Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Line of Glory
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1956
WEBSITE: https://thomasdclagett.com
CITY: Santa Fe
STATE: NM
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1956, in San Diego, CA.
EDUCATION:Received degree in journalism, University of Southern California, 1978.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author and film editor; credits include The Two Jakes, Blind Faith, and Woodstock. Also worked for Mary Tyler Moore Productions.
AWARDS:Will Rogers Medallion Award honorable mention, for The Pursuit of Murieta; New Mexico Book Award, for West of Penance.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Thomas D. Clagett had a long and varied career in the movie industry. “After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in journalism in 1978,” stated the contributor of a biographical blurb to the author’s home page, the Thomas D. Clagett website, “he got his first job running the copy machines at Mary Tyler Moore Productions.” Later he turned his energies to working as a film editor on films like The Two Jakes and Blind Faith.
William Friedkin
Clagget’s first book was a study of the works of Oscar-winning filmmaker William Friedkin, director of classics like The Exorcist and The French Connection. William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession, and Reality, Clagget’s study, wrote Rich Martin in Variety, provides a new and different “look at Friedkin’s works, highlighted by a section on the changes made to ‘The Exorcist’ at the behest of writer William Peter Blatty, that amount to an advanced seminar in filmmaking.” “No one can fault Clagett’s research; as the multiple footnotes will attest, he’s done his homework,” said Jenelle Riley, writing in Back Stage West. “And he’s clearly not too in awe of his subject to inject some criticisms; he notes that ‘gimmicky tilts nearly ruin’ a scene in Blue Chips.“
William Friedkin was re-released in a second, revised and expanded edition more than a decade after its original publication. Since then Clagett has turned away from nonfiction in favor of historical fiction in a western setting.
The Pursuit of Murieta and Line of Glory
His first venture into that genre was The Pursuit of Murieta: A Western Novel, the story of a Zorro-like figure that opposed the influx of Anglo-Americans into California at the beginning of the 1850s. “Murieta himself is an interesting creation,” observed Ron Scheer in Buddies in the Saddle. “He commands a reader’s respect as the one honorable man in the novel. He is portrayed not just as a man seeking retribution for injustices against Mexican-Americans. He’s also a religious man, and while he confesses to breaking only three of the Commandments, he is also deeply concerned about the fate of his soul.” Clagett, Scheer concluded, “is … successful at accounting for Murieta’s career of banditry with the violent incident that begins the novel.”
In Line of Glory: A Novel of the Alamo, Clagett tells the story of the last hours of the American defenders of the Alamo by exploring the life histories of some of the less-celebrated figures from the battle. The author, stated Booklist reviewer Reg Quist, “has done a masterful job of delving into the back-stories of the characters involved, [both] Texan and Mexican.” Line of Glory, declared a contributor to Internet Bookwatch, is “a thoroughly entertaining history novel by an author with a genuine knack for narrative storytelling.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Back Stage West, June 26, 2003, Jenelle Riley, review of William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession and Reality, p. 8.
Booklist, April 1, 2018, Reg Quist, review of Line of Glory: A Novel of the Alamo, p. 57.
Internet Bookwatch, June, 2018, review of Line of Glory.
Variety, August 25, 2003, Rich Martin, review of William Friedkin, p. 100.
ONLINE
Buddies in the Saddle, http://buddiesinthesaddle.blogspot.com/ (October 7, 2013), Ron Scheer, review of The Pursuit of Murieta: A Western Novel.
Thomas D. Clagett website, https://thomasdclagett.com (October 17, 2018), author profile.
About Thomas
Thomas Clagett At Book Table
Thomas D. Clagett At Book Signing
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Tom grew up with television shows like Have Gun Will Travel, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Rawhide, as well as The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy and The Twilight Zone. He still enjoys them in reruns today.
At an early age he discovered that putting stories on paper became as much of a favorite pastime as watching movies. Soon they became his passions.
After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in Journalism in 1978, he got his first job running the copy machines at Mary Tyler Moore Productions. Shortly thereafter, he moved into film editing, spending nearly twenty years as an assistant film editor in motion pictures and television. His credits include Jack Nicholson’s The Two Jakes, the NBC mini-series Blind Faith, and a 35th Anniversary edition of Woodstock.
