When the movie business became big business in 1920s America, women--who had been essential to the industry's early development--were systematically squeezed out of key behind-the-camera roles. Yet, as female producers and directors virtually disappeared for decades, a number of female film editors remained and rose to the top of their profession, sometimes wielding great power and influence. Their example inspired a later generation of women to enter the profession at mid-century, and several of them were critical to revolutionizing filmmaking in the 1960s and 1970s with contributions to such classics as All About Eve, Bonnie and Clyde, Jaws and Raging Bull. Focusing on nine of these women and presenting shorter glimpses of nine others, this book tells their captivating personal stories and examines their professional achievements.