{"product_id":"christmas-in-july-the-life-and-art-of-preston-sturges-a-film","title":"Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges - A Film","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges, Diane Jacobs offers the first full critical biography aimed at readers who care about Hollywood's golden age and the craft of screen comedy. The book is for film students, serious classic cinema fans, and anyone curious about the creative life behind such comedies as The Lady Eve and Sullivan's Travels. Jacobs combines newly revealed letters and manuscripts with interviews, producing a portrait that explains why Sturges remains a singular figure in American film history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnpublished letters and manuscripts:\u003c\/strong\u003e Jacobs uses previously unreleased primary material to illuminate Sturges's writing process and private life, adding depth to familiar stories about his films.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal interviews:\u003c\/strong\u003e The author interviewed people who knew Sturges, including three of his wives, which provides firsthand perspectives on his personality and contradictions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilm analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Major works like The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, and The Palm Beach Story are discussed in context, helping readers understand Sturges's contributions to screwball comedy and satire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNewly uncovered work:\u003c\/strong\u003e Jacobs examines little-known and heretofore unpublished projects, showing Sturges remained creatively active near the end of his life.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCritical biography format:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book combines biography and film criticism, making it useful both as a narrative life story and as a reference for scholarly or teaching use.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis biography is best for film historians, graduate students, and devoted fans of classic American comedies who want a rigorous, source-driven account of Preston Sturges's life and art. Readers seeking close readings of his screenplays or the evolution of specific gags will find valuable material here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCasual readers who prefer light celebrity gossip or pictorial retrospectives may find the tone more analytical than visual; those audiences should look for coffee-table film books with lots of stills rather than a critical biography focused on documents and interviews.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFresh primary sources offer new insights into Sturges's creative methods and personal contradictions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterviews with people who knew him, including three wives, add vivid firsthand detail to the narrative.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThoughtful discussion of major films places Sturges in the broader history of American cinema.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book is more scholarly and text-driven than visual, so readers expecting many photographs or a light read may be disappointed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChristmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiane Jacobs\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCritical biography of Preston Sturges\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary sources\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLetters, manuscripts, and interviews\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFilms discussed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Lady Eve; Sullivan's Travels; The Palm Beach Story\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBiographical and film-critical\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiane Jacobs's biography is an essential read for serious students of classic American cinema and anyone who wants a document-based, interpretive account of Preston Sturges's career. Its strength lies in newly revealed letters and interviews that reshape the familiar story, making it good value for readers seeking depth over glossy visuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book use original documents?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Jacobs draws on previously unreleased letters and manuscripts to illuminate Sturges's life and methods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre Sturges's major films analyzed?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The book discusses major titles such as The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, and The Palm Beach Story in context.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a picture-heavy biography?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. This is a critical, text-focused biography that emphasizes documents and interviews rather than extensive photographic material.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Diane Jacobs","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48601989841115,"sku":"0520335406","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/61QqVpceIPL._SL1500.jpg?v=1776367355","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/christmas-in-july-the-life-and-art-of-preston-sturges-a-film","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}