Check Out Burt Lancaster: An American Life
Burt Lancaster: An American Life Review
I enjoyed this book a great deal. While I was familiar with most of Lancaster's films, his private life was a mystery. One thing I do have to say for the author: she's thorough. Not to the point of boredom, but all her bases are covered. There's just enough information on Lancaster's background, and I found the story of his parents as fascinating as his. The accounts of his physical feats during his "circus" years were remarkable, as were his inner conflicts over some of the parts he played. Of special interest was the Hect collaboration and foray into producing. My only dislike of the book (and this echoes another reviewer) was Buford's teasing of the bisexuality theme. Why make oblique references to this unless you're going to give us some facts? Was he or wasn't he? There should be more to substantiate this, given the fact that a)This was Hollywood and everyone knew everyone else's business, and b) Lancaster is dead and, according to even the most die-hard Hollywood standards, this makes for fair game. But when all is said and done, this is a great read. I highly recommend this, along with Gerald Clarke's bio on Truman Capote.
Burt Lancaster: An American Life Overview
First time in paperback: The landmark biography of one of Hollywood's last bigger-than-life stars.
Now in paperback, here is the critically acclaimed, best-selling biography of one of Hollywood's legendary stars. Burt Lancaster is known to audiences around the world as the electrifying performer of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, From Here to Eternity, and Birdman of Alcatraz, among many others. Kate Buford brings to life his vivid, memorable on-screen presence as well as the off-screen life he kept intensely private. The first writer to win cooperation from Lancaster's widow and close friends, Buford has written the intimate story of one of the last great unexamined Hollywood lives, capturing both the golden boy and the husband, philanderer, and sometime bisexual. Buford's portrait is compelling, comprehensive, intelligent-and definitive.
Burt Lancaster: An American Life Specifications
If you have any serious interest in movies, you've got to read NPR pundit Kate Buford's sharp-eyed, meticulous, intelligent account of Burt Lancaster's life and work. The most inward of actors--director Luchino Visconti called him "the most perfectly mysterious man I ever met"--Lancaster spurned most press attention. Buford proves there was more to the No. 1 box-office star of Elmer Gantry and From Here to Eternity than muscles and big capped teeth. Growing up in Mob-ruled Harlem (Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll perpetrated the famous "baby massacre" on Lancaster's block), Lancaster ran off to the circus as an acrobat, went to war, and hit stardom at 33. Sweet Smell of Success cowriter Clifford Odets said there were seven Burts, including "Inscrutable Burt" and "Monster Golem Burt." He intimidated Montgomery Clift and Norman Mailer, threatened to toss his producer out a window, slugged Margot Kidder, put a girlfriend in the hospital by hurling her in the air just like his character in Brute Force, and made Kirk Douglas cry by mocking his elevator shoes. After he seduced costar Yvonne De Carlo in her mink coat (he also bedded Deborah Kerr and Marlene Dietrich), the mother of his five children comforted herself with innumerable minks and bottles of booze. His kids were neglected; the son whose baseball team Lancaster coached wrote The Bad News Bears, capturing Burt in the gruff Matthau character.
Buford notes that the seducer Gantry and control freak J.J. Hunsecker were closest to the real Burt, while the Birdman of Alcatraz was who he wanted to be. She takes us behind the scenes, showing precisely what the actor contributed (and threatened to undermine) in his great films, including his Oscar win as producer, Marty. Buford also explains how his independent film company anticipated many later trends but blew it by overspending on script development, and assesses his brilliant deconstruction of his own legend as the lion in winter of Local Hero and Atlantic City. And she puts all gossip in perspective. Burt's jealousy as he fumed in his car outside the house where his ex Shelley Winters was bedding Marlon Brando had a film-historical importance: Brando also stole Stanley Kowalski and the Godfather roles from Burt, and he represented the Method acting style Burt strenuously opposed for the first half of his career. Because he was too smart and curious to stick with one persona, and more interested in art than money, Lancaster needs a landmark biography. He's got one now. And you must check out his full-backside nudity on the back cover! --Tim Appelo
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Customer Reviews
Unsubstantiated & Erroneous Information - Blechh! - LL Cool Jack - Tempe, AZ United States
I did not buy this book and am glad for it. Aside from the fact that I found the writing to be average, I was truly amazed that the information contained in this book is presented as fact rather than the gossip it is. In essence, this book is a National Enquirer article with a hard cover.
A Star and an actor of considerable talent - James Peter Walsh - roseburg, oregon United States
I read this biography when it first came out and I used it as a reference whenever I watched any of Burt Lancaster's films. It was full of useful information and anecdotes about his various projects. I didn't know for instance that he was one of the first actors to become a part of the business of Hollywood and that the film Marty was made with his production company.
In many ways BL was a pioneer. He tried everything and usually succeeded. He has made a couple of bad films but he was always working and always trying to get better. One could see that he was truly a part of Hollywood.
