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Method : How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act by Isaac Butler (2022, Hardcover)

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About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherBloomsbury Publishing

ISBN-101635574773

ISBN-139781635574777

eBay Product ID (ePID)14050389832

Product Key Features

Book TitleMethod : How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act

Number of Pages512 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2022

TopicTheater / History & Criticism, Acting & Auditioning, Film / History & Criticism

IllustratorYes

GenrePerforming Arts

AuthorIsaac Butler

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.6 in

Item Weight31 Oz

Item Length9.6 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2021-044374

TitleLeadingThe

Reviews"Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Isaac Butler tells the epic story of how a Russian-born system of modern acting transformed American theater and cinema in a brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY " The Method vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS "Marvelous ... A vital book." -- Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." -- San Francisco Chronicle "A fascinating, backstage tour." -- NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Marvelous ... A vital book." -- Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "A fascinating, backstage tour." -- NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "What a production! ... A print-form master class in The Method . This comprehensive history of the great American acting style is the present and likely future standard-bearer for books on the subject." -- Shelf Awareness "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Butler is the perfect guide-brilliant, insightful, and slyly funny-through the long life of contemporary performance. The Method , like its subject, is forceful, restless, and, above all, real." -- Vinson Cunningham, theater critic, The New Yorker "Delicious, humane, probing, and beautifully researched, [ The Method is] a cultural history that reaches beyond its immediate subject to point at the currents moving under America herself." -- Vulture "A brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY "Riveting and comprehensive. A narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES " The Method is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "Vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "A rich, rollicking dive into one of the most influential philosophies of the century, The Method. Tracing a century of schisms, experiments, breakthroughs, and breakdowns, Butler brings to life the desperate, sometimes dark struggle to turn acting into a science and a faith." -- Emily Nussbaum, author of I LIKE TO WATCH "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Butler is the perfect guide-brilliant, insightful, and slyly funny-through the long life of contemporary performance. The Method , like its subject, is forceful, restless, and, above all, real." -- Vinson Cunningham, theater critic, The New Yorker "Aa brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY "Riveting and comprehensive. A narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES " The Method is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "Vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "A rich, rollicking dive into one of the most influential philosophies of the century, The Method. Tracing a century of schisms, experiments, breakthroughs, and breakdowns, Butler brings to life the desperate, sometimes dark struggle to turn acting into a science and a faith." -- Emily Nussbaum, author of I LIKE TO WATCH "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Isaac Butler tells the epic story of how a Russian-born system of modern acting transformed American theater and cinema in a brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY " The Method vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS "How did what we think of as great acting make the journey from Russia to America, from the 19th century to the 20th, from the classroom to the rehearsal room to the stage to the screen? In The Method , Isaac Butler charts this complex history brilliantly. His book is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "A riveting and comprehensive journey alongside some of the most influential artists to have ever created for the stage and screen. Isaac Butler reinstates humanity into the discourse surrounding the oft-misunderstood Method through a compelling narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES: THE BLACK ARTISTS WHO REWROTE THE RULES OF THE GREAT WHITE WAY "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews "Marvelous ... A vital book." -- Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." -- San Francisco Chronicle "A fascinating, backstage tour." -- NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "What a production! ... A print-form master class in The Method . This comprehensive history of the great American acting style is the present and likely future standard-bearer for books on the subject." -- Shelf Awareness "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Butler is the perfect guide-brilliant, insightful, and slyly funny-through the long life of contemporary performance. The Method , like its subject, is forceful, restless, and, above all, real." -- Vinson Cunningham, theater critic, The New Yorker "An excellent, thorough history of the preeminent school of American acting ... Butler has produced an essential study of this hugely influential theory and practice of American acting. This work should be in every collection of books on theater and film." -- Library Journal "Delicious, humane, probing, and beautifully researched, [ The Method is] a cultural history that reaches beyond its immediate subject to point at the currents moving under America herself." -- Vulture "Thoroughly engrossing ... Butler makes an airtight case for the Method as an artistic revolution on par with other mid-century advances." -- The Boston Globe "A brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY "Riveting and comprehensive. A narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES " The Method is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "Vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "A rich, rollicking dive into one of the most influential philosophies of the century, The Method. Tracing a century of schisms, experiments, breakthroughs, and breakdowns, Butler brings to life the desperate, sometimes dark struggle to turn acting into a science and a faith." -- Emily Nussbaum, author of I LIKE TO WATCH "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" - Nathan Lane "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." - Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Isaac Butler tells the epic story of how a Russian-born system of modern acting transformed American theater and cinema in a brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and--of course--a keen eye for the dramatic." - Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY " The Method vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." - William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" - Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS "How did what we think of as great acting make the journey from Russia to America, from the 19th century to the 20th, from the classroom to the rehearsal room to the stage to the screen? In The Method , Isaac Butler charts this complex history brilliantly. His book is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny--rich with personalities and packed with insight." - Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "A riveting and comprehensive journey alongside some of the most influential artists to have ever created for the stage and screen. Isaac Butler reinstates humanity into the discourse surrounding the oft-misunderstood Method through a compelling narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." - Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES: THE BLACK ARTISTS WHO REWROTE THE RULES OF THE GREAT WHITE WAY "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." - Kirkus Reviews "Marvelous ... A vital book." - Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." - San Francisco Chronicle "A fascinating, backstage tour." - NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD, "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Marvelous ... A vital book." -- Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "A fascinating, backstage tour." -- NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "What a production! ... A print-form master class in The Method . This comprehensive history of the great American acting style is the present and likely future standard-bearer for books on the subject." -- Shelf Awareness "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Butler is the perfect guide-brilliant, insightful, and slyly funny-through the long life of contemporary performance. The Method , like its subject, is forceful, restless, and, above all, real." -- Vinson Cunningham, theater critic, The New Yorker "A brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY "Riveting and comprehensive. A narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES " The Method is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "Vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "A rich, rollicking dive into one of the most influential philosophies of the century, The Method. Tracing a century of schisms, experiments, breakthroughs, and breakdowns, Butler brings to life the desperate, sometimes dark struggle to turn acting into a science and a faith." -- Emily Nussbaum, author of I LIKE TO WATCH "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" -- Nathan Lane "What a production! ... A print-form master class in The Method . This comprehensive history of the great American acting style is the present and likely future standard-bearer for books on the subject." -- Shelf Awareness "A well-researched cultural history sure to please theater and film buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." -- Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Butler is the perfect guide-brilliant, insightful, and slyly funny-through the long life of contemporary performance. The Method , like its subject, is forceful, restless, and, above all, real." -- Vinson Cunningham, theater critic, The New Yorker "Delicious, humane, probing, and beautifully researched, [ The Method is] a cultural history that reaches beyond its immediate subject to point at the currents moving under America herself." - Vulture "A brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and-of course-a keen eye for the dramatic." -- Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY "Riveting and comprehensive. A narrative one doesn't simply read, but experiences ." -- Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES " The Method is erudite and deeply researched, but it's also vibrant, energetic, accessible, and often very funny-rich with personalities and packed with insight." -- Mark Harris, bestselling author of MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE and PICTURES AT A REVOLUTION "Vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." -- William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "A rich, rollicking dive into one of the most influential philosophies of the century, The Method. Tracing a century of schisms, experiments, breakthroughs, and breakdowns, Butler brings to life the desperate, sometimes dark struggle to turn acting into a science and a faith." -- Emily Nussbaum, author of I LIKE TO WATCH "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" -- Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS, "Elegantly written, filled with remarkable detail and incisive commentary, Isaac Butler's sweeping historical epic is the literary equivalent of an irresistible binge-watch, propelled by emotional twists and turns, surprising cliffhangers, and a cast of the greatest actors, directors, writers, and teachers of the last two centuries. The fact that he has done all that while also writing what I think is the best and most important book about acting I've ever read is a major achievement. This is an essential book for anyone in the acting profession as well as for anyone who's ever wondered 'How did they learn all those lines?'" - Nathan Lane "An intoxicating mix of history, illuminating character studies, delicious gossip, and a persuasive and revelatory argument about how the Method has been used, abused, and misunderstood. Essential reading, glorious reading." - Megan Abbott, screenwriter and bestselling author of THE TURNOUT "Isaac Butler tells the epic story of how a Russian-born system of modern acting transformed American theater and cinema in a brilliant book that brims with exuberance, compassion and--of course--a keen eye for the dramatic." - Glenn Frankel, author of SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY " The Method vividly recreates a fascinating moment of time, filled with creativity, rivalry, artistry, and absurdity, that profoundly transformed American film and theater, with reverberations still being felt today." - William J. Mann, author of THE CONTENDER: THE STORY OF MARLON BRANDO "Isaac Butler has turned a brilliant concept into a compulsively readable cultural history that's truly unique. I was entertained and enlightened!" - Julie Salamon, author of THE DEVIL'S CANDY and WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS "Marvelous ... A vital book." - Washington Post, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD "[ The World Only Spins Forward ] conveys, on a granular level, the determination, heartbreak and competitive fire that go into making great theater." - San Francisco Chronicle "A fascinating, backstage tour." - NPR, on THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal792.028

