Frank Capra: A Life Sam Wasson

 When the great director Frank Capra received the AFI Lifetime Avhievement Award, he related how his Sicilian peasant parents kissed the ground of the Southern Pacific railroad station in Los Angeles after they arrived from New York. They still had a hard-scrabble life, though, and it was a tough rags-to-riches rise for their son, but he eventually achieved the ‘great American dream’.

Even after he worked himself through university, Capra found himself touring the country with swindlers to make money, but his true talent was eventually noticed, and he went on to make such wonderful films as Mr Smith Goes to Washington, and his greatest of all, It’s a Wonderful Life. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, making powerful propaganda and training films for the war effort, but he also informed on his colleagues during the McCarthy era. 

His personal life could also be difficult. Capra endured a divorce from his first wife who had taken to drink, and actually brought other men home. Her excuse was that he was often away. He had a wonderful second marriage, but they had to cope with the death of a son.

This is a brilliant and well-researched biography of my favourite film director, but it’s also extremely long, and incredibly detailed. It’s even quite moving at times. However, it’s not the best idea to read it on Kindle, I think —it’s just too long.

I received this free ebook from Edelweiss.plus in return for an honest review.