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Dangerous Curves Atop Hollywood Heels: The Lives, Careers, and Misfortunes of 14 Hard-Luck Girls of the Silent Screen
"We were like dragonflies. We seemed to be suspended effortlessly in the air, but in reality, our wings were beating very, very fast." - Mae Murray "It is worse than folly for persons to imagine that this business is an easy road to money, to contentment, or to that strange quality called happiness." - Bebe Daniels "A girl should realize that a career on the screen demands everything, promising nothing." - Helen Ferguson In Dangerous Curves Atop Hollywood Heels, author Michael G. Ankerich examines the lives, careers, and disappointments of 15 silent film actresses, who, despite the odds against them and warnings to stay in their hometowns, came to Hollywood to make names for themselves in the movies. On the screen, these young hopefuls became Agnes Ayres, Olive Borden, Grace Darmond, Elinor Fair, Juanita Hansen, Wanda Hawley, Natalie Joyce, Barbara La Marr, Martha Mansfield, Mae Murray, Mary Nolan, Marie Prevost, Lucille Ricksen, Eve Southern, and Alberta Vaughn. Dangerous Curves follows the precarious routes these young ladies took in their quest for fame and uncovers how some of the top actresses of the silent screen were used, abused, and discarded. Many, unable to let go of the spotlight after it had singed their very souls, came to a stop on that dead-end street, referred to by actress Anna Q. Nilsson as, Hollywood's Heartbreak Lane. Pieced together using contemporary interviews the actresses gave, conversations with friends, relatives, and co-workers, and exhaustive research through scrapbooks, archives, and public records, Dangerous Curves offers an honest, yet compassionate, look at some of the brightest luminaries of the silent screen. The book is illustrated with over 150 photographs.
408 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 29, 2018
In the book The Truth about the Movies from 1924, Frank Butler, an actor in Sennet comedies wrote: “From every corner of the earth they come and across the Seven Seas--borne on the tireless wings of youthful optimism. Pathetic pilgrims, these, struggling on to ultimate disillusion. In most cases their assets, generally considered, amount to a one-way ticket to Hollywood (the savings of their young lives), an inadequate wardrobe, a still less adequate bank-roll, a terrifying determination to break into the movies, and (most disastrous) the rather appalling knowledge that in their old hometown they were considered to be good looking. Of the chosen few, perhaps one in two thousand may eventually after a few years of heart-break and hard work, reach the place where they play small and infrequent parts, thereby averaging the salary of a rather badly paid dry goods store clerk. And of these, not one in twenty thousand ever attain the intoxicating heights of stardom. Hollywood is crowded with beautiful women and good looking men, all hammering frantically upon the iron door of moviedom. Now and then one or two, either by good luck or persistence slip through and glimmer faintly on the horizon of fame. But of the vast majority there is no record, and by very reason of their fatal beauty they are thrust into hopeless oblivion.”
July 18, 2012
Dangerous Curves examines the lives and careers of 14 women who appeared in silent films and either lost favor with audiences, developed a drug habit, or died at an early age. We often hear about the very famous actresses such as Mary Pickford, Clara Bow, Lillian Gish, Mabel Normand, Norma Talmadge, Colleen Moore, etc., but it is important to recognize the more obscure starlets who were more often the rule, not the exception.
Featured through photographs and short but informative biographies are Agnes Ayres, Olive Borden, Grace Darmond, Elinor Fair, Juanita Hansen, Wandy Hawley, Natalie Joyce, Barbara LaMarr, Martha Mansfield, Mary Nolan, Marie Prevost, Lucille Ricksen, Eve Southern, and Alberta Vaughn. I have been an enthusiastic silent movie fan for 8 years and I have never heard of some of these women, so I was delighted to find them here in this book. I now have new filmographies to conquer. And although the text could use a little editing, it is easy to read and leaves the reader wanting to know more, which is really the point.
