Rating: 
Summary: Anything but a delight...the book, not the subject
Review: After waiting years for a bio about the magnificent Kay Kendall, Eve Golden's effort is little more than tin. The book is a laundry list of Kendall's personality quirks and defects (film stars documented as self-centered is a revelation?) and completely misses the mark. Kendall was so extraordinary and special as an actress, and this book, tragically, misses that which clearly made her so memorable. Several of Kendall's films are watchable only due to her presence and there is no mention of that here. Golden has chosen to focus on the personal details at the expense of Kendall's charm and uniqueness as a performer. It seems that cooperation of Kendall's sister, Kim, was necessary to provide documentation about their childhood and early careers, however, this doesn't seem to have helped the book much. Previous bios on Rex Harrison have better captured the essence of Kendall's star quality (i.e. Alexander Walker's). Noel Coward's diary entry for Kendall's London stage performance in THE BRIGHT ONE does more to illuminate this great actress than this book: "Went to see a dreadful play in which Kay Kendall was enchanting..." THAT was Kendall's gift. This book does nothing to endorse that consensus.
Rating:
Summary: Anything but a delight...the book, not the subject
Review: After waiting years for a bio about the magnificent Kay Kendall, Eve Golden's effort is little more than tin. The book is a laundry list of Kendall's personality quirks and defects (film stars documented as self-centered is a revelation?) and completely misses the mark. Kendall was so extraordinary and special as an actress, and this book, tragically, misses that which clearly made her so memorable. Several of Kendall's films are watchable only due to her presence and there is no mention of that here. Golden has chosen to focus on the personal details at the expense of Kendall's charm and uniqueness as a performer. It seems that cooperation of Kendall's sister, Kim, was necessary to provide documentation about their childhood and early careers, however, this doesn't seem to have helped the book much. Previous bios on Rex Harrison have better captured the essence of Kendall's star quality (i.e. Alexander Walker's). Noel Coward's diary entry for Kendall's London stage performance in THE BRIGHT ONE does more to illuminate this great actress than this book: "Went to see a dreadful play in which Kay Kendall was enchanting..." THAT was Kendall's gift. This book does nothing to endorse that consensus.
Rating:
Summary: Oh,Kay You're Kay-O'd
Review: Being an avid Kay Kendall fan, I looked forward to this biography with great anticipation. What a disappointment! The book fails on almost all levels, but mainly in that the author never lets the reader know what it was that made Ms. Kendall so special. Instead, what we get is a thin portrait of a rather spoiled, self indulgent actress who, instead of being "madcap" often comes off as being boorish and rude. We are told that Ms.Kendall was as good a comedienne as Carole Lombard and Lucille Ball, but we are never told why, nor are we given any examples to back up the statement. Instead we are treated to a re-hash of Rex Harrison's unpleasant personality with, in many cases, Kay acting as supporting player to him in her own biography. The book itself is very short with a good deal of padding. (Had the author done her homework she might had found, for instance, that Kay's Aunt Pat and her father Terry were good friends with director Joseph Mankiewicz in Berlin in the 1920's. Mankiewicz told me that he used too joke with Kay that had he married her aunt he would have been her uncle! Not that earth shattering to be sure, but certainly better than the padding Ms. Golden does in her effort to stretch the book to its short 157 pages.)
For me, at least, the worst thing about reading this biography is that the affection that I had for Kay Kendall has been spoiled. The book, unconciously I am sure, takes away the larger than life image that Kendall gave off, diminishes it and, alas, makes her ordinary and, somewhat unpleasant. Better to have left her alone than to have presented her like this. If you are a Kay Kendall fan, give this one a miss.
Rating: 
Summary: did we read the same book?
Review: Biographer Eve Golden collaborated with Kendall's sister. That affiliation provided Golden with unparalleled access to Kay's inner circle - interviews, memories, etc., of friends and associates exclusive to this stunning biography. Not a cut and paste of the 'Kay Kendall Clipping Archive,' "The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall" is a truthful, no holds barred account of the comedienne's short, chaotic albeit glamorous and exciting life and career. Golden presents the real Kay, a lady of contradictions - a haughty individual given to airs, a beautiful woman consumed with near-crippling self-doubt, a free spirit whose madcap sense of fun and adventure were echoed in her endearing comic performances. The author brilliantly balances the extremes of Kay's existence - she handles Kendall's tragic illness with extreme sensitivity, yet refuses to forfeit the woman's insatiable appetite for living. The definitive work on Kendall - a must read for her fans, and all film enthusiasts of 1950s cinema. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for Kendall fans
Review: Biographer Eve Golden collaborated with Kendall's sister. That affiliation provided Golden with unparalleled access to Kay's inner circle - interviews, memories, etc., of friends and associates exclusive to this stunning biography. Not a cut and paste of the 'Kay Kendall Clipping Archive,' "The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall" is a truthful, no holds barred account of the comedienne's short, chaotic albeit glamorous and exciting life and career. Golden presents the real Kay, a lady of contradictions - a haughty individual given to airs, a beautiful woman consumed with near-crippling self-doubt, a free spirit whose madcap sense of fun and adventure were echoed in her endearing comic performances. The author brilliantly balances the extremes of Kay's existence - she handles Kendall's tragic illness with extreme sensitivity, yet refuses to forfeit the woman's insatiable appetite for living. The definitive work on Kendall - a must read for her fans, and all film enthusiasts of 1950s cinema. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: did we read the same book?
