William Cameron Menzies: The Shape of Films to Come

The industrious work of production artists and designers in films often goes unnoticed, but Curtis (Spencer Tracy: A Biography) sets out to change that—and succeeds—with the first comprehensive biography of William Cameron Menzies (1896–1957), a production designer and art director. Relying on original artwork, personal correspondence, and extensive interviews with family members, friends, and associates, Curtis assembles a strong case for Menzies’s lasting impact on popular cinema through his innovative work on more than 120 films, most famously Gone with the Wind. The author leaves no stone unturned while delving into Menzies’s private and professional lives, emphasizing his collaborations with many of golden age Hollywood’s greatest names. The scope of this meticulously researched volume is impressive, but its insistent name-dropping can become exhausting. Curtis’s focus remains consistently on his subject’s many technical achievements, but he frankly addresses Menzies’s box-office failures and lifelong problems with alcohol, presenting a vigorous and detailed portrait of a trailblazing talent wrestling with the demands of powerful studio executives while trying to satisfy his own artistic impulses. [em]Agent: Neil Olson, Donadio & Olson. (Nov.) [/em]