Film critics, producers, and the comedians themselves are among the authors of this group of 43 essays some original for this book; some previously published in such publications as The Village Voice, Film Comment , and Film Quarterly on (mainly American) comedy films. Though films through the 1990s are featured, silent movies and slapstick receive substantial coverage, with articles and essays on Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Mae West, Frank Capra, and Edgar Kennedy, among others. Rickman teaches film at San Francisco State U. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
