I Just Kept Hoping

Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly Honest!
Review: At last a biography that is honest and to the point and doesn't whitewash anything. Those fans who spend their lives watching old movies in their basement and are shocked that their heroes and heroines ever had sex or a life off the screen will no doubt condemn it, but Gloria Stuart's integrity shines like a beacon! Brava!

Rating:
Summary: Weakest "Hollywood" Bio. in Many Moons
Review: Gloria Stuart's name was known only to cinema afficiandos-mostly for her appearances in The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man & two John Ford 1930s films-until she was cast as the older Rose in the 1997 film, Titanic. This provided an opportunity for her to join the ever-growing ranks of Hollywood memoir-writers. Her book is one of the weakest of its kind in many years. Much of the reaction to the book has focused on her passing mention that she enjoys masturbating, as if that were either startling or egregiously evil. More pertinent to most prospective readers is the fact that the book contains little of substance. It is padded with such details as menus for dinner parties & the names of celebrities in the same night club (not necessarily the same table) as Ms. Stuart. There is almost nothing about the details of any of her films or their making; an alleged filmography provides dubious classifications of many of them. There are also factual errors-for example, George Stevens did not win an academy award for directing Alice Adams & the statement that Hollywood was not affected by the Great Depression is one of the all-time howlers. The book, in many ways seems to be one long whine-poor Gloria never got roles that would have made her famous until Titanic. This reader was left with the impression that the roles were not there for her because more talented people got them. It is generally gratifying to see success come to a veteran player. Unfortunately, this book does nothing to make one believe that it was particularly justified in this case.

Rating:
Summary: Weakest "Hollywood" Bio. in Many Moons
Review: Gloria Stuart's name was known only to cinema afficiandos-mostly for her appearances in The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man & two John Ford 1930s films-until she was cast as the older Rose in the 1997 film, Titanic. This provided an opportunity for her to join the ever-growing ranks of Hollywood memoir-writers. Her book is one of the weakest of its kind in many years. Much of the reaction to the book has focused on her passing mention that she enjoys masturbating, as if that were either startling or egregiously evil. More pertinent to most prospective readers is the fact that the book contains little of substance. It is padded with such details as menus for dinner parties & the names of celebrities in the same night club (not necessarily the same table) as Ms. Stuart. There is almost nothing about the details of any of her films or their making; an alleged filmography provides dubious classifications of many of them. There are also factual errors-for example, George Stevens did not win an academy award for directing Alice Adams & the statement that Hollywood was not affected by the Great Depression is one of the all-time howlers. The book, in many ways seems to be one long whine-poor Gloria never got roles that would have made her famous until Titanic. This reader was left with the impression that the roles were not there for her because more talented people got them. It is generally gratifying to see success come to a veteran player. Unfortunately, this book does nothing to make one believe that it was particularly justified in this case.

Rating:
Summary: Hollywood Dish
Review: I enjoyed this autobiography of one of the Classic Stars of Hollywood mainly because, although she didn't spend too much time discussing the Hollywood years in depth, she did tell a very interesting story of world travels and personal interests and hobbies that I found worth reading. Also, it seems that just when life seemed to be at a low ebb for her, along came a new experience that booted her back up again and that is called survival. In her own words, she refers to her youthful self as a Dish and I certainly agree. However, I think she still makes quite a striking Dish today. This is a fun read that all can enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: o.k biography
Review: I found Gloria's biography to be a pleasant way to spend a few hours.Not great,but fairly interesting look at a forgotten movie star of the 1930's.Frankly,I was hoping she would provide more detail about two classic horror films she made in the 30's,"The old Dark House"&"The Invisible Man",but then again,it 's probably hard to come up with amusing anecdotes about movies she made nearly 70 years ago!I wasn't bothered at all by details of her sex life.Some people are probably just shocked to learn that people actually had sex in the 1930's!