Review: I am quite a fan of Kay Kendall, having been charmed by her performance in "Genevieve" at an early age. I found Ms.Golden's book to be a wonderful read. I am usually disappointed by "Hollywood" biographies, which ,it seems, are either hagiography or sleazy "tell-alls". Thankfully Ms.Golden falls into neither camp. Her work is respectful without being fawning, well-researched without being dully academic.
Her recounting of Kay Kendall's life shows insight into Kay's character,without resorting to the fashionable psycho-babble which too often afflicts current biographies.
Kay Kendall emerges from this biography as a much more complex and interesting character than I would have imagined. Her relationship with Rex Harrison is beautifully realised and his place in her last years, which could easily have been both maudlin and melodramatic, instead becomes poignant and ultimately deeply moving. It would be difficult to understand Kay's later years without an understanding of Harrison's character, and Ms. Golden gives us enough understanding of Harrison to enable us to really understand the bond between Harrison and Kay.
If you have never heard of Kay Kendall, you will still enjoy this book and when you have finished you will be beating a path to your local video shop to find Kay's films. If you have heard of her, well, same deal.
Ms.Golden has,in her writing, an increasingly rare quality in modern biography writing; respect for the intelligence of her reader.Her research is clearly thorough and she paints a convincing picture not just of Kay herself, but of the social context from which she emerged and in which she lived.
The other aspect of Ms. Golden's writing which deserves mention is it's lightness (which should never be mistaken for superficiality). I refer to the sheer readability of the book. Kay was clearly a charming personality and Ms. Golden's style is appropriate: it is elegant and sweet-natured, with a lovely sense of humour without ever resorting to flippancy. Sort of like Kay herself.
If you expect an author to spell everything out to you, then perhaps you will be disappointed. If you expect sleaze and scandal and shoddy research, you may also be disappointed. If, however, you appreciate being treated as an intelligent adult reader, then you will find this book to be insightful, enlightening and, as much as anything else, wonderfully entertaining.Once again, much like Kay herself.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for all Kendall fans . . .
Review: I hadn't seen a Kendall film - or wanted to - till I read Eve Golden's definitive work on the actress. Golden had direct access to Kay's sister Kim. This alliance allowed Ms. Golden unprecedented entry into Kay's personal inner circle. The resulting work isn't a cut and paste rehash of the 'Kay Kendall clippings archive.' Nor is it a 'fan magazine' fluff piece. (If you want Kendall fantasy, read a studio press release.) Instead, 'The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall' is a delightful, no holds barred look at a lady of contradictions - a woman brimming with haughty airs, yet a child consumed by self doubt. Kay was often compared to Carole Lombard and Lucille Ball. Eve Golden gives us a look at the woman behind that madcap image - a woman who was impulsive, unpredictable, hedonistic - a woman as wild and crazy and funny as her greatest screen portrayals. Golden brilliantly balances the actress's frivolous personality with her tragic fate - she treats Kendall's untimely demise with warmth and sensitivity, yet never loses touch with the woman's insatiable zest for life and living. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for all Kendall fans . . .
Review: I hadn't seen a Kendall film - or wanted to - till I read Eve Golden's definitive work on the actress. Golden had direct access to Kay's sister Kim. This alliance allowed Ms. Golden unprecedented entry into Kay's personal inner circle. The resulting work isn't a cut and paste rehash of the 'Kay Kendall clippings archive.' Nor is it a 'fan magazine' fluff piece. (If you want Kendall fantasy, read a studio press release.) Instead, 'The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall' is a delightful, no holds barred look at a lady of contradictions - a woman brimming with haughty airs, yet a child consumed by self doubt. Kay was often compared to Carole Lombard and Lucille Ball. Eve Golden gives us a look at the woman behind that madcap image - a woman who was impulsive, unpredictable, hedonistic - a woman as wild and crazy and funny as her greatest screen portrayals. Golden brilliantly balances the actress's frivolous personality with her tragic fate - she treats Kendall's untimely demise with warmth and sensitivity, yet never loses touch with the woman's insatiable zest for life and living. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Utterly fantastic - in true Golden style.
Review: This is Eve Golden's best book yet, and that's saying a lot. While many Americans are unaware of Kay Kendall's short, but significant, career, Ms. Kendall's popularity over the pond remains unwavering. Her life story is told in a style true to Kendall's off-screen persona: funny, witty, sharp, and always interesting. As the subject matter could have ended up a cliched tearjerker with Kendall's death, Golden instead takes the high road. Highly recommended for any fan or Kendall's, Golden's, or movies in general.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly fantastic - in true Golden style.
Review: This is Eve Golden's best book yet, and that's saying a lot. While many Americans are unaware of Kay Kendall's short, but significant, career, Ms. Kendall's popularity over the pond remains unwavering. Her life story is told in a style true to Kendall's off-screen persona: funny, witty, sharp, and always interesting. As the subject matter could have ended up a cliched tearjerker with Kendall's death, Golden instead takes the high road. Highly recommended for any fan or Kendall's, Golden's, or movies in general.
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