{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
Melanie Benjamin’s Storytelling – If you’ve never read Melanie Benjamin it’s time to start, and if you have, you’re in for another treat. This woman KNOWS how to build an entire drama around real people, expertly blending facts and well-researched fiction. With The Aviators Wife she gave us Anne Morrow Lindbergh. In The Swans of Fifth Avenue it was Babe Paley and Truman Capote. And now, Benjamin tells the story of young Hollywood through two of its brightest stars, actress Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion. Throughout The Girls in the Picture, Benjamin stays entirely focused on her characters. With incredible finesse she follows these two women through their struggles and triumphs, through their loves and losses, through their personal and professional relationships without ever straying. This is storytelling at it’s best!

“Mary and I were these women; we were the girls in the picture, still. The girls whose brave and tender hearts were still beating beneath the wrinkled breasts, the old-fashioned nightgowns and sensible grandmother blouses. The girls we’d become the moment we’d said hello in that other dark room, so many years ago.”

Early Hollywood – I’m not a big follower of Hollywood, old or new, but I loved the Hollywood history lesson built into The Girls in the Picture. As the book opens Hollywood as we know it didn’t yet exist. Instead, there were a bunch of people running around the streets of Los Angeles trying to put together one-reel “flickers” for kicks and a little cash. The inside view that Benjamin provided through the lives of “America’s Sweetheart” and one of its first and most successful screenwriters proved to be fascinating. These two women had amazing triumphs in their careers, but the struggles, the chauvinism, and the fight for women’s opinions to matter made it clear that Hollywood still hasn’t strayed far from its roots.

A Hollywood Legend – Of the two women in the book, I actually liked Frances Marion more, but found Mary’s position as “America’s Sweetheart” fascinating. The very roles that made her famous, those of a sweet, funny girl, also trapped her. She grew weary of playing a child, but the public didn’t want to see her in any other roles, making it nearly impossible for Mary to follow her own desires. Hers was a sad story.

What Didn’t
Fiction vs. Nonfiction – Honestly everything about The Girls in the Picture worked for me. My only negative is one I find in all historical fiction based on real people. It’s difficult to stop myself from questioning the “fiction” part of the story is versus what is real. I start Googling events to see if they really happened or not. At times that can feel like a burden, and I found it especially true towards the end of The Girls in the Picture. Still, it’s my problem and not a problem of the book.

{The Final Assessment}
The Girls in the Picture proved to be an absolutely delightful surprise. I can highly recommend it to Hollywood buffs, lovers of historical fiction, and to those like me who might initially be a little skeptical. I can almost guarantee that by 20% you’ll be hooked. Grade: A-

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

The Girls In the Picture: A Novel.  Melanie Benjamin. Random House Publishing Group. January 2018. 448 pp.  ISBN#: 9781101886809.
What was it like to be part of the beginning of silent and sound pictures in the first half of the 20th Century?  Mary Pickford and Frances Marion meet and immediately recognize the independent and creatively talented spirit in each other.  They also will learn how talented actresses and screen writers are used to make money and then shunted aside when no longer useful.  They also initially have no time for love as they are obsessed with their artistic craft.  
Mary Pickford, with her slight, blond figure is delightful to audiences as “America’s Sweetheart;” but after Frances creates scripts depicting a childhood Mary never had but will now get to live on camera in “Poor Little Rich Girl,” Mary is viewed as America’s darling for sure.  The story of how that movie was at first rejected by producers but was produced by Mary is intriguing and thrilling. Audiences went crazy with delight as this story called forth the inner child in every viewer.  More importantly, this experience cemented their trust and belief in their own creative vision of what audiences wanted on film.
Then love arrives for Mary, after a failed marriage, in the person of Douglas Fairbanks and for Frances in a love she finally found and lost.  Mary and Frances are tested with these loves, the Academy Awards and other glamorous acknowledgments of excellence.    
The thrills of this novel lie in the descriptions of love, betrayal, forgiveness, renewal and artistic growth representing the rise and fall of two magnificent careers, a celebration of women’s rise in the film industry and a tribute to the art of drama on screen and stage.  A magnificent historical fiction read!

