Excellent historical rendering of the early days of Hollywood seen through the eyes of Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion. Well written,well researched, this story of the friendship and relationship of two women is just a great story and shocks Appel to both women and men.

What a delightful book! It is about Mary Pickford and Frances Marion, two real characters from the Hollywood scene. Mary was a child stage actress who continued to play girls even into her twenties. Her younger siblings, Jack and Lottie were also forced to work on the stage. The main characters in this story though are Mary, Frances and Mary's mother Charlotte. Frances becomes a screen writer for Mary.

in 1909, with no work in sight, Mary decides to appear in the "flickers" and becomes America's Sweetheart. Frances Marion is a talented woman who writes screenplays. She met Mary Pickford when Mary's first husband, Owen, invited Frances to sketch his wife. They immediately became fast friends and they collaborated on films. Mary doing the acting and Frances writing the script. Mary came to own her own production company along with her husband Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin. So with Frances writing and Mary acting, they were definitely a force to be reckoned with. Both women were passionate and fierce when it came to their careers and would do what it took to succeed.

Mary had a whirlwind marriage with Douglas Fairbanks but their marriage did end. Frances was introduced to the love of her life, Fred Thompson and they had two sons. Mary and Frances stayed friends until Frances died in 1973 and Mary died in 1979.

This book was very interesting to me, I had not read a lot about Hollywood and Mary Pickford in particular. It appears that there had been a lot of research. Full of real characters, producers, D.W. Griffith, Cecil B. DeMille, Albert Capellani and the Lumière brothers from France and actresses Lilian Gish, Lois Weber, Frances Marion, Anita Loos, June Mathis. What a cornucopia of people! A book with a passion for acting and the persona's of Mary and Frances were amazing and poignant. Lots of history of Hollywood, silent films and talkies! I loved it and recommend reading this one! The girls in the picture may have faded over time but they are never forgotten!

“In this photo, both of us looked successful and happy. Well, Fran—of course you were happy. You were in love with Fred and Mary was in love with Doug. Still, we were so attuned to each other, you could see it—it was as if there was an invisible thread between us, even though we were both looking at the camera. Both smiling confidently. Joyously.
The only girls in the picture.”

Mary Pickford was America’s Sweetheart, starring in flicker films of the 1900’s and later motion pictures, at the beginning of the “talkies” era in film. There were so many aspects of this book that I loved. The romance stories between Mary and the husbands of her life, the friendship between Mary and Frances, legendary screen writer, but some of the stories fell flat where I wanted to know more. Overall a well rounded 3.5 stars for Girls in the Picture!

A well-written book about the struggles of women fighting to find their place in the early era of picture making. The book is intense in places and takes a while to read. The characters come alive and you ride the ups and downs of two women. One famous, the other literally the woman behind the scenes. Sadly success does not guarantee happiness or fulfillment in life.

The Girls in the Picture brought readers back in time to the silent film era through the talkies, following a starlet on her journey through an ever changing world of entertainment. Overall, it was an interesting read, diving into a world that seems fair removed from our current entertainment culture. It was well written and going back and forth between the perspective of the starlet and the writer allowed the reader to see two sides of the story. I enjoyed it!

I love, loved this book! On top of being entertaining, it taught me a lot about the early days of Hollywood. I do have to say that by the end of the book, Mary got a little grating. But still a great book.

This book came out at such an incredible time. It's a story of the power of women - as most books are by Benjamin. It demonstrates the power that women could claim for themselves, but also the imbalance of power that was/is prevalent within the industry. I personally didn't know much about the beginnings of Hollywood and to see it here, through the eyes of some of the most influential women in the industry, delighted me. I had no idea the female collaboration behind the beginning of the movies. The friendship and power between Marion and Pickford was refreshing and enjoyable to read.

Benjamin poured herself into this book. She meticulously researched the topic and brought her usual depth to all characters involved. She created a world I didn't want to leave and this book was almost impossible to put down.

This is a definite must-read for anyone who loves the movie business and seeing how it developed, from the evolution from flickers to talkies, to seeing the rise of some of the studios we know today. There were also appearances by the likes of Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplain. This was a novel steeped in detail that brought true color to the era of back and white movies.

I can't recommend this book enough. I've put it down to be read for book club and have told so many friends that if you could only read one historical novel from 2018 it really needs to be this one!

