Mickey Rourke has been many things to many people over the course of his
35-year career: a bright young star fresh from the Actors Studio, a
Hollywood heart-throb, a professional boxer, a muse to young independent
film-makers and a Comic-Con icon.
In this lively study, Keri Walsh analyses Rourke's performances in key
films - from Diner (1982), Rumble Fish (1983) and 91/2 Weeks
(1986) to Sin City (2005), The Wrestler (2008) and Iron Man 2
(2010) - and traces the development and multiple transformations of his
star image. Taking an in-depth look at Rourke's colourful career in its
cultural and cinematic contexts, Walsh explores how this controversial,
talented and undersung Hollywood star has intrigued audiences from the
1980s to the present day.