Letter from an Unknown Woman (Rutgers Films in Print) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813511593 ISBN 13: 9780813511597

Publisher: Rutgers University Press, 1986

Synopsis

This volume includes a detailed transcription of the 1948 film, notes appended to the film's continuity script, a letter by Ophuls written during the film's editing, a biographical sketch of Ophuls, the text of Stefan Zweig's novella and a cross-section of memoirs and criticism of the film. It is the story of Lisa, a young girl who rejects the constricting life of her small town and family in order to dedicate her life to a musician, Stefan. The film has an elegant fin-de-siecle Viennese setting and stars Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan.

About this title

From the Back Cover

The fifth title in the Rutgers Films in Print Series, "Letter from an Unknown Woman" is directed by Max Ophuls and based on the novella by Stefan Zweig. It is the story of Lisa, a young girl who rejects the constricting life of her small town and family in order to dedicate her life to a musician, Stefan. The film's elegant fin-de-siecle Viennese setting, lyrical camera work, dispassionate and ironic point of view, and fine performances by Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan elevate what could have been a mere tearjerker into one of Ophuls's finest works.

This volume provides a detailed transcription of the 1948 film. Notes appended to the film's continuity script detail all the significant differences between the finished film and the shooting script.

Wexman's introductions to each of the book's sections discuss the history of the film's reception and provide an overview of the central issues the film has raised. A cross section of commentary by well-known critics attests to the film's enduring position as a central text for cinema study. These essays acknowledge the film's significance as a preeminent example of Ophuls's art, as an important woman's film, and as a representative of the classic Hollywood style. A biographical sketch of Ophuls, the entire Zweig novella, a bibliography and other background materials are also included.

About the Author

Hollinger is an associate professor in the Department of Languages, Literature, and Dramatic Arts at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Publication date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0813511593
• ISBN 13: 9780813511597
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 271
• Editor: Wexman Virginia