Reviews
For the true movie lover, the only pleasure that can come close to matching that of steeping oneself, Norma Desmond-like, in the flickering images of a great movie is wallowing a long, exhaustive, in-depth biography of a beloved filmmaker. And in terms of all the things that matter - research, organization, access, industry and adulation - William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Directory by Gabriel Miller hits the mark., The narrative of this insightful work is biographical--albeit deeply craft-oriented-- and Miller is at his best when he dedicates himself to examining the artistry of Wyler's direction. Wyler's life provides the framework for Miller to explore the director's exhaustive canon in intricate detail, with frame-by-frame analysis. The text is fluid and accessible, even when delving into technical matters. Miller ably examines the elements that made Wyler's films so powerful: his signature deep focus photography, sense of time and space, and humanist subject matter. Miller makes a strong case that when it comes to conveying ideas visually, Wyler is a master strategist. [...] This is a passionate book about a passionate director whose craft--and yes, artistry--lives in the enduring popularity of his films., ""This book does a very thorough job of analyzing Wyler's films and provides incisive insights into what may have been the director's intentions as he crafted scripts, composed images, and edited film. A very enlightening study of Wyler." -- Tom Matthews, screenwriter for Mad City and author of Like We Care" --, Miller's writing style is fluid and accessible, even when he delves into seriously technical material, and his respect and admiration for Wyler comes through loud and clear on every page. Baffingly little known today among moviegoers, Wyler was a giant of American film, and, upon its publication, this book instantly becomes an essential addition to any film collection., "Miller shows how much still can be done with Wyler's long, illustrious career, and his book is easily the most comprehensive and insightful of the lot.... Absolutely accurate and rich with detail.... Miller's book brings Wyler's work alive for contemporary audiences." -- Choice, Miller gives Wyler's style the depth it truly deserves, discussing the director's use of deep-focus photography (years before Orson Welles famously used it on Citizen Kane) and his careful compositions. He also touches on Wyler's work with actors, which was often fiery. Wyler was a perfectionist who knew exactly what he wanted; unfortunately he could be maddeningly inarticulate when it came to telling his performers just what that was. --Star-Ledger, "Miller's great accomplishment is identifying Wyler's worldview as social conscience coupled with skepticism over the value of pacifism." -- Shepherd Express Milwaukee, Miller shows how much still can be done with Wyler's long, illustrious career, and his book is easily the most comprehensive and insightful of the lot.... Absolutely accurate and rich with detail.... Miller's book brings Wyler's work alive for contemporary audiences., "Miller's writing style is fluid and accessible, even when he delves into seriously technical material, and his respect and admiration for Wyler comes through loud and clear on every page. Baffingly little known today among moviegoers, Wyler was a giant of American film, and, upon its publication, this book instantly becomes an essential addition to any film collection. -- Booklist Review" -- David Pitt, Booklist Reivew, There is a lot to enjoy in William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Director. ... If you want a crash course in Wyler, from a filmmaking standpoint, pick up a copy., "The narrative of this insightful work is biographical -- albeit deeply craft-oriented -- and Miller is at his best when he dedicates himself to examining the artistry of Wyler's direction. Wyler's life provides the framework for Miller to explore the director's exhaustive canon in intricate detail, with frame-by-frame analysis. The text is fluid and accessible, even when delving into technical matters. Miller ably examines the elements that made Wyler's films so powerful: his signature deep focus photography, sense of time and space, and humanist subject matter. Miller makes a strong case that when it comes to conveying ideas visually, Wyler is amaster strategist. [...] This is a passionate book about a passionate director whose craft -- and yes,artistry -- lives in the enduring popularity of his films." -- DGA Quarterly, "There is a lot to enjoy in William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Director. ... If you want a crash course in Wyler, from a filmmaking standpoint, pick up a copy." -- Journeys in Classic Film, "This is the best study of Wyler we have. A welcome addition to the literature of filmmaking. -- Kirkus Reviews" -- Kirkus Reviews, ""This book does a very thorough job of analyzing Wyler's films and provides incisive insights into what may have been the director's intentions as he crafted scripts, composed images, and edited film. A very enlightening study of Wyler." -- Tom Matthews, screenwriter for Mad City and author of Like We Care " --, "There is a lot to enjoy in