Some Versions of Cary Grant

James Naremore, our foremost expert on film acting, has given us a kaleidoscopic survey of the allure of Hollywood's dazzling prince. Always sensitive to each film's historical context and production circumstances, Naremore analyzes how Grant deployed gesture, expression, posture, vocal delivery—all the tools in the actor's kit—to generate unforgettable crazy comedy and somber drama. His supple crouch and pivot, his unpredictable facial reactions, and the fine shading he brings to a line or a look come to resemble the signature brushstrokes of a master painter. Not least, Naremore shows how Grant generously calibrated his performance to blend with the contributions of other players. Some Versions of Cary Grant is a model of nuanced, witty analysis and an admiring appreciation of one of cinema's greatest artists * David Bordwell, Jacques Ledoux Emeritus Professor of Film Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison *
James Naremore's rare and dazzling ability to analyze the subtleties of screen acting makes this study of what he shows to be the surprisingly rich persona of Cary Grant an engrossing, enlightening, and entertaining read. * Joseph McBride, author of biographies of FrankCapra, John Ford, and Steven Spielberg and critical studies of Orson Welles, Ernst Lubitsch, and Billy Wilder *