Laurence Olivier Books

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

some men are born for greatness..others aspire to it. Laurence Olivier was a man born for the stage and for Shakespeare. He found his fame through the Bard's plays, speaking the words as if as naturally as he were thinking them at the moment. This beautiful book takes you inside his world of make believe and never talks down to you but you see the world as he sees it. He did it with grace, elegance and a touch of class. He writes of his life long friendship with Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud and other notable stars. Read this book, then watch some of his finest films, "Wuthering Heights", "King Lear", "Richard III", "Marathon Man", "Spartacus", "The Entertainer", "49th Parallet". Truly one of generations legendary actors.

"I don't know what is better than the work that is given to the actor -- to teach the human heart the knowledge of itself." [January 1970]

Sir Laurence Olivier imparts to us the intimate details of his personal life, before he became the great Shakespearean actor we all know so damn well. He shares his reflections on what he did in his life and what he regrets. No one could do this with more grace and humor than the Master Of The Bard. Rated PG for thematic elements and some language.

Fantastic information in this book full of Wisdom. Interesting to hear about his struggles and his adventures. He also appreciated his friends. God Bless this Great Actor!!

The Naxos production of Great Historical Shakespeare Recordings offers the listener a unique and superbly presented compilation of some of the greatest recordings of Shakespearean material dating from the very beginnings of the recording era. Here you will find Shakespeare being recited by such legends of the stage as Henry Irving, Ellen Terry, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, John Barrymore, John Gielgud, Sybil Thorndike, Hugh Cassohn, Laurence Olivier, and many more. Also included are performances by such unlikely but gifted Shakespearean performers as Charles Laughton, Edith Evans, Laurel and Hardy, Bransby Williams, Dylan Thomas, Sarah Bernhardt, and others. In addition to Shakespeare enthusiasts and scholars, Great Historical Shakespeare Recordings is highly recommended to students and the non-specialist general listener who would enjoy sampling the variety of impressive performances over the past several decades.

Of especial interest to students of the theatre and certainly to actors is a Naxos collection of (NA 220012) on two CDs or tapes.

The first one gives us the voices of such Shakespearean luminaries as Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Arthur Bourchier, Lewis Waller, Frank Benson, Johnston Forbes Robertson, John Gielgud, Sybil Thorndike, Lewis Casson, John Barrymore, Laurence Olivier, Henry Irving, Edwin Booth, and Ellen Terry. The last three are preserved on cylinders and the Booth one is scarcely audible. All of these readings are in the grand style, and it is instructive to compare the "Once more unto the breach" of Waller and Benson with that of Olivier. Terry's youthful delivery belies her age, but too many of the readers came to the recording session far past their prime. Still, this is living history and utterly fascinating as such.

The "Miscellany" is a mixed bag indeed. We have pairs of actors such as Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence in "Private Lives," Fred Terry and Julia Neilson in a poorly chosen scene from "The Scarlet Pimpernel," John Gielgud and Edith Evans in the marvelous handbag scene from "The Importance of Being Earnest," and even Laurel and Hardy recording in London. (Strange bedfellows indeed.)

Solo "turns" are performed by Tree as Svengali, Bransby Williams imitating Irving in "The Bells" and several (then) notable theatre personalities in his monologue "The Stage Doorkeeper," Henry Ainley reading "The Charge of the Light Brigade," and Charles Laughton reading (of all things) The Gettysburg Address (from the film "Ruggles of Red Gap").

The last foreign-language selections will not be of great interest to many listeners and of immense interest to students of European acting styles. We have Sarah Bernhardt reading "Phedre," Jean Mournet-Sully as Oedipus (in French), Constant Coquelin, the original Cyrano, racing through the Ballade of the Duel, Feodor Chaliapin reading a poem in a language I cannot identify, and Alexander Moissi doing excellent readings from "Faust" and the "Erlkoenig."

The notes are brief but informative and were written by David Timson, whose "History of Theatre" is also available on Naxos and reviewed on its appropriate web site.

Sir Laurence Olivier offers advice for all aspiring actors. Written in 1984, five years before his death, the Master looks back on his 60 year career, dwelling mostly on the roles which made him famous: Hamlet, Macbeth, Henry V, Richard III, Othello, Shylock, Antony and Caesar. In his introduction to "The Great Shakespearean Roles," he talks at length about Shakespeare and how "I wish to God I could have met him, talked to him-but most of all, listened." I agree wholeheartedly with him. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to be an actor, director, writer and producer, like Kenneth Branagh is...and damn good he is too (please see my reviews on their excellent Shakespeare films). Rated G.

O.k., so I began reading "On Acting" by Laurence Olivier for a terribly silly reason: he's dreamy. By the end of the book, though, I realized that he was much more than just a pretty face: he was a voice, a mind, a legend, a human. This book is essential for the actor who wishes to delve deeper into his/her craft. Sir Laurence writes with clarity and conviction, and at times it's as if he's speaking the words right to YOU. This book allows you to peer behind the performance of many of Sir Laurence's favorite characters: Richard III, Henry V, Shylock...and if you've ever had the privalege to play Hamlet, this book brings to life all of the emotions the actor feels before, during, and after "Hamlet".