Featured through photographs and short but informative biographies are Agnes Ayres, Olive Borden, Grace Darmond, Elinor Fair, Juanita Hansen, Wandy Hawley, Natalie Joyce, Barbara LaMarr, Martha Mansfield, Mary Nolan, Marie Prevost, Lucille Ricksen, Eve Southern, and Alberta Vaughn. I have been an enthusiastic silent movie fan for 8 years and I have never heard of some of these women, so I was delighted to find them here in this book. I now have new filmographies to conquer. And although the text could use a little editing, it is easy to read and leaves the reader wanting to know more, which is really the point.
March 5, 2014
These mini-biographies are well-researched and fascinating beyond measure. One downfall to this book are the all-too obvious editing errors, mostly spelling and grammar, present on almost every page. Despite this, I would recommend this book to any silent film fan who wants to know more about the lives of these 14 hard-luck gals of the silent screen.
May 28, 2012
I have been waiting to get my hands on this book since it came out a few years ago. Finally, I got it in my hot little hands! I was not disappointed. Another person who review this book was impressed with how much research went into this and I have to agree. These women's stints in the film world were short and with the fact that so many movies have disintegrated and their the women themselves or the studios covered their tracks of their formers lives it can make researching that much harder. I was impressed with what Michael Ankerich was able to uncover. Some of the women I had heard of before and some never before. It was sad due to the fact that 99% of these women all died broke, alone and addicted to chemicals of some sort. However it shows the effect of instant stardom esp when one is not prepared and how the old way movies studios worked was really a "chew 'em up and spit 'em out" sort of world. I will be trying to find some of the movies mentioned and seeing these women in action! If you are a fan of old movies and enjoy silents, this is a good book to read up on.
Read
August 10, 2018It's comphrensive and writing in a way that's great, very informative!
August 17, 2017
Interesting and fairly depressing account of 14 mostly lesser known silent film actresses. Lots of absent fathers, substance abuse, bad relationships, car wrecks, and surprisingly (or not) tuberculosis. The writing and/or editing is not stellar - he makes reference to one starlet's "sorted past", by which he must mean sordid, among other errors. There is a very nice filmography for each actress and excellent photos.
September 19, 2011
This is an Excellent book for any silent movie fan. Those of us who've been addicted to the late night silent movie fests have seen many of these tragic ladies. Now we get to hear their stories. I could not stop turning the pages of this informative book.
A must-read for any movie fan!
A must-read for any movie fan!
December 4, 2015
I loved reading the short bios of each of these silent movie actresses. I could tell the author did a lot of research into the ladies' backgrounds and is passionate about silent movies. The large amount of spelling and grammatical errors was off-putting, though.
July 29, 2018
OK, so I downloaded the sample of this book late at night. I was looking for something quick and kind of fun, and after grad school twisted me, silent film anything seems fun. The idea of a lot of stories about lesser-known silent stars was just what I wanted.
Even at 1:30 in the morning, with a sleeping pill, and in reading only the free sample, I found dozens of careless typos and English mistakes. I was still willing to give it a chance, but after the point that seemed that there was an error in each paragraph - I mean errors that wouldn't fly in Comp 101, at least in a not-for-profit class - I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my usual philosophy and death crap. it's not that I'm a prescriptivist, it's that if the introduction is that careless, what does that say about the research?
e.g.: "I poured [sic] over reviews of their films..."
Run-on in very first paragraph: "Already a seasoned veteran of over 140 films, she was freelancing successfully for the top studios, she had little reason to hold back"
Lots of minor failed parallelisms. And that's just what I picked up on at nearly 2 AM. The first part in the free sample seemed pretty shallow, too, with lots of two-sentence paragraphs simply restating facts instead of offering analysis.
The last thought I had before drifting off to sleep was whether it was worth it for me to go back into dissertation and other editing. Dude clearly needed an editor. Too bad he was clearly not willing to pay for one! And...that's exactly why I got out of that gig.
Even at 1:30 in the morning, with a sleeping pill, and in reading only the free sample, I found dozens of careless typos and English mistakes. I was still willing to give it a chance, but after the point that seemed that there was an error in each paragraph - I mean errors that wouldn't fly in Comp 101, at least in a not-for-profit class - I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my usual philosophy and death crap. it's not that I'm a prescriptivist, it's that if the introduction is that careless, what does that say about the research?
e.g.: "I poured [sic] over reviews of their films..."
