King Vidor's THE CROWD: The Making of a Silent Classic (Past Times Film Close-Up Series)

I WISH THAT I COULD GIVE THIS BOOK SIX STARS INSTEAD OF FIVE. King Vidor's THE CROWD: The Making of a Silent Classic is a MUST for fans of classic film and the beginning of realism. This fascinating book includes incredible interviews with King Vidor, Eleanor Boardman and Kevin Brownlow. Preproduction from the ground floor is built from the initial idea for this masterpiece to the final print, illustrated with rare photos and posters. Irving Thalberg's and John Gilbert's contributions are just a few of the interesting insights I learned. THE BEST PART: THE BOOK IS SO WELL DESIGNED BY AUTHOR JORDAN YOUNG THAT WHETHER YOU'VE SEEN 'THE CROWD' OR NOT THE BOOK DRAWS YOU IN BY THE OUTSTANDING DESIGN AND ELEMENTS! The early chapters woven by Jordan Young highlight the original story treatment and scripts, comparing these with the actual film of THE CROWD. This analysis is written clearly and illustrated with rare photos. I was able to follow along easily and the story-script-film process was quite exciting.Fascinating chapters include complete Cast and Crew Biographies, Restoration (important dialogues and fascinating information that I was thrilled to learn) and For Your Consideration, an intriguing chapter. In For Your Consideration, the author includes opinions and realism films which may have been influenced by the realism in THE CROWD (to mention just two, THE BICYCLE THIEF and THE APARTMENT, though others are considered). This chapter is so compelling because the author cites directors and screenwriters influenced by the film, to name one element of this profound chapter. This meticulously researched book links the origins of realism in THE CROWD to many major films. A must-have book for classic and realism film fans and those serious about the study of realism (the beginning in THE CROWD through other films).

Director King Vidor’s 1928 silent masterpiece The Crowd has long been regarded as one of the most enduring and important of all American films, and film historian Jordon Young has finally filled a longstanding gap in cinema scholarship with this excellent and detailed book, the first devoted to the film. As pointed out by renowned silent film historian Kevin Brownlow, who acted as research associate for the book and provides the introduction, The Crowd was unique among American films of this era for its masterful blend of social realism, entertainment, and cinematic invention (Brownlow, who oversaw a restoration of the film in the 1980’s, calls it “the finest American silent film I’ve seen”). This unique film has a unique and fascinating back story, which Young’s book reveals in wonderful detail using previously unpublished archival material, interviews, contemporary press materials, and a wealth of great photographs. Young examines the film’s genesis (including early screenplay treatments), its production, editing, release, and critical reception, and provides biographies of the main cast, crew, and director Vidor. The tragic career of lead actor James Murray, which has been related numerous times in shorter articles, gets the fullest and most accurate treatment I have seen here. The film’s substantial critical legacy is also thoroughly examined.Young’s love of The Crowd (which I share) is evident throughout this highly recommended book, which does justice to a great film and a great director. (The Crowd is not available on DVD, but is shown on Turner Classic Movies).

Very informative and intriguing. Thoroughly researched and full of interesting production information. If there is any sort of complaint, it would be that there wasn't more in the way of direct interviews from the stars or the director. I understand the difficulty in making such things so, especially since all the players have been dead for many years now. However, it would've elevated an otherwise very good book to the status of great. Despite this constructive criticism, I applaud the author for this fantastic endeavor on a film that deserves more attention and, like so many silent films, is forgotten for it's great contribution to film innovation and history. Thank you Mr. Young.

How lucky we are that someone made the effort to create this wonderful book. Now if only someone would take the time to restore the film and release it to the public.

Silent film as an art was vastly different than sound film that followed. It was a universal medium that relied on visual storytelling rather than the spoken word. It's unfortunate that an estimated 80% of all silent films made before 1928 have been lost; it is indeed fortunate that "The Crowd" is not one of them. It is also fortunate that this book exists to help explain the birth of such an important film in Hollywood's legacy. "The Crowd" was praised at the time it came out as an unflinching look at the common man -- a position that it has held ever since. But, how did the story evolve? How did the cast gel? Whose hands influenced it and made it the film it became? These questions and so many more are answered in Young's book. I especially liked his short essays on the major players -- from the director to his young star, James Murray, whose untimely and ignominious death echoed so many of the early actors in Hollywood for whom stardom was more a hindrance than a help. Also interesting are the several dozen bits of trivia about the movie and those involved in it that appear at the book's end -- about the film, other filmmakers influenced by it, or things that happened later to the cast. I found many of these fascinating. Filled with many photographs, Young's book is a welcomed addition to my film library.

This book was terrific. My very favourite movie and it tells you everything you ever wanted to know and evenstuff you hadn't thought about. Probably if it had been made by any other studio there may not have been abook but MGM, with it's constant tinkering, name changes, even scads of storyline that ended up on the cuttingroom floor - to say nothing of being prepared with almost 10 endings, this book is a feast!!For me the film is perfect and the ending, just so fitting - the whole family celebrating a small slogan windfallat the local cinema, laughing and just being part of the crowd that John had striven so hard not to be a part of.The ending was discussed by MGM ad nausem, according to the book there were so many endings and plot linesthrown up by the studio, it makes you dizzy to read them!! And that they picked the most perfect one for thefilm is really remarkable. As Kevin Brownlow says in the introduction "Thank God they didn't use that one (I thinkit was in reference to one that showed them growing old together - it sounded as though it had Louis B. Mayerall over it!!) I couldn't agree with Brownlow more!!James Murray's character of John Sims (and Young has provided the most detailed and believable account ofMurray's life and death that I have ever read) - has been bought up to believe that great things are going tocome to him (the old saying "my dad thinks I'm going to grow up to be President one day") so that hispersonality develops as that of a person who just expects promotion, raises, jobs etc to come to him, not towork or earn them. Early in the movie he jeers at a sandwich board man saying "I bet his dad thought he wouldgrow up to be President some day" and is always saying "when my ship comes in" but is always disappointedwhen promotions pass him by. Also would have to be the first movie to deal in a sympathetic way with posttraumatic stress disorder.Fabulous too, for unearthing the movie's secrets - like the fascinating sub-plot involving an actress who for alittle while was soon to become an MGM star, but the plot disappeared completely from the finished movie.Also, I've always been fascinated by a real estate sign at the beach picnic sequence - who knew that was goingto be a major subplot for one of Sim's get rich quick schemes!!

This book - one of the very few dedicated to the great American director - is full of information on every aspect of the film. Young covers all aspects of the production, along with providing cast and crew bio's, box office analysis, and revival and home media coverage. As an added bonus Young includes a host of stills and other related images, and most excitingly a number of contemporary newspaper and press journal clippings.

Brilliant tribute to the greatest film ever made.