The Roar of the Crowd

Descripción

W.R. Burnett takes a break from his gritty noir fiction to basque in the world of Baseball from the point of view of an old timer, and it is a very pleasant season's opener, full of educated savvy, affection; humor. His "old timer" discusses all kinds of players; managers; umpires; the sportswriter (the average fan knows more); Ring Lardner -- the Shakespeare of baseball; bonuses; slumps; and some of the classic remarks that have been made on and off the field. Along with the illustrations by Russell Hoban and the introduction by Frankie Frisch, this should go right down the middle to any fan who has traded or flipped bubblegum cards. W.R. Burnett kept busy, producing a novel or more a year and turning most into screenplays (some as many as three times). Thematically Burnett was similar to Dashiell Hammett and James M. Cain but his contrasting of the corruption and corrosion of the city with the better life his characters yearned for, represented by the paradise of the pastoral, was fresh and original. He portrayed characters who, for one reason or another, fell into a life of crime. Once sucked into this life they were unable to climb out. They typically get one last shot at salvation but the oppressive system closes in and denies redemption. Burnett's characters exist in a world of twilight morality - virtue can come from gangsters and criminals, malice from guardians and protectors. Above all his characters are human and this could be their undoing. Burnett worked with many of the greats in acting and directing, including Raoul Walsh, John Huston, John Ford, Howard Hawks, Nicholas Ray, Douglas Sirk, Michael Cimino, John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Paul Muni, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood. Size: 8vo - over 7¾. N° de ref. del artículo km129zz

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