Dirk Bogarde letters serialisation

[theuofc]

Bitter old queen. I remember seeing an interview with him at his house in the south of France. He came across as slimey and arrogant, put me off him for life. Evertytime I watch one of his movies I just think of that horrible person I saw in the TV interview

I rather think the fair thing to do is to separate the person from his/her acting and judge him by that. Otherwise, we'd have to stop watching quite a few actors who were not necessarily perfect in person but who were fine talents.



Regards,



Barbara

[theuofc]

It is indeed surprising that the Daily Telegraph should publish such a negative review of a book that they paid to serialise and for which the book's editor [John Coldstream] used to work as literary editor.

At least, it displays the independence of the British press, and cannot be dismissed as yet another tiresome 'Daily Mail' hatchet job .....

This review will not please ever-loyal DB devotees, but in addition to the undoubted negativity of the reviewer, the cause is not helped by some of Dirk's own views as expressed in his letters, which are not always very palatable !

Review: Ever, Dirk: the Bogarde Letters ed by John Coldstream

DAILY TELEGRAPH

22/08/2008



Dirk Bogarde's grouchy letters are a publication too far thinks Lynn

Barber

While many of Bogarde's private and thus uninhibited letters were biting with rapier wit, not all of them were. Taking bits and pieces of quotes does not reflect the ones which were loving and kind such as the one he wrote to Patricia Losey on the death of her Joe and other such letters in the collection.

While the Lynn Barber review was indeed published by the Telegraph, she calls herself the Demon Barber and more than one actor quakes in his boots at the thought of being interviewed and written about by the Demon.

As we know, axe reviews get noticed, increase the reviewer's profile, and hype newspaper sales. And as you point out, there are other reviewers such as Bryan Forbes who did indeed enjoy the letters and who read them with insight having known Bogarde as a friend and colleague for many years.

Regards, Barbara