George Cukor’s People: Acting for a Master Director

This enlightening study from McBride (The Whole Durn Human Comedy), a film professor at San Francisco State University, examines the career of director George Cukor (1899–1983) “through his work with his actors.” Recounting how Cukor made the jump from theater to film by working as a “dialogue director” enlisted to help filmmakers make the transition from silent movies to sound, McBride describes how Cukor infuriated Lew Ayres, the inexperienced star of All Quiet on the Western Front, by dictating line readings, though he elicited a distinctly understated performance from the actor. McBride argues that Cukor, a “partially closeted” gay man, found a kindred spirit in his “androgynous” frequent collaborator Katherine Hepburn, and helped shape her performance style after encouraging her to tone down her “highfalutin’ ” acting for A Bill of Divorcement. Elsewhere, McBride discusses Cukor’s inspired decision to cast Judy Garland, then known for her musical comedy roles, as the dramatic lead in A Star Is Born after watching her surprisingly soulful rendition of “Happy Birthday” at a party. Though McBride offers shrewd insight into Cukor’s approach to filmmaking, lengthy plot summaries occasionally threaten to overwhelm the analysis. Still, film buffs will find plenty of food for thought. Photos. (Dec.)