Run-on in very first paragraph: "Already a seasoned veteran of over 140 films, she was freelancing successfully for the top studios, she had little reason to hold back"
Lots of minor failed parallelisms. And that's just what I picked up on at nearly 2 AM. The first part in the free sample seemed pretty shallow, too, with lots of two-sentence paragraphs simply restating facts instead of offering analysis.
The last thought I had before drifting off to sleep was whether it was worth it for me to go back into dissertation and other editing. Dude clearly needed an editor. Too bad he was clearly not willing to pay for one! And...that's exactly why I got out of that gig.
January 4, 2019
Which do you love more, silent film or good writing?
God. Where to begin. For the life of me, I can't imagine why the author of this book would put so much time and effort into research... and absolutely NONE into editing! I'm astounded that this fellow didn't even have a friend give it a once over before publishing. Just a few minutes into reading this thing, I was cringing. And I'm no grammar Nazi. A typo here and there is easily forgiven. But the amount of grammatical errors in this book is practically criminal. I'm still shocked that anyone was able to publish a book like this. There weren't just minor mistakes, there were whole words left out and misspellings so bizarre it was impossible not to be completely distracted. He writes "sympatric" instead of "sympathetic", and "scraped" instead of "stalled". It's weird. But! If you can get past that, the lives of many (not all) of these women are fascinating and I don't know where else you'll find such well-researched information on them. I love silent film and I did enjoy learning about these actresses. I just can't rate it higher than two stars. The grammatical issues are just too, too insane.
God. Where to begin. For the life of me, I can't imagine why the author of this book would put so much time and effort into research... and absolutely NONE into editing! I'm astounded that this fellow didn't even have a friend give it a once over before publishing. Just a few minutes into reading this thing, I was cringing. And I'm no grammar Nazi. A typo here and there is easily forgiven. But the amount of grammatical errors in this book is practically criminal. I'm still shocked that anyone was able to publish a book like this. There weren't just minor mistakes, there were whole words left out and misspellings so bizarre it was impossible not to be completely distracted. He writes "sympatric" instead of "sympathetic", and "scraped" instead of "stalled". It's weird. But! If you can get past that, the lives of many (not all) of these women are fascinating and I don't know where else you'll find such well-researched information on them. I love silent film and I did enjoy learning about these actresses. I just can't rate it higher than two stars. The grammatical issues are just too, too insane.
January 23, 2021
Although the overall idea of profiling various actresses of the silent era is appealing, it’s the execution that’s a problem.
I kept stumbling over clunky sentences and found typos left and right (even in the actresses’ names), which made it extremely distracting.
I commend the author for all the research he put into this project, but each profile read like a Wikipedia article, with practically every sentence being a bullet point of an appearance or a movie review. I favor more storytelling in the biographies I read, and this one missed the mark.
A highlight for me was the chapter about Barbara La Marr, but all the others are unfortunately not very memorable.
I kept stumbling over clunky sentences and found typos left and right (even in the actresses’ names), which made it extremely distracting.
I commend the author for all the research he put into this project, but each profile read like a Wikipedia article, with practically every sentence being a bullet point of an appearance or a movie review. I favor more storytelling in the biographies I read, and this one missed the mark.
A highlight for me was the chapter about Barbara La Marr, but all the others are unfortunately not very memorable.
March 11, 2019
Mostly forgotten silent film actresses
The author's method and diligence of research made this book comprehensive and very readable. I knew some names but not any details. The exception was/is the death of Barbara LaMarr. I would recommend this book. Hollywood remains the same brutal entity.
The author's method and diligence of research made this book comprehensive and very readable. I knew some names but not any details. The exception was/is the death of Barbara LaMarr. I would recommend this book. Hollywood remains the same brutal entity.
September 27, 2021
Interesting, but this book really needed proofreading! One woman had a sorted past, another may have had chlorines jealous of her, etc. The author gives an extensive filmography for each woman, so I went to youtube to watch some of the silent movies, which increased my appreciation of these poor stars.
