the end.  I've always been a fan of Joan Bennett, but I have to say I was even more impressed by her performance in this film - she and Spencer Tracy have great chemistry together and I love that final scene where they are dancing together in the midst of all the wreckage from the wedding.

[Luciaphile]

The Reckless Moment was never commercially released on VHS or DVD AFAIK. I have a copy of it that I got on eBay before I knew that. It's aired on TV a few times over the years (although never in my market).

It's directed by Max Ophus (Letter from an Unknown Woman, Caught, La Ronde, Madame de) and it's considered a film noir. They remade it as The Deep End. Bennett plays a woman whose daughter has been involved in a reputation ruining affair. James Mason is a blackmaiiler who gets caught up in Bennett's life and is taken by her. Bennett's part isn't showy but I love her in this. The film was made on the cusp of the fifties and in some ways offers a darker look at suburban respectability--that is, family can be as much of a trap as anything you'd find in the outside world.

If you can get your hands on a copy, I really recommend seeing it.