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Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood
The first major biography of one of Old Hollywood’s greatest directors.
Sometime partner of the eccentric Howard Hughes, drinking buddy of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, an inveterate gambler and a notorious liar, Howard Hawks was the most modern of the great masters and one of the first directors to declare his independence from the major studios. He played Svengali to Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Clift, and others, but Hawks’s greatest creation may have been himself. As The Atlantic Monthly noted, “Todd McCarthy. . . . has gone further than anyone else in sorting out the truths and lies of the life, the skills and the insight and the self-deceptions of the work.”
“A fluent biography of the great director, a frequently rotten guy but one whose artistic independence and standards of film morality never failed.” — The New York Times Book Review
“Hawks’s life, until now rather an enigma, has been put into focus and made one with his art in Todd McCarthy’s wise and funny Howard Hawks .” — The Wall Street Journal
“Excellent. . . . A respectful, exhaustive, and appropriately smartass look at Hollywood’s most versatile director.” — Newsweek
Sometime partner of the eccentric Howard Hughes, drinking buddy of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, an inveterate gambler and a notorious liar, Howard Hawks was the most modern of the great masters and one of the first directors to declare his independence from the major studios. He played Svengali to Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Clift, and others, but Hawks’s greatest creation may have been himself. As The Atlantic Monthly noted, “Todd McCarthy. . . . has gone further than anyone else in sorting out the truths and lies of the life, the skills and the insight and the self-deceptions of the work.”
“A fluent biography of the great director, a frequently rotten guy but one whose artistic independence and standards of film morality never failed.” — The New York Times Book Review
“Hawks’s life, until now rather an enigma, has been put into focus and made one with his art in Todd McCarthy’s wise and funny Howard Hawks .” — The Wall Street Journal
“Excellent. . . . A respectful, exhaustive, and appropriately smartass look at Hollywood’s most versatile director.” — Newsweek
768 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 30, 2020
Exhaustive bio of a cultural giant McCarthy painstakingly reveals to be so much less than the sum of his work. Hawks was a great filmmaker, and pretty much a callow shitheel in everything else.
February 28, 2022
If you are looking for a book about a selfish, misogynistic, entitled, self-centered, adulterous, irresponsible white man, then this is it. The reverence by the author is also distracting as is the author's use of the "r" word. The most parts I found most compelling were the discussions of the depth of William Faulkner's work in the film industry and the impact the MPAA had on the making of movies overall.
March 22, 2023
Interesting read. The more I read, the more I appreciated his craft and imagination. That said, as a man, Howard Hawks was less to be desired. He was a lousy father. Dishonest. A shameless womanizer. A shameless gambler. Honestly the Hollywood culture of this era was disgusting and Hawks was no different than many of his macho contemporaries. Indeed, he epitomized the WORST of it.
As an artist, though, he truly was one of the all time best to ever do it. His films are clear, focused meditations on masculinity, professionalism, gender and individualism. With the sole exception of “Air Force,” none of his films are overtly political or patriotic. His ideology is independence—from government, politics and religion. Hell, even of family! That makes sense since his own family life was no “Leave It to Beaver,” folks! All a man needs is his gun and his best friend. That’s always another man (the homoerotic subtext has been discussed elsewhere; it’s persuasive). A woman is fine but one never gets the impression in his films it’ll last longer than a few months before it’s off to the next adventure. That’s the Howard Hawks POV.
Todd does an excellent job bringing a journalist’s eye to the man and the myth, while weaving a coherent narrative. Not so easy when many of his papers were burned in a house fire or lost. Because Hawks wasn’t one for letters or journals, his interiors are opaque to say the least. But it’s quite revealing how candid he could be with some of the least likely of characters (particularly near the end of his life). And no, that didn’t extend to his three wives—the last two of which were nothing but opportunistic gold diggers. His first, a tragically wronged woman who’s only “mistake” was being mentally ill. You might come to dislike Hawks after you read the chapters on that relationship. I lost a great amount of respect for him after reading this book.
