Customer Reviews

High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly

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

 

 

I read Donald Spoto's first book when it came out in 1976, to which Princess Grace generously contributed a foreword, and I have read many of his books since. I'll have to say, as someone who has also read a number of other biographical books about Grace Kelly, this one does seem like something of a labor of love (being very restrained in its speculations), which is not all that bad, I suppose, considering that some of those other books probably adopt too lurid a view of Grace Kelly's Hollywood romances. If some of the omissions are surprising (no mention of Mark Miller, of Grace turned off by Gable's false teeth, of William Holden's trip to Philadelphia to meet the Kelly family and their cold treatment of him, of Grace's quite commendable candor to Gwen Robyns about her love affairs), Mr. Spoto has other things to contribute from his many interviews with Princess Grace and others (like Hitchcock) who knew her. His analytical comments on her films are also excellent (especially on HIGH NOON). He quotes Hitchcock on the essential "anti-cinematic" nature of 3D movies (which was how DIAL M FOR MURDER was filmed) and is consistently interesting on the background topics of the mores and customs of the Fifties. His view about the canceled plans for Grace to do MARNIE are contrary to those of others, but he makes his case convincing (I would say). Mr. Spoto's book is not in the least bit gossipy, and it's smart and enjoyably written (though the word "inchoate" turns up at least three or four times, annoyingly starting to seem like a word admiring itself in the mirror).

Celebrity biographies are one of my favorite junk foods. Genre writing often means bad prose or poor research, and celebrity bios are often the worst offenders. Donald Spoto usually has been an exception, with meticulous research and well reasoned debunking of the kind of scandal that often sells the lesser of these books. Unfortunately, "High Society" appears to be a "clip job" and an instance of Spoto being a little too close to his subject. The book seems to draw a lot on leftovers from Spoto's past research on Alfred Hitchcock and his films. Spoto admits to a great deal of closeness with Kelly and he seems over eager to give her life and talent too many benefits of the doubt. Kelly's reign as princess gets a relatively short shrift. OTOH, the book does a good job of debunking myths about Kelly and her family, who were comfortable lace curtain Irish, rather than up from the bootstraps laborers and provides depth regarding her career and her lack of love for Hollywood, as well as her usually under appreciated stage work. The book plausibly (most of the time) debunks a number of Kelly's purported affairs without assuming that she had been virginal before marrying Prince Ranier. Spoto highlights Kelly's place in the realm of "cool blonds", although he is too Hitchcock-centric in his consideration of this now forgotten kind of mid-century elegance and sophistication (in contrast to "dumb blonds" like those played by Marilyn Monroe and imitators like Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren), that Kelly helped Americanize. The "cool blonds" later included television performers like Inger Stevens (who was Clairol's pitch woman for blond hair coloring) and the persona brushed off on Doris Day's later still-virginal roles and the later years of Donna Reed's television character. The counter culture and changing styles had more to do with the demise of the "cool blond" than Hitchcock's failure to find another as perfect as Grace Kelly. So, on balance, the book is a quick and mostly pleasant read, but one that pulls punches, is uneven in its analysis and seems particularly weak with regard to Kelly's later years.

Donald Spoto's new biography of Grace Kelly is a well-written account of Kelly's life, with a special emphasis on her acting career. He bookends his solid accounts of her films, Broadway, and television work with info about her private life. I think most readers of Spoto's book will have already read other biographies of her entire life and so not mind the emphasis on her career.

Spoto's a good writer. He had a long-term friendship with Kelly and she talked to him over the years about her life and career, asking only that he wait twenty-five years to publish what she told him. The book seems restrained about her private life - particularly because other biographers have written about her supposedly voracious propensity to have affairs with her leading men. Spoto writes that most of the speculation about her sex life is just that - speculation - and was not true in most cases.

Spoto's obvious regard for his subject does not extend to fawning over her. Because he was concentrating on her career, I think it was easy for him to avoid making conjectures about her private life. I read the book in one sitting - it's not long - and came away with a very good appreciation of her career.

