A novel based on the turbulent love affair between Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Michael Korda is the author of "Charmed Lives", "Worldly Goods", "Queenie" and "The Fortune".
--This text refers to the
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Korda's latest sweeping melodrama (after Queenie ) is set in London theaters and Hollywood studios of the 1940s. The larger-than-life romantic leads in this compulsively readable roman a clef , Shakespearean actor Robert Vane and Oscar-winning beauty Felicia Lisle, are cloned from real-life stars Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. The supporting cast, notably Hollywood comic Randy Brooks; crude, magnetic impresario Marty Quick; British theater critic Guillam Pentecost; and Vane's greatest rivals on the London stage, actors Toby Eden and Philip Chagrin, are drawn as directly from other identifiable luminaries of the times. After performing together in Hamlet , Robbie and Lisha abandon their spouses (and Lisha's daughter) to live together in an extravaganza of passion and style, enduring a financially disastrous American tour of Romeo and Juliet , Lisha's breakdowns and possessiveness, Robbie's stint in the RAF and his increasing commitment to the theater. Their marriage 10 years later is followed by Robbie's knighthood, an affair and a murder--the plot spiced with enough sex (homo-, hetero-, incest and a little S-M) to provide an action-filled if ok predictable plot. Korda knows the milieu and keeps the pages turning. Literary Guild selection.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Korda's tightest, most smoothly written, most tackily distasteful novel, in a lengthening line of tacky tales, and his best ever. This time Korda delves deeper into his characters than ever before, perhaps because he choses some vastly engaging folks to write about - Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, whose romance of the century gets lacquered here. Robert Vane, the world's greatest actor, lies dying in old age, under the portrait of glamorous ex-wife Felicia Lisle, as his present wife rages frumpishly. Then it's back to Hollywood in the early 1940's. Lisha (Felicia) and Robby have had a long love affair in public while married to others and awaiting divorces that never come. Lisha has just won world renown and an Oscar while Robert fritters. They decide to go on the road as Romeo and Juliet, but in San Francisco Lisha dries up during the balcony scene (she's going mad and will need hospitalization) and Robert falls from the balcony. The show closes, leaving the two actors deep in debt. After a big party at their Hollywood home, Lisha spies Robert and next-door neighbor Randy Brooks, the country's most beloved comedian (Danny Kaye), making out in the library. Has Robby gone queer? The thought haunts Lisha, drives her bonkers, and reoccurs when Robby later falls into a deep friendship with genius critic Guillam Pentecoste (Kenneth Tynan). Meanwhile, Robby and Lisha are rescued by a $400,000 loan from Marty Quick (Jed Harris/Mike Todd) on the promise of their appearing in his film of Don Quixote. Lisha is also haunted by memories of her wicked Uncle Harry, who sired her daughter Portia (though only she and Harry know this) and who now wants Portia to raise (and violate?). As WW II ends, Marty wants payment while Lisha goes ever more mad. Along the way, magnificent secondary characters include Robby's rivals, gay Philip Chagrin (John Gielgud) and dotty Toby Eden (Ralph Richardson), who steal every page they appear on. Once you forgive yourself, it's riveting, especially Korda's rich ideas about classical acting and the Vanes' talents. (Kirkus Reviews)
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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More About the Author
Michael Korda is the New York Times bestselling author of Horse People,
Country Matters, Ulysses S. Grant, Cat People, Journey to a Revolution, and Ike.
He lives with his wife, Margaret, in Dutchess County, New York.
Country Matters, Ulysses S. Grant, Cat People, Journey to a Revolution, and Ike.
He lives with his wife, Margaret, in Dutchess County, New York.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Theatre and sex,
By
This review is from: Curtain (Paperback)
For lovers of classical theatre, Shakespeare and old fashione movie stars in the tradition of Hollywood in the 40's, this is the book for you! While most readers will have undoubtedly read another of Michael Korda's books, Queenie, which was the thinly veiled story of Merle Oberon, "Curtain" follows in the same style with, this time, thinly veiled allusions to Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, in this book, called Robert Vane and Felicia Lisle. The story begins in Hollywood, where following Leigh's Oscar winning performance in "Gone with the Wind", the two lovers are appearing together in a financially disastrous tour of the US, in a series of Shakespeare's plays. The first sign of Felicia's mental fragility appears when she has a nervous breakdown, is hospitalised in a private sanitarium and the bills have to be paid by their agent, Hollywood sleaze, Marty Quick. This puts them in his debt for years and even after the start of WW2 when they have returned to London, he follows them to show his complete control over what they can perform. It's a very sexy book , peopled by over the top characters in whom the readers will totally believe (and perhaps even recognise). If you love movies and their stars, if you love Shakespeare and the stage and love being able to pick out thinly disguised, well known people, you'll adore this book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
If You Liked "Queenie"...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Curtain (Paperback)
If you liked "Queenie", you would hope to like "Curtain", but you'll be disappointed. It's a less-entertaining companion piece. This time, the central characters are based (at first) on still more people from Uncle Alex's wartime L.A. and London: Olivier and Leigh; their stage colleagues; Danny Kaye; a Billy Rose type. The structure is too close to "Queenie", the plot is too contrived, and the stars are quite tiresome over too many pages. There's a lot about the Magic of the Theatre, but the only memorable laughs and tears are in the scenes with the two Bad Guys; you'll wish it were their book instead. As in his memoirs, Korda may be too calm and too nice to be a great writer, though the talent is there; he's a butter knife when you want a dagger.
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