PERFORMING ARTS

Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia

by Illeana Douglas
Lyons: Globe Pequot. Oct. 2023. 352p. ISBN 9781493075737. $39.95. FILM
COPY ISBN
Actor and writer Douglas (I Blame Dennis Hopper: And Other Stories from a Life Lived in and out of the Movies) combines her love of movies with her deep affection for her home state of Connecticut in this book exploring the many movies that are set there. Her astute and sardonic observations on films and their plotting and production histories are interwoven with Connecticut’s state history. The films range from Bringing Up Baby and The Stepford Wives to Long Day’s Journey into Night and The Last House on the Left. Filled with pictures, posters, and stills from movies, this book is a visual treat as well. The chapters curate films by themes, including “Suburban Sex Comedies” (The Tunnel of Love, Wives and Lovers, My Six Loves); “Connecticut Cameos” (Auntie Mame, All About Eve, Strangers on a Train); and an entire chapter dedicated to the classic Cary Grant-Myrna Loy comedy Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, costarring the author’s grandfather, Melvyn Douglas.
VERDICT A fun book for movie lovers anywhere, but especially those in Connecticut.
Reviewed by Emily Kubincanek , Sep 22, 2023
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NONFICTION

I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: (But I’m Going To Anyway)
by Devantez, Chelsea
NONFICTION

With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic
by Hoff, A. Ashley
NONFICTION

I Can’t Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love and Legacy
by Tucker-Sullivan, Lori
NONFICTION

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk
by Hanna, Kathleen
NONFICTION

Peerless: Rouben Mamoulian, Hollywood, and Broadway
by Jensen, Kurt
NONFICTION

Hollywood Sex Comedies, 1953–1964: A Critical Analysis of 25 Films
by Erickson, Hal
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?