QuickShot Review
I liked this. It’s an interesting behind the scenes look at the early days of Hollywood. I think the only reason I wouldn’t rate it higher is that it was much more of a casual read for me, something to fill time between other books. I found it bit too easy to put down, and I wanted more of a connection to either female lead and I didn’t really feel it.  But, if you’re a big fan of Hollywood and historical fiction, you may enjoy this.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

I love good historical fiction and when it is about early Hollywood, I love it even more!  The Girls in the Picture is the story of the relationship between Mary Pickford and Francis Marion.  It really delves into the ins and outs of female friendship - all of the good and the bad.  The loyalty, love and support and the betrayals.  

But it is much more than just their friendship.  Centered around this friendship is the development of Hollywood and films.  From silent films, to “flickers” to the huge force that Hollywood became.  It touches on the way females were treated  in early Hollywood, which with everything that is going on today, still has the rings of truth. 

Everything about this novel works.  From the feel of the friendship between Mary and Francis, the ebb and flow of it, to the details on the early development of Hollywood.   My judge of good historical fiction novel is that it makes me want to learn more, and this did.  I want to read more about Mary Pickford, about the early days of Hollywood. 

I received an ARC of this book.

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

Mary Pickford started as a silent "flicker" actress and continued acting when "talkers" were introduced. She made her stardom as portraying the "little girl with the curls." One day early in her career a young woman from San Francisco, Marion Frances, entered her acting trailer and life for both changed drastically. Marion wanted to be behind the camera and Mary wanted to be in front. This allowed Marion to write the screenplays that Mary could act in. We follow their lives as they intertwine and separate over the years of 1914 to 1969.

I was very excited to get an advanced copy to read as I did not know much about Mary Pickford, other than she was an actress and I had never heard of Marion Frances (who I think was the real star of the two). While I think this book is very interesting, it has many parts that just seemed to lack excitement and drug on for way too long. I would be reading and really into it and then I would hit a section that I had to force myself to get through. This is my main reason for a 3.5 rating and not a 4.

It is extremely interesting that there is a section that Marion talks about the sexual harassment she experienced in Hollywood and while she was a correspondent during World War One. With the movement going on the last couple of weeks regarding sexual harassment I find myself believing that Marion would have been one of the first to speak out in favor of equality and women telling their stories.

If you are an avid Hollywood fan and want to learn about how it got started this is a great historical fiction based on real people. Ms. Benjamin did an excellent job researching each character and keeping as much as she could true to fact.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for a review in my own honest words.

I'm a big fan of books set in the early days of Hollywood, so Melanie Benjamin's The Girls In the Picture seemed like the perfect book for me to review. It's the story of the friendship between two of Hollywood's first leading ladies, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Frances Marion isn't interested in becoming an actress, but she's still eager to leave her mark on the movie business. To this end, she contrives a meeting with America's Sweetheart - Mary Pickford. Mary has taken America by storm, delighting audiences with her golden curls, bright smile, and indomitable spirit, and Frances is sure Mary is just the person to provide her entry into the secret echelons of Hollywood.

From the moment Mary lays eyes on Frances, she is struck by the other woman's confidence and poise. She thinks Frances would do wonderfully as an actress, but Frances swears up and down that's not what she's looking to do. She explains to Mary that she'd actually love to write the scenes the actors and actresses act out, and she expresses a special interest in writing scenes for Mary. Mary is delighted by this idea, and immediately pulls strings to get Frances hired on as a scenarist.

As time goes by, Frances and Mary become intimate friends as well as colleagues. Frances is eager to help Mary experience the childhood of which she was robbed by Hollywood, and Mary wants to teach Frances the ins and outs of Hollywood life. They're bonded by their mutual desire to make names for themselves in the male-dominated film industry, and as the years pass, their friendship will be tested by struggles and triumphs both personal and professional.

The story is told in alternating chapters from both Mary's and Frances's point of view, giving readers a bird's-eye view into the lives of these two strong, independent women. Mary and her husband, esteemed actor Douglas Fairbanks, start a movie studio of their own, making Mary the first woman ever to hold such power in Hollywood. For her part, Frances fights her way to the top of her field as a screenwriter at a time when women's contributions were constantly underestimated and belittled.

As I read, I found myself struck by the amount of research that must have gone into the writing of this book. The author’s attention to detail is to be applauded. She manages to breathe life into her characters, as well as to Hollywood itself, making me feel as though I'd traveled back in time. I love novels that evoke this feeling, but not many actually manage to pull it off.

