This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me: An Autobiography [Hardcover]

Norman Jewison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005

In this bestselling autobiography, Norman Jewison reflects on his life as a Hollywood director. Jewison?s passionate and entertaining films cover a wide range of subjects and styles, from the classic The Cincinnati Kid to the political satire of The Russians Are Coming to the sultry mystery of In The Heat of the Night (winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1967), and from the powerful screen version of Broadway?s Fiddler on the Roof to the critically acclaimed A Soldier?s Story. Moonstruck, Jewison?s most beloved film, garnered three Academy Awards. A mentor to many in the business, Norman Jewison wrote this memoir as part of his legacy to future generations of filmmakers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jewison's movies have received 12 Academy Awards and 46 nominations, a remarkable record for a filmography that numbers only 25 films. His autobiography's unassuming style offers a clear, accessible portrait of the man and overflows with revealing anecdotes about such luminaries as Steve McQueen, Doris Day, Al Pacino, Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington. After finding success in live television working with Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason and Danny Kaye, Jewison began his motion picture career with 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962); survived a bomb, The Art of Love (1965); and eventually turned out a series of classics: The Cincinnati Kid (1965), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Moonstruck (1987). He defines Doris Day (The Thrill of It All, 1963) as a consummate comedian who lacked confidence in her appearance; and Sylvester Stallone (F.I.S.T., 1978) as someone who "behaved like he believed his own publicity." Jewison also describes his approach to filmmaking, explaining his actions at the all-important pitch meeting, and demonstrates how focused a director must be. Honest without becoming a tell-all or an airing of personal problems, the book is a successful study of what it takes to triumph in Hollywood and achieve artistic satisfaction. Photos. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Jewison, a seasoned filmmaker known for hits as diverse as In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck, and Fiddler on the Roof, focuses on his work rather than his life outside of it, trying to be "truthful and entertaining . . . serious and sometimes funny," and jumping about in time and place as association leads him in an irresistibly elliptical manner. He grew up working in the family dry-goods store in Toronto during the Depression, when Doc Edmunds performed door-to-door bargain tonsillectomies on kitchen tables for $24.95, and where Jewison perfected the art of the sales pitch that has aided him throughout his career. Via agent Larry Auerbach, he developed his resume directing American variety shows, including a Judy Garland comeback special, in the 1950s. The Thrill of It All! an immensely profitable Doris Day romance, followed, along with The Cincinnati Kid, a project taken over from hard-drinking Sam Peckinpah. The behind-the-scenes drama and comedy of his long career, presented with straightforward candor, should delight film mavens and general readers alike. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Key Porter Books; illustrated edition edition (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552632113
• ISBN-13: 978-1552632116
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,655,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Self-Important Director Uses Autobiography to Praise Himself, June 6, 2009

By 

Mediaman "TVviewer" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

This book's title says it all--for director Norman Jewison it's all about "me." This autobiography goes through his life film-by-film but the author reveals little of himself other than to praise pretty much everything he does. He takes credit for almost any success that occurs in any of his films. Meanwhile, he ignores his major flaws and as a Canadian manages to slam the United States that gave him so much opportunity.

If you are looking for a tell-all about backstage drama or affairs with stars, this isn't it. The director is careful to control all the images in the book so that he never appears to be the bad guy and only rarely makes any kind of bad decision. He spins movies that were not that good into self-perceived classics. He overlooks the fact that he wrecked some films (most notably Fiddler on the Roof and Jesus Christ Superstar--though today people don't recall the original outcry over Jewison's bizarre adaptations) and instead chooses to focus on his own brilliance.

This would have been much better if he would have opened up and revealed more of himself. His lack of vulnerability results in stories that don't reveal much about the films he made. Steve McQueen was standoffish, so the director tells of how he talked McQueen into thinking of him as an "older brother" and suddenly he was in McQueen's "inner circle." Okay--but there's nothing very interesting about that. What about some inside stories about his time with the star instead? He says Doris Day didn't think she was pretty and would refuse to come to the set--so he would go to her trailer and comfort her. Okay--he plays himself off as the hero again, but there isn't anything interesting or insightful about that story either.

The book is page after page of the director giving rather insignificant information about his directing of films and actors, always making himself look good. There is no real perspective or inner revelations. When he fails (such as unable to get Mae West to star in one of his films) he doesn't deal with the failure and instead makes others look bad (slamming Mae West's home or her desire to change the script).

The most interesting part is the fact that he isn't Jewish--though most people assume he is. He doesn't deal with that issue much either and it would have made for some interesting insights into the Hollywood community. He glosses over the chance to deal with his own spirituality and instead does a little political ranting about how terrible America was in the 1960s (he even sent his family's green cards back to the U.S. government in protest and they left the country!). This is a man filled with self-importance, one who lacks humility and doesn't show much appreciation to others for his good fortune.

Fiddler has a line that says something like "the rabbi who praises himself has a congregation of one." In this case Jewison appears to be writing to his audience of one--himself.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Director of 'Moonstruck', 'In the Heat of the Night' and other memorable films has written his autobiography, September 12, 2005

By 

S. P. Mcclintock (New York,N.Y) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

I finished this in three days and found it to be a fine book. Between 1965 and 1968 Norman Jewison directed 'The Cincinnati Kid', 'The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming','In the Heat of the Night' and the original 'The Thomas Crown Affair'. The book is at its best covering those years and those films. Chapters on 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'Moonstruck' were not quite as successful. The most recent films-'Other People's Money','Only You' and 'Hurricane'-were treated rather briskly.

4 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Southerner Got My Money, December 25, 2005

By 

Ms_Scout (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

I saw this book in the book store the other night and almost bought it. Norman Jewison was on the TCM documentary of Steve McQueen, seemed like a nice guy with some fascinating stories, and I thought it would be interesting to read about his career and all the celebrities he has worked with.

I thumbed through the book, reading bits and pieces. On the back cover was a praising review from Gore Vidal - Strike 1. Below that was a praising review from Cher - Strike 2. Inside was a picture of Jewison with Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas - Strike 3. Not to mention the book states John Wayne supposedly called Jewison a "pinko Canadian." Also not to mention a few other things I found offensive. I put the book back on the shelf, kept looking and wound up buying "Capote," about the life of Truman Capote. He was a Southerner, a writer, hob-nobbed with the rich and famous, and on the back book cover it said he had a feud with Gore Vidal. Home run.