The films that tipped actresses into stardom cover almost one hundred years from 1914's Hearts Adrift that turned Mary Pickford into a star to Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone in 2014. George Tiffin picks the films that changed their lives, with dialogue from the film in question, quotes from the actresses and a resume of their lives and careers. Illustrated with full page portraits in black and white, a testimony to the power of the big screen and the women who project that star quality. ~ Sue Baker
A Star is Born The Moment an Actress Becomes an Icon Synopsis
Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve...Feted, adored and desired, successful movie actresses are icons of modern culture. But what was it that made them true stars? Was it looks, talent, drive, personality - or just plain luck? What was the first captivating image or unforgettable line that etched them indelibly on our collective memory - and transformed the screen actress of the passing movie credit into the screen goddess of eternal legend? In a sequence of elegant pen-portraits, George Tiffin takes a microscope to the movies and the moments that established 75 female icons of cinema. These penportraits are supplemented by quotes, notes and anecdotes, including script excerpts from key scenes. From Oscar-winners to ingenues, and from grande dames to femmes fatales, A STAR IS BORN is a seductive celebration of the eternal feminine at the heart of the movie business - and an informal and engaging history of cinema itself.
George Tiffin is a writer and film-maker who has travelled from Siberia to the Seychelles shooting and directing music videos and commercials. He is the author of the thriller MERCY ALEXANDER.
