"This nuanced study by the Belgian film scholar Marion Hallet is the first to examine from a feminist perspective the arc of Schneider's career, providing a densely researched context for the story of a German-Austrian actor who reinvented herself as a French film star." -- Times Literary Supplement "An insightful and meticulously researched account of a fascinating film star. Hallet skillfully blends sociohistorical context, extra-cinematic materials and close readings of key films to astutely evaluate the impact and legacy of Romy Schneider across European cinema and celebrity culture. A valuable contribution to the growing scholarship on transnational stardom." -- Felicity Chaplin, Lecturer in European Languages (French), Monash University, Australia "In this important book, Marion Hallet at last gives the beautiful and tragic actress Romy Schneider, long neglected by English-speaking audiences, the critical attention she deserves. Hallet's impeccably documented study is attentive to the historical and cultural contexts Schneider traversed, from Austria and Germany to Hollywood, Italy and France, and the challenges of her private life, up to her tragic death in 1982. But the book is equally insightful in its scrutiny of Schneider's looks and performance, illuminating the massive cult she generated among generations of continental fans. While Hallet pays due tribute to the formative role of the 1950s Sissi films for the young Schneider, she comprehensively demonstrates the gender complexity and emotional impact of her later roles, in particular in her French films from La Piscine (1969) onwards.

This ground-breaking book will undoubtedly bring new fans to the star. But, as Hallet takes us on a journey 'across Europe' with Schneider, the book is also essential reading for anyone interested in female stars and transnational stardom." -- Ginette Vincendeau, Professor in Film Studies, King's College London, UK "Marion Hallet's superb study of Austrian actress Romy Schneider is a rich and incisively comparative examination of what made her a unique European star. Beyond Schneider's significant contribution to the changing definitions of female agency in Austrian, German, French, and even some end-classic Hollywood cinema, Hallett explores a screen legacy that makes her an icon for transnationalism in film even today." -- Robert Dassanowsky, CU Distinguished Professor of Film and Languages/Cultures, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, USA.