Burt Lancaster: The Terrible-Tempered Charmer

by Michael Munn

Based on interviews with such Hollywood luminaries as Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, John Frankenheimer, Shelley Winters, Robert Aldrich, John Huston, Jean Simmons, Waiter Matthau, Lee Remick and Lancaster himself, Munn delves into the private and professional life of one of Hollywood's greatest - and greatly missed - heroes.

278 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1996

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for the Out of the Past classic film blog 2015 contest. I love Burt Lancaster, and I chose this particular biography specifically because it had neither reviews nor ratings. I fail to understand why. This is a very well written biography. Some biographies become boring and drag on, despite the subject. This one did not. I will lend that to both Lancaster's interesting life and Michael Munn's writing. While Lancaster may have been reluctant to talk about his life fully, Munn does a good job of uncovering it: Lancaster's early doubts about acting, his physical prowess, his temper, his affairs, his life-long friendship with Kirk Douglas, and his love of acting. If you love Burt Lancaster's films, I highly recommend this biography.

[Stephen Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked about this book is that it is well and intelligently written, and based around the author's interviews with many people who worked with Burt. In particular Mr Munn was able to interview this notoriously prickly actor in 1982 and again in 1986, having first met him briefly as a star-struck junior press officer in 1972. For such an intensely private man interviews were unwelcome and it is unsurprising that the book never really gets behind the character. It is Burt's intensity and aggression that remain in the mind, qualities which enabled this actor to "build a career on trying hard".

[Mick Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with many of the authors books it just s scratches the surface of the subject.easy read.whether Mr Lancaster would get away with his behaviour now is a matter of debate.my view is that he did all the big mouthing to cover up his insecurities as an actor.his films I found only average.give the book a try and make your own mind up.