Screen couple chemistry : the power of 2 / Martha P. Nochimson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nochimson, Martha.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Man-woman relationships in motion pictures.

Love in motion pictures.

Physical Description:

xii, 394 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Power of 2

Power of two

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2002.

Summary:

Astaire and Rogers, Tracy and Hepburn. Just the mention of their names evokes the powerful chemistry between these screen couples, which utterly transcended the often formulaic films in which they appeared together. Indeed, watching the synergistic flow of energy between charismatic screen partners is one of the great pleasures of cinema and television, as well as an important vehicle for thinking through issues of intimacy and gender relations. sIn this book, Martha P. Nochimson engages in a groundbreaking study of screen couple chemistry. She begins by classifying various types of couples to define what sets the synergistic couple apart from other onscreen pairings. Then she moves into extended discussions of four enduring screen couples -- Maureen O'Sullivan/Johnny Weissmuller, Myrna Loy/William Powell, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers, and Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy. Using theories of neuroscience, she demonstrates that their onscreen chemistry is a very real phenomenon, powerful enough to subvert conventional formulations of male/female relations. Material she has uncovered in the infamous Production Code Administration files illuminates the historical context of her contentions. Finally, Nochimson traces the screen couple to its present-day incarnation in such pairs as Woody Allen/Diane Keaton, Scully/Mulder of The X-Files, and Cliff/Claire Huxtable of The Cosby Show.

Contents:

An introduction to the importance of couple chemistry under the studio system

Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan : Tarzan and Jane

Myrna Loy and William Powell : the Thin Man takes a couple

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers : music makes me

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy : much ado about "the little woman"

The post-studio synergistic couple : the thin aliens

The thematic couple : a post-studio innovation

Fred, Ginger, and RKO

Theorizing chemistry in entertainment via neuroscience.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [371]-376) and index.

ISBN:

0292755783

0292755791

OCLC:

50166742