Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of The Girls in the Picture

The Girls in the Picture
reviewed on + 1437 more book reviews


This is certainly a novel for classic movie lovers. Featuring Mary Pickford, actress, and Frances Marion, screenwriter, the book follows the women throughout their lives. Driven by different goals. each is portrayed with the realism that greets women who pursue careers in a male dominated industry. Their lives were at first closely linked but as Frances became known for her writing talent their lives diverged.

Mary's fans saw her as a curly haired child, an image she clung to desperately throughout her life. She had been on the stage since she was eight, taking taking care of her family. Frances was more realistic, understanding that her career could grow through ups and downs. She recognized, too, the value of maintaining a personal life, sometimes distancing herself from work..

It's an entertaining read that examines lifelong friendship, careers, and life itself. The story also provides a provocative indepth view of the movie industry of the time.