Sloane Hall
Libby Sternberg
Five Star, Sep 15 2020, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594149177
In 1929 in Los Angeles, John Doyle becomes a camera operator who works both silent and talkie movies at Canfield Studios. However, a dumb thing he did costs him his job at the studio and a fight his room. . His camera mentor Leo Barkenstein gets him a job as a live-in chauffeur to silent film star Miss Sloane. John heads to SLOANE H LL.
An alcoholic with a mercurial personality, Pauline Sloane is attracted to John. He reciprocates as she finds her vulnerability touching. However, he never loses sight that he is a servant and any future with Miss Sloane nonexistent beyond being her driver. Besides John wants back behind the camera while Julia the chef and Marta the housekeeper want to influence their relationship; her agent Robbie prefers torpedoing their affection..
John, filled with anger and loneliness, makes for an entertaining historical tale as he reacts rather than thinks. The rest of the cast are stereotypes of an age of transition in Hollywood to include a fading star, her loyal staff, her acrimonious agent and John’s mentor. Fans will enjoy this strong look at Hollywood circa 1929.
Harriet Klausner
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