Sam Wasson's 752-page Frank Capra biography published October 27
The biographer of Coppola and Polanski turns to Capra, arguing his films are as dark as they are triumphant.
Sam Wasson's biography Frank Capra, a 752-page book, was published on October 27.
Wasson has previously written biographies of Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Mazursky, Blake Edwards and Roman Polanski. In the new book he argues that Capra's films are dark as well as triumphant, a reading that runs against the director's reputation for upbeat American optimism.
Wasson has described the book as a response to Joseph McBride's critical Capra biography The Catastrophe of Success, which was released in 1992, a year after the director's death. Capra won three Oscars for Best Director, and his credits include It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life.
During World War II he made the Why We Fight series for the U.S. Army. The book also discusses the early Hollywood filmmaker Mack Sennett, and Wasson cites Steven Spielberg as a director influenced by Capra.
Quick answers
When was Sam Wasson's Frank Capra biography published?
It was published on October 27 and runs 752 pages.
What other biographies has Sam Wasson written?
He has written biographies of Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Mazursky, Blake Edwards and Roman Polanski.
Is the book a response to Joseph McBride's Capra biography?
Yes, Wasson describes it as a response to McBride's critical biography The Catastrophe of Success, released in 1992.