Mae West

The first comprehensive interpretive biography of actress Mae West, this biography follows West's rise as one of Hollywood's most famous stars. Jill Watts demonstrates that West's performance and style were deeply influenced by black dance, music, and humour. By tracing West's African-American cultural heritage, Watts argues that the actress' fictional character was really a black woman who passed as white. Through appropriation of African-American culture, Mae West challenged society's assumptions regarding race, class, gender, and religion.