Product Description

This three volume set contains entries for feature-length films produced in the United States in the 1940's. The decade was an important and transitional one for filmmakers. Societal changes from the war years was reflected in films, the rise of television, the Hollywood blacklist and the breakup of studio-owned theatres affected the number and type of films produced. Among films viewed are well known films, like Casablanca, as well as less known films, like Strange Death of Adolf Hitler. Entries include cast lists and crew credits, plot summaries and sources for further study.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1049887 in Books
• Published on: 1999-07-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Hardcover
• 4020 pages

Customer Reviews

HOORAY FOR AFI, HOORAY FOR AMAZON.CO.UK
I had ordered the three volumes, three months ago from Amazon.fr. They told me they had none available. By accident, I looked up Amazon.co.uk, and it was available and 20 pounds cheaper than in France (including extra VAT and shipping). I received it FIVE days after my order was placed. WELL DONE AMAZON.CO.UK! And perfectly wrapped too.
Since THE BRITISH FILM BULETIN stopped publication, I went on being a member of the BFI and receiving SIGHT AND SOUND who was getting sillier and sillier. Since then I didn't read any film magazines and didn't subscribe to weekly VARIETY which took too many room, and the movies were getting boring too. So I didn't know that the AMERICAN FILM NSTITUTE had carried on with his catalog (I had bought the 1921-1930 two volumes).
Too bad for me: I have lost years of pleasure, and the volumes are very heavy and need young arms.
Anyway, the AFI work is astounding. Exact film synopses are a rare thing.
In the early sixties, one of the pleasures of young french film buffs was to recognize uncredited actors, such as GEORGE MURPHY, WALTER CATLETT, PERCY HELTON. Now you can do it at home. I had to work long hours at the BFI library to copy down film credits, and the BFI was kind enough to send me photocopies of credits pages from 1920's PHOTOPLAY magazine. It was more than forty years ago, only then!
To get such detailed credits, you would have to be a millionaire to get sets of VARIETY, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, MOTION PICTURE HERALD, PHOTOPLAY,
MOTION PICTURE ENCYCLOPEDIA in the forties and PICTURE SHOW magazine.
The catalogs are worth every penny. In the thirties, JOAN BLONDELL or JOAN CRAWFORD, to get new clothes, just declared that they would go during the week with only sandwiches. Things went pretty easy in Hollywood. You can go without sandwiches. The MARKS AND SPENCERS ones are
rather expensive now, and we foreigners are now left with no M&S shops.
So!