It was the Great Depression, a time of breadlines and of terrible, widespread poverty. But it was also a time when the movies--particularly musicals--were a source of comfort and refuge and entertainment for millions.It was a time when a gifted young dancer could get her start on Broadway and wind up a movie star. Beatrice Crane is that dancer, that movie star. And this is the story of her life, in the best black-and-white cinematic tradition.Beatrice Crane and Bobby Bradley were Hollywood's greatest dance team--until the events of one horrific night changed both their personal and private lives forever. It's a journey through the Golden Age of Hollywood--the magic, the bright lights, and the shining stars of the American dream factory. Editorial ReviewFrom Library JournalAllen ( Promises , Destinies) has written a Hollywood saga of a legendary actress, Beatrice Crane, and her two lifelong loves, Bobby Bradley and Hank Donovan. Determined to be a dancer, Bea gets her start at 14 on Broadway and moves on to Hollywood musicals, teaming up with fellow hoofer Bradley. At the peak of their popularity Bea is savagely beaten by a jealous actor. Unable to dance again, she marries director Donovan, who is devoted to her despite his homosexuality. Donovan pushes her into dramatic roles, which open a new Oscar-winning career for her. Allen's attempt to evoke the Hollywood atmosphere of the 1930s and 1940s is a bit heavy-handed, but the book picks up power in the last half as Bea deals with an increasingly estranged daughter who writes a Mommie Dearest- type memoir. Sure to be popular. Marcia L. Perry, Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
