In this 2002 memoir, Frank Sinatra's valet of over a decade spills the beans. Or does he? This isn't a gossip book. It pretty much just adds color to the image we already know: talent, women, gangsters, politicians and ultimately seclusion as Sinatra's Hollywood became a thing of the past.
This is a wonderful time capsule of Hollywood as it names names and addresses. We learn about Mia Farrow's hippie-ness and longing for children, and Marilyn Monroe's poor grooming habits and lack of interest in material things. (Which explains the pictures of her empty bedroom at her death and why she moved to that house.) The allure of Ava Gardener and Humphrey Bogart as well as the shadiness of Joe Kennedy senior is palpable when told by someone who served them drinks and pool towels.
And Johnny Fontaine, the singer given the Vegas gig by the mob in "The Godfather" film? Yeah, that's totally the Sinatra story. There may not have been a decapitated horse, but he dealt closely with killers so there was probably a bloody something left somewhere.
A good read if you are a romantic for Old Hollywood.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Film Review - Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Poppins Returns SPOILERS
I cannot recommend this.
So sorry.
The original was about the sour bite beneath the sweetness of life. The medicine needs sugar and laughing too much might make you sick. Losing a loved one or a house is not needed to ramp up the stakes in life. Think about it: did the Banks family have any serious practical worries? No. The original film is about perspective and attitude - even when you have the elements to make a good life. It is a very pretty picture and some scenes captured the essence. However, there was not enough variety in the score. Angela Landsbury and Meryl Streep should have switched roles. (Can someone please insist that Streep never appear in turban again?) Miranda and Blunt were underserved by the script. They could have innovated a bit more - maybe this time dance with puffins instead of penguins?
Finally - and this in my book is unforgiveable - I don’t know how ANY writer who loved the original could base the climax and cheer of this sequel on Michael NOT having giving the tuppence to the bird lady.
I wrote this a week ago. Poppins is my favorite Disney film and I admit to being protective and picky, but I think this is a fair assessment.
Perhaps some things are masterpieces of their time and do not need to be re-made.
Lord help me when Toy Story 4 comes out.
I cannot recommend this.
So sorry.
The original was about the sour bite beneath the sweetness of life. The medicine needs sugar and laughing too much might make you sick. Losing a loved one or a house is not needed to ramp up the stakes in life. Think about it: did the Banks family have any serious practical worries? No. The original film is about perspective and attitude - even when you have the elements to make a good life. It is a very pretty picture and some scenes captured the essence. However, there was not enough variety in the score. Angela Landsbury and Meryl Streep should have switched roles. (Can someone please insist that Streep never appear in turban again?) Miranda and Blunt were underserved by the script. They could have innovated a bit more - maybe this time dance with puffins instead of penguins?
Finally - and this in my book is unforgiveable - I don’t know how ANY writer who loved the original could base the climax and cheer of this sequel on Michael NOT having giving the tuppence to the bird lady.
I wrote this a week ago. Poppins is my favorite Disney film and I admit to being protective and picky, but I think this is a fair assessment.
Perhaps some things are masterpieces of their time and do not need to be re-made.
Lord help me when Toy Story 4 comes out.
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Book Review - "Who is Michael Ovitz?"
“Who is Michael Ovitz?”
A fascinating and fast read. It’s all here, the growth of CAA, decline of Lew Wasserman, MGM and MCA, his departure from CAA, the Picasso Eisner had to give Robin Williams, being fired from Disney, David Letterman’s battle for the Tonight Show, the “gay mafia” and his third act as a wildly successful Silicon Valley investor.
Ovitz is certainly an egotist but there’s no denying his hard work, vision and success. If you worked in entertainment between 1988 - 2006 no doubt you will get some juicy details on a story you were attached to and enjoy hearing Ovitz’ POV on the rest. And he names names.
Memoirs are often criticized for not being objective. But that’s part of the fun of it and also the authorial subjectivity tells you something about the person that no one else can.
A fascinating and fast read. It’s all here, the growth of CAA, decline of Lew Wasserman, MGM and MCA, his departure from CAA, the Picasso Eisner had to give Robin Williams, being fired from Disney, David Letterman’s battle for the Tonight Show, the “gay mafia” and his third act as a wildly successful Silicon Valley investor.
