Laurence Olivier

February 3, 1992
Knight of the realm, embodiment of England, great Shakespearean actor and movie star, Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) was saddled with self-loathing, chronic guilt over failed relationships and sexual ambivalence. His 10-year affair with Danny Kaye drove Olivier to suicidal thoughts, reports Spoto, biographer of Hitchcock and Tennessee Williams. A magnificent, moving biography worthy of its protean subject, this resonant portrait defines an actor whose personal upheavals fueled his intense realism on stage and screen. Never close to his cold father, an Anglican priest, Olivier lost his mother at 12. This childhood, suggests Spoto, created an emotionally inaccessible man who channeled his passion into his art. Olivier envied the success of his first wife, actress Jill Esmond, a lesbian. The tragedy of his failed marriage to Vivien Leigh, victim of mental instability and electroshock, was totally avoidable, insists Spoto. In third wife Joan Plowright, a young, lively actress, Olivier found maternal endorsement and encouragement. Critical acumen matches psychological insight in this biography. Photos. BOMC alternate; author tour.

Laurence Olivier's life was far more interesting and unusual than most of us would have ever imagined. Donald Spoto's definitive biography is exhaustively researched and covers virtually every event in the life of one of the great actors of the twentieth century. The book meticulously covers Olivier's life in full, lurid, yet tasteful detail. Whether discussing Olivier's childhood, his three marriages, his relationships with Noel Coward and Danny Kaye, or his bouts of loneliness, Spoto reveals a seldom-seen side of this actor, director, and producer. Frederick Davidson's narration is flawless. Davidson maintains the brilliance of the biography with a superb performance that is every bit as wonderful as the book itself. While long, the book glides along, keeping the listener wanting to hear more. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine