Tough as Nails

Writer, producer, and director Richard Brooks's best films, notably Blackboard Jungle, Elmer Gantry, and In Cold Blood, are penetrating portraits of the dark, seamy side of American life. Portraying his fierce work ethic, a determination to protect his vision, and his often harsh treatment of coworkers, this book is an honest but appreciative biography of the man and his uneven but significant body of work. Daniel (Harry Reasoner: A Life in the News) notes that while Brooks mastered multiple film genres, his persistent desire to make strong statements too often descended into preachiness. Like other directors of the post-World War II generation, Brooks had trouble adjusting to the realities of the new Hollywood, and his 1970s take on sexual liberation, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, provoked protests and death threats.