A Fine Romance: Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in the Studio System Era

A Fine Romance: Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in the Studio System Era explores the symbiotic relationship between Broadway musicals and their Hollywood film adaptations, examining the critical criteria and dramatic consequences of these artistic and commercial choices. It engages with aesthetic and critical concerns, as well as social issues around race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual identity. The romance between Broadway and Hollywood was often turbulent, with conflicting and harmonious collaborations, attempts at economic and artistic domination, and occasional broken promises.

Format: Hardback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

A Fine Romance: Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in the Studio System Era is a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between a dozen Broadway musicals and their Hollywood film adaptations. Authored by Geoffrey Block, this book delves into the examination of some of the most beloved and celebrated stage and screen musicals of all time, including enduring classics such as Oklahoma!, Brigadoon, and West Side Story, as well as lesser-known gems like Cabin in the Sky, Call Me Madam, and Silk Stockings.

Block takes readers on a journey through the process of transferring stories from the stage to the silver screen, exploring the critical criteria that drive decisions to alter or preserve stage elements when adapting to film. He also delves into the dramatic and musical consequences of these artistic and commercial choices, engaging with aesthetic and critical concerns while also considering the social issues surrounding Broadway and Hollywood film through the lenses of race and ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual identity.

The romance between Broadway and Hollywood was a complex and often turbulent affair, characterized by differing commercial and aesthetic models, goals, and conflicting collaborations. Attempts at economic and artistic domination, irreconcilable differences, and occasional broken promises ensued. However, there were also instances where the screen and stage creative teams aligned, resulting in well-crafted, highly admired, and frequently breathtaking films.

Throughout A Fine Romance, Block provides a rich and detailed analysis of the adaptations, exploring the creative processes, artistic choices, and commercial considerations that shaped these cinematic interpretations of Broadway musicals. He sheds light on the challenges and opportunities faced by filmmakers and theater artists in translating the essence of a stage production to the big screen, and highlights the ways in which these adaptations have both influenced and reflected the changing cultural landscape of the United States.

In conclusion, A Fine Romance is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of theater and film, offering a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the symbiotic relationship between Broadway and Hollywood. Through its engaging narrative, critical analysis, and consideration of social issues, this book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the artistic and cultural significance of these two mediums.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197501733