A fascinating novel of the friendship and creative partnership between two of Hollywood's earliest female legends--screenwriter Frances Marion and superstar Mary Pickford--from the New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue and The Aviator's Wife It is 1914, and twenty-five-year-old Frances Marion has left her (second) husband and her Northern California home for the lure of Los Angeles, where she is determined to live independently as an artist. But the word on everyone's lips these days is "flickers"--the silent moving pictures enthralling theatergoers. Turn any corner in this burgeoning town and you'll find made-up actors running around, as a movie camera captures it all. In this fledgling industry, Frances finds her true calling: writing stories for this wondrous new medium. She also makes the acquaintance of actress Mary Pickford, whose signature golden curls and lively spirit have given her the title of America's Sweetheart. The two ambitious young women hit it off instantly, their kinship fomented by their mutual fever to create, to move audiences to a frenzy, to start a revolution. But their ambitions are challenged both by the men around them and the limitations imposed on their gender--and their astronomical success could come at a price. As Mary, the world's highest paid and most beloved actress, struggles to live her life under the spotlight, she also wonders if it is possible to find love, even with the dashing actor Douglas Fairbanks. Frances, too, longs to share her life with someone. As in any good Hollywood story, dramas will play out, personalities will clash, and even the deepest friendships might be shattered. With cameos from such notables as Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer, Rudolph Valentino, and Lillian Gish, The Girls in the Picture is, at its heart, a story of friendship and forgiveness. Melanie Benjamin perfectly captures the dawn of a glittering new era--its myths and icons, its possibilities and potential, and its seduction and heartbreak.
Review
When I started The Girls in the Picture my knowledge of Mary Pickford was slim to none and Frances Marion even less so. Like the women in the novel, I was going into uncharted territory.
In the era of #Metoo a novel about women being discriminated against because of their sex and not potential could not be more timely. I enjoyed reading about how these two women (mainly Frances) climbed a ladder that was predominantly men. The struggles of not being taken seriously and blatant dismissals were insightful.
Mary Pickford was like a lost lamb. She was constantly trying to find a way to jump over the fence but yet could never make the vault. Mary's antics of playing jacks on set, and wanting to forever stay in Neverland were amusing. However, she unfortunately skipped the training bra and moved directly into a push-up. She begins a relationship with Douglas Fairbanks, a married man. This only shows her desperate need to mature and a lack of direction on how to do so.
I much preferred Frances' story. She knew her self-worth and strove to get a high-powered writing career. This did not happen of course without a few slips up the ladder both personal and professional. Where France really shines is when she decides to pursue journalism during WWI. It gives her a look into cruelty and shows her resilience to overcome obstacles. Thus, she proves that women do have a place and can equally contribute to issues besides "What's for dinner?"
Where The Girls in the Picture really shines is when these two forces of nature join together. Melanie Benjamin did a wonderful job showing the ups and downs of this camaraderie and gives a clear picture of the change in Hollywood where not only the pictures learned to talk.
This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews
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19 January, 2018:
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19 January, 2018:
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