And yet, I must return to the films, for it is in the *the films themselves,* you find much to admire. Unlike many directors then and since, Hawks was collaborative, open to new ideas and generous. Improvisation was not only common, it was encouraged. Dialogue and scenarios were consistently changing at the drop of a hat. One of his masterpieces, "His Girl Friday" is great in no small part because its co-star, Rosalind Russell had the bright idea of hiring an unknown ad writer to write some of her wittiest lines. That kind of set isn't common, even today, but it only adds to what made him such a fantastic filmmaker, if not much of a human being.
To close, I’d recommend the book. Todd is a great writer. And as to Hawks himself, check out the following:
Rio Bravo
His Girl Friday
Only Angels Have Wings
Scarface
El Dorado
Bringing Up Baby (my favorite)
Red River
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Avoid Rio Lobo. It’s unwatchable.
Will it make up for his failings as a man? That’s up to you. But I think after reading this book it’ll put his films in a clearer context and offer you a more enjoyable viewing experience.
👍🏾👍🏾
As an artist, though, he truly was one of the all time best to ever do it. His films are clear, focused meditations on masculinity, professionalism, gender and individualism. With the sole exception of “Air Force,” none of his films are overtly political or patriotic. His ideology is independence—from government, politics and religion. Hell, even of family! That makes sense since his own family life was no “Leave It to Beaver,” folks! All a man needs is his gun and his best friend. That’s always another man (the homoerotic subtext has been discussed elsewhere; it’s persuasive). A woman is fine but one never gets the impression in his films it’ll last longer than a few months before it’s off to the next adventure. That’s the Howard Hawks POV.
Todd does an excellent job bringing a journalist’s eye to the man and the myth, while weaving a coherent narrative. Not so easy when many of his papers were burned in a house fire or lost. Because Hawks wasn’t one for letters or journals, his interiors are opaque to say the least. But it’s quite revealing how candid he could be with some of the least likely of characters (particularly near the end of his life). And no, that didn’t extend to his three wives—the last two of which were nothing but opportunistic gold diggers. His first, a tragically wronged woman who’s only “mistake” was being mentally ill. You might come to dislike Hawks after you read the chapters on that relationship. I lost a great amount of respect for him after reading this book.
And yet, I must return to the films, for it is in the *the films themselves,* you find much to admire. Unlike many directors then and since, Hawks was collaborative, open to new ideas and generous. Improvisation was not only common, it was encouraged. Dialogue and scenarios were consistently changing at the drop of a hat. One of his masterpieces, "His Girl Friday" is great in no small part because its co-star, Rosalind Russell had the bright idea of hiring an unknown ad writer to write some of her wittiest lines. That kind of set isn't common, even today, but it only adds to what made him such a fantastic filmmaker, if not much of a human being.
To close, I’d recommend the book. Todd is a great writer. And as to Hawks himself, check out the following:
Rio Bravo
His Girl Friday
Only Angels Have Wings
Scarface
El Dorado
Bringing Up Baby (my favorite)
Red River
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Avoid Rio Lobo. It’s unwatchable.
Will it make up for his failings as a man? That’s up to you. But I think after reading this book it’ll put his films in a clearer context and offer you a more enjoyable viewing experience.
👍🏾👍🏾
October 16, 2017
Second time through this one, reading it for a class I'm presenting. Terrific Hollywood biography by McCarthy who has researched and interviewed thoroughly. He captures an enigmatic film maker and is both objective and observant. Fans of old Hollywood will find much to enjoy, but Hawks remains aloof and indecipherable in his personal life. Excellent study of Howard Hawks the director and plenty of behind-the-scenes stories about his films. But don't expect personal revelations--Hawks didn't permit that.
November 1, 2009
I have finally finished reading this massively long and detailed biography - though I may well go back to reread sections about particular movies as I watch them in the future. I have slightly mixed feelings about it - although it is so detailed and painstaking, Hawks seems to remain rather distant somehow. While that doubtless has something to do with his stand-offish personality, I'd still like to get more feeling of what he was like. However, the background to all the movies is fascinating.
