He was the acclaimed director of such cinematic classics as Meet Me in St. Louis , An American in Paris , and Gigi , and equally well known for his tumultuous marriage to the legendary Judy Garland. But to say that Vincente Minnelli's conflicted personal life informed his films would be an understatement. As Mark Griffin persuasively demonstrates in this definitive biography of the Academy Award–winning director, Minnelli was not only building a remarkable Hollywood legacy, but also creating an intriguing autobiography in code. Drawing on more than 100 interviews with such icons as Kirk Douglas, Angela Lansbury, Lauren Bacall, Tony Curtis, and George Hamilton, Griffin turns the spotlight on the enigmatic “elegant director,” revealing long-kept secrets at the heart of Minnelli’s genius. This highly readable volume about Hollywood director Vincente Minnelli deftly balances Griffin’s strong emotional connection to Minnelli’s work, which he celebrates generally in the heartfelt introduction, and a scholarly desire to unearth the truth about the man and critically analyze the work. By turns gossipy and informative, catty and objective, Griffin is utterly fixated on questions of Minnelli’s not-well-closeted homosexuality and also fascinated by Minnelli’s ability to turn Hollywood straw into gold. As a biographer, Griffin reveals fascinating details of Minnelli’s early life and artistic development, including a formative friendship with “the Andy Warhol of his day,” mannequin designer Lester Gaba. On the cineast side, Griffin’s informative discussions of Minnelli’s masterpieces (among them Meet Me in St. Louis, An American in Paris, and Gigi) and misses (notably The Pirate) go a long way toward showing why Minnelli should be remembered for more than his ill-fated marriage to Judy Garland (and more successful fathering of Liza Minnelli). Griffin’s book will satisfy both readers hoping for Hollywood dirt and those hoping for a deeper appreciation of Minnelli’s work. --Jack Helbig Booklist , 3/15/10 “This highly readable volume about Hollywood director Vincente Minnelli deftly balances Griffin’s strong emotional connection to Minnelli’s work, which he celebrates generally in the heartfelt introduction, and a scholarly desire to unearth the truth abut the man and critically analyze the work. By turns gossipy and informative, catty and objective…Griffin reveals fascinating details of Minnelli’s early life and artistic development…Griffin’s informative discussions of Minnelli’s masterpieces and misses go a long way toward showing why Minnelli should be remembered for more than his ill-fated marriage to Judy Garland (and more successful fathering of Liza Minnelli). Griffin’s book will satisfy both readers hoping for Hollywood dirt and those hoping for a deeper appreciation of Minnelli’s work.” Lewiston Sun-Journal , 2/20/10 “Like a woodworker stripping the varnish off a piece of fine furniture, biographer Mark Griffin of Lewiston spent the last three-and-a-half years stripping away the layers of Hollywood glamour and fantasy surrounding director Vincente Minnelli.” Robert Hofler, author of Party Animals and The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson “Finally, the definitive biography of Vincente Minnelli. Mark Griffin has put in the necessary leg work interviewing many of Minnelli’s colleagues, and as a result, A Hundred or More Hidden Things is much more than an analysis of the director’s work. It is a full-bodied portrait of a most fascinating and complex artist.” Foster Hirsch, author of Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King “[A] sharp, forthright, swiftly paced critical biography….Deftly drawing connections between the director’s life and his films, Griffin maintains a difficult balance: he is a fervent but objective critic.” Connecticut Post , 1/8/2010 “A smart new biography…Griffin puts the life and the films together in a fresh manner…Griffin makes a pretty good case that the deeply closeted artist was able to express many ‘hidden things’ in his films…The book is a fine combination of scholarship and film criticism.” Salt Lake City, Desert News , 4/25/10 “Lots of wonderful anecdotes about Hollywood in its prime…A good read for fans of vintage moviemaking.” The Independent (UK), 4/30/10 “[An] enjoyable biography…Viewing him with a sympathetic eye, Griffin displays a neat turn of phrase even for Minelli’s less distinguished efforts.” CultureGuide.com, Australia, 6/7/10 “A very readable book detailing background information about this accomplished filmmakers work…I urge anyone interested in the man to read this book. Some of Mark Griffin's writing is so smooth you may be surprised at how quickly you reach the end. It is certainly a good read, and in many ways better than the book Vincente wrote himself I Remember It Well…[An] excellent book.”  Lewiston Auburn Magazine , July/August 2010 “The book demands you neither be overly familiar with Minnelli’s body of work nor that y