I found it difficult to warm up to Mary, though. She was tenacious in an era when women weren't supposed to be, and while that is an admirable quality as it relates to her career, I found it less admirable in her personal life. She valued her acting career above all else, including those she claimed to care for, and never hesitated to stomp on the interests of others if she thought it could get her what she wanted. Even Frances, who was supposed to be her very best friend, was not immune to this treatment, and I often found myself wishing Frances would kick Mary to the curb for her bad behavior.

Frances, on the other hand, was a true joy to get to know. She worked hard for her success, but never comes off as selfish or thoughtless. I loved watching her rise from her humble beginnings and become a true powerhouse while not sacrificing her personal values. She manages to marry and have a family without having to give up her career, even though many of her business associates expected her to fade into obscurity once her children were born. In short, she's exactly the sort of heroine I'm delighted to roor for.

This is a novel that unflinchingly explores the complexities of female friendship. The relationship between Frances and Mary goes through a number of changes over the years, but is still strong and vibrant at the novel's end. Anyone who has had a close female friend can probably relate to the jealousies, insecurities, shared joys, and boundless loyalty shared by our heroines. True, Mary doesn't always treat Frances well, but underneath it all lurks a deep love and unwavering regard that nothing can alter. There's a scene near the end of the book that had me in tears, so powerful and visceral were the emotions shared by Mary and Frances.

The Girls In the Picture is a novel I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with strong heroines who lead unconventional lives. It's entertaining, thought-provoking, and just plain fun to read.

Buy it at: A/BN/iB/K

received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for a free review. I adored this book’s historical elements, but at the heart it is truly a novel of female friendship and the difficulties that those friendships face pioneering in competitive professional field. Especially poignant today given the societal changes in Hollywood, I really enjoyed learning about its beginnings with Mary and Frances’ lives at the forefront.

Too much telling instead of showing so I didn't feel drawn into the story. "Girl" and "girls" have been used in far too many titles and it needs to stop. I also didn't care for the gushing over the movie "Birth of a Nation" without any comment on the problems with that movie.

4.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Melanie Benjamin for the opportunity to read and review.

THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin completely captivated me! I was not at all familiar with the start of the movie industry nor had any interest (I thought) in learning about the founding of silent films. Ms. Benjamin has deftly portrayed the two girls, Mary Pickford and Frances Marion. These characters are dynamic and multi dimensional. The fact that they were real people does not take away from Ms. Benjamin’s creative skill in making their voices so authentic! THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE is infused with facts as well as with well researched fiction. It is, after all, in the Historical fiction genre.  The way the author brought these two women to life, the entire early motion pictures industry to life, is simply mesmerizing. There are numerous and interesting factoids scattered throughout. I am glad to say I am more educated having read this book! I have not read any book by Melanie Benjamin before this one. I am estactic to learn of her and am looking forward to reading all of her historical fiction books!  Highly and enthusiastically recommended!  4.5 stars (minus .5 due to too much verbiage at some points.  It dragged just a bit and seemed the dialogue  became redundant.)

I received a free digital copy of this book from Net Galley to read and review.

The Girls in the Picture is an historical fictionalization of the relationship between actress Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion. The two women were pioneers in the budding movie industry and their support of each other strengthened their ambition and success.

Told from alternating points of view, the first half of the book was the most interesting to me. But Mary's struggles with alcohol took a toll on her relationships, her career and her friendship with Frances was a victim. I think this section of the book was too long and repetitive.

Overall, and easy and interesting read

I was truly disappointed in this book. I love reading about old Hollywood but this was so boring and Mary was awful.

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin tells the little known tale of two of Hollywood's earliest stars.  Mary Pickford was the It actress of her time and France Marion became one of the best screenwriters.  Somehow these two formed an intense friendship instead of the rivalry that might have been expected.  Before reading this book I had never heard of these two amazing women.  They created the movie star image of Hollywood in a time where women were not typically seen in positions of power.  What an inspiring read this book is for all women.  Read and enjoy!

First line: Lately, the line between real life and the movies has begun to blur.

Summary: Hollywood was not always the glamorous place it is today. At the dawn of the motion pictures were Frances Marion and Mary Pickford. Their friendship and collaboration created many of the earliest movies. Each took their careers in hand and made a name for themselves. Marion as a screenwriter and Mary as “America’s Sweetheart”. Through a duel narration, we see the changes of the movies, their lives and the nation.

