{"product_id":"its-the-pictures-that-got-small-charles-brackett-on-billy-wilder-and-hollywoods-golden-age-9780231167086","title":"\"It's the Pictures That Got Small\": Charles Brackett on Billy Wilder and Hollywood's Golden Age","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCharles Brackett's Unpublished Hollywood Diaries\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis annotated collection presents the unpublished diaries of Charles Brackett, the Golden Age Hollywood screenwriter who formed one of cinema's most successful partnerships with director Billy Wilder. Wilder famously called them \"the happiest couple in Hollywood,\" and these diaries reveal the creative process behind their legendary collaborations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBehind the Scenes of Classic Films\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBrackett's detailed observations document the creation of some of Hollywood's most significant films. His entries recreate the initial meetings, breakthrough moments, and creative tensions that shaped \u003ci\u003eNinotchka\u003c\/i\u003e (1939), \u003ci\u003eHold Back the Dawn\u003c\/i\u003e (1941), \u003ci\u003eBall of Fire\u003c\/i\u003e (1941), \u003ci\u003eThe Major and the Minor\u003c\/i\u003e (1942), \u003ci\u003eFive Graves to Cairo\u003c\/i\u003e (1943), \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Weekend\u003c\/i\u003e (1945), and \u003ci\u003eSunset Blvd\u003c\/i\u003e (1950). The diaries also chronicle the breakdowns that eventually forced these collaborators to part ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAnnotated by Leading Film Historian Anthony Slide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFilm historian Anthony Slide has carefully annotated Brackett's writings, clarifying his critical contribution to Wilder's films and enriching our understanding of Wilder's achievements in writing, direction, and style. Slide's expertise provides essential context for understanding the Golden Age studio system and the personalities who shaped it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMore Than a Screenwriter\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond his screenwriting partnership with Wilder, Brackett served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Writers Guild. He worked as a drama critic for the \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e and became a member of the Algonquin Round Table, the exclusive literary club that included Dorothy Parker and other prominent writers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eInside the Studio System\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese diaries offer a front-row seat to the inner workings of Paramount, Universal, MGM, and RKO during Hollywood's Golden Age. Brackett documents interactions with legendary theater and literary figures including Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Ferber, and Dorothy Parker. His keen, witty perspective brings to life the political and creative intrigue at the heart of Hollywood's most significant films.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnthony Slide is the author or editor of more than two hundred books on the history of popular entertainment. He has served as both associate archivist of the American Film Institute and as resident film historian of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His recent publications include \u003ci\u003eSilent Players\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eInside the Hollywood Fan Magazines\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eHollywood Unknowns\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Columbia University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50503150338322,"sku":"9780231167086","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_aedd5e12-3d55-42b2-a76b-03aa609e4621.jpg?v=1730783913","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/its-the-pictures-that-got-small-charles-brackett-on-billy-wilder-and-hollywoods-golden-age-9780231167086","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}