Theda Bara

During the 1910s Theda Bara was one of the leading stars of the silent screen, and she earned the nickname The Vamp. Her reputation faded for decades, but interest in her returned in the 1990s and has since inspired biographies, documentaries and other projects. Among them is a meticulous reconstruction, built from production stills, of Cleopatra, a lost epic in which she starred.

This book works through Bara's more than 40 films, along with her stage and radio appearances, and looks closely at each one. For every title it covers how the picture was conceived, who directed it, what its story involved, the trouble it faced with censors, and how critics and audiences responded. Because most of her films are now considered lost, the book is a useful reference for admirers and researchers alike.

The volume also offers a biographical overview of Bara's life, enlivened by many revealing anecdotes.