Olivia de Havilland and the Golden Age of Hollywood

Guildford, CT: Lyons Press, 2018. xi, 409 pages, [14] pages of plates, illustrations; 24 cm. Near fine. Firm binding, clean inside copy. Light shelfwear. Dust jacket protected in a mylar cover. "Here is a riveting, life-size portrait of a bold, courageous, and infinitely talented woman, brought vividly to life in her first full-scale biography--a life as turbulent, moving, and sometimes as harrowing as her celebrated films Hush . hush, sweet Charlotte, The adventures of Robin Hood, The snake pit, To each his own, The heiress, and, of course, Gone with the wind. The book benefits tremendously from the author's wide personal acquaintance with many of the key figures in Olivia de Havilland's life and career. Olivia's story is the history of American moviemaking from the 1930s to the 1960s, and this book is rich in anecdotes involving the glittering personalities of Hollywood's Golden Age, including Vivien Leigh, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, Mickey Rooney, James Cagney, and Victor Fleming. Celebrated as a beauty ever since her debut as a teenager in Max Reinhardt's spectacular stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Hollywood Bowl, Olivia attracted some of the most powerful and desirable men of her time, including future U.S. presidents, actors, and directors. The great love of her life was Errol Flynn, her dashing costar in eight films, but perhaps her most fulfilling love was John Huston, the gifted, mercurial, enigmatic, and ruthless director of her film In This Our Life. Both of her marriages--to writers Marcus Goodrich and Pierre Galante--are detailed, including Goodrich's brutal attacks, which made her fear for her life and that of their young son Benjamin. The dark side of Hollywood's Golden Age is laid bare, including the abusive working conditions, the Communist witch hunt, and the big studios' murky backroom maneuverings that robbed stars of their rightful share of huge loan-out fees, and reduced them to virtual slavery by unfairly extending seven-year contracts. Olivia was the only star who fought back and won, successfully suing Warner Brothers. From the instant one begins this biography and experiences the author's relationship with Olivia de Havilland, it is clear that the book will be a unique, you-are there, compelling read, one that brilliantly portrays the incandescent star of Gone with the Wind, whose personal life was marked by triumph--two best-actress Oscars--as well as tragedy." - Publisher.. 1st. Hardcover. Very Good/Fine. 8vo.