In 1914 , when movies were in their infancy, two women forged not just a friendship but a creative relationship and pioneered their way through the burgeoning motion picture industry. Mary Pickford had her start in the theater and after transitioning to movies quickly became a fan favorite with her trademark long blonde curls. Frances Marion did not want to be an actress, but found the “ flickers ”  exciting and wanted to be a part of their creation. She arrived at the studios hoping her artistic skills might land her work, but a meeting with Mary led to greater opportunities; screenwriting. In an industry ruled by men, they learned how to break down barriers and get where they wanted to be as a team. Mary Pickford was the first international movie star and highest paid actress at the time and Frances Marion became the most in demand screen writer of her time.  This was my first novel of 2018 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Its a fascinating glimpse at the very earliest years of Hollywood and two women who took it by storm to become powerful forces in the industry. Starting with silent films and transitioning into “ talkies”, they paved the way, all the while, drawing strength from and supporting each other. They have their differences, struggles, tragedies, and men that come between them, which tests  their friendship. The chapters alternate between Mary and Frances. Interestingly, Mary`s chapters are told in the third person, but Frances, the writer, tells her story in her own words.  I`ve always loved old movies and enjoyed all the other characters who appear in the pages like, Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, and Lillian Gish.  The author refers to events and scandals that motivated me to read more online. If you read this, I encourage you to look on YouTube at the clip of Mary Pickford receiving her final Oscar, presented to her at Pickfair for a glimpse at the home she shared with Douglas Fairbanks.  This is my third (and favorite) novel by Melanie Benjamin and I always appreciate the depth of research she puts in to her very real characters . She has made Mary and Frances very relatable and memorable  as she introduces them to a new generation.     
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an ARC to review ! #partner

4.5/5 stars
This one does what historical fiction is supposed to do. I was drawn into a world about which I knew little and, honestly, cared less. Kudos to Benjamin for winning me over with such amazing character development. A story of brilliant women who refuse to allow the chauvinistic subculture to stop them is inspirational, whether it is the Hollywood of 1918 or 2018. The Girls in the Picture is another winner for Melanie Benjamin.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book. The Historical Autobiographical Fiction genre appeals to me anyway, but add that with early 20th century Hollywood and I can't resist. This will be a big hit in a time when women in Hollywood are speaking out and making themselves heard in the workplace. This tells the story of how it all began from the viewpoint of real life actress and screenwriter, Mary Pickford and Frances Marion, two of the most respected women in their industry at the time. I had no idea the first acting studio was founded by a woman and the most prestigious award in acting, the Oscars, was also started by a woman! This was an enjoyable way to learn some of the lesser-known facts about Hollywood written by a phenomenal author. Kudos to Melanie Benjamin for making sure the story was thorough enough to be an autobiography, yet entertaining enough to be fiction!

While I really liked Francis and initially I was very intrigued by the premise, I eventually lost interest and found it hard to care about the characters. I'm not sure if it was the narrative structure or the movie details that threw me off but this book just didn't work, for me. I do think many others will enjoy the timeframe and details of the old-time  world of movies

The Girls In the Picture is a sweeping story introducing the beginning of the movie industry and the making of stars n Hollywood. It then follows the business from silent movies to talkies, from young stars to aging stars.  The author focuses on  the movie star Mary Pickford, and the screenwriter/director Frances Marion.  The story moves between the lives of these two and the strong connections between them even when jealousy and alcohol form a wedge.  There is particular emphasis on the strength and struggles of women in the movie business.  Women endured sexual harassment, unequal pay and lack of credit for their contributions,  This is very relevant today since these issues continue to persist.  The Girls In the Picture is very interesting, well written and engaging.

The Girls in the Picture is a timely book that many will be drawn to because of the current scandals in Hollywood, with Weinstein and others men. As in life and literature, there is nothing new under the sun.

My two favorite chapters were the first and the last. They were gripping! To see the degeneration of a friendship and the feelings the old women experienced in their own viewpoint. I found the first third of the book riveting. I liked learning about both Mary Pickford and Frances Marion. It was interesting to see how women could make their place in a new industry, when they couldn't have got a toe in the door in the established avenues of business. Both of these women fought hard for what they got. It was heartbreaking to see how the men with the money tried to break Mary and Fran by rejecting their female produced movie, Poor Little Rich Girl. What is even more heartbreaking is that too many women today play into the same role of allowing those with power (both men and women) define their business relationships. 

It was also interesting to see how Fran decided she needed to go and film women during WWI, compared to Mary who sold bonds with her fellow actors. Fran's relationship with her husband was refreshing, contrasting with the regular sleaze associated with Hollywood. Even in those first years of movie making, it has been a morally bankrupt industry - not holding any values sacred.

There appear to be two reasons for the flavor of Hollywood examined in this novel. One of the flaws associated with theater is money, the lack of money, doing anything to make money and not producing what you feel is right all in the effort to make money. The other flaw shown is the glass bowl mentality of self-importance. When Mary Pickford marries Douglas Fairbanks they are idealized by the nation and Europe. Their clothes are torn by excited fans, they are mobbed and have to escape with the aid of the police. How can life seem anything but humdrum when sitting at home with a cold and a bowl of chicken soup, when there are fans who are ready to accost you just to gain a glimpse or a touch of the glamour? This is the section of the book I found tedious. I couldn't relate to the intense desires of the fans to have a piece of Mary and I hated Mary and Doug's attitude. Even so, it is necessary to see the decline of Mary and Fran being close to each other.

