Brooks on Books: "Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy"

I've enjoyed Leonard Maltin's work for years, whether it be his short "1 to 10 scale" movie reviews on "Entertainment Tonight" back in the day, his appearances on numerous DVDs telling us not to write angry letters because a cartoon character says "damn," or his widely used Movie Guides. with the two-sentence summaries.

Well, I had a bit of a falling out with Mr. Maltin's guides when they started dumping older movies (and unfortunately, his so-called "Classic Movie Guide" doesn't do much better; tons of stuff airing on TCM doesn't even make it to THAT book), but the man compensates with "Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy," a compilation of material from his newsletter of the same name. It's a fun book, difficult to put down, and a real treat for classic movie lovers.

One of the enjoyable things about this collection of interviews, articles, and photos is its breadth. In these pages are discussions with actors, cinematographers, and composers. You'll read about the connection between sheet music and early cinema. You get discussions of animation, westerns, and silents. There's even some Old-Time Radio stuff here. The personalities covered in the book range from legends like Barbara Stanwyck to lesser-known actresses like Grace Bradley Boyd (perhaps better known today as Hopalong Cassidy's widow).

Maltin originally wrote these pieces for his newsletter, and his style reflects a friendly kinship with his readers, who he knows must be some hardcore buffs. It's fun to read Leonard "let his hair down" and confess to finally seeing obscure 1942 film "Johnny Doughboy," as he puts it, "Thanks to a bootleg tape (ssshhhhh!)"

I enjoyed all the interviews (Robert Young is a surprisingly candid and entertaining subject), but I think my favorite sections in the book are essays on subjects like "lost" films and the traveling road shows used by studios to promote movies like "Dodge City" and "42nd Street." It's all illustrated with great stills and publicity photos and supplemented with some really cool pics of classic movie memorabilia. "Movie Crazy" is a visually appealing book as well as a great read.

It's fun reading the book and just coming across bits of info about your favorite personalities. I was delighted to come across multiple references to Cultureshark favorites like Wallace Beery, Dick Powell, the Ritz Brothers, and The Boys (Sorry, L&H fans, but that's how we refer to Wheeler and Woolsey around these parts).

I have only two minor gripes about "Movie Crazy": No index. I read it cover to cover and found those references to some of my favorites, but it would be nice to not have hunt for them in the future. The other problem is the binding. This is a thick paperback, which makes for a good value, but after one reading, I fear the book won't hold up to many more.

Movie buffs will find a lot to enjoy in this one. I highly recommend "Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy."