All’s Well with Wellman

Knowledgable movie buffs increasingly recognize the name of David Meuel as one of today’s premier film historians. His newest, Assembly Line Auteur: The Pre-Code Films of William Wellman (McFarland) provides further evidence of the author’s analytical skill, attention to detail, and grasp of motion picture history.

One reason I appreciate Meuel is his originality. Rather than cranking out the 367th book on Marilyn Monroe, he hones in on a specific and worthy topic, infusing it with cogent commentary. In writing about William A. Wellman (1896-1975), he could have focused on the director’s best-known work, like The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) or The High and the Mighty (1954). Instead, he takes a deep dive into the three-year period in the early 1930s when the energetic craftsman made an incredible eighteen films for Warner Bros., an aspect of Wellman’s career that Meuel argues convincingly merits more attention. 

As he shows us, Wellman, even when handed projects not of his own choosing, or pressed to meet tight deadlines, demonstrated a flair for innovation and technical skill. Meuel points out, for example, that in shooting Night Nurse (1931), the director refused to accept the status quo of early sound films, with “his fluid use of the camera,” and how, “as an early user of the mobile ‘boom’ microphone, he kept the sound recording apparatus moving right along with it.” He also boosted the careers of actors like James Cagney and Barbara Stanwyck at critical junctures.

Unlike some authors, Meuel doesn’t try to convince us that everything his subject touched turned to gold. His critique of The Purchase Price (1932) clearly calls out its flaws, for which he doesn’t entirely absolve Wellman of blame, but also notes what he did well. Throughout the text, Meuel illustrates Wellman’s knack for “fortifying dubious material” rather than giving in to it.

This is an excellent film study that has something worthwhile to say, and says it in a clear, accessible way that readers will appreciate — and that some of the author’s peers might benefit from studying. I hope Mr. Meuel is hard at work on another book. I’ll be eager to read it.

NOTE: I was furnished a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal!

Here’s a first look at the cover of my 12th performing arts history book from McFarland and Company, due out next spring.

It’s a comprehensive look at 34 half-hour syndicated dramas of the 1950s, including titles like Harbor Command, Man Without a Gun, and Lock-Up. Each lasted two years or less, and it’s difficult to find more than a few sentences about them in most reference sources. Yet I enjoyed learning about them, and I think you will too. The book includes interviews with actors who worked on some of these shows, and descendants of their stars. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever interviewed a nonagenarian, and our chat was lively and interesting.

I hope you’ll investigate Tune In for Action when it appears. 

New Book Coming

I’m happy to announce that I have signed to publish my 12th book on performing arts history with McFarland and Company. I’ll have more to say about the book later, but for now I can reveal that it deals with 1950s television, and should be out in 2026.

Stay tuned!

“Another Wonderful Book”

The always-interesting “Another Old Movie Blog,” hosted by Jacqueline T. Lynch, is shining a spotlight on my book, John Hodiak: The Life on Film, Stage and Radio. Am I glad she did!

This post’s title is blatantly cribbed from her review. She mentions not only Hodiak’s film career, but his work on radio, which the book covers in detail. Ms. Lynch believes he deserved a higher level of fame than he achieved prior to his early demise, and I certainly concur.

To read her review in its entirety, go here.

While you’re there, become a subscriber, and check out her fine books. You’ll be glad you did.

P.S. I’m hard at work on a new book project. Stay tuned. I hope to share some details soon.