The Journalism & Mass Communications Quarterly Review highlights:

"One of the many strengths of this book is Saltzman's writing style. Like good journalism, the writing here is straightforward and clear. The result is a book that is accessible to both students and others interested in film, Capra, the image of the journalist in popular culture, or any combination of the three.

"Academics will find it a valuable resource, especially if teaching a course that examines the image of the journalist, a Capra course, or even a film genres course. In the latter case, the book offers professors an ideal opportunity to supplement genre-based texts in an unexpected way. What Saltzman cleverly does here is show how the journalist, like the gangster or hard-boiled detective...navigates his way through the urban milieu and represents another version of a 'cultural middle man.' Further he elevates the "journalist genre" to the ranks of other, more recognized genres like the gangster or detective, replete with its own codes, conventions, characters, and cliches, and clearly explains how Capra and his collaborators solidified and refined them...."

"Lastly, do not overlook Saltzman's endnotes, which include interesting production notes, additional analysis, comments on and evaluation of his resources, and other useful information. In short, the book could supplement a variety of courses and is an important resource."

"The first book of the IJPC project, Frank Capra and the Image of the Journalist in American Film, sets a precedent of excellence in scholarship, writing, and readability, serving academics, students, and film aficionados alike. Its attractive design, including full-page stills, will hopefully be retained for future entries in the series...."

"Frank Capra and the Image of the Journalist in American Film" is the first publication of The Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture (IJPC), a project of the Norman Lear Center, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California. For more information, please see our Web site [web page] Publisher: Norman Lear Center, USC Annenberg, 218 pages including 25 photographs.

Critical acclaim for "Frank Capra and the Image of the Journalist in American Film":

"A dandy new book that recalls an area of his moviemaking not often cited." - Howard Rosenberg, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Critic, Los Angeles Times.

"Here is real scholarship and original research presented in a wonderfully readable style. Joe Saltzman's book will be consulted for many years to come by film buffs and media scholars alike. I was hooked from the very first page." -- Leonard Maltin, Film Critic-Historian, "Entertainment Tonight."

"(This book)is indispensable to any student of the American journalist, the mythical as well as the real one." -- Loren Ghiglione, Dean, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University.

"Saltzman shows that we could reconstruct most of American journalism, at least as it existed in the middle decades of the twentieth century, through Capra's work. Saltzman convincingly demonstrates that the journalist in his films is the link between the private and public spaces of life - and that negotiating that gap between the heart and the mind, our souls and our jobs, the personal and the professional realms, is the challenge of journalism." -- Ray Carney, Professor of Film and American Studies and Director of the Film Studies Program, Boston University. General Editor: The Cambridge Film Classics Author, "The Films of Frank Capra."

"Although much has been written about Frank Capra's influence on American society, little of this attention has focused on Capra's treatment of that most foundational and fundamental of American institutions, the Fourth Estate. Joe Saltzman corrects that oversight with his carefully researched examination of
the depiction of the press in Capra's films. Saltzman's work, particularly his discussion of several lesser-known films by the director, is a significant contribution, not only to Capra scholarship, but to film and journalism studies." -- Richard R. Ness, Author of "From Headline Hunter to Superman: A Journalism Filmography."

"Joe Saltzman has written a lively and comprehensive account of filmmaker Frank Capra's contribution to the image of the journalist in popular culture." -- Howard Good, Author of "Girl Reporter" and "The Drunken Journalist," State University of New York at New Paltz.

In "Frank Capra and the Image of the Journalist in American Film, author Joe Saltzman looks at the colorful gallery of journalists created by director Capra and his writers who were responsible for much of what Americans thought they knew about their newsgatherers in the twentieth century. Capra's familiar "Stop the Presses!" images still focus our thinking today - the energetic, opportunistic reporter who would do anything for a scoop; the cynical big-city newspaper editor committed to getting the story first; the sarcastic sob sister trying desperately to outdo her male competition; and the morally bankrupt, ruthless media baron who uses the power of the press for his or her own ends. From 'The Power of the Press,' through 'It Happened On Night,' 'Meet John Doe,' and 'State of the Union,' Saltzman shows how the Capra films influenced the public's perception of who and what journalists are all about. an influence that continues to this day."

