John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars (Screen Classics)
*Starred Review* One of the most memorable lines uttered by Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder’s classic movie Sunset Boulevard is, “We had faces.” Norma, a former silent-film star who didn’t make it in the talkies, is, of course, referencing what she and other big names of the silent era saw as their superiority over the ho-hum actors in talking pictures. Certainly one of the silent stars who qualified for having a face was John Gilbert, the great screen heartthrob in the late 1920s, a huge moneymaker at MGM during the last years of the silents. Gilbert came from show-business stock and entered the nascent film industry early. He paid his dues in small roles, honing his craft and earning a reputation for perfectionism. Once he signed on at MGM, stardom was his. He married frequently, and alcohol gained increasing importance for him. But through it all, he struck people as a nice guy. What readers will primarily focus on is the issue of whether, according to accepted wisdom, Gilbert had a high, squeaky, nearly effeminate voice that prohibited his transition to talkies. Not so, says Golden; Gilbert’s voice was acceptable. His failure to succeed in talkies had more to do with other factors, including a bad relationship with MGM’s Louis B. Mayer. This warm, even enchanting book is a heartfelt return to the magic of an era long gone. --Brad Hooper