William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Director...If you want a crash course in Wyler, from a filmmaking standpoint, pick up a copy." -- Journeys in Classic Film, "Miller's writing style is fluid and accessible, even when he delves into seriously technical material, and his respect and admiration for Wyler comes through loud and clear on every page. Baffingly little known today among moviegoers, Wyler was a giant of American film, and, upon its publication, this book instantly becomes an essential addition to any film collection." -- David Pitt, Booklist, Miller's great accomplishment is identifying Wyler's worldview as social conscience coupled with skepticism over the value of pacifism., "With his commanding knowledge of film history, meticulous research and deeply insightful analysis, Gabriel Miller makes a powerful case for declaring Wyler one of our two or three greatest film directors and reminds us that this great artist's unprecedented versatility was a virtue and not a vice."--James Verniere, The Boston Herald and the National Society of Film Critics, "For the true movie lover, the only pleasure that can come close to matching that of steeping oneself, Norma Desmond-like, in the flickering images of a great movie is wallowing a long, exhaustive, in-depth biography of a beloved filmmaker. And in terms of all the things that matter - research, organization, access, industry and adulation - William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Directory by Gabriel Miller hits the mark. -- New York Journal of Books" -- Vinton Rafe McCabe, New York Journal of Books, In this detailed survey of Wyler's work, Miller does a credible job of supporting his argument that Wyler "most certainly belongs in the company of the most accomplished and distinguished of American directors.", "For the true movie lover, the only pleasure that can come close to matching that of steeping oneself, Norma Desmond-like, in the flickering images of a great movie is wallowing a long, exhaustive, in-depth biography of a beloved filmmaker. And in terms of all the things that matter - research, organization, access, industry and adulation - William Wyler: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Most Celebrated Directory by Gabriel Miller hits the mark." -- New York Journal of Books, "[...] Miller's great accomplishment is identifying Wyler's worldview as social conscience coupled with skepticism over the value of pacifism." -- Shepherd Express Milwaukee, "Miller gives Wyler's style the depth it truly deserves, discussing the director's use of deep-focus photography (years before Orson Welles famously used it on Citizen Kane) and his careful compositions. He also touches on Wyler's work with actors, which was often fiery. Wyler was a perfectionist who knew exactly what he wanted; unfortunately he could be maddeningly inarticulate when it came to telling his performers just what that was. --Star-Ledger" -- Nj.com, "Miller shows how much still can be done with Wyler's long, illustrious career, and his book is easily the most comprehensive and insightful of the lot... Absolutely accurate and rich with detail...Miller's book brings Wyler's work alive for contemporary audiences. --Choice" -- Choice, ""With his commanding knowledge of film history, meticulous research and deeply insightful analysis, Gabriel Miller makes a powerful case for declaring Wyler one of our two or three greatest film directors and reminds us that this great artist's unprecedented versatility was a virtue and not a vice."--James Verniere, The Boston Herald and the National Society of Film Critics" --, "This book does a very thorough job of analyzing Wyler's films and provides incisive insights into what may have been the director's intentions as he crafted scripts, composed images, and edited film. A very enlightening study of Wyler."--Tom Matthews, screenwriter for Mad City and author of Like We Care, "In this detailed survey of Wyler's work, Miller does a credible job of supporting his argument that Wyler "most certainly belongs in the company of the most accomplished and distinguished of American directors."" -- History News Network, George Mason University, "Miller gives Wyler's style the depth it truly deserves, discussing the director's use of deep-focus photography (years before Orson Welles famously used it on Citizen Kane) and his careful compositions. He also touches on Wyler's work with actors, which was often fiery. Wyler was a perfectionist who knew exactly what he wanted; unfortunately he could be maddeningly inarticulate when it came to telling his performers just what that was. -- NJ.com" -- Jacqueline Cutler, Nj.com, "In this detailed survey of Wyler's work, Miller does a credible job of supporting his argument that Wyler "most certainly belongs in the company of the most accomplished and distinguished of American directors."" -- History News Network, "This is the best study of Wyler we have. A welcome addition to the literature of filmmaking." -- Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