Jeanine Basinger has put together the definitive collection of primary source information available about "It's a Wonderful Life."

Anybody who considers him or herself a "Lifer" (a fan of the movie, usually an extreme fan such as myself) needs to purchase this book.

Almost everything you want to know is in here, from the original story the film was based on to interviews with Stewart, an introduction by Capra, pictures galore, the final script, script revisions, notes about suggested censorship, and much, much more.

There is even information in here you wouldn't even think about asking. An example is the name of the "stars in charge." One is named Joseph. What is the name of the other galxy (Hint: The answer isn't God).

I often get e-mails asking me questions about the film. If I don't have the answer, this is the first book I pick up. Of the many times I've been asked questions, I have always found the answer in this book.

This is the ultimate IAWL reference.

Could it be possible that a book written about the most inspirational American film of all time do justice to it? The answer is a resounding "YES!". Jeanine Basinger's "The It's a Wonderful Life Book" is the ultimate tribute to the film that Jimmy Stewart, Frank Capra and millions of people all over the world call their favorite of all time.

Diving into the archives of Frank Capra to tell the evolution of the movie from cradle to grave (though it will never die!), Ms. Basinger manages to tell the story with such sincerety, fascination and charm that you get the feeling that everything surrounding the movie was just as wonderful as the final product! Best of all, the details of the making of the movie are so vivid that you almost start to feel that YOU WERE THERE!

The first thing you realize as you read the story of IAWL is that is was a really big movie from the gitgo. That is, Mr. Capra had high aspirations for it and did EVERYTHING in his power to make it his greatest and lasting achievement (little argument here) and that Hollywood was watching.

Fans may know that the story started as a Christmas card called "The Greatest Gift" which finally found its way into Mr. Capra's hands where, after many writes and re-writes into a script, got the Capra touch transforming it into his baby. Then casting began with each actor painstakingly chosen to be the perfect person for each particular character.

Anecdotes abound, starting with Capra's embarrassingly jumbled explanation of the storyline while recruiting Stewart. (Fortunately, all Jimmy needed to hear was that Frank wanted him.) Then we hear the one about Stewart's shattered confidence in acting which is restored when Lionel Barrymore pulls him aside for a peptalk. Finally, We're told that the famous phone scene where George kisses Mary was done in a single take AND THAT TWO PAGES OF DIALOGUE WERE SKIPPED! (Capra saw the magic and said "Print it!").

We also learn some fascinating facts about the production such as the 300-yard long set which made Bedford Falls' Main Street and how a record-breaking heat wave took place during the shooting of the snow scenes (in which a new technology was developed for making more realistic-looking snow which won the crew an honorable mention at the Oscars!). Other incredible details are too vast to mention - you've gotta read it for yourself!

The book is worth it if just to learn all of these amazing facts. Most amazing, though, is the LOVE that the two driving forces put into this film culminating in a "Capraesque" out-of-this-world PICNIC for the cast and crew.

The picnic's panoramic photo, which manages to miraculously include these guys on either end of the crowd (they ran behind as the cameraman slowly panned from left to right) typifies not only the ubiquitousness which Capra had to have to make IAWL a reality, but also how we can never seem to get enough of our lifetime friend, George Bailey.

For more than 20 years, I relied on Schickel for guidance when determining which films to see; also, for gaining a better understanding of the films I had seen. In this volume, he provides interviews with eight great directors: Hitchcock, Capra, Minimill, Cukor, Hawks, Wellman, Vidor, and Walsh. In recent weeks, I have also read Robert J. Emery's two The Directors (Take One and Take Two) and Bogdanovich's Who the Devil Made It which also offer interviews and conversations with various great directors. Don't worry about duplications; that is, what Cukor, Hawks, Hitchcock, Walsh, and Wellman have to say. Bogdanovich, Emery, and Schickel have different questions to ask, different nuances of film making to explore, and approach the directors from quite different perspectives. The responses they obtain from the same directors differ. For that reason, I strongly urge fellow film buffs to purchase all of these volumes. The order in which they are read is unimportant.

