Dietrich Icon

“Readers can expect essays that put pressure on received orthodoxies on Dietrich as icon, on reception aesthetics, classical feminist film theory, film industry environments, and constructions of national identity in mass media. Dietrich herself is an ideal pretext when it comes to questions having to do with cinematic discourses. . . . The volume is amazingly blunder-free, and the contributors’ energetic archival work not only serves as a model for film scholarship, but will also save film scholars much leg work.” - Ingeborg Majer-O’Sickey, German Quarterly

“This collection offers a great deal for students of film, photography, cultural history, and those with an interest in the methodology of archiving and chronically of human lives. . . . This academic volume is conversational and well-structured, and the essays in this book will find favour in among the Dietrich fans.” - Evelyn Hartogh, M/C Reviews

“This volume on Dietrich grew out of the ‘Marlene at 100’ conference at Dartmouth in 2001, and the essays preserve something of the celebratory and conversational tone the event. This tenor fits both with the methodological concerns of the volume and with Dietrich's status as a signpost for film theory. In their adept introduction, Gerd Gemünden and Mary R. Desjardines describe Dietrich as a figure that at once embodies and exceeds any specific framing of Hollywood cinema, gender, or nation. . . . The introduction attempts to place Dietrich in terms of nationality and film theory, but the volume's contributions cast an even wider net, raising issues of gender, genre, technology, aging, politics, and biography.” - A. Hunter Bivens, H-German, H-Net Reviews

“Gerd Gemünden and Mary R. Desjardins convincingly suggest, and the essays together prove, that Dietrich is a figure who is interesting not just in herself but also as a prism reflecting discourses on aging, stardom, feminism, film theory, authorship, authenticity, performance, and masquerade, as well as audience projections ranging from Third Reich condemnation to lesbian cult fandom.” - Pamela Robertson Wojcik, author of Guilty Pleasures: Feminist Camp from Mae West to Madonna

“Most works on actresses are largely biographical in nature, with some critical evaluation of particular films and stage appearances thrown into the mix. This anthology by Gerd Gemünden and Mary R. Desjardins, however, presents serious historical and theoretical work on Dietrich’s star image and career—all expressed in clear and readable language, devoid of ‘jargon.’” - Lucy Fischer, author of Designing Women: Cinema, Art Deco, and the Female Form

“Dietrich Icon. . . successfully bridges the gap between academic publishing and writing that can appeal to general readership. . . The book not only has an alluring design, but the paperback edition is also reasonably priced. . . Dietrich Icon rises above the fray and encompasses successfully the aesthetic, cultural, and sexual diversity of Marlene Dietrich. To put it simply, the book is indispensable for anybody wanting to know more about the icon Dietrich.” - Ulrich Bach, German Studies Review

“[T]he editors provide an extensive summary of the many publications that have explored Dietrich’s performances from ideological, formal, and, above all, psychoanalytic perspectives.” - Caroline Weber, BookForum

“[T]here is much to admire in this volume. This is an excellent book to be used in the classroom as well as a resource for any Dietrich aficionado.” - Irene Javors, Screening the Past

“As the product of a German studies professor and a film-studies professor respectively, Dietrich Icon is unique in its appeal to a wide scholarly audience. Even more surprising is its approachability to the casual reader who knows little, if anything, about Dietrich. . . . [T]he incredible details of its memoirs . . . and precise critical analysis allow the reader a penetrative rather than descriptive look at Dietrich. Dietrich Icon has something to offer everyone, from literary, film, and queer theorists to cultural studies and history scholars, with something for the unfamiliar reader to boot.” - Lauren Indvik, Dartmouth Review

“Yes, it is academic in the best sense of the word: you can learn a lot but you may also enjoy the design, the wonderful photos, the careful editing.” - Dietrich Newsletter