FTWBooks2023

  I've read a lot of books about movies and how they are made, about the actors in them, etc, but perhaps none has interested me as much as "As You Wish," by Cary Elwes, who plays Wesley in The Princess Bride. The movie has become very special in Hollywood history, but other than knowing what it was about and remembering that I had enjoyed it, I really didn't have any special feeling about it. When I saw the Elwes had written a book about the making of the movie, I thought it might be interesting and put it on my Amazon wish list. Ned and Marta got it for me...for Christmas or for my birthday and other than barely starting it, I hadn't really picked it up until this week. It quickly became obvious that before I could read the book, I'd have to see the movie again. Fortunately it was on Disney, and so I got it and watched it. When I picked the book up again, it was a whole different experience reading it with the movie fresh in my mind. What a fascinating story...

I found this a fascinating book.  It's unusual for a 40 year old to write an autobiography...and, in fact, this isn't exactly an autobiography.  Sam tells of his trek across the 96 mile West Highland Way and while he walks, he reflects on his life.  The book goes back and forth between the beautiful scenery he is seeing (or the rugged parts he is trying to climb) and his history as an actor. One thing I learned from reading this book is why Sam's Jamie Fraser is so believable, while interviews with him about  Jamie Fraser are nothing like the character himself.  Sam has spent so much time learning how to become a character that when he steps into those scenes, it's like Sam Heughan disappears and Jamie Fraser appears instead.  Jamie is older while Sam is younger.  I find that I now want to see the other movies he's made to see if he creates those characters are well as he has created Jamie Fraser. It's funny that he seems to enjoy porridge with peanut ...

  Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years by   Julie Andrews Edwards This was an interesting story.  I had not read her previous books, which deal with her early years and theater.  This book starts with being cast as Mary Poppins and goes on from there to her extensive movie career.  It ends before the surgery that ruined her voice, so you learn nothing of that. (The co-author of this book, Emma Walton Hamilton, is Julie's daughter) What is strange about this book is that it seems to be the story of a mother who has a side job, which takes her away from her children, and how sad she feels about that. Her feelings about the movies she was in and the roles she played, some of which, like Sound of Music , Victor/Victoria, and Mary Poppins , are Hollywood classics, yet she never seems to feel comfortable in her performance and spends a lot of time trying to get home to see her kids.  She had two step children and with husband Blake Edwards adopted two girls ...