Highlights: Melanie Benjamin is becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes amazing stories of strong women. I am completely enamored with Mary Pickford and Frances Marion after reading this novel. I have inter library loaned several of their movies as I read in order to watch the movies discussed in the story. Having never watched a silent film, it will be a fun experience. My first one will be Sparrows starring Mary Pickford. I really liked both characters. Each woman is independent but they have a strong friendship that they rely on as well. The history behind the beginning of the motion picture was fascinating to see through the eyes of women who actually experienced it when women were barely working outside the home.

Lowlights: The middle of the plot was a little slow. Especially when Frances was in Europe during the First World War. It is an important point in her life but when the rest of the story is centered around Hollywood and the movies it was not as interesting.

FYI: If you like The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty then read this!

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and this book really intrigued me when I first read about it. The story is new and well written and the characters well developed. I would read more by this author in the future!

Loved it!  The dialogue and inner thoughts and intentions may be completely fictitious, but this is an amazing look at the beginnings of Hollywood, Mary Pickford, the first truly great (silent) film star, and Frances Marion, her friend and scenarist, who became the highest paid screenwriter of the time.  Mary and Frances were two strong women, and strong friends, who helped shape Hollywood and films, and did it on their terms - in a man's world.   I pretty much loved everything about this book - it's a fast, fascinating look at these two women and their fates, the times in general, things they accomplished and created in Hollywood that are still important today, and what it costs people to succeed in that world. It's a very entertaining read, and sometimes very moving.  I will most definitely be looking for Melanie Benjamin's other works.  Many thanks to NetGalley, and Randon House/Ballantine/Delacorte Press for the ARC. Highly recommend! 4.5 stars.

A very well written story about two women making strides and their marks upon a fledgling Hollywood. 

I really couldn't get into this book no matter how hard i tried. I was really excited to read this story as a fictional background into the lives of some of Hollywood's most famous/influential players. 

The jump back and forth in time and characters, it just didn't hold my attention and that has made me very sad. I will try to read it at a little later date when I'm not pushed on deadline.

So we have all have heard of Pickfair, the fairy tale place where everyone who was anybody wanted to go, the home of Hollywood’s first power couple, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. But what is rarely discussed is who Mary Pickford was prior to being the first movie star and the aftermath. In this fictionalized account of the life of Pickford as well as her good friend, Frances Marion, a screen writer who wrote Oscar winning screen plays, the book is about Hollywood but beyond that it is about friendship, ambition, women who were successful in a man’s world, and a history of the early days of moving pictures. 

From a historical standpoint, it is quite an interesting novel as the author traces the evolution of the movies from the disdain of stage actors as well as ordinary people for those who made films to the worshiping of film actors. From short film reels to the first epic film, D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation, to Talkies and the formation of the studio system as well as the formation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, much of which involved Pickford. The movies that were made, the names of the people involved, as well as the technical aspects of movie making are all accurate and interesting to learn about.

The relationship between the two women is deftly dealt with. Two women who found in the other someone who was like themselves, women who had their own ideas, who loved their work, and who were similarly ambitious. The depiction of the waning and waxing of their relationship with sometimes hurt feelings, petty jealousies, and inevitability of drifting apart due to life itself, but underneath it all real warmth and affection for each other. The book is at its best when focused on their relationship. These famous figures are depicted as real people with real emotions and real flaws.

What is a little repetitive is the reasoning for the ambitions of both women and how hard it was to make it in a man’s world. The fact that Mary Pickford (who was really Gladys Louise Smith from Toronto, Canada) was the breadwinner of her family from an early age was driven home time and time again. It was surprising to learn the number of women screen writers in the early years of Hollywood which then changed as the movie business changed. The book is a little too repetitive in that aspect though the point is well-taken as even now there are not enough women in the industry almost 100 years later. 

And what happened to the marriage of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks? You will also find that out in The Girls in the Picture.

Delightful, informative, captivating, deep and interesting are a few of the adjectives that popped into my mind after reading this wonderful book. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks and so many of the other names of Hollywood past were only words I heard my mother and grandmother speak about. Now I feel as if I know them  and understand their time. a little better. It may sound cliché, but I couldn’t put the book down once I began and I felt like I really came to know Mary and her struggles as both a child actor and while she was caught up in the burgeoning Hollywood drama as a pioneer in the great motion picture industry. This is a book and an author that I will recommend to all of my reading friends and to my book club. Thanks Netgalley for the advance copy of this book to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for an ARC of this story in return for my honest review. Fascinating fictionalized account of Mary Pickford-an early movie star and her friend Frances Marion-early Hollywood's highest earning screenwriter. I didn't know much about Pickford and nothing about Marion. Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks were two of the original founders of United Artists. This book kept me interested both in the complicated relationship between the two women and also in the history of Hollywood and the place of women there. Not surprisingly, there were not many differences between how women were treated in Hollywood both then and now-very timely story. I found myself looking up both women online to try to get more information about them after reading it. Excellent historical fiction!

What an interesting perspective on the original queen of the silent movie era, Mary Pickford.  Mary Pickford and Frances Marion (her scenarist) were women involved in a man’s industry and they did not let that tiny fact hold them back from very successful careers.  The book was easy to read, informative, and paid homage to the original actors and actresses and studio heads who created the modern day vision we now know to be Hollywood.  Prior to reading The Girls in the Picture, I had little knowledge of the silent film industry but the author paints quite a picture of what it took to ‘make it’ during such a tumultuous time, factoring in World War I and the introduction to talkies.  I enjoyed this book as it entertained me with wonderful stories about the big names in Hollywood and how glamorous couples ruled from their California castles.

I am not sure how I feel about this book.  Melanie Benjamin reanimates two fascinating characters and weaves behind the scene details that though they may be fiction, have a ring of truth that makes the reader feel as both a voyeur and an innocent bystander.  A coming of age set  between the ‘flickers’ and the ‘talkies’ and how the new world order would leave some behind and offer new direction to others.

As a twice-divorced woman, Francis Marion arrived in Los Angeles and became one of Hollywood’s most influential writers between the 1915 and the 1930’s.  When movies were still known as flickers, Francis was the scenarist that developed a guide for directors and actors of the silent era to follow. 

Mary Pickford was the ‘girl with the curls’, Americas Sweetheart that glowed on film and had throngs of adoring fans.  Her admiring public did not want her to grow up.  Remembering her beginnings, she felt that she owed to her fans what they wanted even if it was in conflict with the woman she was becoming.  Little did she know that once her curls were gone so was her career and her husband.   

When Francis and Mary met, no one could have imagined what they would, as a team, both build and destroy. Francis became Mary’s only screenwriter.  Francis created Mary’s most memorable characters and as the silent era faded and the talkies took over – only one would make the successful leap.  

The beginning and end of this book were mesmerizing.   The middle had angered me.  Two strong women became simpering fools over the men in their lives.  So, I am going to skip over that and concentrate on the strength that this team shared until it became unbearable for both.  Their story unfolds in alternating chapters and Pickford’s part definitely lacks in both the storytelling and atmosphere.  It is obvious from the start that this is Francis’s story and though Pickford is central, she lacks the glow that her movie persona held. 

By the end, Francis has to confront one serious question.  Is she responsible for the wreck of the person that Mary had become?  With only the two of them left to face regret and loss, they must come to terms with whom they were and who they are now.  Were they truly friends or were they co-dependent? Each only taking what the other could offer.  Did Francis condemn Pickford to always be a little girl on the screen due to the very first screenplay that she had written for her? Or was it Francis’s sole intention to give Mary an on screen childhood that that she was denied?  

Admitting that she took artistic license, Melanie Benjamin did not write a biography, it is a fictionalized tale of two influential women that were innovators and artists in Hollywood’s Golden Age.    A story that exposes the Golden Age and lays bare the inner workings both in front of and behind the screen.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Melanie Benjamin for the ARC to review. When I started to read this book, I knew who Mary Pickford was,  I was well acquainted with the story of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, but I did not know who Frances Marion was.  I was fascinated with the stories of both women and their rather somewhat odd friendship. I learned several things about Hollywood that I did not know, i.e., that Mary Pickford only played children, that Mary along with Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks started the film company, United Artist, as well as, the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. Through their friend ship they created movie magic, Mary was the actress and Frances was the screenwriter.This was a story of two very strong and determined women in an industry that was male dominated. Throughout, there years of working in Hollywood they would not be bullied by the men in suits that were in charge of the studios in their early years.  Mary became an Academy Award winning actress and Frances had several Academy Awards of her own. However, there friendship became strained for a number of reasons. Although, however odd this friendship was, these women were friends to the end and pioneers for modern day women in motion pictures