When I started The Girls in the Picture my knowledge of Mary Pickford was slim to none and Frances Marion even less so. Like the women in the novel, I was going into uncharted territory.

In the era of #Metoo a novel about women being discriminated against because of their sex and not potential could not be more timely. I enjoyed reading about how these two women (mainly Frances) climbed a ladder that was predominantly men. The struggles of not being taken seriously and blatant dismissals were insightful.

Mary Pickford was like a lost lamb. She was constantly trying to find a way to jump over the fence but yet could never make the vault. Mary’s antics of playing jacks on set, and wanting to forever stay in Neverland were amusing. However, she unfortunately skipped the training bra and moved directly into a push-up. She begins a relationship with Douglas Fairbanks, a married man. This only shows her desperate need to mature and a lack of direction on how to do so.

I much preferred Frances’ story. She knew her self-worth and strove to get a high-powered writing career. This did not happen of course without a few slips up the ladder both personal and professional. Where France really shines is when she decides to pursue journalism during WWI. It gives her a look into cruelty and shows her resilience to overcome obstacles. Thus, she proves that women do have a place and can equally contribute to issues besides “What’s for dinner?”

Where The Girls in the Picture really shines is when these two forces of nature join together. Melanie Benjamin did a wonderful job showing the ups and downs of this camaraderie and gives a clear picture of the change in Hollywood where not only the pictures learned to talk.

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin. Ahhh, the glorious days of old, the glamour days. There is so much to love about this book and this story; hollywood, lights and cameras, silent movies and Mary Pickford. I will now make a list of these old movies and take time to go back in time, again. Female friendship and powerful woman!
Thanks to #netgalley #thegirlsinthepicture and #delacortepress

A well researched, well written, historical fiction book about the early Hollywood movies. A wonderful story about the lives and careers of Mary Pickford, one of America's first movie stars (mostly silent movies, starring alongside Charlie Chaplin), and her best friend, Frances Marion, an early screenwriter. A beautiful story about strong women, pioneers of their times, that stood up to men and studio heads, creating a legacy for themselves. Their strong friendship bonds getting stronger with time, then falling apart gradually, chiseled away by the men in their lives and hardships. I appreciated the research and building of characters in this novel, and enjoyed it very much. Thank you NetGalley for the e-reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I very much enjoyed “The Aviator’s Wife” and looked forward to Melanie Benjamin’s latest novel. This book was just okay for me. I found the pacing to be off and I had trouble connecting with these particular characters, I appreciate the opportunity to have a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found the book well written and throughly researched. Very detailed story about early Hollywood and the role of women there. If you're a film-buff, this is a must read!

I loved this historical fiction book about the relationship between early film star Mary Pickford and film writer Frances Marion. The two met on a film set, and Marion eventually wrote films exclusively for Pickford.
Benjamin builds a story that tells readers about the lives of each from their beginnings to the end, two women who don’t believe that men should have all the authority over making movies.
Almost everyone has heard of Pickford, but not Marion. I found her portion of the story more interesting than that of Pickford. There’s plenty of Hollywood scandal here too.
Benjamin is the author of “The Aviator’s Wife” and “The Swans of Fifth Avenue.”

Finish out your summer beach reads with, "The Girls In The Picture" by Melanie Benjamiin. Step back into the time of the glamour of the big Hollywood studios and famous stars of the films. A novel fictionalizing the deep and loyal friendship between legendary Mary Pickford and Frances Marion. Mary Pickford known as America's Sweetheart and Frances Marion, who started as Mary's assistant and became one of Hollywood's best known screen writers.

Have you ever realized that you change your behavior depending on who you are spending time with? There are different types of personalities. The people who are helpers and those who are takers. those who are insecure and need constant reassurance. When you find your best friend it is usually someone who compliments your personality and needs. But, if you are masking your true self to be friends or circumstances change and you change over time, that can stress the friendship.
This novel, explores the relationship of two such friends, Mary Pickford and Frances Marion.
Author, Melanie Benjamin has taken the research and facts she was able to unearth and written an entertaining and compelling story about how Mary and Frances became friends and how much they needed each other all through their lives.

I really loved this novel, which tells the story of Mary Pickford the Queen of Motion Pictures and her best friend Frances Marion, the best scenarist, or film writer of early motion pictures. Wonderfully imagined are the conversations between the two women, which show how their friendship ebbed and flowed over the years as Hollywood went through its infancy of silent films to talkies and through WWI. Mary marries her prince charming, Douglas Fairbanks and rides out a turbulent marriage. Melanie Benjamin captures the times and the characters in such realistic clarity.

