Rating: 
Summary: Almost a perfect book.
Review: This book is very informing and inspiring. I mean, Hollywood "marriages" hardly last a couple of years, but with two couples in this book staying together for over 40 years is proof that marriage whether in Hollywood, CA or Tinytown, Iowa gay or straight can be long lasting and satisfying. Also, Wisecracker gets right into Billy's life with his childhood in Virginia to his life and death in Hollywood you also get info on other stars such as Joan Crawford, Claudette Colbert, and Cary Grant when and after he was Archie Leach. The reason for not a 5 star rating is because Mr Mann kind of gives you the impression that he is unsure of the information that he is trying to give the reader. But the book is extremely enjoyable and I hope this will bring forth more books and bios about some of Hollywood's Celluloid closet.
Rating: 
Summary: A sloppy job
Review: This book was a major disappointment. It could have been good. Unfortunately, once you throw out all the regurgitated gossip, conjecture, and seemingly endless repetition, there's not much real information on William Haines. It doesn't help that Mann doesn't seem to know (or care) that he frequently contradicts himself. Potentially interesting topics - that Haines may have been a manic depressive, to name just one - are touched on, but Mann prefers rehashing old publicity to attempting any real insight.
One of the more irritating aspects of this book is the repeated emphasis on how "cultured" Haines was. He quit school at age 14; how and when he acquired the "culture" he was so famous for is never really made clear. It's possible that he educated himself in art, music, literature, etc., which would be laudable as well as interesting, but if this side of Haines existed, Mann does him a huge disservice by ignoring it. Apparently it's enough for Mann that Haines was well-versed in antiques and Emily Post's Etiquette.
As has been pointed out in other reviews, Mann's research leaves a lot to be desired. Take, for example, his reference in Chapter Four to Gloria Swanson's "marriages to European royalty." Supposedly Mann read Swanson's autobiography; of her six husbands -and she discusses each one-only two were Europeans and neither one was a member of a royal family. Sounds like nitpicking, but that's just one of several statements based on slipshod research.
Then there's the question of style. Mann's prose is, on the whole, pedestrian, except when he tries to be imaginative, and then the results are laughable. You may be amused by Barbara La Marr's "extravagant green eyes," but my personal favorite is "Already movies [sic] stars like Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino were building outrageous castles to their absurd fame." Say what?
Overall, I think Haines probably deserved better than this. There may be, buried in all the muck, a truly interesting and even admirable man. Mann tries to tell that there is, but he's too fascinated by the muck to present a clear picture of the man.
Rating: 
Summary: An awful lot of conjecture.
Review: To Mann's credit, he vividly and amusingly captures Hollywoodland during the early part of this century. Unfortunatly (and admittedly), there is a notable lack of available information when it comes to the life of Billy Haines and Mann is forced to spend much of the book filling in the blanks and making huge speculations (most of which probably aren't too far off the mark). A more satisfying approach might have touched on the secret lives of other gay actors during the silent era.
Rating:
Summary: Badly Researched Book by William J. Mann
Review: William J. Mann's book Wisecracker seems at first well written. Also, it appeared well researched and Mr. Mann
wanted to write about FACTS and not sensationalize a not so interesting life as William Haines. The book
centers around William Haines gayness above all.
But I totally lost interest in reading any more of this book when I reached page 116 where Mr. Mann
refers to Virgina Rappe as a "young starlet" when in fact she wasn't young by any means and her profession was
actually "prositute." She did do some modeling (adverts for make up) but never appeared in a film. Also he states that the "lured
details of the Fatty Arbuckle case came out..." The details he lists may have come from some old publicity
rag, but not the facts stated in Arbuckle's court transcripts. Rappe tried to extort money
from Arbuckle and to get back she said he raped her. He was never seen in ripped pajamas, and did not
wear anyone's "smashed hat" since there was no such item in that set of hotel suites in San Francisco.
Arbuckle barely saw Virgina Rappe since she lay sick - in another room with complications from a botched
abortion done a week before. Which was proven and the stories that circulation were just rumors.
THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THIS BOOK IS JUST A HUGE COLLECTION OF COMPILED PUBLICITY
SHEETS..or rag, more like. Don't bother to read this book if you want to know the truth.
Rating: 
Summary: A Star with Class
Review: William Mann gives us quite a gift in his book "Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star". He paints for us a picture of Hollywood in its hey-day, and in the aftermath of scandal. He allows us insight into the fascinating world of silent films. But mostly, he gives us a long forgotten but much endearing star, Billy Haines.Prior to reading this book,I knew nothing about Billy Haines and his remarkable career, and I am somewhat of a movie buff. Billy once was an MGM top star, and the #1 Movie Star in 1928, only to give it all away for love. He went on to become one of Hollywood's most respected interior decorators, styling the homes of many stars and even an occasional conservative politician! What makes Billy full of class is not his brief but glorious movie career, but his attitude towards his life and love. Through Mann's extraordinary research, thorough examination of sources, and testimonials, he brings to us the life of an incredible person. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enojys biographies, or life stories!
Rating:
Summary: A Star with Class
Review: William Mann gives us quite a gift in his book "Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star". He paints for us a picture of Hollywood in its hey-day, and in the aftermath of scandal. He allows us insight into the fascinating world of silent films. But mostly, he gives us a long forgotten but much endearing star, Billy Haines. Prior to reading this book,I knew nothing about Billy Haines and his remarkable career, and I am somewhat of a movie buff. Billy once was an MGM top star, and the #1 Movie Star in 1928, only to give it all away for love. He went on to become one of Hollywood's most respected interior decorators, styling the homes of many stars and even an occasional conservative politician! What makes Billy full of class is not his brief but glorious movie career, but his attitude towards his life and love. Through Mann's extraordinary research, thorough examination of sources, and testimonials, he brings to us the life of an incredible person. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enojys biographies, or life stories!
Rating:
Summary: Badly Researched Book by William J. Mann
Review: Williams Haines is perfectly suited as a lens through which to examine life, gay life in particular, in old Hollywood when the silents were king and when they first fell. William J. Mann in Wisecracker (The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star) captures this time with exuberance. The author shows the social scene and fills it out with many, many captivating stars and scandals, gossip and gay parties. Williams Haines was young with the movies and it shows. The added bonus of the book is the long portion of William Haines life during which he was not a movie star. There is an emotional resonance to the last third of the book the deepens the fun of the first two-thirds. A wonderful look at a life lived honestly for its time and the story of a love that survived for decades under all of that honesty.
Rating:
Summary: A Look at the Social Swirl of Old Hollywood
Review: Williams Haines is perfectly suited as a lens through which to examine life, gay life in particular, in old Hollywood when the silents were king and when they first fell. William J. Mann in Wisecracker (The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star) captures this time with exuberance. The author shows the social scene and fills it out with many, many captivating stars and scandals, gossip and gay parties. Williams Haines was young with the movies and it shows. The added bonus of the book is the long portion of William Haines life during which he was not a movie star. There is an emotional resonance to the last third of the book the deepens the fun of the first two-thirds. A wonderful look at a life lived honestly for its time and the story of a love that survived for decades under all of that honesty.
Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking Book is Excellent
Review: WISECRACKER is one of the best biographies of 1998 to be published. William Mann has done an excellent job of researching his subject material, and the gay community as well as all silent film fans owe him a great deal of gratitude for this work
Rating: 
Summary: AN ALMOST TRUE BOOK
Review: Yea, Mr. Mann gets a little gossipy in areas, without stating real facts, and he does tend to lean towards the "gay" angle on everything, but overall this is a pretty good book. He talks way too much about William Haines' teenage sex life which, to me, didn't sound too credible, but I pick and choose what I want to believe. He also DOES say all that a previous reviewer said about the Arbuckle/Rappe scandal (which I do believe was Rappe getting even with Fatty, by the way), but if you're film buff enough to know who William Haines is, I think most would shrug it off. The very ending of the book was moving -- but I won't give that away! Buy it and see for yourself.
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