Rating:
Summary: This Is a "Rose" With Thorns!
Review: I was very disappointed In Ms Stuart's Book. I thought I would be reading about some nice Old Hollywood Movie Star! Instead, I was reading about an Old Woman Masturbating and how upset she was that Her and Kim Basinger Tied for the SAG Award! Its a shame because Ms Stuart could have taken this opportunity to bring us back to the Golden Days Of Hollywood! Throughout the Book, all she does is complain about how Hollywood Mistreated her and she talks Way Too Much About Her Sex Life. I couldnt believe her attitude about being nominated for the various awards that she received for the Titanic and to insinuate that She would have won the SAG Award all by herself if she had only sent in her Ballot, for one thing, I dont believe her story about the Ballot and secondly she should be thrilled to have Tied Kim Bassinger who went on to Win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar as well she should have! Ms Stuart Even Complains about the Floral Arrangement that 20th Century Fox sent her! Gloria Honey, ANY OLDER ACTRESS COULD HAVE PLAYED OLD ROSE IN THE TITANIC! You were simply riding the wave of its Astounding Succes and its a shame that you didnt enjoy it. I do NOT Recommend this book and I will never be able to watch the Titanic In the Same Way Again! They should have thrown her Overboard!

Rating:
Summary: Pitiful book
Review: This has got to be just about THE WORST biography I've ever read. 'I just kept hoping' it would get better, but no such luck. Sheeesh...apparently all this woman did during her lifetime was practice 'free love', get drunk, give silly dinner parties, spend money like she had some, half-assed took care of her kid, and complained about not getting great roles as an 'actress.' Well, maybe she never got the plum parts because she presented herself as a self-indulgent, egocentric, vain, petty, talentless ... Broads like her were a dime a dozen. I would hope that if I were fortunate to live such a long life as Ms. Stuart, I would be able to talk about SOMETHING worthwhile that I had done for someone other than myself. When I didn't know anything about her, I wished she had won that oscar. Now that I have read this piece of trash I praise Kim Basinger for beating out the old hag on oscar night. To me, Ms. Stuart came off as an extremely superficial, frivolous, none too bright, diva-wannabe from her beginning to the present day.

Rating:
Summary: Pitiful book
Review: This has got to be just about THE WORST biography I've ever read. 'I just kept hoping' it would get better, but no such luck. Sheeesh...apparently all this woman did during her lifetime was practice 'free love', get drunk, give silly dinner parties, spend money like she had some, half-assed took care of her kid, and complained about not getting great roles as an 'actress.' Well, maybe she never got the plum parts because she presented herself as a self-indulgent, egocentric, vain, petty, talentless ... Broads like her were a dime a dozen. I would hope that if I were fortunate to live such a long life as Ms. Stuart, I would be able to talk about SOMETHING worthwhile that I had done for someone other than myself. When I didn't know anything about her, I wished she had won that oscar. Now that I have read this piece of trash I praise Kim Basinger for beating out the old hag on oscar night. To me, Ms. Stuart came off as an extremely superficial, frivolous, none too bright, diva-wannabe from her beginning to the present day.

Rating:
Summary: Gloria: I Just Kept Hoping it Would Get Better!
Review: What a sad and bitter disappointment. This poorly written diatribe by Gloria Stuart, a faded silver screen legend, makes little attempt to recapture what it must have been like to be in Hollywood in its (or her) glory days. Instead she fills her book with innuendo and half truths and uses it as a vehicle to take a final stab at those who scorned her over the years. She bitterly attacks everyone, but most cold heartedly those who are no longer with us and are unable to defend their character or actions or to reveal the whole truth.

In the hands of a better author, better storyteller and better person, this could have been a magical tale of a former legend recapturing the hearts of the America one last time. Instead it is a dripping, self-serving gossip rag that soils Ms. Stuart worst of all.

This book is a sad embarrassment for not only its publisher but also its author, Ms. Stuart, undeniably a finer actress than she is a human being.

Rating:
Summary: Yuk!
Review: Who needs to know this old bag's sex-life? Whatever happened to dignity? Yuk!