Tyrone Power, Nightmare Alley & the trap of the Hollywood Studio System

#classicmovies #classichollywood #classicmoviestars
Tyrone Power was one of the biggest stars in the world, and yet he was only proud of a handful of his films, one of them was NIGHTMARE ALLEY. As a product of the studio system his image was shaped and sold by 20th Century Fox. While packaged as a romantic lead and a swashbuckling hero, he had deeper ambitions some of which were fulfilled by his against type role as Stan Carlisle in NIGHTMARE ALLEY.

To understand why NIGHTMARE ALLEY was so important to Tyrone Power, it is important to unpack how the classic Hollywood star machine built star personas and then sold them to the public. Its was a lucrative system, but for any truly talented actor who had the misfortune of becoming an actual movie star it could lead to disappointment and disillusionment.

This is what happened to Tyrone Power.

His legacy pales compared to some of his contemporaries and many of his films, while really good, are not that well known.

Here's the link to my video on Tyrone Power's 1956 film THE EDDIE DUCHIN STORY. It's a lush and romantic love letter to New York City.
   • The Eddy Duchin Story (1956) and The ...  

Here's the link to my video on one of my favorite (yet flawed) films KINGS ROW one of the first films to tackle the corrupted small town in American cinema.
   • KINGS ROW: the dark side of small tow...  


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If you're interested in the films and books mentioned in this video I've listed where you can find them in the links below.

If you buy something through my links I may get a small share of the sale. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you've only just discovered Tyrone Power, here are some essential (and easy to find) films to check out.

Love Is News (1937) DVD: https://amzn.to/3JY2yJ6
In Old Chicago (1938) DVD: https://amzn.to/3KcTSyJ
Alexander's Rag Time Band (1938) DVD: https://amzn.to/3vyAcQs
Jesse James (1939) DVD: https://amzn.to/3v15uR0
Blu-Ray: https://amzn.to/3uVuEAm
The Mark of Zorro (1940) DVD: https://amzn.to/3K0FWaA
Blu-Ray: https://amzn.to/3uYl9QK
Blood and Sand (1941) DVD: https://amzn.to/3L2k14o
The Black Swan (1942) DVD: https://amzn.to/3L323hY
The Razor's Edge (1946) DVD: https://amzn.to/3On1hP3
Nightmare Alley (1947) DVD: https://amzn.to/3kdV4Hz
Blu-Ray: https://amzn.to/3EuoDOj
Rawhide (1951) Blu-Ray: https://amzn.to/3On20Qh
Witness For The Prosecution (1958) DVD: https://amzn.to/386HbIm
Blu-Ray: https://amzn.to/3MAx3Xl

If you want to know more about how the Hollywood studio system worked I highly recommend:
The Star Machine by Jeanine Basinger (paperback): https://amzn.to/3v0pOlx

If you want further reading on the life of Tyrone Power check out:
Tyrone Power: The Last Idol by Fred Guiles (paperback) https://amzn.to/381qpKx

If you're a fan of Tyrone Power you can find my Ty Power fan twitter here:   / typowersgirl  

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