On Cukor

by Gavin Lambert

Long out of print and much sought after by collectors, On Cukor is finally being reissued in a revised, updated, and beautifully redesigned book, published to coincide with the broadcast of an American Masters film directed by Robert Trachtenberg. For this new edition, Gavin Lambert has rewritten the introduction, added new material from his original taped interviews with Cukor, assembled never-before-published photographs from Cukor's personal collection and updated a complete filmography that includes movies reshot by Cukor without credit.The heart of the book remains intact. In an unusually candid series of taped interviews with Lambert in the early 1970s, one of Hollywood's finest directors shared some revealing and intimate thoughts on his craft. He discussed his most famous films, including What Price Hollywood?, Dinner at Eight, Little Women, David Copperfield, Camille, Holiday, The Women, The Philadelphia Story, Gaslight, Adam's Rib, Pat and Mike, The Marrying Kind, It Should Happen to You, A Star is Born, and My Fair Lady.In this fascinating text, George Cukor recalled Hollywood as it evolved during his lifetime, the movies he wanted (but was never able) to make, and the movie (Gone with the Wind) from which he was fired. He sketched vivid portraits of personal friends and professional colleagues, such as Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, John Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Tallulah Bankhead, David Selznick, Vivien Leigh, Somerset Maugham, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Cecil Beaton, and many others. And this great survivor signed off with memorable advice on how to remain sane despite the humiliating reversals that fifty years of Hollywod filmmaking inevitably entails."There will be other studies of George Cukor, but Lambert's will not be supplanted," The Los Angeles Times correctly predicted when On Cukor was first published in 1972. Indeed, this rich and glorious portrait remains a seminal work about one of the film industry's true creative geniuses.

Genres: Film, Biography, Historical

Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Gavin Lambert was a British-born screenwriter, novelist and biographer who lived for part of his life in Hollywood. His writing was mainly fiction and nonfiction about the film industry.

Reviews

[Graceann · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1970, Gavin Lambert sat down for a series of conversations with the iconic director of The Philadelphia Story and The Women, and the result is this gloriously sumptuous volume. Lambert offers these conversations for all who were unfortunate enough to never have spoken with the man themselves. It's a very quick read, and a bit surprising in places. Some films aren't mentioned at all, and others that I hadn't heard of are discussed at length. Cukor is funny, alternately self-effacing and ego-centric, and always interesting.

Gavin Lambert is the gold standard of film writers. He knows the movies and asks astute questions, which draw Cukor out and inspire tantalizing glimpses into Hollywood history. Cukor's views on Marilyn Monroe, Cecil Beaton, David O. Selznick and many others are explored, and his work behind the scenes in various films is discussed. The book is as much about Lambert as it is about Cukor, however, and you feel as if you're eavesdropping at the most erudite salon.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 3 out of 5]

The coffee table type book features a series of interviews between Lambert and Cukor and while it is interesting I really wanted to know more about him. The book really looks only at his work and not his life and that's what I'm curious about.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Cukor had an amazing career and life. After watching "A Star Is Born", I was intrigued about the director and did some online research which lead me to this book.

It's a good biography. However, I wanted to learn more about his personal life and not nearly as much as his movies and the celebs he hung out with.

[Nancy Loe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much inside dirt, but it is an entertaining quick read. All Cukor talks about on The Women is the horrible fashion show they made him add and how ugly the clothes were.