"In Robert Redford and American Cinema , Michael Allen has provided the first comprehensive academic study of one of the most important male actors of the late 20th century. From his early career on stage and television to his eventual status as major star and sex symbol and subsequent career behind the camera, Allen argues that Redford represents the maverick spirit of the new Hollywood and indicates a trajectory for a generation of subsequent male leads. This is an important contribution to literature on Hollywood stardom and the complicated networks of meaning through which a star image is constructed. It's essential reading for anyone interested in American film culture in the late 20th century and the cultural and political landscape of the period." --John Mercer, Birmingham City University, UK.