Vanity Fair's Tales of Hollywood: Rebels, Reds, and Graduates and the Wild Stories Behind the Making of 13 IconicFilms: Rebels, Reds, and Graduates and ... Behind the Making of 13 Iconic Films

by Graydon Carter (Introduction)

The stories behind the stories of some of Hollywood's most iconic movies The magazine world 's monthly arbiter of culture, personality, and world affairs, Vanity Fair has always offered the definitive insider's look at Hollywood power and glamour since its relaunch twenty-five years ago. Now, for the first time ever, Vanity Fair presents a one-of-a-kind collection featuring thirteen behind-the- scenes stories on some of cinema's most iconic films-including pictures as varied as All About Eve, Cleopatra, Sweet Smell of Success, Rebel Without a Cause, and Saturday Night Fever. For pop-culture fanatics and movie buffs alike, Vanity Fair's Tales of Hollywood is an irresistible glimpse at how classic films-and box office bombs-are made.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In, Biography, History, Pop Culture

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Graydon Carter is a Canadian journalist, editor, and publisher best known for his tenure as editor of Vanity Fair from 1992 to 2017. Before joining the magazine, he co-founded the satirical publication Spy in 1986 alongside Kurt Andersen and Tom Phillips. Under his leadership, Vanity Fair became known for its mix of celebrity profiles and investigative journalism, winning 14 National Magazine Awards and earning Carter a place in the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame.
Carter's editorial influence extended beyond print, as he played a key role in producing several documentaries, including Public Speaking (2010), His Way (2011), and Gonzo, a film about Hunter S. Thompson. He was also an executive producer of 9/11, a CBS documentary about the September 11 attacks, which won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award. In 2019, he co-launched the newsletter Air Mail with Alessandra Stanley, targeting a global readership.
Beyond journalism, Carter has been involved in the restaurant business, co-owning The Waverly Inn in New York and previously partnering in the historic Monkey Bar. His contributions to media and culture were recognized in 2017 when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Reviews

[Beth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read two and half pieces in this book before I set it aside. Inside its pages, Graydon Carter collects some of Vanity Fair's articles on film. If you like reading the magazine's annual Hollywood edition, especially for the Golden Age stories, then you may enjoy this book. Each chapter is one selection from the magazine's archives, and each is an in-depth exploration of its subject. I wasn't interested in reading the whole book because I wasn't interested in all of its subjects. I read the chapter on Nicholas Ray, and I reread the one on the origins of "All About Eve" (I had read it in the magazine already), but I stopped reading during the one on Orson Welles, and I haven't picked up the book since. Some of the writing is fun or bitchy or illuminating, and some is dry. I don't see this one as a must have for any book collection unless you're a completist. The book's subjects are just too disparate. This book is most likely to end up in a bargain bin than on any bestseller list.

[Lee Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magnificent Ambersons; All About Eve; Rebel Without a Cause; Sweet Smell of Success; The Best of Everything; Cleopatra; The Graduate; The Producers; Midnight Cowboy; Myra Breckinridge; Tommy; Saturday Night Fever; Reds.

These essays from Vanity Fair magazine are full of interesting celebrity nuggets. Who knew what a womanizing jerk Burt Lancaster was? (I can't decide if it makes me like him less, or makes him hotter.) Many of the stories have interviews with the producers, writers, and directors of these good and not-so-good movies. Even the ones I didn't care too much about (Ambersons, Producers...not that they're not good movies, but I wasn't clamoring to read about them) made for good entertainment.

My only complaint is the lack of color photo spreads that usually accompany these articles--this would make a great coffee table book.

[Jaze Danelver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love old Hollywood and its glitz, glamor, mystery, and opulence. And I especially love the Golden Age of Hollywood; which is the timeline that this book focuses on as it shares behind-the-scenes tales and interesting trivia of some of the memorable films that were made during the 50s-70s. It made me watch all of the films mentioned here. I'm especially tickled that Rebel Without a Cause (hello James Dean!) and The Graduate was featured here.

If you're a fan of this era in Hollywood, you will enjoy the information being written here. Most of the details happened in real life but I can't help but wonder if some details are speculations. But then, when it comes to writing an event that happened in the past, stories get mixed up and it's hard to determine what's real and what's fiction.