January 14, 2018
This book could be about any time in Holkywood, the fact that it is about the silent era means nothing. None of the bios are in-depth enough for B/c list actors to learn about things.
It’s kind of a waste of a read.
It’s kind of a waste of a read.
April 2, 2019
A Great Read
A fascinating book on the lives and trials of early film stars made even better by the fact that the author chooses lesser known stars. This book made me seek out films that I might have otherwise missed.
A fascinating book on the lives and trials of early film stars made even better by the fact that the author chooses lesser known stars. This book made me seek out films that I might have otherwise missed.
March 23, 2020
For anyone interested in silents
The author has done an excellent job of unearthing the stories of these log forgotten actresses.I knew of one of two so there were a lot of unfamiliar names to become acquainted wth.
The author has done an excellent job of unearthing the stories of these log forgotten actresses.I knew of one of two so there were a lot of unfamiliar names to become acquainted wth.
August 13, 2017
Marie Provost was not eaten by her weiner-dog, contrary to popular belief.
March 5, 2018
A surprisingly delightful read. Much more information than I thought there would be!
July 29, 2019
Hollywood dealt them from the bottom of the deck. Very good book, though.
November 19, 2019
Good book, not too long, chapters on these dames are like reading short stories so you don't feel like you need to read for super long stretches. Well researched.
March 17, 2017
I don't usually go for books detailing "misfortunes of hard
luck girls" but I'm glad I did as the book is so meticulously
researched and written with a lot of sympathy. The only quibble
I have is a better proof reader should have been employed (there
are just so many typing errors) and the inclusion of Natalie
Joyce - I can actually understand her not wanting to be involved,
she definitely wasn't a hard luck dame by any standards, having the
good sense to get out and make a wonderful life for herself.
I initially bought the book because I was fascinated by Agnes
Ayres and Wanda Hawley. I had read an article in "Films in Review"
and wanted to know more about Agnes - I questioned the birth date -
in photos she just didn't look that old, but Ankerich states she
was working in 1910 and different reviews in the 20s often commented
that she just looked too matronly to be playing young heroines. An
incident Ankerich relates in the book involving Dorothy Reiver
proves what a vindictive piece of work Agnes must have been!!
Wanda Hawley - I didn't know anything about her except that I thought
she was so beautiful and was also very memorable in the film
"Smouldering Fires" where she played a flirtatious factory girl.
I have always been fascinated by her, it was just a pity Mr. Ankerich
couldn't have found a more sympathetic relative (I know it's
nitpicking) than the bitter niece whose "whenever she stayed with us
I had to give up my room" says a lot!! I think the picture of Miss
Hawley during her last years shows she was still an attractive
woman and I know if I had an aunt like Wanda Hawley I would have been
hanging on her every word!!
Juanita Hansen was a true survivor - I had heard about her generally
but not only did she publically admit her drug use but she went on
tour to tell her story as a warning - surely the first star to do
that!! There was a telling comment during an interview she gave in
1916 listing the positives of living with your mother - obviously
if a person is drawn to that type of lifestyle not even a mother
can help you!! Mary Nolan is very addictive - once you see her
beauty in the movies you have just got to see more!! I found her
story very compelling and Mr. Ankerich wrote about her with a lot
of sympathy. I have always secretly felt she had a mental illness.
I don't think there is any doubt that were it not for her "problems"
which were major she could have become a major actress - she was
that good!!
As for Eve Southern, I think she should have had the title of the
"Too Beautiful Girl" - the two pictures at the start of her chapter
were breath taking. Whatever her merits as an actress she was a true
beauty. Marie Prevost, I definitely agree with the author, whenever
she appeared in support in those early talkie films she always stole
the show. I just adored her in "Paid" but in just about every early
talkie film I have seen her in there is usually a very demeaning
running gag about food, particularly in "The Good Bad Girl" - I
always feel sad when I see that.
I hope that there is going to be a next book?? I have a few
suggestions - Mary Philbin had a particularly sad life as did
Mary MacLaren and Virginia Lee Corbin, June Caprice and Florence
La Badie all died young.
luck girls" but I'm glad I did as the book is so meticulously
researched and written with a lot of sympathy. The only quibble
I have is a better proof reader should have been employed (there
are just so many typing errors) and the inclusion of Natalie
Joyce - I can actually understand her not wanting to be involved,
she definitely wasn't a hard luck dame by any standards, having the
good sense to get out and make a wonderful life for herself.
I initially bought the book because I was fascinated by Agnes
Ayres and Wanda Hawley. I had read an article in "Films in Review"
and wanted to know more about Agnes - I questioned the birth date -
in photos she just didn't look that old, but Ankerich states she
was working in 1910 and different reviews in the 20s often commented
that she just looked too matronly to be playing young heroines. An
incident Ankerich relates in the book involving Dorothy Reiver
proves what a vindictive piece of work Agnes must have been!!
Wanda Hawley - I didn't know anything about her except that I thought
she was so beautiful and was also very memorable in the film
"Smouldering Fires" where she played a flirtatious factory girl.
I have always been fascinated by her, it was just a pity Mr. Ankerich
couldn't have found a more sympathetic relative (I know it's
nitpicking) than the bitter niece whose "whenever she stayed with us
I had to give up my room" says a lot!! I think the picture of Miss
Hawley during her last years shows she was still an attractive
woman and I know if I had an aunt like Wanda Hawley I would have been
hanging on her every word!!
Juanita Hansen was a true survivor - I had heard about her generally
but not only did she publically admit her drug use but she went on
tour to tell her story as a warning - surely the first star to do
that!! There was a telling comment during an interview she gave in
1916 listing the positives of living with your mother - obviously
if a person is drawn to that type of lifestyle not even a mother
can help you!! Mary Nolan is very addictive - once you see her
beauty in the movies you have just got to see more!! I found her
story very compelling and Mr. Ankerich wrote about her with a lot
of sympathy. I have always secretly felt she had a mental illness.
I don't think there is any doubt that were it not for her "problems"
which were major she could have become a major actress - she was
that good!!
As for Eve Southern, I think she should have had the title of the
"Too Beautiful Girl" - the two pictures at the start of her chapter
were breath taking. Whatever her merits as an actress she was a true
beauty. Marie Prevost, I definitely agree with the author, whenever
she appeared in support in those early talkie films she always stole
the show. I just adored her in "Paid" but in just about every early
talkie film I have seen her in there is usually a very demeaning
running gag about food, particularly in "The Good Bad Girl" - I
always feel sad when I see that.
I hope that there is going to be a next book?? I have a few
suggestions - Mary Philbin had a particularly sad life as did
Mary MacLaren and Virginia Lee Corbin, June Caprice and Florence
La Badie all died young.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2016
It is difficult to imagine Hollywood being wilder or woolier than it was during its early days and throughout the silent era. It was a different time with incredible fame and money to be made seemingly overnight … and inhabited by many people who had a dazzling presence while being ill-fitted to survive gracefully or with restraint within its confines.
There are many famous stories about spectacular rises and falls. The writer has chosen to concentrate on tales of some lesser-known actresses who glowed brightly before dimming out of existence. These include names that film fans may recall on the periphery (such as Agnes Ayers and Barbara La Marr), and some genuinely intriguing stories of lesser known actresses who met bizarre fates (Lucille Ricksen and Martha Mansfield).
The flaw in the book is not in the subjects chosen, but rather in the brevity of their stories. The writer provides a high-level overview of chronological facts, occasionally touching on brushes with true legends in the industry, but never giving the reader an in-depth analysis of the story behind the public “story.” When names such as Douglas Fairbanks, Lon Chaney, Charlie Chaplin, Colleen Moore, Rudolph Valentino and Clara Bow are mentioned, I want to know more about the interactions other than “it is possible that she had an affair with him.”
Consequently, in almost every instance, I was left with wanting to know more. The writing style felt like an extended magazine article rather than a true exploration. Barbara La Marr probably received the most thorough examination of the featured names, yet I didn’t have the feeling that I knew much more about her.