Ovitz is certainly an egotist but there’s no denying his hard work, vision and success. If you worked in entertainment between 1988 - 2006 no doubt you will get some juicy details on a story you were attached to and enjoy hearing Ovitz’ POV on the rest. And he names names.
Memoirs are often criticized for not being objective. But that’s part of the fun of it and also the authorial subjectivity tells you something about the person that no one else can.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Book Review - "Severance: A Novel" by Ling Ma
Post-apocalyptic novels work on the premise that all was fine before the bad event. The best thing about this one is that it shows that what came before the big event was itself the apocalypse. It’s popular with millennials as it suggests that rot results from our routine & meaningless walk through life. It is also right on trend with AI thinkers who question whether your daily existence is different than that of a closed loop robot/zombie. Is it?
And just when you think that is quite enough to chew on, Ma also gives you a background immigration story that pairs like a fine wine with an apocalyptic migration story. But, wait, there’s more! It’s also a coming to maturity story which works well with the theme of the acceptance of inconvenient truths - known as “adulting”.
You will find a lot to like here. I made sure to collect this as a first/first. Let me know what you think.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Hillbilly Elegy - A Companion Reader from the View of a Black Person
INTRODUCTION
J.D. Vance starts his memoir with a confession. I will start this commentary with one. I confess that I did not want to read this book as it seemed nothing but an excuse for why poor, rural, white people voted for Donald Trump. It may yet turn out to be that.
I am struck, however, by what I think Vance's actual goal was: to explain the effects of poverty and its attendant social isolation without the distraction of the racial filter.
What Vance does not know though is that there is always a racial filter. Even the fact that he seeks to explain poverty in a white environment so people can "get it" has the cloud of the white filter.
Trust me. Black people of all socioeconomic levels get how "deep anger and resentment" lead their communities to despair, turning them into "hub(s) of misery". Nevertheless, Vance diligently and earnestly seeks to explain how the demons of that life, even when "left behind" continue to haunt a life.
This is evidence that the racial filter simply cannot be dropped: what Vance doesn't seem to know is that black people do not ever get to leave that life behind - even if they were never actually in it (me); even if they transcend it. Just ask Obama.
Still, I will continue to read and reflect as I go, but as a black, city-centered woman, I expect I will learn much more about living in rural America than I will about climbing the jungle gym to The American Dream. But if Vance thought I would be surprised about the desperate lives of some poor white people, he has another think coming.
J.D. Vance starts his memoir with a confession. I will start this commentary with one. I confess that I did not want to read this book as it seemed nothing but an excuse for why poor, rural, white people voted for Donald Trump. It may yet turn out to be that.
I am struck, however, by what I think Vance's actual goal was: to explain the effects of poverty and its attendant social isolation without the distraction of the racial filter.
What Vance does not know though is that there is always a racial filter. Even the fact that he seeks to explain poverty in a white environment so people can "get it" has the cloud of the white filter.
Trust me. Black people of all socioeconomic levels get how "deep anger and resentment" lead their communities to despair, turning them into "hub(s) of misery". Nevertheless, Vance diligently and earnestly seeks to explain how the demons of that life, even when "left behind" continue to haunt a life.
This is evidence that the racial filter simply cannot be dropped: what Vance doesn't seem to know is that black people do not ever get to leave that life behind - even if they were never actually in it (me); even if they transcend it. Just ask Obama.
Still, I will continue to read and reflect as I go, but as a black, city-centered woman, I expect I will learn much more about living in rural America than I will about climbing the jungle gym to The American Dream. But if Vance thought I would be surprised about the desperate lives of some poor white people, he has another think coming.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Film review - “BlacKKKlansman”
“BlackkKlansman” -
Spike Lee is back.
I posted this online review because it highlights a crystalline statement in the film about the role of white women, the majority of whom voted for Trump. The epitome of gluttony and American Pie, the wife of a white supremacist cannot see her actual position within the flaming circle of hate.
Washington plays Ron Stallworth like Shaft- calm, confident and aware.
With his character, the always excellent Adam Driver exhibits a form of racism that is often frowned upon as an individual failing, but he does it with such delicacy that the universal question is posed: if a racist fells a tree and you aren’t there to hear it, did it happen? Does it matter?
The use of classic films and real life images is exquisite and powerful. One scene is eerily reminiscent of the massacre/christening scene in The Godfather.
This film does not preach because Lee knows that you already hear the message. With gut wrenching accuracy he ties the past to the present or rather, shows how the past ties the present, damn near strangling the future.
Yes, Spike Lee is back.
Spike Lee is back.
I posted this online review because it highlights a crystalline statement in the film about the role of white women, the majority of whom voted for Trump. The epitome of gluttony and American Pie, the wife of a white supremacist cannot see her actual position within the flaming circle of hate.
Washington plays Ron Stallworth like Shaft- calm, confident and aware.
With his character, the always excellent Adam Driver exhibits a form of racism that is often frowned upon as an individual failing, but he does it with such delicacy that the universal question is posed: if a racist fells a tree and you aren’t there to hear it, did it happen? Does it matter?
The use of classic films and real life images is exquisite and powerful. One scene is eerily reminiscent of the massacre/christening scene in The Godfather.
This film does not preach because Lee knows that you already hear the message. With gut wrenching accuracy he ties the past to the present or rather, shows how the past ties the present, damn near strangling the future.
Yes, Spike Lee is back.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Book Review "Golden Hill" by Francis Spofford
A stranger, whose name of course is Mr. Smith, comes to early 18th century New York with a letter of credit for a thousand pounds sterling. Who is he? What does he want? And why won't he tell anyone?
Sharing more details of the plot of would ruin not only the surprise but the journey.
This novel is a fresh update on the rambling 18th century novel. It plays out on the same streets we know today - Broad Way, Wall, Maiden Lane.
To complete his unknown mission, Mr. Smith has to learn to navigate the customs and currencies of the city of 7,000 without raising alarm. Unfortunately, he's landed in town during a heated political skirmish between the governor and the assembly and everyone wants to know what side he's on. The counting house he presents the letter of credit to is unsure whether he's a worthy and wealthy man whose credit they must meet to avoid their own ruin or a con artist whose credit they must not meet to avoid their own ruin. The single women, especially the younger daughter of the counting house owner, are paying attention. But the whole town has to wait for a ship from England to arrive that will either prove or disprove his story - which even then won't solve the whole mystery.
Along the way we learn about shipping routes, local festivities, brew pubs with various political affiliations, the public hanging of native American scalps, how the various religions engaged with each other's holidays and how people moved about town. We see the start of the banking, trade and theatre industries.
The plot is surprising. The characters are refreshing. It's a fast read with many twists and turns. Not one major character ends up being what you expect them to be. Not one. The historical setting is organically shown rather than explained.
Spofford accomplishes - rather breezily - what most authors hope for: an entertaining and educational read that sparkles with near-invisible skill.
Critics are in consensus on this one: read it!
Sharing more details of the plot of would ruin not only the surprise but the journey.
This novel is a fresh update on the rambling 18th century novel. It plays out on the same streets we know today - Broad Way, Wall, Maiden Lane.
To complete his unknown mission, Mr. Smith has to learn to navigate the customs and currencies of the city of 7,000 without raising alarm. Unfortunately, he's landed in town during a heated political skirmish between the governor and the assembly and everyone wants to know what side he's on. The counting house he presents the letter of credit to is unsure whether he's a worthy and wealthy man whose credit they must meet to avoid their own ruin or a con artist whose credit they must not meet to avoid their own ruin. The single women, especially the younger daughter of the counting house owner, are paying attention. But the whole town has to wait for a ship from England to arrive that will either prove or disprove his story - which even then won't solve the whole mystery.
Along the way we learn about shipping routes, local festivities, brew pubs with various political affiliations, the public hanging of native American scalps, how the various religions engaged with each other's holidays and how people moved about town. We see the start of the banking, trade and theatre industries.
The plot is surprising. The characters are refreshing. It's a fast read with many twists and turns. Not one major character ends up being what you expect them to be. Not one. The historical setting is organically shown rather than explained.
Spofford accomplishes - rather breezily - what most authors hope for: an entertaining and educational read that sparkles with near-invisible skill.
Critics are in consensus on this one: read it!
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