I was fairly disgusted how Fran accepted the ill treatment from the men in power. She explains how she was harassed. At times, it was as simple as a comment about her looks, and other times the men felt they had the right to touch, grope or pinch her. What is wrong with women that their response is so polite? They ignore, try to transcend and know it is expected. Why do women allow themselves to be treated like objects? Isn't the appropriate response a slap across the face and a lawsuit? It made me crazy how Fran, the more reasonable of the two women, accepted the way men treated her because she worked in Hollywood.

I happen to know great men, who would never treat women in this way. As witnessed by the news, there are still plenty of pigs/men who feel it is their right to treat women as objects. The author certainly shows how some men feel entitled to any woman they associate with to satisfy their whims.

If I were to give out stars for my favorite parts it would have been 4 stars. The long section about Mary Pickford's decline into self-absorption drastically reduced my interest in the novel. It was still interesting, and even though there is immorality, abuse and the unsavory side of Hollywood, it is handled with a delicate hand and doesn't delve into all the sordid details. Overall, I liked the novel.

The Girls in the Picture tells two stories that intersect, the story of the lifelong though bumpy friendship between actress Mary Pickford and movie screenwriter Frances Marion, and the story of the birth of the movie industry, mostly the early years. The parts about making movies were the most interesting. Mary and Frances’ friendship was less involving, maybe because Mary came across as a user, insecure, and jealous, and by the end of the book, I didn’t much like Mary. The author kept stressing her poor, sad upbringing as if that was an excuse but she was still unlikable. I wondered if that was a true depiction of her deterioration at the end of her life or whether it was author’s discretion filling in blanks.

Based on the notes at the end of the book, this friendship was based in historical fact and it seemed to be well researched. 

Recommended for: Cinemaphiles, early Hollywood devotees; Pickwick/Fairbanks fans 

*ARC via netgalley*

3.75 stars

  This book couldn't be more appropriate for this day and time with the "Me Too" movement going on.  It's about the beginning of the movie picture industry with Mary Pickford, famed actress, and her best friend, Frances Marion, an extraordinary screenwriter, as the featured characters. It is quite fascinating to see the movies go from shooting them on the streets to evolving into studios and eventually into the talkies.

  Mary grew up as a child actor, traveling the rails to act in stage shows and support her family. It's hard to fathom a child of 5 being the financial support of her mother and two siblings but that's what she did. She went on to star in many pictures and actually start a studio with her husband, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin. Along the way she paved the way for other female actors and was often the only woman in business meetings. Was she sexually harassed? You bet? Were most of the women? You bet. It was so deeply ingrained into the culture that no one seemed to notice it and apparently continued for the next 100 years.

  This was truly an interesting look into the history of the pictures. My quibble? The author's writing style is just a little too gushy for me. She just goes overboard fluffing it up. If the book industry had editors (I am not sure they do), a good one would have edited 50-75 pages and made it more readable. If  I had to read one more time about them gushing silly nicknames to each other, I was going to scream.

  In spite of that, it was an interesting and timely read. 

  Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book in exchange of a fair review.

I really enjoyed this one! It hit all the marks for me for good historical fiction: I learned something new, I was inspired to do some online research to learn more, the author gave some insight into what was fact and what was imagined, and not least important,the story was interesting!

This is a story of the friendship of Mary Pickford, the first ‘movie star’ and Frances Marion, an early Hollywood screenwriter, known as a ‘scenarist’ at that time. While I’d heard of Mary Pickford and her husband, Douglas Fairbanks, I knew very little about them, and I don’t think I’d ever heard of Frances Marion. The story of their friendship, with its ups and downs, was engaging, but I may have liked the glimpse into the early days of film-making even more! As the story started, ‘Hollywood’ was not even a thing, and movie making consisted of filming silent movies. Anyone with equipment could film a movie and call themselves a movie studio. It must have been similar to YouTube today! There were no movie stars, but merely interchangeable rosters of actors. Of course as we know, an industry evolved and changed, with major movie studios appearing complete with a stable of stars. 

One thing that apparently has not changed from the early days is the way the power was held by men and the use of the ‘casting couch’. The Harry Weinstein story broke as I was in the middle of this novel, which made the novel and Mary’s role in early Hollywood seem all that much more relevant!

