Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 298
•
Trim: 7¼ x 10½
978-1-4422-7824-0 • Hardback • May 2017 • $62.00 • (£48.00)
978-1-4422-7825-7 • eBook • May 2017 • $58.50 • (£45.00)
James Roots is Executive Director of the Canadian Association of the Deaf. A book reviewer for more than twenty years, he has written frequently on silent film, especially comedy. He is the author of The 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014).
Compiling 'best of' lists is often a tricky business (there are bound to be objections to inclusions as well as omissions), but less so when the compiler explains the criteria used. In this case, Roots very clearly states his: 'It’s a book of films that made me laugh and that ought to make you laugh, too.' For each of the films listed, he provides a concise summary including synopsis, cast, critical evaluation, commentary, and availability. The coverage is broad and extends not only to Hollywood productions but also to films from Russia, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. Featured titles represent the work of more than 70 silent film comedians, from Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd to Snub Pollard and Jack Duffy and dozens more. A worthwhile addition to film and performing-arts collections.
— Booklist
Roots follows his 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians with this sequel treating the comedies themselves. The author remarks that some films made him laugh out loud (not just smile—a film must pass what he calls the ‘laugh test’), and most such productions are discussed. Films covered are of various styles and lengths, and entries list the director(s), writer(s), cast, running time, and availability (distribution company and format—VHS or DVD), and each includes a synopsis, a commentary, and bonus trivia information. Little-known and major silent-film actors are discussed, e.g., Brit Stan Laurel and American Oliver Hardy, heavy Roscoe Arbuckle and his petite partner Mabel Normand, Buster Keaton, John Barrymore, Edna Purviance, and many others. One name familiar to many is Charlie Chapman, who is discussed for his contributions as actor, writer, and director. Background information is invariably insightful and interesting. For instance, Laurel and Hardy's famous lengthy pie scene in Battle of the Century (1927) required the destruction of 3,000 pies; Rudolph Valentino's casting as a decidedly against-type all-American boy in All Night is treated with humor and insight. Roots's love for the silent-film genre is definitely evident in this well-researched, appealing book.
Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
— Choice Reviews