Book Review: George Hurrell's Hollywood: Glamour Portraits, 1925-1992

Film historian and photographer Mark A. Vieira is a preeminent scholar of Hollywood glamour photographer George Hurrell.

Vieira knew Hurrell and previously wrote HURRELL'S HOLLYWOOD PORTRAITS (1997) and GEORGE HURRELL'S HOLLYWOOD: GLAMOUR PORTRAITS, 1925-1992 (2013).

His newest book, GEORGE HURRELL'S HOLLYWOOD: GLAMOUR PORTRAITS, 1925-1992, is an updated softcover version of the 2013 book. Half of the photographs are new to this book, and the reproduction of every photo has been restored and upgraded since the first volume.

This new book from Running Press is, in a word, exquisite. The photo quality and clarity is as good or better than any book of photographs I've read to date. The photos are absolutely stunning and will be greatly enjoyed by any classic film fan.

Vieira combines the photographs with a detailed narrative telling not only Hurrell's own story, but placing his work in the context of Hollywood history.

I found details about the photographic sessions themselves particularly interesting; for example, a 1937 photo of William Powell, taken in the wake of Jean Harlow's death, takes on additional depth when one realizes the extent of Powell's grief. It's a moving photograph.

This lovely book melds art with film history and thus can be enjoyed on multiple levels. It would make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone who loves classic movies.

GEORGE HURRELL'S HOLLYWOOD is 398 glossy pages including bibliography and index. I did note that some of the indexing I checked out did not match up with the pages and wondered if the page numbers listed were inadvertently held over from the earlier edition.

It's a heavy softcover book which weighs in at about four pounds. The foreword is by actress Sharon Stone.

My previous reviews of books by Mark A. Vieira: MAJESTIC HOLLYWOOD: THE GREATEST FILMS OF 1939; INTO THE DARK: THE HIDDEN WORLD OF FILM NOIR, 1941-1950; and WARNER BROS.: 100 YEARS OF STORYTELLING.

I also own and have enjoyed Vieira's books HARLOW IN HOLLYWOOD (cowritten with Darrel Rooney) and FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD.

GEORGE HURRELL'S HOLLYWOOD is recommended.

Thanks to TCM and Running Press for providing a review copy of this book.

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