Yul Brynner: Exoticism, Cosmopolitanism and Screen Masculinity

Yul Brynner’s star image was built on cosmopolitan flair, shifting tales of origin, baldness, as well as film roles as foreign rulers, freedom fighters, army officials, gunslingers and secret agents of ever—shifting ethnicities. Whether Cossacks, marauding pirate captains or cross—dressing torch singers, Brynner’s characters were invariably stand—outs.
This book explores his exotic and masculine star image and its transformations from lavish Orientalist Hollywood spectacles of the 1950s to 1...