What differentiates Schickel from Bogdanovich and Emery is the fact that, for many years, he wrote film reviews for Time magazine and thus had an immense audience with which to share his opinions about more than a thousand films. Also, he is the author of more than 20 books about film making which include biographies of Marlon Brando, Cary Brando, and James Cagney. Over the years, he has earned and richly deserves his reputation as one of the most thoughtful and knowledgeable of film authorities. In this volume, he interacts with eight of the greatest film directors. At no time does he seem intimidated by them nor does he ever disrupt the flow of information exchanged with self-serving observations. He guides each director into subject areas which are probably of great interest to most film buffs but he also allows each director to ramble, digress, etc. when reminiscing or when sharing specific opinions about films and actors with whom they were associated. Sure, there is some delicious gossip. And yes, some insights not otherwise available. However, for the most part, Schickel sets up various subjects and then allows each director (many of them a personal friend) to proceed wherever he may wish, at whatever pace he may prefer. His brilliant orchestration of responses ensures their scope and depth. That is to say, he did not merely turn on the recorder and then let each of the eight take it from there. On his reader's behalf, Schickel remains actively involved, indeed engaged in the exchange of information but at no time is intrusive. Within its genre, this is indeed a "classic."

This film critic's survey of eight of Hollywood's finest directors and their works uses the interview process to explore the work of American filmmakers over the last decades. Hitchcock, Capra, Cuckor and others share their achievements in a revealing set of interviews covering special challenges and observations.

This is no word for this book. It's touching, but still funny. The story teaches that the world is a better place with you than without you. Read this book when life isn't good, for it's very soothing. You will get a laugh too. This is a five star, two thumbs up book. That's why I highly recommend it!

"Meet John Doe" is the third and most ambitious film in the celebrated trilogy of socio-political dramas directed by Frank Capra following "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." Once again Capra uses Gary Cooper as his lead character, placing him at the center of a most interesting political crisis: the threat of a fascist coup by a media tycoon. Unlike the simplicity of the first two films in the trilogy, both Long John Willoughby/John Doe and Ann Mitchell are decidedly more complex figures, so much so that it made a comic ending to the film impossible.

In is introductory essay, Charles Wolfe reconstructs the history of the film, looking particularly at its problematic ending. We then have complete transcript of the finished film, which includes extensive annotations concerning original script material. This book also provides the various endings scripted for the film, which were published here for the first time. The rest of this volume consists of reports and recollections by Capra, five contemporary newspaper and magazine reviews of "Meet John Doe," and three commentaries: Richard Glatzer's "'Meet John Doe': An End to Social Mythmaking"; Dudley Andrew's "Productive Discord in the System: Hollywood 'Meets John Doe'"; and Nick Browne's "System of Production/System of Representation: Industry Context and Ideological Form in Capra's 'Meet John Doe.'"

"It's a Wonderful Life" remains the quintessential Capracorn film, but "Meet John Doe" certainly holds up well in comparison. The darkness of the final sections anticipates George Bailey's descent into the hell of a world in which he has never been born and goes far beyond the symbolic crucifixions of Jeb Smith's impeachment and Longfellow Deed's insanity hearing. When "John" reads the speech Ann has written for him, it is not only a transforming moment for both of their characters, it is arguably the clearest articulation of Capra's beliefs about America. The Rutgers Film in Print series not only gives students a transcript of the film, it gives them a variety of critical perspectives without overwhelming them (as opposed to a Norton Reader edition of a classic book like "Madame Bovary"). Yes, it is necessary to screen the film, but there is something to be said for working with the script and focusing on the dialogue and plot rather than the actors and editing. In the end, this book makes a good case for "Meet John Doe" being THE Capra movie worthy of critical study by film students.

Frank Capra's superb autobiography provides loads of fascinating information about the film industry during a thriving period, when he was one of filmdom's most popular and successful figures, as well as about the mindset of this intriguing man of accomplishment. What is refreshing, along with his basic candor, is that despite his enormous success he retains a humble and highly humane touch.

