A Third Face: My Tale of Writing, Fighting and Filmmaking (Applause Books)

Interesting and frank discussion of Fuller's movies, and the industry in general. I have seen most, but not all, of the movies he directed. His comments about movies I am familiar with were of more value to me. I plan to seek out the unfamiliar movies. This book will be most meaningful to readers familiar with most or all of the movies he directed.The man's ego often shines through the narrative. Fuller is a director / writer / producer...a virtually extinct breed. He has little to say about screenwriters or teamwork in general. His focus is inward, which can come across as egotistical. But remember, this is one of few individuals (Billy Wilder comes to mind in this regard) who was capable of writing screenplays, producing the movie, and directing the shooting.His discussion of J. Edgar Hoover's attempt to revise and censor one of his movies is particularly fascinating.The Hollywood he describes is a thing of the past. This is not meant as criticism; he simply lived and worked at a time when the machinery of movie making was very different than it is today. I doubt many of his movies would be made today, as they would be viewed as too "rough" or too controversial to merit funding. That is a critical comment on the current state of American film making.

Amazing life of a true artist. Sam Fuller’s early years as a crime reporter in NYC are exciting. His GI years in the D-Day invasion and liberation of Europe are astounding. All of that leading to his career of screenwriting and directing is inspirational. Mr. Fuller can explain movie production in a couple of pages. Other books may take the whole book to explain the same. Many autobiographies are written by those who are not writers. It’s okay because they have a story to tell. In “A Third Face” the autobiography is told by one of our greatest writers and storytellers of all time. What an amazing life Sam Fuller lived!

"A Third Face" is one of the great crusty, caustic autobiographies of recent years. Fuller died a few ago, an old cigar smoker of pithy phrase, maverick tendencies and artistic courage. As a crime reporter in New York in the 20s, as a hobo in the 30s, as a GI in World War II, as a novelist, screenwriter and director of noir and war movies ("Pickup on South Street," "House of Bamboo," "The Big Red One"), Fuller was a force of nature, a no-BS realist who knew how to tell a story. The photo on the back cover speaks volumes: raised pistol in one hand; a camera lens in the other. Yet he was, at core, a powerful pacifist. He was a survivor.Fuller's style is profane, anecdotal, street wise and hugely engaging. It's no wonder, since he was the young protege and buddy of hard-boiled writers like Gene Fowler and Damon Runyon.Fuller's account of his "dogface" years as a G.I. in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany is one of the best descriptions of WWII Army life I've read.Later, Hollywood studios offered him big money to make their blockbusters ("The Longest Day," "Patton"), but he turned them down so he could make little movies his own way. ("I make A movies on B budgets," he liked to say.)Out of curiosity,I recently rented a couple of his movies. "Pickup on South Street," with Richard Widmark and Jean Peters, just crackled. "Shock Corridor," with Peter Breck, was ambitious but flawed.Though I can't wait to see some of his other films, my hunch is "A Third Face" will stand as Fuller's single greatest artistic achievement.In later years, Fuller became mentor to many young directors: Jonathan Demme; Tim Robbins; Jim Jarmusch, Martin Scorsese. It's clear from Scorsese's introduction that they idolized him.As a writer, Sam Fuller teaches this lesson: Write fast; never give up; to hell with the naysayers. His final two or three paragraphs offers a capstone philosophy that all should embrace.I loved this book. It saddens me to finish it.

I've always liked Samuel Fuller. "The Big Red One", in my opinion, is the best war movie ever but this book makes it pale in comparison. Right now, I am with Fuller while he is a 17 year old crime reporter in New York--learning the ropes from Angelica Huston's grandmother! Wow! Gritty, like the man--I bought it for the World War II stuff (he served in the Big Red One from Africa to Sicily, Normandy, and the final battle of the European theater. That being said, the part about his working for the newspapers and meeting such giants like William Randolph Hearst (of "Citizen Kane" comparisons) is worth the price of admission. Very highly recommended!!!

Stories of his life's journey as a writer who also directed movies in a bygone era. Would have liked more info about movie making and his associates and less recitation of his stories. Lots of bluster but who is meek little me to call him out on it.

This book was so highly recommended by TCM's Eddie Muller, that I immediately bought the book. I rarely act on impulse, but so glad I did. A fantastic insider look into Samual Fullers life in the New York newsroom, the four years he spent in The Big Red One during WWII, and his career in film. Samuel Fuller writes with so much energy that I felt like he was telling me the tale over a nice cigar and a great drink. Enjoy!

Samuel Fuller was, depending on your outlook, either the director of a lot of fun "B" movies, or one of the seminal forces in cinema. Nevertheless (to borrow a word he quotes in the book), it cannot be argued that he didn't lead one of the most exciting lives of the 20th century! His portraits of America in the 20s & 30s, Hollywood (and the world) in the 40s through the end of the century (or, close enough-he died in 1997) are brilliant, hilarious, moving, frivolous, and profound portraits of who we ALL are, and how we got that way. If you're a film buff, read this book! If you're an history buff, read this book! And, if you just want to read one of the most entertaining, enlightening, pieces of (forgive me, Mr. Fuller!) literature, READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

Samuel Fuller’s autobiography roars along like his movies - honest, direct, thought provoking – depicting real people and events, many covered in history books but never in the same manner as in this tome.The book is divided up into three aspects of Fuller’s life: childhood and journalism, the war years and filmmaking, all recalled with great passion. He was a 20th century journeyman, beginning life addicted to newspapers and bluffing his way into crime reporting while still in his mid-teens, before spending time as a hobo which gave him a greater insight into the nation and its people. Then came World War II and, as an infantryman, he was in the midst of action in the African, Sicily and Normandy campaigns, where fighting and deaths are grimly detailed, but none more so than the Nazi atrocities revealed in his nightmare description of the Falkenau concentration camp occurring at the termination of his military service.Finally Fuller the filmmaker, a true independent who (with the exception of his days with Darryl F. Zanuck and 20th Century Fox) worked his own way rather than being tied down by the Hollywood studios, even if it did mean turning down several major projects. All the films are detailed, moving from his debut with “I Shot Jesse James” to fulfilling his longtime ambitions with the realistic “Big Red One” and spending his final years with a mishmash of projects, completed or abandoned, and associations with other international filmmakers.An breathtaking autobiography that grips the reader from its first page and never lets go until the end, well deserving of the praise it received since its original publication in 2002.

Tells it how it is. Awesome

Il libro è arrivato in tempo, ma come qualità è molto bassa sua dei fogli che della impressione, le foto si vedevano ben poco.

Samuel Fuller a mené une vie longue et intéressante. Ce livre raconte l'histoire derrière les films tant aimé par les fans de ce culte réalisateurs travail.