February 19, 2025
Thanks for the memories
I have seen all of Hawks’ films from the ‘30s on and enjoyed most of them in a theater. So many of them still stand the test of time, particularly some classic comedies with Cary Grant. He had the distinction of having made a movie in all the genres, though not always successfully. The author is too thorough for this reader, since I wasn’t interested in the silent films nor his Hollywood marriages. Wish this e-book version came with photos.
I have seen all of Hawks’ films from the ‘30s on and enjoyed most of them in a theater. So many of them still stand the test of time, particularly some classic comedies with Cary Grant. He had the distinction of having made a movie in all the genres, though not always successfully. The author is too thorough for this reader, since I wasn’t interested in the silent films nor his Hollywood marriages. Wish this e-book version came with photos.
October 16, 2024
well researched!
I read a lot of Hollywood books and I’m always comparing the stories by the different people in the story. There is very little I found that contradicts other books I’ve read and that’s unusual.
I read a lot of Hollywood books and I’m always comparing the stories by the different people in the story. There is very little I found that contradicts other books I’ve read and that’s unusual.
November 22, 2015
Howard Hawks (1896-1977) was an important film director who began his directing career in the silent film era, making his first film in 1926. He went on to direct 33 sound films and most were box office hits such as Scarface (1932), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Only Angels Have Wings(1939), His Girl Friday (1940), Sergeant York (1941), To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Red River (1948), Thing from another World (1951), Monkey Business (1952), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Rio Bravo (1959), and Hatari! (1962). Hawks is said to have been a major influence of such modern directors such as Martin Scorsese, John Carpenter, and Quentin Tarantino and his films are admired by many notable directors including Peter Bogdanovich (who featured Hawks in his wonderful book “WHO THE DEVIL MADE IT”), François Truffaut, and Michael Mann. In 1942, Hawks was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for Sergeant York, and in 1975 he was awarded an Honorary Academy Award as "a master American filmmaker whose creative efforts hold a distinguished place in world cinema”.
So now you’re asking yourself why should I be interested in reading a 700 page biography written 19 years ago about a film director who died 38 years ago. And guess what? I have no way of answering that question because rest assured I realize there is a limited audience for this book and topic. After all I have had the book on my shelf unread for 19 years sitting next to several other biographies about famous film makers. Among these books are, “DAVID LEAN, a biography” by Kevin Brownlow, “SHOWMAN, The life of David Selznick” by David Thomson, and “PRINT THE LEGEND, The life and times of John Ford” by Scott Eyman. Yet I am glad I reached back and decided to give Todd McCarthy’s book a chance. It was a pleasant read.
The book is structured, in part, almost like a reference book as each chapter covers the making an individual film and covers the events in its making from casting, screenplay writing, producing, and filming as well as the box office and reaction of the critics. This made the book rather enjoyable to read and helps to hold your interest. What’s interesting about Hawks is that he never stayed with one studio for very long so he worked for the likes of Howard Hughes to Jack Warner. The problem with Hawks is that he was a rather cold fish as a person so you never warm up to him or route for him. He went through three marriages, numerous affairs, and rung up huge gambling debts. Yet he meet and worked with so many famous personalities such as William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway while also giving film breaks to the likes of Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Clift, Carole Lombard, Rita Hayworth, Frances Farmer, Jane Russell, Joan Collins, James Cann, and Angie Dickinson. So the personal interest stories are told with a wide varied cast of interesting people swirling around Hawks. All this makes for some good gossip.
I enjoyed the book and if you are at all interesting in film… what many term the golden age of the movies, I think you will enjoy your time with this book. For me Hawks was of personal interest because I loved RED RIVER, RIO BRAVO, and HATARI and all were with John Wayne in the lead. Maybe not among Hawk’s very best but they have stood the test of time. (But then why I am I still left asking….Ricky Nelson in Rio Bravo? So bad.)