One thing I really appreciated about this book was that, while it was not a ‘can’t-put-it-down’ read for me, it was very engaging. I had to put it down for a couple of weeks at one point, simply because I had two reserves come in from the library that I had to finish for book clubs. Usually when I put a book aside it is very difficult for me to get into the book again, and I often have to go back to the beginning and start over. This time however, I picked the book up and it was as if those 2 weeks hadn’t happened. I had not trouble reconnecting with the story and the characters. While I don’t recommend setting it aside, the book is engaging enough that you will be able to read it and enjoy it is small pieces if necessary.

You can visit the author’s <a href=http://www.melaniebenjamin.com/girls-in-the-picture.php> webpage</a> to learn more. Be sure to ‘The World of the Girls in the Picture’ and the author had compiled for background information about the book! I’ve not found a discussion guide yet, but expect that one will appear soon.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review purposes.</i>

Its easy to forget that behind the “Entertainment Weekly” headlines live and love actual people with beating hearts and ever aging bodies and minds.  “The Girls in the Picture” brings back to life the men and women who spanned the eras of silent movies and “talkies”.  Starring Mary Pickford, and Frances Marion, this novel is a timely contribution to the #MeToo movement as Melanie Benjamin reminds us of the anti-woman history of the film industry.

Mary Pickford was a force of nature. She was smart, hardworking and knew when to play her cards right. She and Frances were great friends and each had a long and prosperous career, basically because of each other. Mary helped Frances get her start. Frances was an excellent screen writer which kept Mary in the movies, even when the flickers became the talkies.

I researched Mary and Frances both. These ladies helped change the movie business. I had never heard of Frances and knew very little about Mary. So this novel taught me so much. I loved reading about the “flickers” and about old Hollywood. Also, these two women over came so many obstacles in a man driven world. They were forces of nature!

Wow! I enjoyed this novel! I am on a roll for 2018. I did fluctuate between a 5 and a 4 star rating. Basically because this is a long read, longer than it should be. But the 5 star won out. The setting and the characters were just too good!

Terrific historical fiction tailor made for those who like to read the "back story" of famous women.  There are any number of examinations of old Hollywood and Mary Pickford figures in many of them.  How many of us know about Frances Marion?  I didn't and I enjoyed learning not only about how she forged the way for women screenwriters, but also about her life.  The book is told in alternating chapters between Frances and Marion, who are both at a turning point because of changes in the industry.  Nicely written and wholly entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.  Try this if you are interested in Hollywood or just a good story.

I was drawn to this story based on the summary and the fact that I enjoyed two of Melanie Benjamin’s previous books. The Girls in the Picture is another good story. Right off the bat, Benjamin’s stage-setting for the future partnership between “America’s Sweetheart” Mary Pickford and renowned Academy Award winning screenwriter Frances Marion hooked me.

Despite early rejection of powerful men in the movie industry, the success of Marion and Pickford’s public screening of Poor Little Rich Girl put these savvy women on the map. The public stood up and cheered, the pragmatic women regained their confidence and forged ahead to make movies the way THEY wanted to. They became powerful forces to be reckoned with, trailblazing businesswomen in a young Hollywood who would go on to make  significant contributions in the movie industry.  I loved their portrayal by Benjamin. Their smarts, perseverance and vision shone. Their individual stories are enjoyable enough but together, its magic. I looked forward to each of their conversations and collaborations. What they accomplished in a male-dominated world was impressive and this is a story I will not soon forget. It has spurred me on to watch some of their old movies with my new perspective. 

*will post to additional outlets (amazon, powells, b&n upon publication

Truly captivating from the beginning-loved knowing these women were real people.  I felt their friendship and their heartbreak.  As the story unfolds and we get to see them as individuals and we can see how their lives grow and powers shift. The years changed them but do people really change? Fabulous reading about early Hollywood.

Back in the days of silent films Mary Pickford’s name was on everyone’s lips.  She was the quintessential embodiment of the words “movie star” even though most of her fame was gained by playing little girls when she was well into her mid-twenties and beyond.

THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE focuses on the relationship between Pickford and Frances Marion, a budding writer in the early days of film.  Personally, I had never heard of Marion and was surprised to learn that she had won two Oscars for her screenwriting.  

Covering the lives of these two ambitious women who sought to make their way in a budding new business controlled by men and constraints imposed by the era in which they lived.  

The story of the bond between these Mary Pickford and Frances Marion and their often rocky relationship with each other (as well as the men in their lives) would, in itself,  have been great fodder for a movie. For all of their personal short-comings these women were innovative and driven and author Melanie Benjamin has definitely done some exhaustive background research and has brought them (along with some of their contemporaries like Lillian Gish, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few) to life on the page.  

For those who love “old Hollywood” and are seeking a well written piece of historical fiction, this is the ticket. 
4 1/2 stars

Mary Pickford and Frances Marion helped build the foundation of the movie industry, or Hollywood, as referred to today. Melanie Benjamin explores their friendship and intertwining careers in this lush historical fiction, speculating on each women’s hidden agenda, demonstrating their jealousies and joys. Mary Pickford was the darling of silent movies and Frances Marion a lauded screenwriter of the era, navigating a perilous pathway through a man’s world. By alternating viewpoints of these icons, Benjamin has provided insight into their characters and woven a wonderfully complex vision of their complicated friendship. Pickford feels she must maintain her veneer of innocent waif, and Marion carefully balances her relationship with Pickford with the need to advance her own career. As the two evolve away from each other professionally, they remind themselves of obligations bestowed upon them by the other’s influence and talent. Benjamin leads the reader through Mary’s agonizing decision to leave her husband for her “true love,” and along with Frances into the Great War, where she meets her fourth and last husband. There’s a softness to the portrayal of Mary’s descent into alcoholism, and the ending displays the inherent kindness of her lifelong friend.

This fictionalized version of the friendship of two of Hollywood’s most influential females offers much more than salacious speculation and name dropping—many famous individuals are mentioned based on their relevance to the story. Rather, it depicts the nuances, unspoken feelings, and misunderstandings of the relationship between two strong, independent women who are very different individuals with a similar goal of making it in an industry run by men.

I’m grateful to have received an advanced digital copy of this wonderful story from NetGalley.

I posted this to my blog January 11, and I will share the link on my Facebook and Twitter.

This wasn't my favorite Melanie Benjamin novel but I did enjoy reading about the lives of 2 women that I had limited knowledge on.

Melanie Benjamin has a knack for selecting historical subjects who are fascinating. Always pioneering in some fashion, their exploits should make for great reading. Having read three of her novels now, I have determined that something happens to her subjects between research and pen. They lose their dynamism. Someone who should be fascinating becomes tedious in a way that borders on cartoonish. This results in stories that are not only disappointing, they are difficult to finish.

In her latest novel, Ms. Benjamin tackles the movie industry and the very first industry stars. Anyone with any interest in the history of movies will know that Mary Pickford was THE queen of Hollywood during the silent film era. Her unprecedented stardom and power within the industry remains the stuff of legends. In addition to Mary, The Girls in the Picture shines the spotlight on another female Hollywood pioneer, screenwriter Frances Marion. Two women of power when women in general did not have much of anything to call their own and a fledgling industry the likes of which no one has ever seen should be enough to make for a most compelling drama. Unfortunately, it is not.

My problem with the novel is the portrayal of Mary. To gain that much authority over her films and her career, she had to have been a fiercely independent and strong woman. After all, she was rising in popularity during a time when most of the country felt women were better off at home taking care of their husbands rather than having any sort of career. Plus, even now women have to battle against the male sense of superiority, that they know better than any woman. Ms. Benjamin even mentions the infamous casting couch and how any woman in Hollywood could only advance their career by paying a visit to a couch or two. Yet the Mary we see in the book is not strong nor is she independent. She is so very weak and heavily dependent on first her mother, then Frances, and finally her second husband. She may be canny about her movies, but Ms. Benjamin describes it more like an anomaly than a character trait. The Mary in the novel is childish, flippant, whiny, and, frankly, really annoying. She is not a pleasant character to follow, and she garners very little sympathy for her decline in popularity.

Frances is a more interesting character and one of the better parts of the novel. She embraces her independence and unique position as one of the top screenwriters in Hollywood. She lives her life how she wants to live it and cares not one whit what others think of her. Her rise in fame and power are fun to watch, especially as she does earn your sympathy not only with her scorn of men's dominance but also with her efforts to learn more about the world at large rather than just remain within the unique microcosm that is Hollywood. The portions of the novel in which Frances tells her story are the best parts.

The unfortunate part of The Girls in the Picture is that it is a character-driven story. It is the story of Mary and Frances and how they conquered Hollywood in their respective areas. There are some fascinating glimpses into early film-making and the rapidity with which they were able to churn out silent films, but those scenes sadly grow fewer in number as the ladies' fame rises. Instead, we are left to watch Mary, who was always weak, turn into an adult child as she grows older. Not even Frances' continued charm is enough to offset the annoyance you feel at Mary's petulant ways. In the end, The Girls in the Picture sounds better in theory than in execution, which is the most disappointing thing of all.