During his forty-five-year career, William Wyler (1902--1981) pushed the boundaries of filmmaking with his gripping storylines and innovative depth-of-field cinematography. With a body of work that includes such memorable classics as Jezebel (1938), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Ben-Hur (1959), and Funny Girl (1968), Wyler is the most nominated director in the history of the Academy Awards and bears the distinction of having won an Oscar for Best Director on three occasions. Both Bette Davis and Lillian Hellman considered him America's finest director, and Sir Laurence Olivier said he learned more about film acting from Wyler than from anyone else. In William Wyler, Gabriel Miller explores the career of one of Hollywood's most unique and influential directors, examining the evolution of his cinematic style. Wyler's films feature nuanced shots and multifaceted narratives that reflect his preoccupation with realism and story construction. The director's later works were deeply influenced by his time in the army air force during World War II, and the disconnect between the idealized version of the postwar experience and reality became a central theme of Wyler's masterpiece, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). None of Wyler's contemporaries approached his scope: he made successful and seminal films in practically every genre, including social drama, melodrama, and comedy. Yet, despite overwhelming critical acclaim and popularity, Wyler's work has never been extensively studied. This long-overdue book offers a comprehensive assessment of the director, his work, and his films' influence., During his forty-five-year career, William Wyler (1902-1981) pushed the boundaries of filmmaking with his gripping storylines and innovative depth-of-field cinematography. With a body of work that includes such memorable classics as Jezebel (1938), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Ben-Hur (1959), and Funny Girl (1968), Wyler is the most nominated director in the history of the Academy Awards and bears the distinction of having won an Oscar for Best Director on three occasions. Both Bette Davis and Lillian Hellman considered him America's finest director, and Sir Laurence Olivier said he learned more about film acting from Wyler than from anyone else. In William Wyler, Gabriel Miller explores the career of one of Hollywood's most unique and influential directors, examining the evolution of his cinematic style. Wyler's films feature nuanced shots and multifaceted narratives that reflect his preoccupation with realism and story construction. The director's later works were deeply influenced by his time in the army air force during World War II, and the disconnect between the idealized version of the postwar experience and reality became a central theme of Wyler's masterpiece, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). None of Wyler's contemporaries approached his scope: he made successful and seminal films in practically every genre, including social drama, melodrama, and comedy. Yet, despite overwhelming critical acclaim and popularity, Wyler's work has never been extensively studied. This long-overdue book offers a comprehensive assessment of the director, his work, and his films' influence., During his forty-five-year career, William Wyler (1902-1981) pushed the boundaries of filmmaking with his gripping storylines and innovative depth-of-field cinematography. With a body of work that includes such memorable classics as Jezebel (1938), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Ben-Hur (1959), and Funny Girl (1968), Wyler is the most nominated director in the history of the Academy Awards and bears the distinction of having won an Oscar for Best Director on three occasions. Both Bette Davis and Lillian H, During his forty-five-year career, William Wyler (1902-1981) pushed the boundaries of filmmaking with his gripping storylines and innovative depth-of-field cinematography. With a body of work that includes such memorable classics as Jezebel (1938), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Ben-Hur (1959), and Funny Girl (1968), Wyler is the most nominated director in the history of the Academy Awards and bears the distinction of having won an Oscar for Best Director on three occasions. Both Bette Davis and Lillian Hellman considered him America's finest director, and Sir Laurence Olivier said he learned more about film acting from Wyler than from anyone else. In William Wyler , Gabriel Miller explores the career of one of Hollywood's most unique and influential directors, examining the evolution of his cinematic style. Wyler's films feature nuanced shots and multifaceted narratives that reflect his preoccupation with realism and story construction. The director's later works were deeply influenced by his time in the army air force during World War II, and the disconnect between the idealized version of the postwar experience and reality became a central theme of Wyler's masterpiece, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). None of Wyler's contemporaries approached his scope: he made successful and seminal films in practically every genre, including social drama, melodrama, and comedy. Yet, despite overwhelming critical acclaim and popularity, Wyler's work has never been extensively studied. This long-overdue book offers a comprehensive assessment of the director, his work, and his films' influence.
