Max Ophuls in the Hollywood Studios

Max Ophuls, who is considered one of the greatest film directors of all time, has long been seen as an “auteur”--the artist in complete control of his work. Lutz Bacher’s examination of his American career gives us a unique perspective on the workings of the Hollywood system and the struggle of a visionary to function within it. He thus establishes clear connections between the production contexts of Ophuls' American films and their idiosyncratic style.

Drawing on documents in many archives ...