Rating: 
Summary: Elia Kazan--What A Life!!!
Review: Before I read this book, I knew a little about Elia Kazan. For example, I knew that he had been a successful Hollywood film director in the late forties and early fifties. Indeed, I had seen some of his films: East Of Eden, in particular, came to mind. I had also read somewhere that he had also been a prominent and successful theatre director on Broadway; that he had given the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean their first starts; that he was one of the influential people behind the advent of the Method Acting style; and finally, that he had been a 'friendly' witness-that means naming names, of course--at the HUAC hearings in the early fifties: what a snake, I thought! But hey, I've now read the book, and I know the real story and the real Elia Kazan. The book is an 800+ page epic. And an epic in every sense of the word. Kazan's autobiography is a long, brooding, and fascinating recall of his eventful life. He has, as he acknowledges in the later pages, lived a variegated and full life, he has no regrets about any of it, and he realises that he has been fortunate to have led such an interesting life. And 'interesting' it certainly is. The book, though, is no glamorous odyssey of a life lived in Broadway and Hollywood; neither is it a chronicle of the great and the good of America's creative talent. Yes, there are valuable insights and vivid portraits of people like Harold Clurman, Lee Strasberg, Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando and John Steinbeck. You will also meet some of Hollywood's movie moguls, particularly Darryl Zanuck at Fox. Yes, those stories are told, but all in the context of the main enterprise: the laying down for posterity of the intimate detail of the life of one of America's most celebrated creative talents of the middle of the twentieth century. Kazan unashamedly reveals his inner thoughts, his recollections, reasons, reminiscences and experiences-whether they show him in a good, bad or indifferent light. The book is brutally frank and you can only admire the author's unstinting honesty-possibly a cathartic aspect to the work aided Kazan along the way. Remarkable for a book of this size, there is never a hint of unevenness or flagging. It's an enthralling, engrossing book from start to finish. Much of life's rich tapestry, to use the euphemistic cliché, is explored here. Kazan is clearly an astute and perceptive observer of life. Life essentially means human beings, of course, and this brings us to the essence of the book, human nature, particularly the behaviour between man and woman. Manipulation, expediency, lust, deceit, hurt, love, the passion and the platonic: it's all here in a very stark black and white. Yet still the book continually sparkles, even when the reader faces some genuinely sad and pitiful moments, particularly relating to Kazan's fiercely supportive and loyal first wife, Molly. There is no cherry-picking of 'the good times' in this book: highs and lows, triumph and disaster, they all co-exist side by side. Kazan doesn't shirk from revealing his overwhelming determination at the time to have his cake and eat it ie. a loving wife at home and a passionate mistress outside. Apart from the inherent problems that male/female relationships spawn, if you forgive the pun, Kazan also talks extensively about his rather frustrating and unfulfilling time at college; his less-than-perfect relationship with his father; reflections on the life of a Greek immigrant family trying to make their way in the 'new world', in this case, New York; more reflections on Greeks, this time those living in another 'foreign' country, Turkey (where Kazan's parents had emigrated from), and the altered behaviour necessary to survive amongst 'the enemy'; and, of course, he describes the whys and wherefores of his 'friendly' HUAC testimony, and the subsequent vitriol directed against him as a consequence from many quarters, including so-called 'friends'; we learn of the unsavoury modus operandi of both the Communist Party in America and the HUAC authorities in the late forties and early fifties; and Kazan's single-mindedness and determination as, post-HUAC, he persevered and produced his best work as a film director; also, an interesting account of how Kazan's second wife, Barbara, and her confused but brave struggle against cancer; and so on. The book is a courageous and brutally honest self-expose, if you like, of a man who has remained largely silent over the years. He doesn't gloss over his extra-marital activities, and the hard-heartedness and guile required on his part to maintain his passionate love for his mistress and, at the same time, his more platonic love for his first wife. This reflects the 'insoluble' (Kazan's word) nature of man's relationship with the opposite sex. The book is beautifully-written-quality throughout--and the prose intimate, inviting and lucid. The honesty and intimacy of Kazan's words, as he describes his thoughts, feelings and rationale at the time, ensure that you live his life with him, and by the end of the book, you also feel you've been through one hell of a life. Over a year ago, I read an excellent book called A Child Of The Century, Ben Hecht's autobiography, published in the fifties. I never thought I'd read another autobiography to match or surpass it. I have, and it's called A Life, by Elia Kazan. Waste no more time and buy this book. Alternatively borrow it or steal it, but whatever you do, read it!!
