Bette Davis Black and White

Book cover of Bette Davis Black and White

Book description

Bette Davis was not only one of Hollywood's brightest stars, but also one of its most outspoken advocates on matters of race. In Bette Davis Black and White, Julia A. Stern explores this largely untold facet of Davis's brilliant career.

Bette Davis Black and White analyzes four of Davis's best-known…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Bette Davis Black and White as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Emily Carman

Author

I love this book’s blend of author self-reflection and fandom of the late great Bette Davis’s star persona and career alongside her civil rights advocacy and onscreen acting with African American actors in the 1930s and 1940s. Julia Stern contextualizes Hollywood’s troubling representation of African Americans onscreen that often accompanied Davis’ own proto-feminist iconic performances in films like Jezebel, The Little Foxes, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.

At the same time, she devotes analysis to the forgotten but riveting anti-racist film, This Our Life, directed by John Huston. With powerful performances from Black actors Hattie McDaniel and…

From Emily's list on women in 20th century Hollywood.