American Prince: A Memoir
by Peter Golenbock, Tony Curtis
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Book Reviews of American Prince: A Memoir
Book Review: HE WAS THE PRINCE AND HUDSON THE KING.
Summary: 5 Stars
THIS IS A GREAT READ AND IS FORTHRIGHT TO THE NTH DEGREE.ONE THING PEOPLE MUST KNOW ABOUT MR.CURTIS IS THAT HE MAKES UP STORIES AND PLAIN LIES ABOUT OTHERS. HOW MANY TIMES IS HE GOING TO WRITE HIS BIO.IN THE 90S MR. PARIS WROTE ONE WITH HIM.
MR. CURTIS WAS NEVER THE BIG TIME PLAYER HE CLAIMS. HIS BEST FILMS GOT HIM SECOND BILLING TO GRANT, MONROE, DOUGLAS, SINATRA , LANCASTER. THE WHOLE STORY OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF FILMS LIKE DEFIANT ONE AND PETTICOAT WERE LIES. GRANT OWNED THE FILM. AND MITCHUM TURNED DOWN DEFIANT ONES BECAUSE IT WASNT PLAUSIBLE A WHITE MAN CHAINED TO A BLACK MAN WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. CURTIS LIED ON TCM AND MADE MITCHUM SOUND LIKE A BIGOT.
CURTIS PUTS DOWN LEWIS AND KAYE BECAUSE HE HAS THE SAME NATURE AS THEY DIE AND HE WASNR CENTER STAGE WHEN HE WAS WITH THEM.THEY ALL WERE EGOTISTICAL TO THE NTH DEGREE AND THE STUDIO PEOPLE JUST PHASED THEM OUT.ALSO THE DRUGS.
CURTIS LOST IT BECAUSE OF DRUGS, BOOZE AND HIS EGO.HE ALSO ONLY GOT THE PARTS HUDSON, NEWMAN, AND BRANDO REFUSED.
ALL THIS SAID HE WAS GREAT- AND HE WAS BY FAR THE BEST IN SOME LIKE IT HOT LEAVING LEMMON IN THE DUST. HE WAS GREAT IN THE STRANGLER, WHO ELSE IN THAT TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN AS GREAT EXCEPT BRANDO.
MR. CURTIS I WOULD RATHER WATCH YOUR MOVIES THAN MANY OF THE OTHER STARS FROM YOUR ERA.BUT YOU DONT HAVE TO EMBELLISH YOUR LIFE AND WORK. IT STANDS HIGH BY ITSELF. LOVE YA BERNIE.- BRAD F. STENDER.
Book Review: It's the Sex Appeal, Stupid
Summary: 5 Stars
AMERICAN PRINCE is an honest and entertaining read, but one thing really struck me: Tony Curtis' bewilderment that he was perhaps disliked by so many in Hollywood, seemingly barred from the inner circle, not even nominated for an award for his performance in "Some Like It Hot." Curtis, tough guy that he is, is hurt by the cold shoulder.
Tony, sweetheart, I know what the problem was: You had that rare combination of strengths -- topped by a huge heaping portion of sex appeal -- that makes people wildly jealous. Clinton had it. Elvis had it. They say Valentino had it. Your gift, and your curse, was to be driven, talented, good-looking, AND appealing to women. Remember how they treated Bill Clinton?
In any case, AMERICAN PRINCE is refreshing because Curtis doesn't hold back, giving the nicey-nice on a world we know is brutal. No, he's astute and raw and makes few apologies for his failings as a husband and father, while giving the inside tip on famously-glossed tinseltown myths. (I loved his interpretation of the Debbie & Eddie & Liz Drama and was fascinated by his take on Mamie Van Doren.) And, of course, all of the carousing goes back to a bleak childhood with a mentally unstable mother. Tony Curtis is really a Cinderella of sorts, the boy who ascends from the ashes to become the handsome darling of Hollywood.
AMERICAN PRINCE is a ride, and I loved it.
Book Review: Needs to be compared with previous autobiography
Summary: 3 Stars
This book needs to be read in conjunction with Mr. Curtis's previous autobiography: Tony Curtis the autobiography by Tony Curtis (Author)and Barry Paris, which I found to be a far better book. The text is virtually identical, except for the removal of Mr. Paris's notes which filled in the background story. The biggest difference is that whereas the first book was kind to costars, ex-wives and everyone but Marilyn Monroe, Shelly Winters and his mother, the current memoirs tell all and trash the dead (except for Ms. Monroe who has been transformed into "the great love of my early youth", with nary a peep about the immoral drug abusing self-destructive narcissistic woman previously recollected. Whereas in his previous book, if he hadn't a good word to say about someone, he would merely note that "we had our differences", this time the conveniently dead come in for more savage recollections.
I was never a fan of Tony Curtis, he simply happened to be in films that I saw from time to time. His name on a marquee would not draw me into the cinema, but I enjoyed his first bio for the insight into movie making, especially the cost accounting, and finished it with a respect for the author's discretion. Sadly, this latest effort has changed that opinion. The book is simply a rehash with a few unkind and salacious titbits thrown in.
Book Review: A must for fans of Hollywood's golden age!
Summary: 4 Stars
I was never the biggest Tony Curtis fan, but this is a fun and interesting read for fans of the Hollywood golden age. Curtis was a smooth character back in the day and a big time movie star. His life intersects with many of the biggest and brightest stars of the time including lovers such as Marilyn Monroe. A lot of the book does come off as "look at me, look who I knew and who I slept with," (Which I must admit was a guilty pleasure to read about) but the is more than that. It is also an interesting look into Hollywood during its golden age after world war two and prior to television taking over pop culture. The reader is taken behind the scenes of some of his great films "Houdini", Some Like It Hot (with Marilyn Monroe), and Spartacus (with Kirk Douglas). I found the book less interesting as it moves into the late years of his life but overall this should be of interest to Curtis fans and fans of the old Hollywood.Book Review: Bittersweet Smell of Success
Summary: 4 Stars
The underrated star's enthusiastic and engaging self-portrait is highly enjoyable even as it becomes increasingly unflattering. He begins by relishing in descriptions of the sexual conquest of his youth. (Spoiler alert: being a handsome lothario cutting a swath through post-war Hollywood's leading ladies was freaking awesome!) However, as he gets along in years his exploits as a pathological womanizer who nonetheless rushes into one ill--advised marriage after another (with significantly younger brides) become kind of unsympathetic. He loathes his mother's emotional detachment, then offers up some pretty lame excuses for his absence in his own kid's lives. His decline into drug addiction and self-pity when his career dries up (while rooming at the Playboy Mansion), though admirably unsparing never prompt him to question his larger priorities.
He does take time to give an overview of each film he worked on, though doesn't go into too much detail on his two finest performances in Sweet Smell of Success and (especially) The Boston Strangler.