Some of the most humorous anecdotes of "Name Above the Title" involve madcap, always colorful Columbia boss Harry Cohn, who took his Gower Street studio from the ranks of "Poverty Row" to the that of a giant. Capra helped significantly with box office smashes such as "It Happened One Night", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington","Lost Horizon" and "Meet John Doe." It took awhile, but the Capra film which has soared to top spot in the hearts and minds of the public was the 1946 release starring Jimmy Stewart, "It's a Wonderful Life." The star was so enthused about the story that he pitched it personally to Capra after driving over to his house. Capra relates the time that he begged Cohn not to drop a struggling young cartoonist from the Columbia payroll, predicting that he would be sorry. Capra was right as the cartoonist was a young, meek Iowa farm boy named Walt Disney.

One of Capra's great contributions was directing and producing the excellent World War Two documentary series "Why We Fight." He tells about being called into the office of Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, who asked him to undertake the project. "But I've never done a documentary!" a surprised Capra replied. Marshall pointed out that he had never run an army before either, and that the American way during the critical war period was for citizens to learn jobs with which they were previously unfamiliar. Capra saw Marshall's logic and the rest is history.

This autobiography is fascinating enough for the interesting information about Capra's life. What makes it even better is that you are reading the revelations of a good man who did his best to instill positive values into his films, and to help in his distinctive way to make America a better country.

To begin with, several adjectives to describe this wonderful book: 1.) candid, 2.) inspiring, 3.) poetic, 4.) instructional, 5.) spiritual, 6.) humanitarian, 7.) humorous, 8.) compassionate, 9.) courageous. From what I gather, it took Capra approximately three years to write this book, and what book it is. To be honest, this book is perhaps one of the best pieces of work we might ever have about the legendary director, the course of the twentieth century, and the people who have helped shape the film industry. This book demystifies the often deified directors, actors, moguls that ruled Hollywood during the golden age, reminding us of the universal bonds of humanity that link us all to each other. In many ways, it reads like a Frank Capra movie -- life-affirming to the end. For the younger generation (X'ers and Y'ers) who might question the values of their fathers' generation, this book is a must read. Underline this fact several times because when Capra takes you into his fold and shares his world, it is an experience you won't likely forget. Most history books seem to be written with a detached sense of objectivity from an supposedly impartial historian. The results of such labor is often an uninspiring book that keeps the reader at arm's length from the fascinating history, often boring the reader to no end. No so with Capra's autobiography. Capra reminds the reader that people are still simply people, no matter what generation, no matter which occupation. There are always going to be saints, martyrs, bullies, intellectuals, clowns, idiots in every walk of life. Such an example can be seen when Capra served in World War II and was privy to a touching moment with the great Admiral Nimitz. The old war hero had just come back from seeing three thousand men he had sent off to war -- some of them now without limbs, others without faces, yet all of them saluting him and thanking him from the bottom of their hearts. Nimitz broke down and wept, his shoulders so burdened by the sadness of his men's suffering. Hitting his desk over and over again the Admiral cursed the war with ever fiber in his being. After a brief moment to recompose himself Nimitz thanked Capra for being in the same room... allowing one tortured soul to connect and draw strength from another. Personally, it is easy to find yourself laughing when he laughs and crying when he cries. Like all classic works of literature, this book is so fresh in content, that it inspires the reader to look into his/her own heart and find the beating pulse of humanity and to take pride in the fact that one such as Capra was able to do so much through his films. I look forward to reading this book again and again. And perhaps, others will agree and do likewise.

I have never read such a fascinating auto-biogrophy. Frank Capra is not just a brillent directer, but a surprisingly good writer. Though it took him more then three years to write, THE NAME ABOVE THE TITLE was sure worth his time, and yours.

The around six-hundred page book covers Capra's life from his childhood as a Sicilian imagrent living in Los Angles to his retirement from film in the early 1970's. Early on you discover how important family was to Mr.Capra, and the impact that his father, mother, and dozen brothers and sisters had on him. I was also surprised to learn that as a youth Frank loathed this country. The book goes on to tell about Franks work as a gage writer for silent films, and how when he first signed-on with Columbia, the studio was considerd a joke.

