Warner Brothers Presents: The Most Exciting Years--From the Jazz Singer to White Heat.

by Ted Sennett

Splendid hard back book filled with vintage photographs throughout.

Genres: Media Tie In

428 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1971

Reviews

[Evan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An oldie but a goodie. I frequently turn to this book as a good, concise reference when either looking up Warners film I've seen or considering whether one is worth seeing. Literally every Warners film from 1930 to 1949 -- the "golden years" for them and other Hollywood studios -- is included in some form or other. The scene stills from many WB films are generous, Sennet's opinions of the films, though often sharply critical, are well observed, and one is able to appreciate all the more the incredible craftsmanship and pananche that went into even the humblest of their B pictures, which are still eminently watchable today. One of the best books on Hollywood studios.

[Jeffrey Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this several times since I bought my first copy back in the early 70s. Although the book lacks a detailed analysis of this period of film history, it is still a treat to read about the Golden Age of Hollywood and the impact that Warner Brothers had on the film industry.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's interesting to read a book published when many of Warner's stars were still alive and to look back at what was written 40 years ago. Dates of birth are recorded and many deaths had not yet happened. Had I read this in the 1970's, I wouldn't have known nearly as many films as I do now, so appreciated having the pictures and performances in my head as I read. Many films I'd never heard of and probably will never see.

The book starts with a collection of short bios. I found that odd and off-putting, as if I was reading an encyclopedia rather than a book. I was surprised to notice a few film titles missing from a couple of the bios. The book is not a look at the workings of the studio or the impact it had, nor was it a look behind the scenes. I found myself being able to skim pages with films I didn't care about because I knew I wanted to get on to another book. The title is correct. It's a 'presentation' of a broad collection of Warner movie plots, with a smattering of opinions, grouped by chapters on adventure films, comedies, melodramas, chick flicks, mysteries and films about working people. The author had a commitment and passion for Warners output and does a good job but I can't say I learned much except about many titles that are new to me. It is a resource for what Warners presented from the time THE JAZZ SINGER burst on the scene to the explosive film WHITE HEAT, followed by a short postscript on their films of the 1950's. There is a good bibliography and plenty of photos, so, if nothing else, this is a handy reference.

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is what many books about old films were in the era before VHS. Less than a deep critique of the movies or an expose of behind-the-scenes stories, the author simply outlines the plots of the films and includes brief backgrounds here and there on those involved. There are many pictures throughout, and I'm sure they tantalized film fanatics with no easy way to see the movies themselves, but for a modern audience this book is lackluster.