Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood

By Cari Beauchamp
 
Screenwriter Frances Marion (1888-1973) is the central subject of this excellent book, but mega-star Mary Pickford, journalist Adela Rogers St. Johns, bit-player-turned-gossip-columnist Hedda Hopper, and other high-powered female friends get nearly equal time. The author’s skillful mix of biography with Hollywood history results in a densely textured portrait of an industry in formation and the intelligent, ambitious women who seized the opportunities it offered them for creative expression and financial independence. Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood also instills new appreciation for the artistry of silent movies.