Nobody’s Girl Friday: The Women Who Ran Hollywood

Smyth (Fred Zinnemann and the Cinema of Resistance) presents a timely study built on detailed research into Golden Age Hollywood. She examines women’s roles in Hollywood from the 1920s up to 1960, challenging second wave feminist ideas of female disempowerment in the industry during this time. The book showcases women in a variety of positions, “from secretaries to stars,” and Smyth argues that “the studio era remains the most important and empowering chapter in women’s employment in the film industry.” Smyth’s effort to “name as many names as possible,” at times creates a roll call effect, hindering reader engagement with the overarching argument. The strongest sections focus more intently on specific people, both famous ones, such as the “Fourth Warner Brother,” Bette Davis, who fought both for better roles and for progressive causes like the Equal Rights Amendment, first introduced in 1923, and lesser-known figures like Mary McCall, a screenwriter turned Screen Writers Guild head. Smyth reveals that McCall proved one of the union’s most effective presidents, securing writers’ rights, developing the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and negotiating pay increases during WWII. Smyth’s work stands out as especially meaningful in the era of #MeToo and revived resistance of women in Hollywood to gender inequality. (Apr.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review incorrectly stated Mary McCall was head of the Screen Actors Guild.