Many of the stars of the silver screen in twentieth-century Hollywood became national icons, larger-than-life figures held up as paragons of American virtues. Unfortunately, the private lives of actors such as John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and Errol Flynn rarely lived up to the idealistic roles they portrayed. However, James Stewart was known as the underdog fighter in many of his films and in real life. He was highly decorated for his bravery during his time as a bomber pilot during World War II and was adored for his earnest and kindly persona.

Here many unknown sides of Stewart are revealed: his explosive temper, his complex love affairs, his service as a secret agent for the FBI, his innate shyness, and his passionate patriotism. Munn’s personal touch shines through his writing, as he was a friend of Stewart and his wife, Gloria, and interviewed them as well as their colleagues and friends. This definitive biography reveals the childhood ups and downs that formed this cinema hero, explores the legendary Fonda–Stewart relationship, and recounts Stewart’s experiences making acclaimed films that include The Philadelphia Story, Rear Window, Anatomy of a Murder, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

二十世纪好莱坞银幕上的许多明星成为国家偶像，比生命更重要的人物被视为美国美德的典范。不幸的是，约翰-韦恩、亨利-方达和埃罗尔-弗林等演员的私人生活很少达到他们所塑造的理想主义角色。然而，詹姆斯-斯图尔特在他的许多电影和现实生活中被称为劣势斗士。他在二战期间担任轰炸机飞行员期间因其勇敢而获得了很高的荣誉，并因其认真和善良的性格而受到崇拜。

在这里，斯图尔特许多不为人知的一面被揭示出来：他的爆炸性脾气、他复杂的恋情、他作为联邦调查局特工的服务、他天生的羞涩以及他热情的爱国主义。蒙恩的个人魅力在他的写作中闪耀，因为他是斯图尔特和他的妻子格洛丽亚的朋友，并采访了他们以及他们的同事和朋友。这本权威的传记揭示了形成这位电影英雄的童年起伏，探讨了方达-斯图尔特的传奇关系，并叙述了斯图尔特拍摄备受赞誉的电影的经历，包括《费城故事》、《后窗》、《谋杀案剖析》、《美好生活》和《史密斯先生去华盛顿》。