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Ida Lupino, Director: Her Art and Resilience in Times of Transition
Dominated by men and bound by the restrictive Hays Code, postwar Hollywood offered little support for a female director who sought to make unique films on controversial subjects. But Ida Lupino bucked the system, writing and directing a string of movies that exposed the dark underside of American society, on topics such as rape, polio, unwed motherhood, bigamy, exploitative sports, and serial murder.
The first in-depth study devoted to Lupino’s directorial work, this book makes a strong case for her as a trailblazing feminist auteur, a filmmaker with a clear signature style and an abiding interest in depicting the plights of postwar American women. Ida Lupino, Director not only examines her work as a cinematic auteur, but also offers a serious consideration of her diverse and long-ranging career, getting her start in Hollywood as an actress in her teens and twenties, directing her first films in her early thirties, and later working as an acclaimed director of television westerns, sitcoms, and suspense dramas. It also demonstrates how Lupino fused generic elements of film noir and the social problem film to create a distinctive directorial style that was both highly expressionistic and grittily realistic. Ida Lupino, Director thus shines a long-awaited spotlight on one of our greatest filmmakers.
The first in-depth study devoted to Lupino’s directorial work, this book makes a strong case for her as a trailblazing feminist auteur, a filmmaker with a clear signature style and an abiding interest in depicting the plights of postwar American women. Ida Lupino, Director not only examines her work as a cinematic auteur, but also offers a serious consideration of her diverse and long-ranging career, getting her start in Hollywood as an actress in her teens and twenties, directing her first films in her early thirties, and later working as an acclaimed director of television westerns, sitcoms, and suspense dramas. It also demonstrates how Lupino fused generic elements of film noir and the social problem film to create a distinctive directorial style that was both highly expressionistic and grittily realistic. Ida Lupino, Director thus shines a long-awaited spotlight on one of our greatest filmmakers.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published May 23, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 3, 2022
To be fair, it is more like I read "through" this book than read it closely.
What I read was a depiction of a remarkable woman, Ida Lupino, a relatively successful actress (although primarily in "B" films) who successfully transitioned to a career as a film director at a time when very few women were able to break into that field (which remains to this day dominated by men).
Full disclosure: I chose this book because Lupino directed one of my most favorite movies of all time, probably because I saw and loved it at 11 when it helped create for me the belief that a community of women was not only possible but desirable: the Hayley Mills/Rosalind Russell movie, The Trouble With Angels. Not perhaps one of the "great" films but one that is beautifully directed and performed. Grisham's analysis of the film increased (and validated!) my love of it.
Another result of this read is that I have begun to watch other films Lupino directed. I was unfamiliar with most of them but given the insights of this book I have been able to see the artistry with which Lupino created them.
Grisham's writing style is a little dry which was partly why I read some sections with more attention than others but it was also informative, well-researched, and insightful in its close examination of Lupino's work. The author makes it clear that Lupino was a talented if underrated artist.
What I read was a depiction of a remarkable woman, Ida Lupino, a relatively successful actress (although primarily in "B" films) who successfully transitioned to a career as a film director at a time when very few women were able to break into that field (which remains to this day dominated by men).
Full disclosure: I chose this book because Lupino directed one of my most favorite movies of all time, probably because I saw and loved it at 11 when it helped create for me the belief that a community of women was not only possible but desirable: the Hayley Mills/Rosalind Russell movie, The Trouble With Angels. Not perhaps one of the "great" films but one that is beautifully directed and performed. Grisham's analysis of the film increased (and validated!) my love of it.
Another result of this read is that I have begun to watch other films Lupino directed. I was unfamiliar with most of them but given the insights of this book I have been able to see the artistry with which Lupino created them.
Grisham's writing style is a little dry which was partly why I read some sections with more attention than others but it was also informative, well-researched, and insightful in its close examination of Lupino's work. The author makes it clear that Lupino was a talented if underrated artist.
July 22, 2018
3.5 stars - Any book on Ida Lupino is a welcome one and this volume examines Lupino's work as a director both of films and television shows. The book touches on many aspects of Lupino's impressive output as a director, examining both noir and feminist aspects of her work. Oddly enough, I thought the sections on Lupino's television work was stronger, more impressive and better structured than the sections on her motion pictures. A worthwhile book for anyone interested in film, television, film noir and women in movies.
January 23, 2024
Intelligent, informed and earnestly complete evaluation of Ida Lupino's work both in film and television. Her work as a director is framed within the context of the studio and post-studio Hollywood era, the "noir" genre and also a very comprehensive reading of Lupino's work in television. The authors maintain their tight focus throughout, identifying with accuracy themes threaded throughout directorial efforts both in film and television. Ida Lupino was certainly a groundbreaker and a role model for women who aspire in leadership roles in film and other work and social environments.
June 11, 2018
It felt slightly underdeveloped at moments, but overall this was fascinating and very readable, and makes a great case for considering Lupino's work as fundamentally concerned with feminist issues. I've also ended up with about eight new books on my to-read list thanks to its bibliography.
November 12, 2019
I love Ida Lupino so much, she was so ahead of her time. Not only is this a great retelling of her accomplishments, I also found it very interesting in regards to early television and noir style films.
January 18, 2018
Well researched and engaging for an academic book of film analysis.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews