{"product_id":"assembly-line-auteur-david-meuel-9781476696300","title":"Assembly-Line Auteur: The Pre-Code Films of William Wellman","description":"\u003cp\u003e Of the many stories from Hollywood's vibrant, free-wheeling pre-Code era, one of the most intriguing is also one that, until now, has not received its full due: the astonishing achievement of director William \"Wild Bill\" Wellman during his epic three-year run at Warner Brothers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Between 1930 and 1933, Wellman directed 18 feature films and co-directed another, almost all on the studio's busy production assembly line. What makes this achievement especially notable is not so much the number but the very high quality of roughly half of them--films that resonate deeply with audiences today. These range from such masterpieces as \u003ci\u003eThe Public Enemy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHeroes for Sale\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eWild Boys of the Road\u003c\/i\u003e to such undisputed \"pre-Code gems\" as \u003ci\u003eNight Nurse\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSafe in Hell\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eMidnight Mary\u003c\/i\u003e. Considered as a body of work, they also give us a clearer understanding of Wellman the budding auteur, a true cinematic artist who, with each new film, refined his craft and sharpened his perspectives on themes he would revisit throughout his long career. Exploring each of these as well as other Wellman pre-Code films in depth, this book is an invaluable resource for those desiring to learn more about both this gifted director and a fascinating filmmaking era. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e David Meuel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1476696306\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781476696300\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e McFarland \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/11\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 232\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.53d","brand":"David Meuel","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48241310302463,"sku":"9781476696300","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_9b09ae4d-5a65-41a1-954c-7d3eb0cc3ada.jpg?v=1772653802","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/assembly-line-auteur-david-meuel-9781476696300","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}