Discover the first book in French dedicated to one of Hollywood's greatest actresses, of unparalleled modernity and strength in 2026!
BARBARA STANWYCK, TOTAL AND OPAQUE
A book by Christian Viviani
13.5 cm x 19 cm | 200 pages (including photos)
ISBN: 979–10–93798–42-4
AFTER THE TRIUMPH OF THE RETROSPECTIVE DEDICATED TO HER AT THE LAST LA ROCHELLE CINÉMA FESTIVAL 2025, HERE IS THE BOOK DEDICATED TO THIS IMMENSE, STRONG AND INDEPENDENT ACTRESS.
From the beginning of her Hollywood career, Barbara Stanwyck asserted the presence of a hybrid status: that of the actress-star. Like Bette Davis, she was not (only) chosen for her physical attributes or her aura but also for her acting abilities.
Barbara Stanwyck is the equal of the great dramatic stars of her generation: Joan Crawford, Bette Davis or Katharine Hepburn. She collaborated closely with very great filmmakers, whose muse she sometimes even was: Frank Capra, William Wellman, Preston Sturges, Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder or Howard Hawks. And paradoxically, this immense actress, who commanded the admiration of the great and the devotion of the most discreet technicians, is to be rediscovered.
Instinctive, born in destitution, her life resembles an American legend, but, independent and proud, she asserted herself in roles of strong, even criminal, women, which resonate anew within the framework of her proclaimed feminism. Yet she also shone in comedy, melodrama or the western, which makes her the star who contributed most to the evolution of certain great genres. It is time for Barbara Stanwyck to reclaim her rightful place: at the top!
The monographs in the PERSONA Collection are dedicated to the detailed thematic and stylistic study of an actor's or actress's performance in films from various eras and cinematographies, from classic Hollywood cinema to contemporary French cinema. This collection aims to decipher the specificities of actors' and actresses' performances, but also to focus on the identity of their characters through a precise study of their characterizations and representations on screen, notably by relying on rich iconography composed of film stills.
Publication on June 23, 2026