There are definite plusses in the work. Several times, I found myself jotting down film titles to review and enjoy the described performer. The filmographies are good, although it would have been nice to have a brief summary of plots included with them. The true treasures, though, are the photographs, and they are wonderful.
It is a good introduction for those who want to know more about the silent era, although I think it will do little more than whet the appetite.
There are many famous stories about spectacular rises and falls. The writer has chosen to concentrate on tales of some lesser-known actresses who glowed brightly before dimming out of existence. These include names that film fans may recall on the periphery (such as Agnes Ayers and Barbara La Marr), and some genuinely intriguing stories of lesser known actresses who met bizarre fates (Lucille Ricksen and Martha Mansfield).
The flaw in the book is not in the subjects chosen, but rather in the brevity of their stories. The writer provides a high-level overview of chronological facts, occasionally touching on brushes with true legends in the industry, but never giving the reader an in-depth analysis of the story behind the public “story.” When names such as Douglas Fairbanks, Lon Chaney, Charlie Chaplin, Colleen Moore, Rudolph Valentino and Clara Bow are mentioned, I want to know more about the interactions other than “it is possible that she had an affair with him.”
Consequently, in almost every instance, I was left with wanting to know more. The writing style felt like an extended magazine article rather than a true exploration. Barbara La Marr probably received the most thorough examination of the featured names, yet I didn’t have the feeling that I knew much more about her.
There are definite plusses in the work. Several times, I found myself jotting down film titles to review and enjoy the described performer. The filmographies are good, although it would have been nice to have a brief summary of plots included with them. The true treasures, though, are the photographs, and they are wonderful.
It is a good introduction for those who want to know more about the silent era, although I think it will do little more than whet the appetite.
October 11, 2014
I really liked this book. Each star gets her own chapter. I've had a pretty short attention span lately, so this was perfect for me. I sped through it in a week! The author covers the lives of these film stars just right. There is a lot of detail without being too boring. Sometimes authors are stuck with putting in huge amount of film synopses to fill out the lives of silent stars because there just isn't enough information available on them for an entire book. Fillers. I hate that.
There are enough juicy details to keep your interest and enough information about their films to let you know what their careers were like. He pulls you right in to their stories from the very beginning of each chapter. And the pictures. The pictures of the ladies were just beautiful.
I have to note that it was very well researched. I even found the footnotes interesting!
It made me want to learn even more about these stars and watch their films. I'm afraid I have a very long list of movies I *need* to find and I've now made some huge purchases from some rare film websites. I think Michael Ankerich should get a commission from this!!
There are enough juicy details to keep your interest and enough information about their films to let you know what their careers were like. He pulls you right in to their stories from the very beginning of each chapter. And the pictures. The pictures of the ladies were just beautiful.
I have to note that it was very well researched. I even found the footnotes interesting!
It made me want to learn even more about these stars and watch their films. I'm afraid I have a very long list of movies I *need* to find and I've now made some huge purchases from some rare film websites. I think Michael Ankerich should get a commission from this!!
February 11, 2016
Interesting read about 14 so-called "hard luck" ladies of the silent era, most of whom battled the bottle, the pill cabinet, affairs and desperation throughout their brief careers. The majority met tragic, early ends as well, or wandered off into oblivion, as forgotten as most of their work. Read it if you love the silent era/biographies.
My only complaint with this volume is the huge number of TYPOS and incorrect words peppering the pages. I counted at least a dozen instances, and they're noticeable enough to detract from the reading. Couple that with the fact that most of the photographs don't have credits (many even look to be extremely poor Xeroxed copies of copies, pixilation and all)...you may question the authenticity of the author's research and may want to spend your reading time elsewhere. (Case in point...the cover image is NOT of an actress discussed in the book...!)
But, hey, it's about actresses of the silent era, at least these ladies are being remembered in some small way!
My only complaint with this volume is the huge number of TYPOS and incorrect words peppering the pages. I counted at least a dozen instances, and they're noticeable enough to detract from the reading. Couple that with the fact that most of the photographs don't have credits (many even look to be extremely poor Xeroxed copies of copies, pixilation and all)...you may question the authenticity of the author's research and may want to spend your reading time elsewhere. (Case in point...the cover image is NOT of an actress discussed in the book...!)
