The Flickers and the City of Angels
By Hilary A. Hallett
University of California Press, $ 29.95, 314 pages
Hilary Hallett’s Go West Young Women! chronicles and dissects the rise of LA and Hollywood as the movie capitol of the world and the growing pains it experienced along the way. Part one of the book breaks down how Hollywood became the center of the movie industry and what, in particular, attracted women to Hollywood. The second part of the book chronicles the scandals and growing pains of Hollywood once the industry was established, including a reaction against Jews, bohemianism, and sex scandals.
This history is written in an academic style, and unless the reader is a true devotee of the early silent film era, it won’t be light reading. However, scholars of the period, and particularly those who are interested in the changing role of women in the early 20th century, will find this text enlightening and not overly filled with academic jargon.
Reviewed by Katie Richards
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