SynopsisNational Book Critics Circle Award Winner, Nonfiction NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2022 BY THE NEW YORKER , TIME MAGAZINE , SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE , VOX, SALON, LIT HUB, AND VANITY FAIR "Entertaining and illuminating."-- The New Yorker * "Compulsively readable."-- New York Times * "Delicious, humane, probing."-- Vulture * "The best and most important book about acting I've ever read."--Nathan Lane The critically acclaimed cultural history of Method acting-an ebullient account of creative discovery and the birth of classic Hollywood. On stage and screen, we know a great performance when we see it. But how do actors draw from their bodies and minds to turn their selves into art? What is the craft of being an authentic fake? More than a century ago, amid tsarist Russia's crushing repression, one of the most talented actors ever, Konstantin Stanislavski, asked these very questions, reached deep into himself, and emerged with an answer. How his "system" remade itself into the Method and forever transformed American theater and film is an unlikely saga that has never before been fully told. Now, critic and theater director Isaac Butler chronicles the history of the Method in a narrative that transports readers from Moscow to New York to Los Angeles, from The Seagull to A Streetcar Named Desire to Raging Bull . He traces how a cohort of American mavericks--including Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and the storied Group Theatre--refashioned Stanislavski's ideas for a Depression-plagued nation that had yet to find its place as an artistic powerhouse. The Group's feuds and rivalries would, in turn, shape generations of actors who enabled Hollywood to become the global dream-factory it is today. Some of these performers the Method would uplift; others, it would destroy. Long after its midcentury heyday, the Method lives on as one of the most influential--and misunderstood--ideas in American culture. Studded with marquee names--from Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, and Elia Kazan, to James Baldwin, Ellen Burstyn, and Dustin Hoffman-- The Method is a spirited history of ideas and a must-read for any fan of Broadway or American film., From the coauthor of The World Only Spins Forward comes the first cultural history of Method acting--an ebullient account of creative discovery and the birth of classic Hollywood.

LC Classification NumberPN2062.B88 2022