Description
Book SynopsisFew movie stars have meant as many things to as many different audiences as the iconic Marlene Dietrich. Dietrich has long been a flashpoint in Germany's struggles over its cultural heritage, having renounced and left Nazi Germany, assumed American citizenship, and entertained American troops.
Trade Review“Yes, it is academic in the best sense of the word: you can learn a lot but you may also enjoy the design, the wonderful photos, the careful editing.” -
Dietrich Newsletter“[T]he editors provide an extensive summary of the many publications that have explored Dietrich’s performances from ideological, formal, and, above all, psychoanalytic perspectives.” -
Caroline Weber,
BookForum“[T]he genius of the book is its inquiry into the iconic Dietrich herself. . . . [A]high standard of well-written scholarship wrapped in a beautifully produced book graced by a trove of artfully reproduced images. . . . The editors’ lucid 22-page intro draws in both scholar and fan. Highly recommended.” -
T. Cripps,
Choice“[T]here is much to admire in this volume. This is an excellent book to be used in the classroom as well as a resource for any Dietrich aficionado.” -
Irene Javors,
Screening the Past“As the product of a German studies professor and a film-studies professor respectively,
Dietrich Icon is unique in its appeal to a wide scholarly audience. Even more surprising is its approachability to the casual reader who knows little, if anything, about Dietrich. . . . [T]he incredible details of its memoirs . . . and precise critical analysis allow the reader a penetrative rather than descriptive look at Dietrich.
Dietrich Icon has something to offer everyone, from literary, film, and queer theorists to cultural studies and history scholars, with something for the unfamiliar reader to boot.” -
Lauren Indvik,
The Dartmouth Review“
Dietrich Icon. . . successfully bridges the gap between academic publishing and writing that can appeal to general readership. . . . The book not only has an alluring design, but the paperback edition is also reasonably priced. . . .
Dietrich Icon rises above the fray and encompasses successfully the aesthetic, cultural, and sexual diversity of Marlene Dietrich. To put it simply, the book is indispensable for anybody wanting to know more about the icon Dietrich.” -
Ulrich Bach, German Studies Review“Gerd Gemünden and Mary R. Desjardins convincingly suggest, and the essays together prove, that Dietrich is a figure who is interesting not just in herself but also as a prism reflecting discourses on aging, stardom, feminism, film theory, authorship, authenticity, performance, and masquerade, as well as audience projections ranging from Third Reich condemnation to lesbian cult fandom.”—Pamela Robertson Wojcik, author of
Guilty Pleasures: Feminist Camp from Mae West to Madonna“Most works on actresses are largely biographical in nature, with some critical evaluation of particular films and stage appearances thrown into the mix. This anthology by Gerd Gemünden and Mary R. Desjardins, however, presents serious historical and theoretical work on Dietrich’s star image and career—all expressed in clear and readable language, devoid of ‘jargon.’”—Lucy Fischer, author of
Designing Women: Cinema, Art Deco, and the Female Form“
Dietrich Icon. . . successfully bridges the gap between academic publishing and writing that can appeal to general readership. . . The book not only has an alluring design, but the paperback edition is also reasonably priced. . .
Dietrich Icon rises above the fray and encompasses successfully the aesthetic, cultural, and sexual diversity of Marlene Dietrich. To put it simply, the book is indispensable for anybody wanting to know more about the icon Dietrich.” -- Ulrich Bach * German Studies Review *
“[T]he editors provide an extensive summary of the many publications that have explored Dietrich’s performances from ideological, formal, and, above all, psychoanalytic perspectives.” -- Caroline Weber * BookForum *
“[T]here is much to admire in this volume. This is an excellent book to be used in the classroom as well as a resource for any Dietrich aficionado.” -- Irene Javors * Screening the Past *
“Yes, it is academic in the best sense of the word: you can learn a lot but you may also enjoy the design, the wonderful photos, the careful editing.” * Dietrich Newsletter *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
Prelude
Introduction: Marlene Dietrich’s Appropriations / Mary R. Desjardins and Gerd Gemünden 3
Falling in Love Again / Steven Bach 25
I. The Icon
Dietrich’s Face / Lutz Koepnick 43
The Legs of Marlene Dietrich / Nora M. Alter 60
Marlene Dietrich: The Voice as Mask / Amy Lawrence 79
II. Establishing the Star Persona
Playing Garbo: How Marlene Dietrich Conquered Hollywood / Joseph Garncarz 103
Seductive Departures of Marlene Dietrich: Exile and Stardom in
The Blue Angel / Elisabeth Bronfen 119
The Blue Angel in Multiple-Language Versions: The Inner Thighs of Miss Dietrich / Patrice Petro 141
Marlene Dietrich in
Blonde Venus: Advertising Dietrich in Seven Markets / Mary Beth Haralovich 162
Marlene Dietrich: The Prodigal Daughter / Erica Carter 186
III. “Marlene Has Sex But No Gender”
Marlene Dietrich and the Erotics of Code-Bound Hollywood / Gaylyn Studlar 211
“It’s Not Often That I Want a Man”: Reading for a Queer Marlene / Alice A. Kuzniar 239
Get/Away: Structure and Desire in
Rancho Notorious / Mark Williams 259
IV. (Auto-) Biography and the Archive
The Order of Knowledge and Experience:
Marlene Dietrich’s ABC / Amelie Hastie 289
Dietrich Dearest: Family Memoir and the Fantasy of Origins / Mary R. Desjardins 310
An Icon between the Fronts: Vilsmaier’s Recast
Marlene / Eric Rentschler 328
“Life Goes On without Me”: Marlene Dietrich, Old Age, and the Archive / Judith Mayne 347
“Is That Me?”: The Marlene Dietrich Collection Berlin / Werner Sudendorf 376
Bibliography 385
Contributors 401
Index 405