I could go on forever about how great this book is. It's amazing.

Both inspirational and humbling to listen to the voice and intellect of such a great man. Such command of the English language and speaking skills unmatched! After listening to him speak you will see how pathetic in intellect and moral character our politicians of today are. I've finished his biography as well and coupled with these speeches he emerges as one of the greatest men of our or any time. I cannot recommend enough these tapes or his biography, it filled me with a renewed sense of purpose and conviction in life. If there was a phrase to sum him up it might be "never give up" on life or one's possibilities to achieve. Buy these tapes!

I am not the only one who is a great fan of Sir Laurence- but maybe the only one aged 16. Since I saw his first film (King Henry V.) I am looking for a book of his works. I was sorry to see that neither in Hungary, nor in England (at least in those shop which I visited) such works are not available. I would be happy if I was one of the first ones to have it on my bookshelf. Theatrical air and enchanting genius - that's what you see in his films. As the subject of the book is so great, I think it is worth to read!

Finally! A book about how they really loved each other. Probably the best on/off screen couple to ever exist. This book was written so beautifully that it actually made you feel what Vivien or Larry were feeling. It puts their life together and apart in a whole new light. I will read this one again and again. THANK YOU!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Some biographies get a bit dull in the details, but this book told the tale in very interesting tidbits from people who knew both actors. Lasky's details are superb regarding Vivien's manic depressive psychosis and lets readers get the feel for the disease by telling what Vivien did and said that showed the psychosis, rather than just saying she has manic depression/bipolar.

I'm studying bipolar and unipolar depression in actresses and did not know until I read an earlier biography that Vivien had it. She's been one of my favorite actresses, along with Marilyn Monroe, who I'm also studying regarding her depression. Lasky does a very good depiction of bipolar in this book that leaves a reader without any doubt of its nature.

Love Scene has many photos, which also tell the tale, and interviews with people who knew the couple closely, including directors, producers and other actors and actresses. A fast read and one that gives an eye view into theatre and cinema. You won't have any doubt this couple was made for each other by reading this book. The bipolar finally is Vivien's undoing when she, in a manic episode, makes an unfortunate comment on camera about Olivier that he can't forgive.

A sad but lovely story.

This is a nice little collection of writings from the influential French film journal, Positif. There are a good range of articles all the way from Neo-realism and new wave to a review of Lynch's "Lost Highway". The book is aimed at popular consumption with it's sprinkling of photos and its handsome layout, as opposed to a more scholarly anthology of critical writings. This book is perfect for fans of the cinema that enjoy occasional criticism without getting into the really theoretical stuff. It's definitely a nice addition to the ubiquitous Ebert or Maltin review book. It's also interesting to see the reception history of classic films - as we know, not every masterpiece was treated as such from the beginning. The articles are fairly short ranging from two to four pages - perfect for picking it up for a quick, enjoyable read. If I have one criticism it's that I would have enjoyed more essays. The publisher should issue a second volume.

By the way - the image Amazon displays is not the actual cover of the book. I have no idea why this picture is here.

This is one of the best biographies of any type that I've read, and certainly the best on Sir Laurence Olivier. He has been an idol of mine since teen years, and, after reading several biographies, this is the one that tells me what Sir Larry may really have been like as a man.

Thomas Kiernan's success depends in part on his getting quotes from people who knew or met Olivier: friends, family members, fellow actors and directors, acquaintances, and people who just happened to be there on a movie or stage set. Their fascinating reminiscences make up a substantial part of the book.

Mr. Kiernan does not tiptoe delicately around any aspect of Olivier's life, giving details about his two marriages, about his childhood, about his career. But he does not just concentrate on the "juicy bits"; he includes so many things about Olivier: Olivier the man consumed by the desire to perfect his craft, please his audience, and take risks to create imaginative and exciting productions; Olivier the man so ambitious as an understudy that he contrived to create such a novel characterization that when the primary actor returned, he would not be willing to take on the part--and it worked; Olivier the shy, stuttering admirer of the then-unknown Greer Garson, so enamored of her that he angled to get her a part in a play he was in--in vain, as it turned out; Olivier the athlete and acrobat, who liked "to perform his own stunts," who played almost all of his early Shakespearean parts on stage with Errol Flynn-like swashbuckling leaps and runs; Olivier the actor who informed his Shakespearean parts with lust, vitality, virility, and an animal magnetism that roared across the proscenium; Olivier who could study and learn from actors he admired like John Gielgud as well as from directors he hated, like Jed Harris-whose craft as an actor was always in a state of evolution. In other words, an interesting man of many parts.

Kiernan succeeded in making me feel that I got to know a real, flesh-and-blood person. He has a very down-to-earth style that demystifies Olivier--who is already awesome and cosmic enough without anyone's help--so that one can enjoy feeling a little bit closer to that gorgeous guy, whose personal energy and magnetism are beyond charismatic.

The author's writing style is wonderful: economical and articulate, it is immensely readable and enjoyable.

If you're interested in Olivier, this is the book to read.