Dietrich Icon by Gerd Gemunden
Some of the essays in this collection revisit such familiar topics as Germanys complex relationship with Dietrich, her ambiguous sexuality, her place in the lesbian archive, her star status, and her legendary legs, but with fresh critical perspective and an emphasis on historical background. Other essays establish new avenues for understanding Dietrichs persona. Among these are a reading of Marlene Dietrichs ABCan eclectic autobiographical compendium containing Dietrichs thoughts on such diverse subjects as steak, Sternberg (Joseph von), Stravinsky, and stupidityand an argument that Dietrich manipulated her voicethrough her accent, sexual innuendo, and singingas much as her visual image in order to convey a cosmopolitan world-weariness. Still other essays consider the specter of aging that loomed over Dietrichs career, as well as the many imitations of the Dietrich persona that have emerged since the stars death in 1992.
Contributors. Nora M. Alter, Steven Bach, Elisabeth Bronfen, Erica Carter, Mary R. Desjardins, Joseph Garncarz, Gerd Gemunden, Mary Beth Haralovich, Amelie Hastie, Lutz Koepnick, Alice A. Kuzniar, Amy Lawrence, Judith Mayne, Patrice Petro, Eric Rentschler, Gaylyn Studlar, Werner Sudendorf, Mark Williams