The actor Frank Langella (I always remember him from Mel Brooks' long lost classic, TWELVE CHAIRS though perhaps he's more well known for playing Nixon and Dracula - not at the same time) turns out to be a pretty terrific writer of memoirs - if DROPPED NAMES is anything to go by. Reveling in his own star-studded history and memorable encounters with the very talented and the very celebrated and occasionally with those of near mythic status, Langella coyly reveals almost all and leaves us wanting just that little bit more. Not only is the book full of engaging encounters between Langella and a whole host of entertainment lovelies, but the book is well designed - each person profiled in his or her own essay, the sort of thing that makes reading this sort of thing easy and fun and perfect for the beach.
I think Langella understands what readers of this type of book are looking for. It's not rocket science.
And yet, there's nothing to sneer at in such a perceptive, well-written and occasionally wicked memoir of past times and beautiful people who captured our imaginations, our admiration and from time to time broke our hearts. Langella shares his opinion of a whole slew of stars and celebrities he interacted with and observed over the many years of his career. He doesn't spare us his dislike of Rex Harrison (whose unpleasant reputation was no secret) and Charleston Heston and Yul Brynner's egos also come in for a bashing. Still you don't get the feeling that Langella is out merely to bash, he is not especially mean-spirited or over the top in his observations.
But some rancor is to be expected in books of this sort. Not everyone can love everybody - not everybody is worth loving - and if they did, it wouldn't make for an especially entertaining book. Langella is most kind to the women who flitted in and out of his orbit - as is to be expected of a gentleman.
Overall I get the impression that Frank Langella is comfortable enough in his own skin and basically satisfied with his long-lived career. Plus the older he gets, the more attractive he gets. Nothing wrong with that.
But some rancor is to be expected in books of this sort. Not everyone can love everybody - not everybody is worth loving - and if they did, it wouldn't make for an especially entertaining book. Langella is most kind to the women who flitted in and out of his orbit - as is to be expected of a gentleman.
Overall I get the impression that Frank Langella is comfortable enough in his own skin and basically satisfied with his long-lived career. Plus the older he gets, the more attractive he gets. Nothing wrong with that.
"Langella's book celebrated sluttiness as a worthy - even noble - way of life. There was so much happy sexuality in this book that reading it was like being flirted with for a whole party by the hottest person in the room. It was no wonder Langella was invited everywhere." Ada Calhoun in the New York Times.
I don't know about the sluttiness aspect, but certainly the reader knows almost right off the bat that Langella is having a ball. And yeah, he was usually the hottest guy in the room. I don't mind that ego plays a part in this as it must do in any memoir of this sort. Don't read a memoir (especially from an actor) if you don't want to confront a huge ego. But ego with charm is often a delight, especially if you get the sense that the guy speaking is maybe not such a bad guy and best of all, he is someone with whom the reader wouldn't mind spending time with.
Though on screen Langella often gives the appearance of a deep, dark intensity (the man played Dracula after all), this is not apparent in his writing and isn't missed at all. He very wittily describes (and maybe embellishes) moments with Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Jackie Kennedy, and others of the glamorous set to whom he was introduced or worked alongside as he established his stage and film career. Not bad for a star struck Italian boy from New Jersey.
Though on screen Langella often gives the appearance of a deep, dark intensity (the man played Dracula after all), this is not apparent in his writing and isn't missed at all. He very wittily describes (and maybe embellishes) moments with Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Jackie Kennedy, and others of the glamorous set to whom he was introduced or worked alongside as he established his stage and film career. Not bad for a star struck Italian boy from New Jersey.
It's funny how happenstance and luck can play such an important part in someone's life and career. It was through an early friendship with Bunny Mellon's daughter, while both were at the Cape Playhouse in Massachusetts, that Langella was introduced to the grandiose, outsize life of society and celebrity. From then on there was no stopping him.
Two favorite chapters:
The one on the wonderful Billie Burke who seems to have been a total delight - remember her as the Good Witch in THE WIZARD OF OZ and also as Topper's slightly ditzy wife? In fact, she played slightly ditzy almost always and almost always won our hearts. Langella clearly adored her.