One great thing about this book is the way that is written. The author does such a good job that you feel as if you are really watching him move across the pages.
My early memory of him is in the pirate films with his side kick. He was really nothing more than an amusing actor and acrobat. I followed his career and saw him evolve into the character in Atlantic City and many other films. In a way I feel that we grew up together.
Deja vu - Lozenges - USA
After reading Kate Buford's tedious and somewhat salacious bio of Burt Lancaster, I read an earlier account of the actor's life: Against Type: The Biography of Burt Lancaster by Gary Fishgall (published in 1995, not long after Lancaster's death). Not only is Fishgall's version more interesting, but I felt a strong sense of deja vu as I read it, thinking that Buford obviously used Fishgall's book as a primary source for her own book. Entire sentences and passages mirrored many written by Fishgall--if not word for word, certainly in tone and sequence. If you want to see a photograph of Burt's bare behind and ponder unfounded speculations that the actor was gay or bisexual, buy Buford's book. If you want a more solid, well-documented biography of the man, choose Fishgall's.
MORE FICTION THAN FACT...DESIGNED TO SELL NOT TO ENLIGHTEN - Schuyler V. Johnson - Lake Worth, FL USA
Please permit me to straighten out a few allegations promulgated in this rather prurient (because it sells) book. One, B.L. was NOT an abusive man toward women (or anyone else)at all. One isolated incident do not a misogynist, or history of violence, make. One of his later relationships involved a hot-tempered lady who broke a champagne bottle over his head, so that rather belies his abuse with females...and no, he did not retaliate.
Also, another allegation, and one clearly designed to mislead the reader in addition to pumping up sales: B.L., at NO time, was EVER, in ANY way homosexual or bi-sexual...ever.
As to what his sons did or didn't do in a neighbor's pool, is another allegation and a rather cheap shot; even if it IS true or has ANY basis in fact, who among us has led a perfect childhood? Who among us has never behaved in a childish way when we were children?
This is tawdry writing at it's zenith, an unnecessary "factoid" thrown in for sensation rather than edification. If it is true, who cares? Why put it in? Does it MATTER what B.L.'s sons did when they were kids?
Ms. Buford has done some research, for what that is worth, but did not bother to either verify or confirm any of her allegations, so they must remain just that, allegations...however, the cat is already out of the bag and her inclusion of unsubstantiated "facts" helped the sale of her book, so she got what she wanted in the first place.
B.L. was a consummate actor, a loving, generous untamed man who changed careers in his mid forties from that of a trapeze artist in the circus to acting...and he took care of 17 of his circus friends for life after he began his acting career. Of course he had his faults; ALL of us do, but few of us have them the focus of a book slanted to sell no matter what, much as the tabloids do in the checkout line in the supermarket...
He made friends and enemies on the way, and carved a unique niche for himself in the most competitive profession in the world. His personal relationships were intense, close and very very strong; however, it must be noted again, that he was NOT homosexual OR bi-sexual; this is a craven, distasteful and rather cheap ploy on the part of Ms. Buford to spice up her book. Sex sells and scandal sells even better...and there isn't an author alive who doesn't want to make money, but many refrain from outright lies, libel and slander of someone they never met or knew personally.
As for B.L. fuming in his car over Shelley Winters and Brando, Winters was more likely to spend time "fuming", as she was the aggressive partner in that relationship, admitting in her own book how she resented him for wanting to be with his wife for the birth of one of their sons...
There was a book about Errol Flynn some years back that alleged he was not only bi-sexual (again, not true) but also a NAZI SPY.
The point is, anyone can say anything about a celebrity once they're dead.
He did not engage in violence with all his relationships and he did not have sex with men and he was not parodied in Bill Lancaster's movie "Bad News Bears"; he was light years away from Matthau's persona, and certainly never "gruff."
BUT: People believe exactly what they WANT to believe and some enjoy believing anything bad or off color about famous people because it makes their own lives a little exciting for a time...so, that is the truth, and it is up to those who read this book whether they choose to take it as gospel or merely a semi-informative read.
B.L. was a business genius; he OWNED his movies and formed a production company with Ben Hecht to retain control over all his work, and in addition to Hecht-Lancaster he also founded Norlan Productions, named for Norma, his wife.
He kept his mystery and movie star image all of his life and was a very generous, loving man with a great sense of humor.
So, read it with a grain of salt and remember, it is easy to play hard and fast with the truth when the subject is no longer alive to refute it.
The real B.L. can be seen in any one of his movies, and IMO, Sweet Smell of Success is his best work, alongside Atlantic City. Those who knew this fascinating man personally know the truth, and hopefully, people will remember him more for his art than for the smarmy words of someone wanting to make money off a true artist.
Those who can, do; those who can't write smutty biographies...
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