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'What Price Hollywood?' and the Birth of the 'Star Is Born' Films

The A Star is Born films have been born, re-born, and born again for almost a century, making them part of America's cultural fabric. Here's a look at how it all started.

Film

For a Comedy of Manners, 'The Philadelphia Story' Is Awfully Screwball

Often screwball comedies feature sharp contrasts between social classes, with not-so-subtle commentaries on the idle rich, and that's here in triplicate.

Film

"Come Again, Little Girl": 32 Films That Begin With Someone Leaving a Mental Institution (1904-2012)

These 32 films make the case for the recently-escaped-or-released-mental-patient narrative as its own subgenre, replete with a language of recurring themes, plot devices, and character archetypes.

A. Loudermilk

Film

'George Cukor: A Double Life' Is Essential Reading on Queer Cinema and Hollywood History

Everyone in Hollywood knew George Cukor’s secret, but it was never spoken freely until the arrival of Patrick McGilligan’s thoroughly researched book.

Books

100 Essential Directors - George Cukor

100 Essential Directors celebrates directors of distinct vision, who have honed their respective crafts, who have brought something new and exciting to the medium, and who continue to push the boundaries of the form.

Michael Abernethy

Film

The 100 Essential Directors Part 3: George Cukor - John Ford

Spiritual possession, screwball comedy, German kinks, and the quintessential American Western genre are among the disparate characters we shine a light on today as PopMatters counts down the 100 Essential Film Directors. Today we look at George Cukor through John Ford. Who falls in the middle might surprise you...

Film

All the Faith in the World: Holiday

Holiday is the sort of movie that gives those who do know it the satisfyingly superior glow of being in on something really good.

Kerrie Mills

Film

Women Without Men

Diane English’s version of The Women barely nudges from its Martha Stewart interiors, exchanging insights for platitudes. It’s a cup of lukewarm tea, without even a biscuit on the side.

Film

Essential Classics - Romances

This set highlights the existential crisis about the validity and permanence of love, in a time when Americans were reminded of the absolute ephemeral nature of life and stripped of ideals by the War.

Erik Hinton

Reviews

Holiday (1938)

Boasting a script packed full of acerbic gems, Holiday also has a tremendous visual energy.

Emma Simmonds

Reviews

The Marrying Kind (1952)

Hollywood did not allow Holliday to display the full range of her talent and intelligence; most of her roles were variants of the 'dumb blonde'.

David Sanjek

Reviews

Pop Ten

The 60 Best Songs of 2018

The 70 Best Albums of 2018

The 20 Best Avant-Garde and Experimental Albums of 2018

The 20 Best Americana Albums of 2018

The 20 Best Folk Albums of 2018

Short Stories: The 12 Best Collections of 2018

The Best World Music of 2018

The 10 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2018

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Mixed Media

Collapse Expand Mixed Media

PM Picks

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'What Price Hollywood?' and the Birth of the 'Star Is Born' Films

The A Star is Born films have been born, re-born, and born again for almost a century, making them part of America's cultural fabric. Here's a look at how it all started.

For a Comedy of Manners, 'The Philadelphia Story' Is Awfully Screwball

Often screwball comedies feature sharp contrasts between social classes, with not-so-subtle commentaries on the idle rich, and that's here in triplicate.

"Come Again, Little Girl": 32 Films That Begin With Someone Leaving a Mental Institution (1904-2012)

These 32 films make the case for the recently-escaped-or-released-mental-patient narrative as its own subgenre, replete with a language of recurring themes, plot devices, and character archetypes.

'George Cukor: A Double Life' Is Essential Reading on Queer Cinema and Hollywood History

Everyone in Hollywood knew George Cukor’s secret, but it was never spoken freely until the arrival of Patrick McGilligan’s thoroughly researched book.

100 Essential Directors - George Cukor

100 Essential Directors celebrates directors of distinct vision, who have honed their respective crafts, who have brought something new and exciting to the medium, and who continue to push the boundaries of the form.

The 100 Essential Directors Part 3: George Cukor - John Ford

All the Faith in the World: Holiday

Holiday is the sort of movie that gives those who do know it the satisfyingly superior glow of being in on something really good.

Women Without Men

Diane English’s version of The Women barely nudges from its Martha Stewart interiors, exchanging insights for platitudes. It’s a cup of lukewarm tea, without even a biscuit on the side.

Essential Classics - Romances

This set highlights the existential crisis about the validity and permanence of love, in a time when Americans were reminded of the absolute ephemeral nature of life and stripped of ideals by the War.

Holiday (1938)

Boasting a script packed full of acerbic gems, Holiday also has a tremendous visual energy.

The Marrying Kind (1952)

Hollywood did not allow Holliday to display the full range of her talent and intelligence; most of her roles were variants of the 'dumb blonde'.

The 60 Best Songs of 2018

The 70 Best Albums of 2018

The 20 Best Avant-Garde and Experimental Albums of 2018

The Neal Morse Band Invites You to 'The Great Adventure' (premiere)

The 20 Best Americana Albums of 2018

The 20 Best Folk Albums of 2018

Short Stories: The 12 Best Collections of 2018

The Best Music of 2018

The Best World Music of 2018

The 10 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2018

Track By Track: Thomas Giles (Between the Buried and Me) - 'Don't Touch the Outside'

The Neal Morse Band Invites You to 'The Great Adventure' (premiere)

Kaz James Remixes Tall Heights' "The Deep End" (premiere)

Cyclone Static Meditates on Commitment with Powerful Track "Walk This Line" (premiere)

British Duo TENDER Debut Video for New Single "Bottled Up" (premiere)

On "Time Again", Greg Jacquin's Offers a Lamentation Steeped in Nostalgia (premiere)

Ravens and Chimes Give "Big Ups" Via New Single (premiere)

Detroit Troubadour Ronny Tibbs Share the Retro Pop Gem "30-Year-Old Boy" (premiere)

Dirty Streets Eschews Complications, Gets to the Heart With "Distractions" (premiere)

The A Star is Born films have been born, re-born, and born again for almost a century, making them part of America's cultural fabric. Here's a look at how it all started.

Often screwball comedies feature sharp contrasts between social classes, with not-so-subtle commentaries on the idle rich, and that's here in triplicate.

These 32 films make the case for the recently-escaped-or-released-mental-patient narrative as its own subgenre, replete with a language of recurring themes, plot devices, and character archetypes.

With Paramount announcing Roberto Orci's replacement as director of the upcoming Star Trek 3, we look back at ten other times when studios and suits played musical chairs with their filmmakers.

Everyone in Hollywood knew George Cukor’s secret, but it was never spoken freely until the arrival of Patrick McGilligan’s thoroughly researched book.

100 Essential Directors celebrates directors of distinct vision, who have honed their respective crafts, who have brought something new and exciting to the medium, and who continue to push the boundaries of the form.

Holiday is the sort of movie that gives those who do know it the satisfyingly superior glow of being in on something really good.

Diane English’s version of The Women barely nudges from its Martha Stewart interiors, exchanging insights for platitudes. It’s a cup of lukewarm tea, without even a biscuit on the side.

This set highlights the existential crisis about the validity and permanence of love, in a time when Americans were reminded of the absolute ephemeral nature of life and stripped of ideals by the War.

Boasting a script packed full of acerbic gems, Holiday also has a tremendous visual energy.

Hollywood did not allow Holliday to display the full range of her talent and intelligence; most of her roles were variants of the 'dumb blonde'.