Howard Hawks was one of the most versatile and gifted filmmakers of Hollywood's golden age. Whether he was directing a John Wayne western, a screwball comedy with Cary Grant, a musical with Marylin Monroe or a film noir with Humphrey Bogart, he always delivered a well-made film. Yet he is a figure that many of us do not really know outside of his movies. This is what makes film critic Joseph McBride's book of interviews with Howard Hawks so indispensable.
The book gives us a great insight into Hawks' views on filmmaking. Though he remained unpretentious about his work and didn't fully understand what intellectual French critics saw in his films, he could articulate what makes a great movie better than most critics could. I would recommend that any aspiring filmmaker read this book as his insights into the filmmaking process are very well-thought out and enlightening. This is equally important to students of his work as they can begin to see his approach to filmmaking whenever the watch his movies. At the same time, he states these insights in such an unpretentious manner that is completely approachable. You don't have to be a film scholar to understand or learn from these insights. For those of us interested in film history, learning how one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers approached making his movies is fascinating.
As well as his insights into the art of filmmaking, Hawks also tells some great behind the scenes stories from his movies. Many of these stories are quite interesting and a few are quite funny. These stories also give us a good look at such movie luminaires as John Wayne, Marylin Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Becall, Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan and more. To say these stories are invaluable is an understatement.
This is a must own book for any movie lover.
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