Movie Acting: The Film Reader explores one of the most central but often overlooked aspects of cinema: film acting. Combining classic and recent essays, it examines key issues such as: What constitutes film acting? How is film acting different from stage acting? How has film acting changed over time? What signifies realism in film acting? How is acting different in different genres? What is the role of the character actor? In addition to theoretical essays, contributors provide detailed analyses of specific actors such as Lillian Gish, Marlon Brando and Sidney Poitier. Styles of acting discussed include silent film pantomime, 1930s comedic acting, the Method and acting in avant-garde films. Articles are grouped into thematic sections, each with an introduction by the editor. Any student of film studies and acting will find this an essential part of their research and reading.