So now you’re asking yourself why should I be interested in reading a 700 page biography written 19 years ago about a film director who died 38 years ago. And guess what? I have no way of answering that question because rest assured I realize there is a limited audience for this book and topic. After all I have had the book on my shelf unread for 19 years sitting next to several other biographies about famous film makers. Among these books are, “DAVID LEAN, a biography” by Kevin Brownlow, “SHOWMAN, The life of David Selznick” by David Thomson, and “PRINT THE LEGEND, The life and times of John Ford” by Scott Eyman. Yet I am glad I reached back and decided to give Todd McCarthy’s book a chance. It was a pleasant read.
The book is structured, in part, almost like a reference book as each chapter covers the making an individual film and covers the events in its making from casting, screenplay writing, producing, and filming as well as the box office and reaction of the critics. This made the book rather enjoyable to read and helps to hold your interest. What’s interesting about Hawks is that he never stayed with one studio for very long so he worked for the likes of Howard Hughes to Jack Warner. The problem with Hawks is that he was a rather cold fish as a person so you never warm up to him or route for him. He went through three marriages, numerous affairs, and rung up huge gambling debts. Yet he meet and worked with so many famous personalities such as William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway while also giving film breaks to the likes of Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Clift, Carole Lombard, Rita Hayworth, Frances Farmer, Jane Russell, Joan Collins, James Cann, and Angie Dickinson. So the personal interest stories are told with a wide varied cast of interesting people swirling around Hawks. All this makes for some good gossip.
I enjoyed the book and if you are at all interesting in film… what many term the golden age of the movies, I think you will enjoy your time with this book. For me Hawks was of personal interest because I loved RED RIVER, RIO BRAVO, and HATARI and all were with John Wayne in the lead. Maybe not among Hawk’s very best but they have stood the test of time. (But then why I am I still left asking….Ricky Nelson in Rio Bravo? So bad.)
June 19, 2009
Finally finished the 750-page well-documented tome. Although there are too many details about the director's life, especially his sexual escapades, the book gives keen insight into why he was such an enigma: how such a selfish man, gambling addict, philandering husband and inattentive father could be such a great director. He tackled every genre -- comedy, suspense, musical, drama, Westerns -- with equal skill. Four of my favorite films were directed by Hawks: "Ball of Fire," Bringing Up Baby," "Rio Bravo" and "El Dorado."
September 16, 2013
Very extensive biography of one of Hollywood's greatest directors, McCarthy delves deeply and insightfully into each of his films, as well as the private life of a man who didn't leave many written records behind. A fantastic and informative book that made me appreciate Hawks even more than I already do! There are so many great films we have to thank him for. Just a pity that the editor of this book could have done a better job, as it has a surprising amount of typos.
January 25, 2013
Absurdly exhaustive, although a small part of me -- enough to deny it one star on Goodreads -- is bugged that McCarthy is a bit dismissive of Hawksians who defend movies he doesn't like. Forget who it is (probably Robin Wood on RED LINE 7000), but he concludes a bit on that with, "We must have seen the wrong movie." JUST BE HAPPY SOMEONE'S TRYING TO INTERPRET YOUR SUBJECT'S WORK POSITIVELY.
December 3, 2015
Very good read, and fascinating what he almost made(GUNGA DIN, BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI, etc.) and what he never made. Hawks was a tall, tough, womanizing individualists not far off from his movie heroes. Today's acclaimed directors tend to be pasty neurasthenics that host Comic Con presentations. It shows in the work.
June 10, 2011
Basic biography with basic writing; a bit superficial but it's difficult not to be with The elusive subject.
Good articulation on the appeal of Hawks' movies.
The sneering at his conservative politics is petty.
Good articulation on the appeal of Hawks' movies.
The sneering at his conservative politics is petty.
December 15, 2013
After reading this massive biography of one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, I come away with just as much if not more respect for Hawks the director, but a good deal less respect for Hawks the man.
August 28, 2008
As much as I like Hawk's films, I just couldn't warm to this biography.
May 23, 2012
doesn't quite get to the inner hawks, but makes as good a stab as one could imagine, greatly researched. film analysis is good, but plays second fiddle to recounting of business.
May 28, 2013
Comprehensive; definitive. Places Hawks as both a unique film artist and a product of the studio system. Only angels have wings.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews