STARDUST

A chance meeting between Army filmmaker Ben Collier and studio head Sol Lasner blossoms into friendship and mentoring. Shortly after, Ben learns his brother is dying. As Ben's days become focused on trying to learn who wants his brother dead, he also gets to know his mysterious sister-in-law. An equally important part of the plot involves the Hollywood blacklist of the McCarthy era. Boyd Gaines is always up to a challenge. He gives Ben a cool nonchalance that works wonderfully. Minor players remain important: A politician sounds a bit like Richard Nixon. A reporter is portrayed as fast talking and intense. And you can almost feel the penetrating eyes of an ex-detective as Gaines enhances Kanon's well-done period piece. M.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]