But, hey, it's about actresses of the silent era, at least these ladies are being remembered in some small way!
October 14, 2023
Entertaining volume of fourteen biographs on Silent film actresses.
Straight off, author Ankerich said he was going offtrack. He was not covering Pickford, Clara, sisters Gish and Talmadge, Theda. He was heading into forgotten territory.
I am a slight cinema buff, and that includes the Silent era, but I was only familiar with Barbara La Marr and Marie Prevost.
Most of these girls (and most were girls, enjoying success in their early twenties) were worked to death, and found solace in booze, philandering men, and double edged notoriety.
For the majority, their ends were pretty squalid.
Packed with photos, this makes essential, if perhaps specialized, reading.
Aside from typos and the usual “lack of editor” errors, the lure has to do with filmographies.
Yes, there are complete listings of anywhere from 30 - 120, depending on how busy the girl had been, but no marking of what was still available. Since roughly 70% of Silents are lost, it would be nice to know what I have a reasonable chance of finding.
Straight off, author Ankerich said he was going offtrack. He was not covering Pickford, Clara, sisters Gish and Talmadge, Theda. He was heading into forgotten territory.
I am a slight cinema buff, and that includes the Silent era, but I was only familiar with Barbara La Marr and Marie Prevost.
Most of these girls (and most were girls, enjoying success in their early twenties) were worked to death, and found solace in booze, philandering men, and double edged notoriety.
For the majority, their ends were pretty squalid.
Packed with photos, this makes essential, if perhaps specialized, reading.
Aside from typos and the usual “lack of editor” errors, the lure has to do with filmographies.
Yes, there are complete listings of anywhere from 30 - 120, depending on how busy the girl had been, but no marking of what was still available. Since roughly 70% of Silents are lost, it would be nice to know what I have a reasonable chance of finding.
April 4, 2013
Ankerich is known for some great books and sadly I still need to get them (they sit in my Amazon cart…eternally waiting due to the $30 price tags.) Dangerous Curves covers 14 starlets including Barbara LaMarr and Olive Borden. Its really well written and researched, making one wish he’d been able to go as far as real full biographies for each tragic girl. One constant complaint is some really terrible typos and errors, literally every page. It’s not Michael’s fault, its the publishers. A lot of people buying indie books don’t realize the authors and publisher (who is usually 1-5 people) make up the bulk of the work, resulting in even 3 people going over it a few times, mistakes will be made. However its clear BearManor just didn’t bother for whatever reason, so that is really inexcusable and distracting.
(Side note: I heard he's thinking of furthering work on Barbara LaMarr soon...YES PLEASE!)
(Side note: I heard he's thinking of furthering work on Barbara LaMarr soon...YES PLEASE!)
December 16, 2013
I savored each chapter as Ankerich revealed the story of each woman's life. DCAHH is like having 14 biographies rolled in one beautiful book. The research impressive and there's a thorough filmography for each actress. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the film industry. Ankerich's writing is flawless as each woman is examined with honesty and compassion. As Ankerich brings each subject to life, we gain a clarity about a bygone era.
February 9, 2014
I enjoyed this book immensely despite its poor production quality (bad publisher, no cookie) and sometimes cheesy authorial tone. Any effort to document the lives of those involved in early cinema gets my attention, with or without the sordid angle. These mini-biographies were fascinating peeks into movie history and centered on actresses I previously knew nothing about.
August 12, 2016
A deceptively quick read, and heartbreakingly fascinating. I am a huge silent movie fan, and I had not heard of two thirds of the ladies mentioned, which is a testament to the researching skills of the author. Spelling errors aside, I throughly enjoyed the book. I can't wait to read his book on Mae Murray.
January 4, 2013
Very interesting and chock full of information on these ladies. I do wish it included some of the more well known silent stars so they were all included in the one volume. A fascinating period in entertainment history that I do love reading (& watching!).
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