Their aura still fascinates, their cinematic legacy resonates to this day, and their life stories are often even more exciting than the roles that made them famous. Stars like Robert Redford, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, and Grace Kelly shaped cinema with their incomparable style and acting prowess, broke outdated taboos with their political and social engagements, and vigorously fought against societal injustices.

For this book, CINEMA, Germany's most renowned film magazine, has opened its archives and delves into the careers of the 30 greatest film stars. Discover how Marlene Dietrich became a pioneer of female emancipation, how Kirk Douglas gave the finger to America's reactionary politics, how James Dean immortalized himself with just three films, how Catherine Deneuve cultivated her myth as an unattainable diva, and how Sidney Poitier confronted racism with dignity and confidence.