My Lucky Stars: A Hollywood Memoir

I always knew she had an unconventional marriage but just how unconventional was made very clear as she sustained long term affairs with Robert Mitchum, Danny Kaye and little escapades with some of her leading men like Yves Montand. What is very noticeable is that Shirley doesn't go into any of the issues associated with having such an open marriage at the time she did it. Her escapades are told with dry humor and a sort of emotional detachment. I do, however, believe that Robert Mitchum could have been one of her great loves instead of a long term affair.

I did appreciate her attempts to provide insight as to how affairs can happen so readily when making a picture. How they are in fact aided and abetted sometimes by directors and other crew members. Some directors won't let spouses on the set, some do questionable things to provoke reactions to get you to do the movie their way.... It's all very enlightening in that you do see how insecure people such as a Marilyn Monroe type would get eaten alive by these sort of games.

I suppose Frank Sinatra was really p_ _ _ _d off when this book came out because for all her flattery of him she paints such a sad picture of him. It almost.... I said almost, makes you want to overlook his ego maniac, self centered, I am God attitude towards the rest of the people on the planet. I also found her description of Debra Winger's antics on Terms of Endearment to be totally revolting. I have to think that if behavior like this is found acceptable in order to get the best from an actor then the behavior we read about shouldn't be a surprise. The anything goes behavior that is tolerated while making the movie could in fact and does create serious behavioral problems in some stars. In other words they expect real life to be like on the movie set and it doesn't work that way.

All in all I enjoyed the book, it's very juicy gossipy bits and her insights into old Hollywood.