Author & film historian Joseph McBride returns to discuss his latest book, “Frankly: Unmasking Capra” which tells the amazing story behind his getting his earlier biography of Capra published. This is another in a series of conversations with McBride about the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Author & film historian Joseph McBride returns to discuss his latest book, “Frankly: Unmasking Capra” which tells the amazing story behind his getting his earlier biography of Capra published. This is another in a series of conversations with McBride about the Golden Age of Hollywood.
[5 mins. 55 secs.] The author & film historian Joseph McBride returns. He was last on Episode 562 discussing his book “How Did Lubitsch Do It?“. He’s back with a new book, “Frankly: Unmasking Frank Capra” which recounts his traumatic years trying to publish his warts and all biography about Frank Capra with Random House, only to be sabotaged by his editor and by the key holder to the Capra archives at Wesleyan University. This book is both astounding and compelling. Purchase a copy here.
McBride’s 1992 biography “Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success” was described by Barry Gewen in The New York Times Book Review as “Masterly, comprehensive, and frequently surprising.” What readers did not know then was how arduous it was to reveal the hidden truth about this iconic American figure. While McBride was researching and writing for more than seven years, he was fighting a pitched legal battle with his original publisher and allies of the celebrated film director. “Frankly: Unmasking Frank Capra” is the author’s revealing, harrowing, often darkly comical account of that Kafkaesque but ultimately successful struggle.