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Summary: Say what you will about his politics, this book is great!
Review: First, let me state I have often judged other people by their past actions. Was Kazan wrong for providing names of alleged Communist Party members? I can't answer this, and you shouldn't answer it, not until you read this book! Yes, Kazan named names. Yes, he did ruin the careers of certain artists. Please, don't judge until you have read his story! This is an honest, masterful show business autobiography! Kazan was a fearless, authentic, visionary director. He admits to adultery, poor parenting skills, and using people for his own good. Alfred Hitchcock allegedly tortured Tippi Hendren during the filming of the THE BIRDS by having the little critters thrown at her face in repeated attempts. Why? To foster the character's psychological terror. Would you want that man house-sitting for you while you are on vacation? Hell no......Can Kazan be rewarded for his art, yet escape judgement for his past behavior? You decide, but read his story first! Kazan's films never shirked from dealing with pressing social issues, yet the movies are visual poetry. Hey, you try to make a movie about corruption on the Brooklyn docks! Oh, and make it a heart-wrenching allegory, a love story, and a black-and-white masterpiece! One other thing, don't forget that the Mob basically controlled the docks at that time and were not too keen on being protrayed in an unflattering light!!
One of Kazan's gifts was his tremendous empathy. Kazan the author allows us to develop this same empathy. He is a wonderful story teller, relating anecdotes about personalities like Tallulah Bankhead, Tennessee Williams, and Brando. Granted, he worked with a pantheon of American writers, like Tennessee Williams and John Steinbeck. Granted, with source material like A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and EAST OF EDEN, and actors like Jessica Tandy, Marlon Brando, and Julie Harris, he clearly had an edge over other industry directors.
Again, before you judge his character, read his book, sit down and watch his complete output of films, and draw your own conclusions. Don't let Nick Nolte or Ed Harris, both of whom refused to applaud or stand when Kazan was given his lifetime Academy Award, decide the issue for you. This book should be a must-read for young people considering a career in film or theatre.
Rating:
Summary: What a life! What a book!
Review: I became a part of Kazan's world upon reading the first sentence of this remarkable book. Kazan raises candor to the level of literature, something most writers simply cannot do. But it's so worth aspiring to as a means of written communication.
Kazan must have kept extensive personal files and journals to construct such a flowing narrative, which maintains a consistent energy through its 800+ pages. Kazan spares no one, least of all himself, in recounting motivations, actions and consequences throughout his extradordinary journey as an actor, a director and a writer.
What interested me first about Kazan was his association with the Group Theatre, Harold Clurman, and Clifford Odets. His later adventures with Tennessee Williams, Marilyn Monroe, and the House Un-American Activities Committee also make for engaging reading. However, there's a depth to the writing that goes beyond Kazan's show business background. I learned a lot about myself by reading this book, and that quality makes this a superb autobiography.
Rating:
Summary: Kazan's life as written is a 20th-century masterpiece
Review: I have read this book four times. I can't recall an autobiography of any century that is more candid, and is written with such extraordinary brio.
Rating:
Summary: Kazan's life as written is a 20th-century masterpiece
Review: I have read this book four times. I can't recall an autobiography of any century that is more candid, and is written with such extraordinary brio.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read for those aspiring in the arts
Review: I knew absolutely nothing about Elia Kazan prior to reading this book. He does a superb job of reconstructing his life from his early years learning theatre stage craft at Yale all the way through to his final years (he was 78 when he completed the book). He is seemingly forthwright about many of the tough decisions he faced throughout his career from the House of UnAmerican Activities revealing of many of his old 'comrades', which he does a decent job of articulating why he did whatthat, even if on the surface it seems lecherous.
