From Publishers Weekly
While Bette Davis's fans in the 1930s thought of her as "a bedrock of Christian values," off-camera the willful, temperamental actress experienced abortion, adultery and sexual blackmail. In the 1950s Davis (1908-1989) and fourth husband Gary Merrill publicly presented a picture of domestic bliss, but Spada's irresistible, revelatory biography depicts the actress as an emotional wreck who drank heavily, unleashed anger and vitriol on her two daughters, staged mock suicide attempts and goaded her husband into violent quarrels. Beneath the grande dame image of the later years, we meet a sad, lonely, confused woman who had dalliances with young homosexual men whom she deluded herself into believing were her "suitors." Based on more than 150 interviews with friends, family and co-workers, this poignant bio bursts with film lore, gossip, countless affairs and family secrets. Spada, biographer of Peter Lawford and Grace Kelly, presents evidence suggesting that Davis accidentally pushed her alcoholic second husband Arthur Farnsworth to his death, then covered up the incident at the inquest. He limns a great actress while exposing the cruel, sadistic side of a woman "frantic with insecurity." Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This is a perfectly adequate biography of the complicated film star. It has enough sex and scandal to make it interesting and is even-handed enough to keep the reader balanced on the fence between despising Davis and admiring her. This well-researched effort includes recent interviews with many people involved in Davis's turbulent life. However, there is nothing new here, which is not surprising considering the quantity of material already published. This account does not have the "Bette Dearest" sleaze of B.D. Hyman's (Davis's daughter) book My Mother's Keeper (Morrow, 1985) nor the intimacy of Davis's memoirs. It is on par with Barbara Leaming's Bette Davis ( LJ 4/1/92), which has the benefit of a complete list of Davis's credits. Lawrence J. Quirk's Fasten Your Seatbelts ( LJ 2/1/90) still leads the pack. Purchase only where there is interest. Photos not seen. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/93.
- Sherle Abramson, Williamsburg Regional Lib., Va.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
