Profane Angel: The Life and Career of Carole Lombard

Vermilye’s (Buster Crabbe: A Biofilmography) biography and analysis of Carole Lombard’s (1908–42) filmography is a great primer for readers interested in learning about a classic Hollywood star. The book is split into two parts: “Biography” and “Films.” As readers would expect, Lombard’s life and career are related in the “Biography” section, with references to her films in a historical context. The “Films” part dissects her performances and each movie’s reception when it first came out. Writers can sometimes bog down a biography when they talk about films within the narrative of a star’s life, but that doesn’t happen in this book. The format’s splitting makes it an easy and quick read and provides a great watchlist of films to explore. But some readers may think the biographical section feels a little rushed through; they may want to supplement it with other titles that are more thorough dives into the life of such a fascinating icon.