An anthology of film actors' views of the art and technique of playing to the camera. Its chronological and topical structure allows one actor to talk or argue with another as they offer astute - and often contradictory - opinions on a broad range of theoretical concerns.

In this lively anthology, leading film actors from the silent era to the present-Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Marcello Mastroianni, Henry Fonda, Meryl Streep, and many others-describe the art and technique of acting for film. Illustrated with over fifty movie stills, the book provides a fascinating mix of shoptalk, anecdotal history, personal reminiscence, philosophy, and practical acting advice from a stellar cast of favorite screen performers.