Celebrates and analyses many of the so-called ""pre-Brando"" actors of the classic Hollywood period and makes a case for their more heightened but just as valid style. Often dismissed as old-fashioned, these players deserve this new look and new reckoning that places them as icons of creativity and pleasure before more naturalistic Method actors of the 1950s like Brando and James Dean took over.

Some people claim that audiences go to the movies for the genre. Others say they go for the director. But most really go to see their favorite actors and actresses. This book explores the work of many of classic Hollywood's influential stars, such as James Cagney, Bette Davis, Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. These so-called "pre-Brando" entertainers, often dismissed as old fashioned, were part of an explosion of talent that ran from the late 1920s through the early 1950s. The author analyzes their compelling styles and their ability to capture audiences.