Arthur Laurents était un dramaturge et scénariste américain dont les œuvres abordaient souvent des thèmes sociaux et politiques. Ses scénarios et pièces de théâtre se caractérisaient par des dialogues incisifs et un aperçu profond de la psyché humaine. Laurents était connu pour sa perspective critique sur la société américaine et ses stéréotypes. Son œuvre continue de résonner aujourd'hui par son intemporalité et son importance.
From playwright, screenwriter, and director Laurents comes a mesmerizing book about theater, art and the artist, the insider and the outsider--and the making of two of the greatest musicals of the American stage: "Gypsy" and "West Side Story."
George Oppenheimer's brief summation: "It skirts about the fairy story of , but never settles for long in one mold. There is social comment on conformity and other failings of our modern civilization; there is satire of the mores of the rich and the not so rich; there is also pure, unadulterated, old-fashioned romance, a commodity too rarely hawked from our contemporary stage. The story deals largely with the conflict between summer visitors to the South Shore of Long Island and two of the permanent residents who become entangled in their lives. The visitors, rich, sophisticated, conventional (although they would bridle at the word), have come for the wedding of a lovely young girl and a highly eligible young man. There is, however, one deterrent to this eminently suitable alliance. The bride-to-be keeps falling asleep, especially on those occasions when her intended discusses their secure and predictable future. During one of these naps another young man, poor, unambitious and unshackled, kisses the girl and wakes her up with a vengeance. From then on, there is a battle between the kissing boy's mother, as free a soul as her son, and the two mothers of the prospective bride and groom. And in the middle is caught an attractive man, who is inextricably involved with both camps."
Book by Arthur Laurents, Laurents, Arthur
Arthur Laurents' autobiography reveals his multifaceted career, highlighting his contributions to theater and film. Known for iconic musicals like West Side Story and Gypsy, he also penned socially conscious plays and worked as a successful screenwriter and director. The narrative offers an engaging look at his experiences and insights, showcasing the evolution of his artistic journey and the impact of his work on American culture.
Příběh tohoto románu se odehrává na konci 2. světové války a těsně po jejím skončení. Hlavní hrdinka Katie Moroskyová, studentka na univerzitě v New Yorku, patří ke skupince angažovaných mladých lidí nekompromisně bojujících za své ideály. Odvážná a vznětlivá Katie prožívá milostný vztah s Hubbellem Gardinerem, člověkem s ležérním přístupem k životu, představující její úplný protipól. Po skončení univerzity se oba přestěhují do slunné Kalifornie a z Hubbella se záhy stává úspěšný scénárista. Nablýskaná atmosféra filmového studia je vynikající živnou půdou pro různé intriky. Nevraživost mezi kolegy zesílí po ustanovení Výboru pro neamerickou činnost a šíří se dokonce udavačství. Román je známým také ve filmové verzi, a to díky hvězdnému obsazení hlavních rolí Barbrou Streisand a Robertem Redfordem.