[Sharon Ouderkirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains 13 essays that appeared in Vanity Fair magazine about the making of several movies - some great (Magnificent Ambersons), some horrible (Myra Breckinridge), some iconic (Saturday Night Fever). The essays are all quite interesting behind the scenes reviews of filmmaking, the clash of artistic egos, pop culture and the American Dream as interpreted by Hollywood.
The essays on Cleopatra, All About Eve and Saturday Night Fever were my favourites. I also liked the essay on Reds, if only because of all the generous comments that Warren Beatty made about women - all of his girlfriends were substantial in their own right, and his generosity speaks well of him

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting collection of essays, but your mileage may vary. Some of the essays are much more readable and engaging than others.

[Studvet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endlessly interesting and fascinating with incredible detail of the story and evolution of the making of some of Hollywood's most iconic movies.

[Diana]

I’ve only seen two movies mentioned in this so I couldn’t really bring myself to care for the rest.

[Paul Clarkson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an avid Vanity Fair reader so this would hopefully appeal to me. Lots of information I didn't know about some great films, and some about films I simply didn't know of. A couple of articles are hit and miss, but because the book is a compendium of articles, it's easy to put aside what's not working for the reader.

[Prentice · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a cinephile as I tend to avoid finding out too much about celebrities new and old, I've always had a long passion and interest in movies regardless of genre, so when I saw this on a book swapping site I figured it would be right up my alley. I wasn't wrong. Vanity Fair's Tales of Hollywood was a sometimes humorous, sometimes cringe-worthy, collection of previously published articles that helped reflect back on 13 iconic films.

Although I haven't seen all the films mentioned, I still found myself enjoying the tidbits shared about them and was absolutely riveted by those I had seen. For instance, I had no idea that Dustin Hoffman could have made his way into 'The Producers' if it wasn't for his serendipitous turn towards 'The Graduate'. Similarly, it was fascinating to read about all the drama that went on behind-the-scenes of 'All About Eve' and 'Cleopatra', two movies I haven't watched in years but intend to now just to re-watch certain scenes.

In the end, while it was a relatively quick read, I really enjoyed it and think that anyone who liked/loved any of the films in the collection will too. Though, fair warning, if you're picking this up because James Dean's on the cover, don't be fooled; 'Rebel Without A Cause' gets a brief entry without much drama shared.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you've never seen 'Midnight Cowboy" or "The Best of Everything", this book is a treat. This collection of articles from Vanity Fair about the behind the scenes drama that went on between producers, directors, and actors is gossipy and scholarly at the same time. Enough years have past that the reporters of these articles are not only able to provide readers with perspective on the careers of the people involved in these iconic films, they are also able to squeeze plenty of catty and damning information about them as well. A must read for any film buff, and a recommended one for anyone that reads Perez Hilton religiously.

The article on 'Cleopatra' is my favorite.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind the scenes of 13 iconic films: The Magnificent Ambersons, All About Eve, Rebel Without a Cause, Sweet Smell of Success, The Best of Everything, Cleopatra, The Graduate, The Producers, Midnight Cowboy, Myra Breckinridge, Tommy, Saturday Night Fever, and Reds.

Even though James Dean's picture is on the cover, you really won't find out much about him in the chapter on Rebel Without a Cause. However, you will get some entertainment reading about Liz and Dick; Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, Bette Davis, Orson Wells, Mel Brooks, and others... and Burt Lancaster (who appears to have been a real jerk).

An easy read.

[Alan Pringle · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are MANY interesting nuggets packed into this collection of essays.

For example, you might assume Bette Davis would the toughest one to work with on All About Eve, but you'd be wrong. (Another actress was pretty much universally disliked on the set, but I'll let you discover who it was.) Also, I had no idea that Saturday Night Fever was based on a magazine article about 70s discos. I have yet to see the train wreck that was Myra Breckinridge in its entirety, but I will after reading what went on before and during the making of that cinematic bomb.

