Confidential: The Life of Secret Agent Turned Hollywood Tycoon - Arnon Milchan

by Meir Doron, Joseph Gelman

Arnon Milchan has led a secret double life. The kind of life one would read about in a John Le Carré spy novel or in a movie made by Hollywood colleagues Steven Spielberg or Oliver Stone. This is the story of a secret agent, of nuclear proliferation, billion-dollar high-tech defense transactions, ideology, patriotism, love, heartbreak, and the awe inspiring Hollywood career of a mysterious mogul. In a true story that puts James Bond to shame, Confidential details with nail-biting suspense how producer Arnon Milchan evolved from his youth into one of the most important covert agents that Israeli intelligence has ever fielded. From Iran to South Africa, from Poland to Taiwan and the US, Confidential casts a global net to expose the legendary producer of blockbusters like Pretty Woman, LA Confidential, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Meir Doron and Joseph Gelman methodically unveil Arnon Milchan's role as a key player in many of Israel s most important intelligence operations. Confidential is packed with stunning new revelations and opens a window into the world of a key covert operative, who evolved into a genuine member of Hollywood's royal elite.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Politics, History

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 14, 2011

Reviews

[Joseph Gelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the co-author so I'm biased, but I would be interested to learn what others think.

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very odd book that isn't anywhere near as exciting as the title sounds. It's the story of a rich Israeli arms dealer who also becomes a Hollywood producer. About three-fourths of it involves the man's undercover schemes, which are at times confusing and nothing like the James Bond scenarios that Arnon Milchan is compared to. The other fourth is a sketchy outline of films he was involved with. None of it is satisfying.

A major problem is that virtually everyone involved lies--all governments, all secret agents, all Hollywood executives. The more powerful or rich you are, the more you lie (Milchan grew up a rich kid then made billions with his arms deals). The only lesson I took from it is that everyone is saying one thing to people's faces and another thing behind their backs--so don't believe anything from anyone, they all work in their own self-interest while claiming to want to bring peace and unity to the world.

In one extreme example, Arnon Milchan goes from trying to secretly sway the world to support bigoted white South African politicians to secretly undermining those same leaders that hired him to oppose Apartheid simply because he saw a sign in the country that banned both blacks and "Asians," which he took personally as an Israelite.

The book is well documented for the most part, but in spots the authors don't provide enough supporting material and insert their opinions, even going with a narrative that can't be totally confirmed since this is undercover work. But there should have been much more about Milchan's Hollywood filmmaking, womaning, and why everyone considered him so charming. It's not so confidential to say that the subject of the book ends up coming across as a bit of an elitist bore. Like the worst James Bond movies.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating account of a true-life spy/business tycoon operating in America and the Middle East. Confidential reads a little like a first work, but it's well worth the effort. You can't make this stuff up?

[Ayelet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the book because I got it for free but didn't find it that interesting. I don't really care about which rich Hollywood people he knows or the details of nuclear arms deals decades ago. There were also many spelling and grammatical errors.

[Roger Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, Packed with amazing information!