William S. Hart: Projecting the American West

William S. Hart and Tom Mix helped establish the model of the western action star. Mix was a lovable character on screen who presaged Gene Autry, and Hart expressed a deeply thoughtful, stoic, Shakespearean quality that survived into the best work of Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. Ronald Davis provides the first indepth look at Hart's life and craft. Hart is not always a pleasant person, but great artists often do not fit the mode of a "nice guy." Hart was deeply interested in the West and formed close friendships with some of the region's great characters (such as Wyatt Earp) in an attempt to broaden his understanding of what the "West" meant. This biography is well written and reads nicely, drawing on newly available letters from Hart's collection. Anyone interested in early Hollywood or the development of the Western should have this book on their shelf. Let's hope Davis will turn his attention to that other great early Western star, Tom Mix.