What I was left with was the impression of a person who lived life to the absolute fullest, a person with conflicting and often questionable morals (particularly with women), and the thick skin you need to have to survive and thrive in the arts. A book like this far surpasses any 'how to' book for aspiring artists and is proof that there are no hard and fast rules other than perseverance, conviction, hard work, and individuality (finding your own voice).
Rating:
Summary: a must read
Review: Kazan describes both personal and public events in a way that gives the reader a feeling of intimacy with the author. After reading the book I felt as I had known the man all my life. Kazan's frank accounts of his affairs with famous actresses of his day are unique for their detail and honesty. Compare this to the vague accounts in Brando's "Songs my Mother Taught Me." Apart from the gossip the telling of personal details of his relationship with his first wife and the description of the death of his second wife from breast cancer are wonderfully poignant. I felt as if I had been there myself. Kazan's description of his emotions at the time of these events rings so true that they are embarrassing to read, as if the reader had found his diary hidden in a drawer. He admits to emotions and motives most people would not honestly admit to even to their own conscience.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book, Mixed Feelings
Review: Kazan didn't create the witch hunt, and he didn't create the blacklist. He's a brilliant film maker who made some of the most potent social commentary in all of film history. This book gets to the heart of his beliefs and his inspiration as a film maker. While it's sad that so many careers were ruined, the blame should be on the studios, not this individual
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Summary: More than politics, women seem to be Kazan's bete noire.
Review: Kazan has written a stunningly truthful autobiography that should be read and savored. Here is "Gadge" an icon of mid-century American theatre and film spilling it out all over the page. From his unfulfilled teenaged longings for blonde American girls, to his first marriage in which he felt trapped, but stayed on and on, to the many affairs he indulged in, all are chronicled almost too graphically, but from a distinctly detached (a writer's?) point of view. One doesn't feel that he loved or even liked any of them. But so what? Here's a man who could brilliantly direct both "Streetcar" and "Salesman" in the space of a few years and then go to Hollywood and deal successfully with the likes of Darryl Zanuck and the 20th Century Fox grind-them-out-fast film factory. The Hollywood stuff is both funny and refreshingly honest. Who else has dared to challenge the Spencer Tracy was and remains the greatest screen actor legend? And then there's the deadly little aside about Marilyn Monroe giving him a not-so-subtle look as she sat quietly beside her then mentor, Johnny Green. The sainted Tracy as an out of shape, lazy and not very dedicated actor, and the "vulnerable" Marilyn as a cunningly on-the-make tart who would have traded in her devoted agent for the famous director, given the slightest encouragement, are just two minor examples of the fascinating insights that appear on almost every page. It's a very fat book. It had to be. Kazan was in his eighties when he wrote it and he's led an extremely full life. It was a long and winding road from the Group Theatre to that uncomfortable, halting appearance at the 1999 Academy Awards cermonies. They made him (and the latest wife) wait until almost the very end, but he made it through. And there was Nick Nolte remaining seated and staring mean and hard at this fragile old man. And there, too, was a smiling Warren Beatty rising graciously and applauding. He redeemed himself that night. I'm sure the old man noticed.
Rating:
Summary: One of the extraordinary autobiographies of the century.
Review: Kazan is the only person I can think of who hit home runs in all three fields, theater, film, and fiction. As a director of plays he received five Pulitzer prizes, for directing films, two Academy awards, and in fiction his novel "The Arrangement" became a #1 bestseller for 37 consecutive weeks. Although he calls his autobiography simply "A Life," this book is twice extraordinary, in the dramatic events it covers and a rare candor about himself and his contemporaries. With so many other good books clamoring for my attention, I intend to read it a third time now that this new edition is available.
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