I'm very glad I read this for free from the library. There is nothing about Grace Kelly here that we didnt' already know from the newspaper articles from her death. I would be surprised if Mr. Spoto interviewed anyone who knew the Princess.
I did not need to know every boring detail about the plots and filming of her movies. The woman was royalty, but you would never know from this book if she participated in any palace activities or even met other royalty. Did she meet Princess Diana? Prince Charles? Mountbatten? You won't hear about any other royalty in this book. I was interested in her life, her cares, children, aspirations and relationships. Don't look for any of that here, you will not find it. This is only the very superficial information.

I have probably read most of the books written on Grace ever since her untimely death in 1982. I never expected to read new information but within these pages I found much. It's well written with details that intrigue. Interesting takes on the plot lines of her movies and what she hoped to accomplish with her career as she undertook each role.

This is a must read for any Princess Grace fan. I found many of her ideas and actions completely understandable, making a lot of sense in view of some of the many accusations that have been made since her death. It was believable and real to comprehend her marriage, her wishes for her lost career in Hollywood and yet her desires as a mother and wife. It was a treat to read and absorb.

According to this book Princess Grace was the virgin Queen of Hollywood!
No sex with Gary Cooper, no Clark Gable and most unbelievable no Bing Crosby!!! I think Mr. Spoto is a little too close to his subject and wants to defend her reputation! Nothing about any affairs after her marriage to Prince Rainer. The best bits in the book are the parts that deal with Hollywood and her film career (her life in Monaco only rates 40 pages!)If only he could have been more objective about her love life this book would have been great! It takes nothing away from Princess Grace that she enjoyed her time in Hollywood to the fullest!!!

Say Grace Kelly (1929-1982) and the adjectives which readily trip off the tongue are "All American girl good looks"; "Social refinement"; "beautiful diction" and fine roles in such elegantly made films as she turned out in the 1950s.
Kelly was born to Irish Catholic wealth in Philadelphia. Her father was a three time Gold Medalist in the sport of sculling; her uncle George was a Pulitzer winning playwright and her mother was a stern German heritage woman. The family was well to do in the Depression and Grace was educated at private schools. She was educated at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts studying with Sandy Meisner the famed acting teacher and coach. Kelly was a high fashion model in New York living at the prestigious Barbizon Hotel for Young Women.
Kelly acted in New York plays prior to the call from Hollywood. She starred in three Alfred Hitchcock classic films: "Rear Window"; "Dial M for Murder" and "To Catch a Thief." She first came to notice when she played Gary Cooper's young Quaker wife in "High Noon." She also starred in John Ford's "Mogambo" with Clark Gable and Ava Gardner. The lovely Grace won the Best Actress Academy Award for 1954 playing opposite Bing Crosby in "The Country Girl. Princess Grace of Monaco made just eleven Hollywood films. Grace became an icon of the ideal American woman of the 1950s. She was a beautiful and regal blonde beloved by such men as Oleg Cassini, William Holden and Alfred Hitchock (who loved her platonically).
Kelly ended her short but brilliant Hollywood career by starring in "The Swan" and her final film "High Society". In 1956 she married Prince Ranier of Monaco giving birth to three children: Caroline, Stephanie and Albert. Grace Kelly Grimaldi became bored in Monaco spending time on charity projects, flower arrangement and poetry readings. The marriage to the Prince was sometimes rocky. Kelly did not like Hollywood but she enjoyed her acting career. She comes across as a lusty woman who had several lovers; a warmhearted religious Roman Catholic and a good wife and mother.
Spoto has written many celebrity biographies and this one does an adequate job. The author gives summaries of Kelly's films; stays away from gossip and displays an admiration for Grace Kelly. The book is short lacking the details of Kelly's life as is found in Robert Lacey's book "Grace." Kelly and movie fans will enjoy the pleasant read.

This is an unbelievably bad book! It's all hagiography, it's very repetitious, and barely touches on Grace's life after marriage. I got this used for 60 cents and two dollars shipping, and it was STILL rip-off. Absolute trash.

This is a solid look at a woman who went from actress to princess, and died a tragic death by auto accident. I like the personal glimpse into her special life. I learned things in this book unavailable in other biographies of this special woman whose name matches her legacy: graceful.

After reading the sample on my Kindle (best feature of the Kindle, by the way) I was hooked. The prose is well-written and I like how a lot of information came from first person accounts. The only thing I don't like about this book is the the writer went into details about a lot of her movies. I understand that they could be important but they do not contribute much to my understanding of Grace Kelly the person.