Wednesday, July 12, 2017

My Hollywood - when both of us were young / the Hunchback

Author: Patsy Ruth Miller / Philip Riley
Stars: 2
Review by: MApgar

Two books in one - the last part of the 'Magic Image Film Books' series on the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame,' consisting of the shooting script (with Xs showing the scenes they cut out), stills and promotional material. The first half is a memoir of the actress that portrayed La Esmeralda in the film. I think she did a bad job honestly but I only watch it for Lon Chaney - whom she describes as very talented, kind, and other choice words. I say that as in the Riley section they mention how his first wife hated him (he did tell their son she died, but in his defense she caused a scandal that almost destroyed them all) and supposedly he was cruel to his son (a charge his descendants deny). So I do think it disturbing that he should be brought up in one part and then shamed in another.

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