Whatever happened to true manliness?

It used to be we honored something called the "manly virtues." Things like duty, discipline, sacrifice, honor. These were the virtues of American men, passed down through the generations.

Until society started to mock and dismiss them.

Now manhood is in crisis. Boys are growing up lost. Young men are confused about how to act. Women are wondering where all the good men have gone. And parents, who want to do the right thing, have scant resources to help them raise virtuous sons.

There is a surprising resource waiting for them - the movies of Robert Mitchum.

During his lengthy acting career Mitchum took on many iconic roles that embodied true manliness. Watching these films you see how men of a past generation acted in times of crisis. How they treated women and children and marriage and community. And when Mitchum played a heavy, the negative consequences of bad behavior are equally clear.

Mitchum's body of work is a visual handbook on what it means to be a real man.

In this highly readable book, bestselling author James Scott Bell pulls together essential lessons in manliness from the best Mitchum films. These movies comprise a short course on masculinity for young men, and a teaching opportunity for parents of sons. Watching these films will also bring you hours of viewing pleasure from the golden age of Hollywood - a welcome relief from the mixed messages in movies and TV shows today. In these classic Mitchum films you'll learn what a real man should be and do. Such as:

* What it means to have a warrior heart

* How to respect women

* How to avoid playing the patsy

* Protecting the innocence of children

* When to be charming ... and when to apologize

And so much more. Watching these movies is a fun and practical way of learning the virtues of manliness - and preserving them for generations to come.