Somerset Maugham And The Cinema

William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was one of the most prominent and productive authors of the twentieth century--and his works have been among the most cinematically transformed in history. For more than five decades, adaptations of his plays, stories, and novels dominated movie theaters and, later, television screens. More than ninety individual works were filmed, and for many filmgoers his name was a greater draw than that of the director. Works such as Of Human Bondage, "The Letter," The Painted Veil, "Rain," The Razor's Edge, and others were produced multiple times, with starring roles sought by actors like Bette Davis, Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo, Lionel Barrymore, Charles Laughton, and Bill Murray. This study of the famous author explores the relationship between literature and film, what is involved in adaptation, and how best to judge films based on celebrated books. Robert Calder, the world's leading scholar of Maugham's work, offers fascinating production histories, insight into both fortunate and misguided casting decisions, shrewd analyses of performances and film techniques, and summaries of public and critical responses. Maugham's characters were often conflicted, iconoclastic, and morally out of step with their times, which may have accounted for the popularity of his fiction. Most of Maugham's works could be adapted to satisfy the tastes of moviegoers and the demands of the Hays Office censors, if not the expectations of their author.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Theatre" by W. Somerset Maugham. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Of Human Bondage (1915) is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Inspired by his experiences as an orphan and young student, Maugham composed his masterpiece. Adapted several times for film, Of Human Bondage is a story of tragedy, perseverance, and the eternal search for happiness which drives us as much as it haunts our every move. Orphaned as a boy, Philip Carey is raised in an affectionless household by his aunt and uncle. Although his Aunt Louisa tries to make him feel welcome, William proves an uncaring, vindictive man. Left to fend for himself most days, Philip finds solace in the family’s substantial collection of books, which serve as an escape for the imaginative boy. Sent to study at a prestigious boarding school, Philip struggles to fit in with his peers, who abuse him for his intelligence and club foot. Despite his struggles, he perseveres in his studies and chooses his own path in life, moving to Heidelberg, Germany and denying his uncle’s wish that he attend Oxford. As he struggles to become a professional artist, Philip learns that one’s dreams are often unsubstantiated in the world of the living. Of Human Bondage is a tale of desire, disappointment, and romance by a master stylist with a keen sense of the complications inherent to human nature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

As the first book-length exploration of internationally distributed, multi-director episode films, Omnibus Films fills a considerable gap in the history of world cinema and aims to expand contemporary understandings of authorship, genre, narra

First published in 1986, this standard account of Hitchcock's British films and film-making is now available again in a Second Edition with a new Introduction and Bibliography. It will be welcomed by all students of the film and admirers of Hitchcock.

Did you know that two winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature (Hemingway and Faulkner) worked on the story of To Have and Have Not (1944)? Did you know that the origin of the term "paparazzi" comes from Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960) which has a character called Paparazzo who photographs celebrities? Did you know that David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is the longest film which has no woman speaking part? Did you know that in the first Academy Award competition in 1929, Rin Tin Tin polled more votes than anyone else for the Best Actor, but his name was removed from the list of contenders because he was a dog? Did you know that the actress Hedy Lamarr invented the earliest known form of the telecommunication method known as "frequency hopping”? Did you know that D. W. Griffith was the first director to utter the catchphrase "Lights, camera, action!"? This book provides answers to all such questions, and more. Here is a book on world cinema in the form of a quiz. This book will be useful for a person who wants to know the essentials of world cinema succinctly. It also includes famous stars and directors of France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and other countries.