Customer Reviews

In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Charmingly written with wonderful photographs throughout. Just the right touch and very much in her own voice. She comes across as sane, funny and empathetic. Someone worth knowing. A very satisfying memoir.

"In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures" is as much a scrapbook as it is an autobiography of Helen Mirren, one of today's most acclaimed actresses. Mirren always striked me as being a very private person, and I was pleasantly surprised that she chose to share so much of her personal and professional life in this book. "In the Frame" begins with a history of Mirren's Russian family ancestry and chronicles her childhood upbringing, her relationships with her parents and siblings, her introduction into the world of theatre, her numerous relationships, and her eventual success in television and film. In addition to the text, this book contains hundreds of never-before-seen photographs, many from Mirren's personal collection, and other memorabilia that Mirren has saved throughout her life.

Mirren is very straightforward and candid, and she doesn't hold back when describing things like her first sexual encounter and a drunken night on an Indian reservation that resulted in a tattoo on her hand. Although the stories are intriguing, the best aspect of the book is the stunning photography. There are pictures of Mirren as a young girl, on the sets of numerous theatrical productions, at her wedding to director Taylor Hackford, and on the red carpet at the 2007 Academy Awards, where she won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in "The Queen." After reading this book and looking at all these photos, I feel like I've known Mirren for years, and I certainly wish that I have. She's intelligent, independent, honest, spirited, and funny...exactly the type of person that you'd make an effort to get to know. Fortunately, by reading "In the Frame," you'll have the opportunity to do just that.

"The tiaras and silvering hair of Britain's sexiest sixty something - it's all here, in In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures, a glossy hardback scrapbook of photographs extensively annotated by Helen Mirren. Born Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov in Chiswick, London, in 1945." Eva Wiseman

Helen Mirren, my image of the perfect woman and actress, warts and all, beautiful to look at as she ages and beautiful in mind and soul as I got to know her a little better. I think she will love the title I chose for this review, like me, she's a little bit raunchy and rock 'n roll. Helen was asked why she wrote this book. It seems that she has been asked many times to write her story, but could not think it through. A good friend suggested she write it like a scrapbook. Helen has always been surrounded by pictures of herself, her family and what is important to her. She started with the pictures, and the words came pouring out. This is a lovely way to write a book, the gorgeous pictures give you a mind's eye picture of Helen at the time. One of the more innovative methods of writing about yourself.

Helen's father was from a royal Russian family who came to the UK and ended up as a very well educated cab driver. Helen loved this part of her life,getting to knwo her Russan ancestors. She explains the history of the family, and along with the pictures we get a feel for what life was like.

At 23, Helen visited a palm reader in the UK who told her that she would see her greatest success after the age of 45. How right she was! She began her career with the National Youth Theater in the UK in 1965, and forty years later won an Academy Award for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 feature film "The Queen," She tells us of her many experiences in these past forty years, the memorable plays and movies and people that she met along the way. She has had one hell of a life, and she has worked very hard for every bit of it. Strangely, her role as Detective Tennison in 'Prime Suspect' on BBC TV helped to show her veritable talents. She signed a contract for one season and ended up playing four. This series became a 'WATER COOLER' series- everyone was talking about it. And then the same year that she ended her reign as Tennison, she played the Queen, and won the top coveted prize for her acting. The years in-between were filled with a busy career in TV, film and theatre. As Max Holmer says when he interviewed her, "She has won acclaim for 'The Madness of King George' and 'Gosford Park', took her clothes off for Calendar Girls, then came the damehood, The Queen and the Oscar."

Helen shares her version of her first lovemaking and other areas of her sexual history, but it is the photos that you will love. She has indeed had wonderful luck with her photographers and some marvelous pictures grace this book. Like me, I can see you looking at the photos before you start reading.

Helen talks about her family, her loves and losses. And she introduces us to her husband, Taylor Lockeford, an acclaimed director in his own right. He brought two sons into the union, and a ready made family with its trials and tribulations is in the fore. Her subsequent marriage in Scotland, and their stay in an old castle completes the story of her life thus far. It is not the life of a princess grown into a queen, but that of an everyday young girl who has become one of the best known women in the world.

"Actress Helen Mirren began her career with the National Youth Theater in Great Britain in 1965, and four decades later is still packing in audiences at cinemas and playhouses around the world. Best known to American audiences for her Academy Award-winning turn as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 feature film "The Queen," Max Follmer

A wonderful rollicking look into the life of a woman many of us emulate. Helen Mirren is a woman that could be my best friend. I feel like I know her as a person through her writing and her photos. This is a woman to be admired and loved. I have seen most of her films and television series, and I have never been disappointed.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-20-08

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

Elizabeth I

After Prime Suspect, Gosford Park and The Queen I knew Helen Mirren was a terrific actress. But I assumed she was an uptight, proper Brit. Wrong! The Mirren that emerges from "In the Frame" is an adventurous bohemian, willing to freely speak her mind and expose her secrets. She is also quite a babe, and includes many photos showing yards and yards of beautifully curvy flesh. She's not a shy one.

"In The Frame" is like a personal diary, scrapbook and photo album all in one. There are hundreds of compelling photos, from family snapshots to backstage candids to high-glamour fashion layouts. There are even some 19th-century photos from Russia.

