Peter Lorre: Face Maker
Constructing Stardom and Performance in Hollywood and Europe
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Berghahn Books
Published:1st Feb '12
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book re-evaluates Peter Lorre's career, illustrating his complex identity and ambitious performances beyond the tragic figure often portrayed in film history.
In Peter Lorre: Face Maker, the life and career of the iconic actor Peter Lorre is explored in depth, challenging the traditional narratives that often depict him as a tragic figure. Lorre himself described his role as merely a 'face-maker,' a sentiment that reflects a broader negative perception of his contributions to cinema. This perspective typically frames him as a promising European talent who became a mere gimmick in Hollywood, forever haunted by his notorious role in Fritz Lang's film, M. However, this book argues that such a reductive view fails to capture the complexity of Lorre's artistic journey.
The narrative delves into the intricacies of Lorre's career, revealing that his life cannot be easily categorized into simplistic binaries. It highlights how, despite the limitations imposed by his macabre on-screen persona, Lorre's performances were marked by ambition and depth. The author presents a nuanced examination of how Lorre navigated the challenges of transnational identity and the demands of Hollywood, illustrating that he was more than just a typecast actor.
Ultimately, Peter Lorre: Face Maker serves as a vital re-evaluation of Lorre's legacy, emphasizing the significance of his contributions to film and the art of performance. It invites readers to reconsider the multifaceted nature of his career and the broader implications of star images in cinema history.
“…in her important new study of Lorre’s career…[the author pursues] a rewarding approach that combines careful archival research with clever film analysis to illuminate Lorre’s career from a new angle that not only impacts our understanding of this actor, but also presents an important new way to understand the complex exchanges between on-screen and off-screen performances more generally.” · Senses of Cinema
“In general, the strength of Thomas’s work is that she is familiar with the previous scholarship but also feels free to critique the conclusions of those earlier authors. She focuses much less on biography and gives more attention to theories of drama, which allows her to explore new and interesting aspects of Lorre’s performances…This is an excellent text that adds tremendously to our understanding of the works of Peter Lorre and, by extension, émigré artists in general.” · Journal of Austrian Studies
"The author has a sophisticated command of the material and the book is balanced, judicious and very thorough. In particular, the author explores aspects of Lorre’s career that have been neglected or misunderstood: his “Mr. Moto” roles; his extensive work on radio and television; and the final phase of his film career working at AIP" · Andrew Spicer, University of the West of England
"[This book] makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on stardom and acting, with not only a useful reappraisal of Lorre’s work and reputation but also with some valuable insights into the nature of “extra cinematic person,” the interrelationship between radio and cinema during the studio era, and the significance of actor collaborations. This is a fascinating study of how misconceptions arise over time regarding an actor’s persona and reputation" · Martin Shingler, University of Sunderland
ISBN: 9780857454416
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 467g
222 pages