There a number of major themes throughout the book, among them the importance of family and friends, patriotism, the changes in the Hollywood system, and the importance of a good storie. One thing I particularly enjoyed was to learn about the many diverse friends that Capra had, among them Russian-born composer Dimitri Tiomkin, space-telescope name-sack Erwin Hubble, and even Ted Gusile (better knowen as DR. Suess).

This wonderful book is so many things, it is the storie of Capra's life, it is fifty years of Hollywood history, and the bible of Frank Capras philosophy on life. If you are interested in any of these things, then read this book.

The screenplays in this collection range from golden age to relatively modern. They include:

All Quiet on the Western Front
Meet John Doe
Casablanca
Miracle on 34th Street
Rebel Without a Cause
Bonnie and Clyde
The Graduate
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Sounder
On Golden Pond
Arthur
The Candidate

It's also worth reading for the very entertaining and useful foreward by Frank Capra. Beware of only one thing: the typeface in this book is very tiny and takes some getting used to.

Worthwhile book for students of film and screenwriting.

One gets the same feeling finishing Frank Capra's autobiography The Name Above the Title as one does finishing a Capra film: thrilled with the zigs and zags of life and optimistic about one's own future.

But following up The Name Above The Title with Catastrophe of Success is akin to washing down Thanksgiving dinner with a rotten-egg-and-sour-grape smoothie. McBride has tainted a seven year odyssey of painstakingly documented research (175 interviews! weeks with Capra's personal papers! archive searches! FOIA releases! federal declassifications!) with an animosity uncommon in academics, at once vilifying Capra and his father while portraying those who loved and associated with Capra as selfless victims of Capra's insecurities, inner torments, and anticommunist political convictions.

In reading McBride, one senses that behind it all, there exists an even better story than the one McBride has scratched out from the voluminous source material. Why did McBride seek to so vehemently deconstruct what he called "the Capra myth," and soil the dignity of Capra's image by using such tactics as only quoting those interview passages in which his subject used expletives, or subjectively interpreting Capra's blinks and nods in a This Is Your Life episode as queasy squirming in the face of some underlying "irony"?

Was it because Capra declined to direct a made-for-TV sequel to It's A Wonderful Life, one which McBride hints he may have been involved in on page 644 of the paperback edition? Did Capra at one point step on McBride's toes as had done with so many insufferable fools?

McBride's perseverant scholarship is self-evident, yet his shamefully slanted execution degrades the whole presentation, making the book unreadable except to Capra enemies and eternal sourpusses. Readers are advised to reserve a second helping of "legend" for after the egg-and-grape "truth" sauce.

This was a disappointment. I don't like everything that Capra made ("Platinum Blonde" and "You Can't Take It With You" do nothing for me)but this book proved too much to take. It reads like a legal brief against Capra by a prosecuting attorney. Every action Capra undertakes is wrong. Every success Capra enjoys is really the work of someone else.

Shortly after reading "Catastrophe of Success," I read "Christmas in July" by Diane Jacobs, a biography of Preston Sturges. It was the difference between night and day. Jacobs seemed to enjoy her subject, and while she noted Sturges' personal failings, she didn't dwell on them or harp on them. Instead she focused on the films and why they worked (or didn't). If only McBride had done the same.

This book is an unholy surprise for any Capra film lover picking it up and expecting to read a warm-hearted tome about the greatest director of 1930s Hollywood. The author hates Capra, and to be fair he makes his case really well. It is sort of like Frank Capra is a china shop and the author goes into him with a baseball bat and vast damage on his mind. Nothing is left unbroken, not even Capra's reputation as a maker of great movies. Much of the credit for those masterpieces is shifted to Robert Riskin. This doesn't even come close to the hit that Capra the man takes, especially with the revelation he named names to federal Commie seekers. Guys like that never get off easy these days. But the most fascinating aspect of the book is how Frank Capra -- the All-American movie maker -- was hounded to prove his patriotism. And nothing worked. No wonder Capra was left so exasperated and bitter. The only good thing is he didn't have to read this book.