A must-read for movie buffs.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally a VANITY FAIR reader.... except when they hire someone to do an extensive "behind-the-scenes" article on the making of a specific film. This outstanding book collects 13 essays, offering us a juicy and illuminating look at the business of movie making. The 13 films are: The Magnificent Ambersons; All About Eve; Rebel Without a Cause; Sweet Smell of Success; The Best of Everything; Cleopatra; The Graduate; The Producers; Midnight Cowboy; Myra Breckinridge; Tommy; Saturday Night Fever; and Reds. This is compulsive reading and shouldn't be missed by film fans.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of stories previously published in Vanity Fair about the making of some famous - and infamous - movies. I have to admit, because I hadn't seen all the movies written about in the book, I didn't read each article. This a quick, light read, of particular interest if you've seen one or more of the movies and what some (often juicy) background and behind the scenes. The best in the book probably depends on which movies you like or dislike; I thought the story about Saturday Night Fever was particularly good, and the story about All About Eve really juicy.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compilation of articles written for Vanity Fair magazine tells the stories behind 13 iconic films, from "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942) to "Reds" (1980). The stories on how these films came together will intrigue you, as well as how stars and directors got along (or not). The tales cover triumphs like "All About Eve" (1950) and disasters like "Myra Breckenridge" (1970), and sleepers like "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957). This is a must read for film buffs.

[Pamela Hawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the behind the scenes of film relationships...keep in mind how many times someone else was planned for that major role but it didn’t happen. Either the actor back out, they couldn’t meet the terms and conditions or they didn’t fit the part. Or sometimes they just turned it down –often super successful movies! People who we thought would naturally be the lead might have been the third, fourth or fifth choice! Very informative and entertaining!

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an article type of book covering thirteen movies from the past fifty years or so. It delves into things form conception of the idea to the nuts and bolts of editing the film, etc. Some of the movies I was not familiar with but quite a few were important or classics for their time. Lot's of interesting material surrounding the players, the directors, and the studio powers that make for an interesting read.

[Amanda Griggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love film histories. For me, I find them all so fascinating. One of my favorite film historians is Peter Biskind, and he's represented in this collection with his essay on Reds, the Warren Beatty epic. There's so much to love here, with a wide variety of films represented. Some of them I've seen, some I haven't. But each essay had something interesting, a fun fact that I didn't know, a kernel of truth. If you enjoy film histories, you'll like this book.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Not all the articles were great, but the ones on Rebel without a Cause, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Cleopatra, and Reds were all outstanding, making me want to see them again. And the articles on The Magnificent Amerbersons and Sweet Smell of Success (a truly great film that needs to be seen more often) are great and worth the price of the book.

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, fun, fun. Though I mostly read only the pieces about movies I'd seen (which was all but four of them, and I went ahead and read the one about "Cleopatra" anyway because I KNEW that'd be a doozy). If you like to know what goes into making a movie sausage and need an easy, breezy (yet sill reliable) read, pick this up.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories about some of the great movies: the director's cut of Magnificent Amberson's likely trashed; Robert Redford & Candice Bergen considered for the roles played by Dustin Hoffman & Katherine Ross in the Graduate; the happy confluence of depressed talent that came together to create Midnight Cowboy, fascinating details about Warren Beatty's direction of the film Reds. A fun read.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm one of those people who retain movie trivia like a sponge, and this book really helps me keep up my ability to annoy others who watch movies with me by constantly saying "Hey, did you know that....?" Seriously though, it's a really interesting read that gives you a great insight into how some of cinema's classics came into being or almost never were. Fun stuff!

[Urszula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised. This book is not a gossipy talk about famous people but rather a fresh look at the creative process behind iconic movies. Each chapter is devoted to a different creation and shows the madness, passion, perseverance, and beauty of creating something new. I wish it was longer...

[DJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of some very popular movies inlcuding Reds, Cleopatra, The Producers, Midnight Cowboy, The Magnificent Ambersons, Rebel without a Cause, and a few others. For summertime, at the beach or on the plane reading - it was a lot of fun. Well done.

[Sergio GRANDE · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some great stories here, but I think the greatest value of this book is that it serves as a reminder of what a good magazine Vanity Fair used to be before Graydon Carter lost his grip on quality.

[Dianne Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I love Vanity Fair magazine and I love old movies so this book was perfect for me. From Cleopatra to The Graduate (I can't imagine it with Robert Redford in the lead) to The Magnificent Ambersons there is something there for everyone.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

just a collection of previously published "behind the scenes" articles about famous movies, but un-put-downable if you're a fan of that kind of thing, even if you've read some of them before

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juicy tales from the sets of some classic films. What happened behind the scenes on "Cleopatra," "The Graduate" and "Rebel Without A Cause" was even more dramatic than what ended up on camera.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me that I love movies. Some great back stories.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

What works in magazines doesn't always work in books.