Moviola

by Garson Kanin

Moviola is a novel of film history – a fictional narrative connecting true stories of movie lore. Ben Farber, age 92, reminisces as he reluctantly considers an offer to sell his studio to a New York-based conglomerate.

During negotiations, Farber recalls the impact Hollywood made on his life and, in turn, his influence on Hollywood. Entwining tales of his early experiences in moviemaking with the story of his life Farber reveals a rich history of the film industry including the silent era, the casting of Scarlett O’Hara and the discovery of Marilyn Monroe.

Garson Kanin acknowledged that Farber is a composite of the predominant studio executives from the inception of the movie business through its golden era, making it possible to maximize inclusion of historical fact within the framework of a novel. Moviola was adapted into a three-part mini-series broadcast on NBC in 1980.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Film

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Garson Kanin was an American actor, director and writer, working both on stage and screen. He was married to Ruth Gordon, with whom he wrote several screenplays.

Reviews

[Asghar Abbas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Edison invented the movie camera and through his malice drove the early filmmakers to Hollywood.

And the English scientist Robert Hooke should be more celebrated. A forgotten hero really. After all, he discovered cells in 1665.

But really, this book was fun and informative.

[Scott Paine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and also intriguing at times. Kanin veers sometimes precariously between first and third person narrative (and there seem to be a few narrators, including the 'writer', a character he often talks to and the omniscient narrator) but this allows for many entirely imagined scenes and character insights, through a peek on the set of 'Flesh and the Devil' with Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, for example.

Please give this a read if you're interested in the beginnings of the movie industry in America, Greta Garbo, 'Gone With The Wind' (the movie) and Marilyn Monroe. Many other famous names and scandals make an appearance, too!

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moviola is a story about a movie mogul who immigrated and started a shop which he soon turned into a small Nickolodeon, and that developed into a full-fledged studio. The story is told in flashback when a young man comes to Ben in hopes of purchasing the studio and Ben remembers his glorious time there. He was there for all the important events a la Forrest Gump, from the Fatty Arbuckle scandal to the dawning of Chaplin's Little Tramp, the love affair between Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, the frenzy of casting for Gone With the Wind, and the discovery of Marilyn Monroe.

There are some glaring factual errors here, such as the sequence that describes Jean Harlow as being a candidate to be cast in Gone With the Wind. Well, Mr. Kanin, I beg to differ because Harlow died in 1937 when the book was first published. In fact there are photos of her just before she died holding the novel. Also, the section on Marilyn Monroe blantantly depicts she loved Johnny Hyde and told him so several times. This is a huge error. Anyone who has ever read a book on Monroe will tell you that although Hyde proposed marriage, Marilyn turned him down because she did not love him, and in doing so turned down wealth and influence.

The problem with this book is that although these stories are entertaining, the truth is even moreso. There isn't enough fiction woven into the facts to make this book more worthwhile than a good biography.

[Kristin Myrtle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book is just fabulous. From a great author and a hollywood legend. Garson Kanin was married to Ruth Gordon (Maude from Harold and Maude)and he penned the original Born Yesterday. This book tries to span the entire golden age of cinema. The silent film stuff is excellent, the doomed love of Greta Garbo and John Gilbert is the center of the majority of the novel. in the end too much time spent on marilyn monroe. she's been written about enough already!

[Oana-Maria Uliu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just my cup of tea. It has humour, but also bitterness, it's half pragmatic, half emotional. I found the ending rather too abrupt as compared to the rest of the story, yet I enjoyed the book as a whole.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kanin's true stories of Hollywood about Edison, Chaplin, Garbo, Harlow, Monroe, etc.

[Russ Bertetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had originally read this in '79 and found it when cleaning out some stuff in the garage. I enjoyed it the second time as much as the first. While I'm not a fan of old movies, the legendary stories of old Hollywood make a good setting for incorporating fictional people and events. An entertaining read.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1980. Book about the Golden Age of Hollywood. Interesting.

[Nancy Cook-senn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A visit to the Golden Age of Hollywood

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read like an autobiographical non fiction............enjoyed it for the most part.

[Renee M · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been years, but I remember this being quite a page-turner when it came out. And I have always been a sucker for classic Hollywood movies.

[Karen]

Read in 1979.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Palin said in Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years that this was very readable.

[Cws]

F Kan

[Grant Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great history of movie business, but it loses its way about two thirds way through

[Joyce Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fascinating insights into the world of cinema and filmmaking from the early days, plus gossip about some of the big stars.

[David]

DNF
Stopped at 125.