{"product_id":"the-magnificent-heel-the-life-and-films-of-ricardo-cortez-9781629332765","title":"The Magnificent Heel: The Life and Films of Ricardo Cortez","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNominated for the 2018 Richard Wall Memorial Award\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e, honoring books on film and broadcasting, from the Theatre Library Association\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith his dark good looks, muscular physique, heavy-lidded bedroom eyes, and easy smile, amateur boxer and Wall Street business man Jacob Krantz left Wall Street to cut a dashing figure on the silver screen for over five decades. Few knew that he was a Jewish man, when Paramount Pictures signed him in 1922, changed his name from Jacob Krantz to Ricardo Cortez, and widely publicized him as a \"Latin lover\" in the style of Rudolph Valentino, Antonio Moreno, and Ramon Navarro. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe worked in silent movies with top directors and stars, including \u003cem\u003eThe Next Corner \u003c\/em\u003e(1924) with Lon Chaney, Cecil B. DeMille's \u003cem\u003eFeet of Clay\u003c\/em\u003e (1924), \u003cem\u003eThe Pony Express\u003c\/em\u003e (1925), \u003cem\u003eTorrent \u003c\/em\u003e(1926) with Greta Garbo, D. W. Griffith's \u003cem\u003eThe Sorrows of Satan\u003c\/em\u003e (1926), \u003cem\u003eMockery \u003c\/em\u003e(1927) with Lon Chaney, and \u003cem\u003eExcess Baggage\u003c\/em\u003e (1928) with William Hanes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithin six years, chaos took hold of topsy turvy Hollywood as the industry converted from silent movies to talking pictures, yet Cortez successfully transitioned through Frank Capra's \u003cem\u003eThe Younger Generation\u003c\/em\u003e(1929), \u003cem\u003eMontana Moon\u003c\/em\u003e (1930) with Joan Crawford, as Sam Spade in the first film adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's \u003cem\u003eThe Maltese Falcon\u003c\/em\u003e (1931), \u003cem\u003eWonder Bar\u003c\/em\u003e (1934) with Al Jolson, \u003cem\u003eThe Big Shakedown \u003c\/em\u003e(1934) with Bette Davis, \u003cem\u003e Walking Dead\u003c\/em\u003e (1936) with Boris Karloff, \u003cem\u003eCharlie Chan in Reno\u003c\/em\u003e (1939), and John Ford's \u003cem\u003eThe Last Hurrah\u003c\/em\u003e (1958).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRenowned for his professionalism, and for his ability to play a wide range of characters in all genres, Cortez appeared in more than a hundred films and was recognized as one of the movies' premier heavies in a rogue's gallery of sexy wastrels and troublemakers, to more nefarious gangsters and maniacal murderers. In 1934, one astute critic proclaimed him \"the magnificent heel.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelive his dramatic story, from his poverty-stricken childhood to Wall Street and on through Hollywood triumphs, tragedies, and scandals. The author draws from rare material gathered from key libraries and studio archives, much of which has never been published.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e160 illustrations, including portraits, scene stills, and memorabilia from Cortez' personal collection, including his last passport, scrapbook, a contract, and letters. Index, Bibliography, and extensive End Notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout the author: Dan Van Neste articles have appeared in \u003cem\u003eClassic Images\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eFilms of the Golden Age, \u003c\/em\u003eand he is the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows. \u003c\/em\u003eHe currently lives in Lansing, Michigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\". . . one of the most interesting biographies I've ever come across . . . .\" -Shadows and Satin blog\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If you ever wanted to know more about Ricardo Cortez, this 580-page book earns my seal of approval.\"\u003cbr\u003e - Martin Grams Jr.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BearManor Media","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50361333088530,"sku":"9781629332765","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_a2a0c600-b274-4062-8578-e04d077dffec.jpg?v=1728371697","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-magnificent-heel-the-life-and-films-of-ricardo-cortez-9781629332765","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}