Very well researched, entertaining biography of Fairbanks who deserved a good new book - he's been unfairly overlooked. There's florid writing in places but it tells a gripping yarn. Fairbanks became successfully quite quickly: small town actor, Broadway success, then films. He found his medium: his athleticism and charm were a natural, he got the right collaborators (Anita Loos, Allan Dwan, etc), Hollywood was expanding. There was the romance with Mary Pickford, the bromance with Chaplin (both genuine), the creation of United Artists, his incredible international popularity, his artistic developments (the swasbuckler, colour).
His "fall" was alarming and rapid and surprising: he still had plenty of money (despite spending most of it), he could act with his voice. But he seemed to lose enthusiasm with talking pictures and his divorce from Pickford (caused by a few things... absences, her drinking, third parties, no kids, age, his love of travel). Despite a lot of good exercise he died quite young of a heart attack - but it was probably better that he did, the way he went.
I should watch more of his films.
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