Customer Reviews

Love Scene: The Story of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh

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I really enjoyed reading this book. Some biographies get a bit dull in the details, but this book told the tale in very interesting tidbits from people who knew both actors. Lasky's details are superb regarding Vivien's manic depressive psychosis and lets readers get the feel for the disease by telling what Vivien did and said that showed the psychosis, rather than just saying she has manic depression/bipolar.

I'm studying bipolar and unipolar depression in actresses and did not know until I read an earlier biography that Vivien had it. She's been one of my favorite actresses, along with Marilyn Monroe, who I'm also studying regarding her depression. Lasky does a very good depiction of bipolar in this book that leaves a reader without any doubt of its nature.

Love Scene has many photos, which also tell the tale, and interviews with people who knew the couple closely, including directors, producers and other actors and actresses. A fast read and one that gives an eye view into theatre and cinema. You won't have any doubt this couple was made for each other by reading this book. The bipolar finally is Vivien's undoing when she, in a manic episode, makes an unfortunate comment on camera about Olivier that he can't forgive.

A sad but lovely story.

I had been looking for this book for years as I'm a huge Vivien Leigh fan so to finally find it and have it arrive in such a quick time after the long wait was worth it. I'm eating up every page of it and finding out interesting tidbits about the classic romantic couple that I didn't know and refreshing myself on things I did already. It's like I'm there with them and getting to know them a bit each page, right in the same room. Great read, I highly recommend this to anyone who knows Vivian is more than just Scarlett O' Hara and Blanche Dubois but the beautiful person who also suffered in her own way but found happiness in the arms and life of the one she truly loved, Sir Laurence Olivier.

I have always loved the idea of their love story, and this book was a great read on it!! In depth story and wonderful pictures.