The narrative takes you from Mirren's birth through her upbringing in England to her marriage with film director Taylor Hackford and Best Actress Oscar for "The Queen." She describes her first performance, at age 6, as the Virgin Mary. "All I had to do was sit there. The perfect role! I wish they had all been that easy. Sit tight, don't move, say nothing and let the costume do all the work." Mirren's recollections of the "Gosford Park" shoot include director Robert Altman deciding, halfway through the filming, that Mirren's character and actress Eileen Atkins' character should be sisters. Her Oscar acceptance speech is printed in full.

Here's the chapter list:

1. Russia: My father's Russian ancestry
2. Dad: Changing from Mironov to Mirren
3. Mum: An extraordinary woman -- making her dreams come true
4. Childhood: Growing up with my brother and sister
5. Southend: Becoming an Essex Girl
6. Starting Out: With the National Youth Theater -- Cleopatra and getting an agent
7. Stratford: The Royal Shakespeare Company and a house called Parsenn Sally
8. Peter Brook: Experimental theatre -- touring the world
9. Theatre: My life on the stage -- Lady Macbeth to Natalya Petrovna
10. James Wedge: Extraordinary photographs by an extraordinary artist
11. In Front of the Camera: From the East End to Northern Ireland
12. America: Hello Hollywood!
13. In Front of the Camera: Moving up a level and Jane Tennison
14. My Amazing Year: Playing queens, saying goodbye to Jane Tennison and winning an Oscar
15. Taylor and My Family Today: One wedding and a very happy clan
16. Professional Shots

The book is well written with fabulous pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed it! What an interesting life!

( The first paragraph is just my background info on finding this book..review is in the following paragraphs)

I have not known of Helen Mirren long. I was first introduced to her (not in person) through her Best Actress Oscar win for the Queen at the 79th Annual Academy Awards® in 2007. I was watching the Oscars because I knew Meryl Streep (favorite) was nominated. Though disappointed in her loss I was curious about Helen (wondering who is this star that beat Meryl)after seeing the Queen. I just happen to see this book at Borders and fliped through it. Just by first glance I fell in love with this book. I asked for it for my upcoming birthday. I couldn't put it down.

I can say that I read this without any bias or preconceived notions or feeling for Mirren since I was not aware of her before recieving this book. Not knowing of her stardom I was completely inthrawled in this book. The photos and writing are spectacular. I love books with both photographs and writing since photos add character and words can drag on at time. It has amazing photographs ranging from Mirren's Russian ancestors (I especially enjoyed-being born in Russia myself), childhood antics, life on stage, family, friends, traveling the globe with fellow Shakespearen actors,behind acting in her films, and so much more. If the photos don't intrique you, her words will.

Through reading this book I find her as a person to be very interesting and intelligent. She has lived a life full of adventure.

Also by being an autobiography I believe the book to me more accurate and creditible than other biographys. I have read a few other biographies which have annoyed me since some just kept rambling on about one thing or another. Instead this book covers soo much and doesn't just concentrate on one apesect of her life. This is not a book of a self centered celebrity, nor a typical tale of "how I was poor and now I am a success"

This books seems real down to earth and human (for a lack of a better term). She doesn't just talk about herself but reaches out, sharing her experience with the countless people who have inpacted her life. She is She takes you into her life and keeps you wanting mmore. You learn about her family now and then, her adventures through the 1960s, her career on stage and film sets, and her thoughts on so much more. I can't go too much into what she wrote (you have to just find out for your self), but I can say that this is my favorite autobiography/biography yet.

Even if your not a Helen Mirren fan, this book is a must read. I didn't even know her and I learned to love her.

I really didn't know who Helen Mirren was until perhaps the 1990's. I became a fan with her work in the Prime Suspect television series. I enjoyed her part as a tough detective, who was also a vulnerable human being. After that, I watched for her films and have my favorites with Gosford Park, Green Fingers, and of course her two splendid films where she portrayed both Queen Elizabeth the First and the current Queen Elizabeth. Both wonderful productions.

IN THE FRAME, gives an intimate portrait of Helen Mirren. Her background of being Russian on her father's side and English on her mother's. The close knit family life that she seemed to relish! Her life as an actress took her all over the world where she was always up for an adventure. Theater work is where she really honed her acting skills and worked with some wonderful actors. I believe that classical theater work is what gave her the opportunity that really helped to make her the actress she is today. I wish that she had told some antidotes about working with other well known actors, but there is very little of that in the book.

Helen's background is quite interesting, she seemed to have lived a Bohemian lifestyle, with an intriguing list of boyfriends and lovers. The book has lots and lots of photographs, some rather risque. They show Helen in her many roles and also in her personal life. She comes across as a likeable person and I enjoyed her book.

What a fascinating read. If Ms. Mirren's acting career slows down .. hopefully never ... she can 'take up her pen' and write.

MKD

Helen's book is fantastic. My husband is a huge fan of hers and it was purchased for him. It gives a wonderfully revealing look at this talented woman. She seems to be a very special person. If you like Helen, you have to love the book.

Interesting. Lots of photos. I was first introduced to Helen Mirren through the Prime Suspect series, so it was interesting to see her in her other roles before and since.