Hollywood Bohemians by Brett Abrams: A Review

by Brett L. Abrams

Publisher: McFarland, August, 2008

Genre: Nonfiction, Film History, Gender Studies

ISBN: 978-0786439294

Price/Format: $39.95, softcover, 256 pages with 20 photographs

Publisher's bookpage: www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-3929-4

Author's blog: www.bla2222.wordpress.com

Commentary by Rachel Boehm

Historian & archivist Brett L. Abrams dug deep into Hollywood's past to uncover the truth behind early Hollywood's titillating façade. Throughout the 1920's and 1930's the typical American home consisted of a housewife, her breadwinner husband, and their two children, not including the picket fence and family dog. Simultaneously during this era, the Hollywood press machine was churning out stories with photographs highlighting the sexual abandon of its stars. How did the two exist side by side?

Through his research, Abrams discovered that average Americans, and especially bored housewives, were curious about sexuality and the lascivious behavior of their favorite Hollywood celebrities. The allure the media gave to these stars further captivated the attention of their ever increasing fan base. Some of this coverage was mostly fact, some mostly fiction. Although the lifestyle of a Hollywood Bohemian was opposite that of a traditional American, stories from tinseltown were devoured by the American public.

In Hollywood Bohemians: Transgressive Sexuality and the Selling of the Movieland Dream, Abrams notes that "those who crossed society's sexual boundaries existed as much in Hollywood promotional material as in real life." Two cases in point still captivating the public today are Clark Gable's affair with Carole Lombard, and Spencer Tracy's affairs with Loretta Young and Katharine Hepburn.

While adulterous behavior was being condemned in mainstream American communities, the same behavior was exemplified and rewarded in Hollywood. Sometimes the faithful spouse was even made a scapegoat and blamed for keeping the new lovers apart. The spin given to Hollywood's wild side generated sympathy along with captivation. This type of coverage made Hollywood appear more unique, more unattainable, and more desirable. Celebrities were heralded in the media as having lucrative careers, but were not branded as immoral despite their unconventional sex lives. The bohemians exemplified the far edge of the day's pop culture.

Abrams links the handling of early Hollywood by studio PR firms and the mass media with entertainment industry press coverage today. Being cool, cutting edge, and seductive has always lured audiences and generated revenues. The Hollywood Bohemians that Abrams details were the forerunners of today's entertainment media frenzy. They were the first wave of celebrities to be promoted as much for their sexual behavior as for their talent. They are representative of the first systematic effort at mass media marketing.