Hardboiled Hollywood

An in-deapth look at the inspiration behind the greatest noir films ever made.

Real-life bank robbers, twisted serial killers, and pulp novels have all helped shape the world of crime cinema. From Kiss Me Deadly, Bonnie & Clyde, and Psycho, to The Godfather and LA Confidential, Max Décharné uncovers the little-known stories behind each of these classic films and more.

Thanks to Hollywood, failed bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Borrow are forever fixed in popular imagination. Middle-aged Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein is now forever embodied in Anthony Perkin's unforgettable portrayal of Norman Bates in Hitchock's Psycho. The true-life Origins of these films are now revealed in Max Décharné's revelatory volume - the stories perhaps more fascinating than even their Hollywood representations.