Picture

The book Picture by Lillian Ross is a classic piece of long-form journalism that offers an intimate, detailed look at the making of the 1951 film adaptation of Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage. Ross, a legendary journalist for The New Yorker, chronicles the tumultuous process behind the scenes, focusing on the charismatic director John Huston and the impact of studio politics on the film’s production. The narrative reveals how a promising artistic endeavor was undermined by commercial pressures and interference, resulting in a significant cut and eventual commercial failure. The book is widely praised for its vivid, incisive portrayal of Hollywood filmmaking, capturing the clash between artistic vision and the commercial film industry, and is considered a landmark work of reportage on American cinema.