However, Tom did find the opportunity to write, combining that with his love of films. He began work on a non-fiction book about the films of William Friedkin, the Academy Award-winning director of The French Connection and The Exorcist. Daily Variety called Tom’s book, William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession and Reality, “Exhaustive and perceptive…more than that, it’s a fun read.” Classic Images hailed it as “the definitive work on the subject.” First published by McFarland & Company in 1990, an updated second edition was released in 2003 by Silman-James Press to terrific reviews.
Writing fiction was always a goal of Tom’s, too. His first historical fiction novel, The Pursuit of Murieta, won a Will Rogers Medallion Award for Honorable Mention. West of Penance, his second novel, set in the wilds of New Mexico Territory in 1874, is a New Mexico Book Award winner.
Tom’s free-lance articles have appeared in New Mexico magazine, Santa Fean magazine and the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper. He’s also a member of the Western Writers of America.
Tom lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife, Marilyn, and their cat, Cody, whom they are home schooling with great success.
Line of Glory
Internet Bookwatch. (June 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Line of Glory
Thomas D. Clagett
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432837273, $25.95, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com
The final 13 hours at the Alamo began around 5 o'clock on the afternoon of March 5, 1836. Colonel William Barrett Travis drew a line in the dirt and asked all those who would stay and fight to cross it. Destinies played out that night for four people. Susannah Dickinson, a woman of surprising gumption. Young James Taylor who came to the Alamo to free Texas from the tyrannical rule of General Santa Anna. "Moses" Rose who refused to cross Travis's line because he "wasn't prepared to die". Colonel Juan Morales who was ordered to assault Crockett and his men at the south palisade, but believed attacking the fort was foolhardy. But his real disgust was for Santa Anna, a man who allowed whims to dictate his decisions. A thoroughly entertaining history novel by an author with a genuine knack for narrative storytelling, "Line of Glory" by Thomas D. Clagett is an especially recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Line of Glory" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Line of Glory." Internet Bookwatch, June 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A546959142/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2ba723ef. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A546959142
9/30/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1538352901297 1/4
Print Marked Items
Line of Glory
Reg Quist
Booklist.
114.15 (Apr. 1, 2018): p57.
COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Line of Glory. By Thomas D. Clagett. Apr. 2018. 260p. Five Star, $25.95 (9781432837273); e-book
(9781432837143).
With all the Alamo tales already published over the past nearly two centuries, one wonders if another really
serves a purpose. But Clagett (The Pursuit of Murieta, 2013) has done a masterful job of delving into the
back-stories of the characters involved, Texan and Mexican both. With little true, documented history to
lean on and no survivors from the ranks of the fighting men to tell their stories, the interested history buff is
left wondering. Clagett addresses that wondering. What does a fighting man say to his wife immediately
before he steps out the door to face insurmountable odds? What does the wife say when she knows she will
be a widow within minutes? What do three brothers do and say as they face certain death together? How
does a man deal with his regrets when there is no time left? How does a man act when facing his execution?
And how did the many individuals come to be there at all? Line of Glory is a well-written and well-paced
read.--Reg Quist
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Quist, Reg. "Line of Glory." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2018, p. 57. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A534956893/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=713b32bc.
Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A534956893
9/30/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1538352901297 2/4
William Friedkin: Films of Aberration,
Obsession and Reality
Rich Martin
Variety.
392.2 (Aug. 25, 2003): p100.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Penske Business Media, LLC
http://variety.com
Full Text:
Thomas O. Clagett Silman-James Press 457 pgs., $19.95
The line between a great film and an also-ran car, be only a few details--music, casting, even the title.
Thomas D. Clagett's exhaustive and perceptive "William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession and
Reality" shows this precept dearly, providing a behind-the-scenes look at Friedkin's works, highlighted by a
section on the changes made to "The Exorcist" at the behest of writer William Peter Blatty, that amount to
an advanced seminar in filmmaking. More than that, it's a fire read.
For "The French Connection," Friedkin--realizing that star Gene Hackman disliked Iris character, Popeye,
and wanted to humanize him--goaded him into nastiness. (Friedkin: "This man is a pig. He's as rotten as the
criminals he's chasing.")
Friedkin's insistence on minimalist dialogue serves his purpose of achieving realism, and is one of the
hallmarks of his films. The director went to great lengths to do this in "The Exorcist" to make it distinct
from a typical teen-targeted horror" pie. In fact, I've never even saw it as a horror picture. He used no
piercing music and went for the disturbing notes of "Tubular Bells," not anything more manipulative.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the book is the last chapter, which discusses the merits of new material
added for the reissue of "The Exorcist." Blatty was concerned about tire clarity of exposition and the theme,
while Friedkin thought the silver-lining ending was clear enough. Clagett thinks the original was better.
Fliedkin's other movies didn't achieve the distinction of those two films, yet the chapters are equally
illuminating and full of details large and (seemingly) small.
You won't find any harsh criticism here, but most readers won't mind. The helmer concluded in retrospect
that "Sorcerer" had two fatal flaws: a title that led people to expect another "Exorcist" with dazzling effects,
and the casting of a character actor, Roy Scheinder; as the lead.
Martin, Rich
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Martin, Rich. "William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession and Reality." Variety, 25 Aug. 2003, p.
100. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A108050970/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=39a0b8dd. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A108050970
9/30/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1538352901297 3/4
William Friedkin: Films of Aberration,
Obsession and Reality
Jenelle Riley
Back Stage West.
10.26 (June 26, 2003): p8.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Prometheus Global Media LLC
Full Text:
by Thomas D. Clagett
When Thomas D. Clagett first published his critical analysis of the films of William Friedkin, the director
probably seemed like a deserving subject. After all, Friedkin was the Oscar-winning director behind films
classic (The Exorcist, The French Connection), controversial (Cruising), and groundbreaking (The Boys in
the Band). Even though the 1990 edition ended on a sour note--with the disastrous horror film The
Guardian--Friedkin was a deserving subject who still had potential hits ahead of him. But one has to wonder
what Friedkin has accomplished in the past 13 years to warrant this "expanded and updated 2nd edition."
Aside from his rerelease of The Exorcist, Friedkin's oeuvre was made up of mediocre dramas (Rules of
Engagement), an unnecessary TV remake (12 Angry Men), and the simply God-awful (Blue Chips, Jade).
Apparently Friedkin himself didn't feel these movies required much examination, as he declined to
participate in the new book.
No one can fault Clagett's research; as the multiple footnotes will attest, he's done his homework. And he's
clearly not too in awe of his subject to inject some criticisms; he notes that "gimmicky tilts nearly ruin" a
scene in Blue Chips. But does anyone really want to read deep analyses of films they wouldn't even watch?
Clagett devotes 15 pages to Jade, a movie he admits is virtually unwatchable. There's nothing wrong with
examining the process of what went wrong with a film, and bad movies can often be fodder for
entertainment (witness Ed Wood gently mocking Plan 9 From Outer Space), but in this case it reeks of
padding.
Not surprisingly, the best chapters are ones included in the original book--stories about the making of great
films like The Exorcist and The French Connection. Clagett gets some good inside scoop, such as a pulled
scene from The Exorcist that Friedkin deemed too upbeat for the ending. His summaries are lively and
perceptive. And Clagett's first and best chapter, which details Friedkin's 1962 documentary about a Death
Row inmate, The People Versus Paul Crump, will have you scouring every obscure video store to locate the
movie.
Those seeking more sensationalized storytelling might want to find Hurricane Billy: The Stormy Life and
Films of William Friedkin, by journalist Nat Segaloff, which details more of Friedkin's personal struggles,
including his heart attack and domestic life (Friedkin has been married four times). Those looking for a
9/30/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1538352901297 4/4
more analytical look at his films--from the good to the bad--should be pleased with this book. Unless they
already bought it the first time around.
Silman-James Press, 2003. $19.95.
Riley, Jenelle
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Riley, Jenelle. "William Friedkin: Films of Aberration, Obsession and Reality." Back Stage West, 26 June
2003, p. 8. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A105478871/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6bc4cb57. Accessed 30 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A105478871
Buddies in the Saddle
The frontier West in history, myth, film, and popular fiction
Monday, October 7, 2013
Thomas D. Clagett, The Pursuit of Murieta
This novel is a lot like a Budd Boetticher western. It has the structure of a movie plot, and much of the action takes place a good distance from civilization. A group of male characters deal with life and death issues like what to do with and what to believe about a man they have captured. And a woman riding with them has an agenda of her own.
Plot. At the center of the story is real-life Mexican bandit Joaquin Murieta who harried the americanos flooding into California after it became a state. Something of a Robin Hood, he reputedly stole from the wealthy to distribute among the poor. He was a popular hero among the disenfranchised and a pain in the backside of law enforcement, which found itself plagued with not one but several “Joaquins” roaming the state.
The story begins with a scene of unprovoked yanqui violence against Murieta and his wife as they attempt to return to Mexico after an unfruitful sojourn in the California gold fields. Then it jumps ahead to 1853 during a few days in which Murieta is pursued by a contingent of rangers tasked by the governor with bringing him in. They finally run him down in the mountains above San Gabriel Mission.
Lt. Ambrose Quick, the young man in command, has trouble keeping order among his men and deciding whether to believe their captive when he claims to be Murieta. Addie Moody, a saloon girl who has joined them has revenge in mind. Her sister was raped and killed by a man she believes is Murieta.
Style and structure. Like a movie, the novel has a single central conflict, pitting two men against each other: Murieta and Lt. Quick. One of them is more admirable than the other, but neither of them is a villain. That honor goes to one of Quick’s men, Ned Needle, who is a hateful bigot, driven by sneering contempt for everyone.
As in a movie, the characters tend to be types whom we quickly recognize. Besides the bigot Needle, there’s a drunk, a self-important sheriff, his featherbrained daughter, and a mysterious Mexican woman. Addie Moody is the outspoken prostitute with more intelligence than any of the men. Besides Lt. Quick, only one of them actually breaks out of the pattern created for them and makes a choice that amounts to a change in their character.
Quick is interesting for starting out a man with aspirations far beyond his capacity to achieve. He wants to be mayor of Los Angeles, but has no qualifications for the job. He hopes that capturing Murieta will sweep him into office. Before the story is over, he makes some difficult decisions and some unwelcome discoveries that both lift and lower him in our estimation.
Many of the characters in the novel are based on actual historical figures. Ten or more of them walk from the pages of history. Maybe most surprising is to find “Judge” Roy Bean running a saloon in the little settlement of San Gabriel. Andres Pico, retired Mexican general runs horses on the verdant ranges of the San Fernando Valley.
Murieta himself is an interesting creation. He commands a reader’s respect as the one honorable man in the novel. He is portrayed not just as a man seeking retribution for injustices against Mexican-Americans. He’s also a religious man, and while he confesses to breaking only three of the Commandments, he is also deeply concerned about the fate of his soul.
Los Angeles, 1860s
Wrapping up. This novel is a quick read. Like a movie, it stays interesting by including a large cast of characters and switching among them for its points of view. Scenes tend to take place in real time, as if they were from a screenplay. The long nighttime scene around a campfire after Murieta’s capture reads like that, with dialogue involving all the characters. I was reminded of The Ox Bow Incident, where the posse debates whether to hang the men they take to be rustlers. Before that, the novel builds a good deal of suspense in the long chase into the mountains.
As a caveat, I’d mention that some readers may weary of Ned Needle’s continual small-minded sniping and the repeated references to Uriah Clegg’s alcoholism. Quirks in both men relating to traumas dating back to Civil War battlefields and the Cherokee Trail of Tears seem efforts to make the two characters more rounded. But that may not be enough for some readers. The novel is more successful at accounting for Murieta’s career of banditry with the violent incident that begins the novel.
The Pursuit of Murieta is currently available for pre-order at amazon and Barnes&Noble.
My photo
Ron Scheer
Coachella Valley, California
Farm-raised in the Platte River valley of central Nebraska. Settled in Southern California. Near compulsive reader and film lover. Follow me on Twitter @rdscheer
View my complete profile