And the one on gifted Puerto Rican actor Raul Julia who was most famous, I suppose, for playing Gomez in the THE ADDAMS FAMILY film, though he was a brilliant stage actor as well. There is an element of homo-eroticism in Langella's dealings with Julia (Langella eagerly admits he was 'in love with Raul Julia', but gives the impression that their relationship didn't go beyond the 'bromance' stage). Who knows? At the time Julia was married and a father and had the Latin man's fear of being thought less than a manly man. Langella tantalizes and leaves us wondering.
I recommend DROPPED NAMES if you are the sort of reader who likes their Hollywood/Celebrity memoirs clever, inviting, well-written and chock full of charm.
Sounds great Yvette - I do think he is a splendid actor (often rather wasted) and his career has certainly had some amazing ups and downs in it!
ReplyDeleteIt goes that way sometimes, Sergio, for actors with dark intense looks. Hollywood doesn't quite know what to do with them - hero? or Villain? or What? Know what I mean? I've never seen Langella on Broadway, but I wish I had. They say that he was the one great love of Whoopi Goldberg's life. Yes, he and Whoopi were an item for a few years.
DeleteI've been trying to keep my library holds in check, but this book sounds like such fun that I just had to ask for it, too!
ReplyDeleteOh I think you'll love it, Joan. It's so much fun. And not much mean-spiritedness at all. I recently read an ugly Hollywood memoir where the writer guaranteed to reveal all and sure enough he did. Won't mention the book because I'm sorry I read it. I didn't need to know half the stuff in it but it was like watching an accident happen - couldn't seem to stop. Left me wondering if I've ever known anything at all about the nature of the human race.
DeleteYvette, I've loved Frank Langella since his movie Dracula. Undoubtedly the most romantic, gorgeous Dracula of all time! This book sounds like fun, although sometimes I just don't want to know that much about actors I've admired for their work. And then sometimes I love to be the fly on the wall!
ReplyDeleteThen you will love this book, Becky. Read it. There's not anything in it that will make you gasp with revulsion, I promise. (Unlike the nameless book I mentioned in my previous comment.)
DeleteIf you say Raul Julia I immediately think of his role in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and certainly not that fluffy movie version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. I got to see Julia on stage in THE THREEPENNY OPERA and he was riveting. I wish I had got to see Langella in DRACULA on Broadway, but seeing him do the role in the movie version was probably better.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like something I'd love. I used to devour celebrity biographies but especially liked the autobiographical memoirs. I'll never forget reading CAVETT BY CAVETT or Shelley Winters' infamous autobiography SHELLEY (ALSO KNOWN AS SHIRLEY) which apparently is overloaded with embellishments and outright lies, but was very fun reading all the same.
Oh for sure, John. I loved KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, but for some reason I thought people would more likely remember Gomez. It always seemed to me that Julia was short changed in the Oscar stakes - he should have also won for KOTSW alongside his co-star. Wonderful work.
DeleteOh, fortunate you that you got to see Julia on B'way. I never did. At least I don't remember that I did. :)
If you haven't read it, I recommend ACT ONE, theater great Moss Hart's autobiography. SO wonderful.
I have enjoyed several movies with Frank Langella and this sounds like a wonderful book. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Tracy. I found it very enjoyable.
DeleteI've always enjoyed Frank Langella's work (and you raise the delicious possibility of a movie about Nixon as Dracula — of course we'd want Langella in that role). I'll definitely look for this book. Incidentally, another very well-written Hollywood memoir is "Knock on Wood," by Candice Bergan. It draws its name from Candice having grown up with the dummy Charlie McCarthy in the house, and how he was such a real presence that she actually felt a bit of sibling rivalry!
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, I'd heard of Candice Bergen's book, thanks for the reminder. Yeah, Charlie McCarthy - can you imagine? Ha. I think Nixon as Dracula is a natural. :)
DeleteYvette, I'm not big on memoirs based on the film and entertainment industry but I have watched Frank Langella in a few movies, most recently in "Superman Returns."
ReplyDeleteI don't read a lot of Hollywood memoirs myself, Prashant. But this one was a fun read and I'm glad I heard about it and my library had it.
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