They were the only girls in the picture. Mary Pickford and Frances Marion became fast friends because they were both driven in their careers at a time when other women were not. They were willing to give up their personal lives, love, marriage, and children to move their careers ahead. They were willing to stand up to the male run world of big business and Hollywood. Refusing to use the casting couch to get ahead. Yes, the casting couch was a well known situation all the way back to the early days of Hollywood and silent movies. What would these women think of the #METOO movement that took so long to stand up to the chauvinism of the men in charge.

They have been through quite of bit of history together. Their single years, the start of their careers, their marriages and the loss of their husbands. At the end Mary hides away in her bedroom. Frances avoids her for a number years, but in the end she cannot stay away. They have a pull on each other.
Frances confronts Mary and they have a discussion that ends unpleasantly.

Frances leaves and realizes that they see the past from different viewpoints, "When I thought back on all those years, those golden years, that was how I remembered it. At least - that was how I chose to remember it; I knew now that Mary remembered something different. Something darker.
Something closer to the truth? No just a different truth; ...like a movie shot from a different point of view... We remembered these identical experiences differently, but that didn't make them any less truthful."

To me that sums up the story of many relationships, between friends, spouses, and even in business.
These are powerful words to recognize in all our everyday interactions.

Really enjoyed this window into old Hollywood and what might have been in the life of Mary Pickford. A personal story of making it on your own and the ups and downs of friendship and loyalty. A perfect summer read.

Ultimately, the overwrought, flowery style of writing in this book about the lives of Mary Pickford and her best friend, screenwriter Francis Marion, was not for me. However, I will say the writing style is very much in the vein of writing by women in WWI-era America, so I do see what author Melanie Benjamin was trying to do.

Both women's lives were fascinating and judging from what I've read on MaryPickford.org, Benjamin does an excellent job of staying true as possible to their personal histories. I did enjoy learning about Mary Pickford in particular- The book inspired me to look up old photos and watch a few of her movies, and I think Benjamin perfectly portrayed both women. Although The Girls in the Picture is by no means meaty, if you're looking for a fluffy, light read as sugary sweet as any Mary Pickford flicker, this is the book for you.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my honest review. I adore this book! If I could give more accolades and stars I would. Set against the beginnings of TinselTown and the movies, this is a fictionalized version of the lifelong friendship between Frances Marion and Mary Pickford. I really felt that I was there throughout the book and when I had to put the book down, it took a minute to remember where I was. I definitely recommend this to everyone looking for a good read!

I was excited to start The Girls in the Picture after reading and loving The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin. I love stories about old Hollywood and while this was an entertaining read with lots of fun information about the early years of the movie business in Hollywood, I was ultimately disappointed with it.

Mary Pickford, "America's Sweetheart", was a legend in the movie business. She made the transition from 'flickers' to 'talkies' when other stars of silent movies didn't. Her golden curls were adored by fans. When she wed dashing Douglas Fairbanks, they became the "Golden Couple" and Hollywood royalty. Their dinner parties at their estate, Pickfair, were attended by many notable people including famous writers, actors and dignitaries. Mary and Douglas founded United Artists with Charlie Chaplin and D.W Griffith and they revolutionized the movie industry and the way movies right were distributed.

Mary's closest friend and confidant was Frances Marion who went from being Mary's assistant to become an extremely successful screenwriter winning two Academy Awards. These two strong, trailblazing women made a place for themselves in a male dominated world. The Girls in the Picture is about their close but sometimes turbulent friendship.

I really enjoyed reading about the movie business and how it evolved. Rudolph Valentino, Lillian Gish, Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer and other famous movie people had cameos in this book. With all of this, I should have loved The Girls in the Picture but I didn't and I struggled to finish it. I think what bothered me was the dialogue between the characters. It felt stilted and contrived. However, reading this book did lead me to do some research on some of the people in the book and it was fascinating to read about their real lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacourt Press for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.

Melanie Benjamin knows how to make her characters come alive. This book about old Hollywood, with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Frances Marion was a great read. I admired their perseverance and strength with pursuing their dreams in a male dominant career path. Loved learning about the transitions from flickers to talking films. Also loved reading about the trials and tribulations of being an actress and screenwriter. Loved Frances and appreciated the time the author must have taken to research early Hollywood. A great read!