Customer Reviews

Who the Hell's in It: Portraits and Conversations

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If you're looking for a book that spills the dirt on some of the biggest names in Hollywood (when Hollywood WAS Hollywood), this ain't it! Bogdanovich, as he did with the great directors in "Who The Devil Made It?", has penned love-letters to some of tinsel town's greatest performers. As with the first volume, almost all of these pieces are told from the personal viewpoint of his inter-actions with each of the stars, a ploy that could become tedious in less capable hands. It is important to remember, however, that, before he was a director, and sometime actor, Bogdanovich was one of the best writers on the art of film, a talent he retains to this day. The pieces vary in length from less than 10 pages to an almost novella length essay on Jerry Lewis. The problem, if any, is that the short pieces often seem TOO short and the longer ones, especially the Lewis piece, could have stood a little trimming. But, all in all, these mash notes (you won't find many negative comments on any of his subjects) are beautifully written and speak of a time and place we shall never see again. If you love film, this is your next big read!

Peter Bogdanovich, the director of such films as The Last Picture Show and The Cat's Meow, has compiled in this book a group of essays, each one about a specific actor, many, if not all, of them legendary (the actors, not the essays). The actors range from Stella Adler, the legendary acting coach, to River Phoenix, the tragic model for fatal drug overdoses.

Some of the chapters are less involving than others, and this can be attributed to Bogdanovich's limited relationships with some of the subjects in the book. However, some of the chapters are also incredibly gripping, as Bogdanovich paints personal portraits of those close to him throughout his years in film.

My personal favorite chapter was about the aforementioned Phoenix, who was a train wreck waiting to happen, but as Bogdanovich tells it, he was also an unbelievable talent and just a great guy to be around - that is, while he was still around.

The other actor that really captured my attention was John Cassevetes, who is probably more well-known as a pioneering director and producer of independent films. Bogdo (as Cassevetes referred to him) is able to explain some of Cassevetes's genius and cavalier attitude towards filmmaking, which was basically "I'm making this film the way I want - you're either in or out." You just have to respect that.

Overall, the book is uneven, and it almost has to be, with such a wide array of Peter-profiled personalities. This gets a recommendation for those interested in classic Hollywood film lore and the "real" lives of screen legends.

I picked up this book and flipping through it came upon some still pictures of John Wayne from several of his movies. This made me turn the pages back to the beginning of that chapter and read it. Then I turned the page and the next chapter was Henry Fonda. I was getting tired of standing up so I took it home with me.

The author has been working with actors virtually all of his life. And he has done this, not as a reporter, but as one of their own. He's acted, directed, written, just about everything in the movie business. In this book he is not writing from second hand reports, he knew and associated with the people he is writing about. Well in a few cases he knew people around them, like Arthur Miller, Marilyn Monroe's husband.

This book has 25 chapters, one each for 25 of the most memorable people Hollywood has produced.

If you love the old movies and their stars, you'll love reading Mr. B's reminiscences. He met and worked with so many of them! His wonderful writing style is conversational, not scholarly, which is not to say that he doesn't know his subject. Peter Bogdonovich loves and understands movies and moviemaking, and has a great appreciation for actors and actresses. His book is a great read!!

This is an absolute joy for film buffs.

Starting with Lillian Gish and ending on Marilyn Monroe, Peter Bogdanovich presents a unique collection of interviews, conversations and portraits of nearly two dozen Hollywood legends, most of whom he knew personally, acted with or directed.

It is a intensely personal book, one man writing about or talking with his friends, and an immensely rewarding one. The insights Bogdanovich offers - going to a party with Cary Grant, at home with James Stewart, directing River Phoenix in his final role, acting lessons with Marilyn Monroe, persuading Audrey Hepburn out of retirement - are as entertaining as they are remarkable.

I read this over a couple of years, dipping in, one legend at a time, when I had a spare half hour or so. As a result my copy is somewhat battered but it has been much enjoyed. I was particularly struck by the chapters on people I was less familiar with - John Cassavetes, Stella Adler, Ben Gazzara - as well as the portrait of the author himself that begins to shine through the more you read his impressions of others.

Anyone who has a love of the Hollywood golden age will, I am sure, relish these snapshots of Bogart, Brando, Chaplin, Dietrich and the many others brought back to life in these pages.

This book is okay. Some of the stories are good, others are pretty lame. Irritating how Peter B. takes every opportunity to remind you that he used to bang Cybill Shepherd.

though, as someone else said, some are disapointingly short, others are way too long. The biggest problem with Bogdanovich's homage to actors is him, or, more properly, his ego. Someone reading it really doesn't care if PB knew them or not; they care about the star he's discussing. Maybe Pete should write an autobiography so he can keep his other books pure.