Stanley Baker: A Life In Film

[asiamiles]

To be fair, there isn't alot out there on Baker's personal life, mostly as he didn't really discuss it much.

It's the job of the biographer to go digging and unearth the details. While some of his fellow actors such as Richard Burton are no longer with us, many other actors who worked with him are still alive, and the author had the full co-operation of Ellen Baker. Perhaps it's wrong to criticize a book for what it isn't rather than what it is, but then, as I said before, as study of his work I don't think it's very interesting, and ultimately it feels to me like a missed opportunity.

[orpheum]

Of the many biogs of British actors i have ready recently this is by far and away the dullest.A book should not become tiresome in the way that this is.

By the way if you are interested in stars of the 30s then try to get the biog on Kay Francis "A Passionate life and Career".It really is one of the best star biogs in a long time.I got it from my library on the inter loan scheme.Highly recommended.

[batman]

I quite enjoyed it.

[Windthrop]

Robert Shaill is an academic not a glittzy showbiz biographer and therefore was always going to tend towards the serious.

[Lerica]

It's the job of the biographer to go digging and unearth the details. ... ultimately it feels to me like a missed opportunity.

I've never really much liked the 'digging & unearthing' kind of biog variety. It always sounds too much like people want to read hearsay and scandal, ..though I'm not suggesting you wanted the book like that. The biograher in this case was trying to tie in Baker's career with his patriotism I believe, hence the references to Wales etc. The biographer himself works with the Unversity of Wales.The real missed oppotunity in Bakers case was the Anthony Storey biog, which was a complete mistake imo. To have your subject close at hand, should have been a glorious opportunity, but with Baker ill and quite obviously in pain, that particular offering went off the rails too much.

If you're a Baker fan, I've learnt to taken what's on offer. Unfortunately he doesn't get the 'coverage' (for want of a better word) than say Burton or Caine get. Which imho is a great pity.

[batman]

If you're a Baker fan, I've learnt to taken what's on offer..

Absolutely!

[asiamiles]

I've never really much liked the 'digging & unearthing' kind of biog variety. It always sounds too much like people want to read hearsay and scandal, ..though I'm not suggesting you wanted the book like that.

No I wasn't calling for sensationalism, but for research. Good biog's I've read recently include Lee Server's book on Robert Mitchum "Baby I Don't Care" (which I liked enough to pick up the author's Ava Gardner biog) and Chris Salewicz's "Redemption Song" on Joe Strummer. You really get to know the subject. Christopher Frayling's biog of Sergio Leone "Something to Do With Death" is an example of an academic doing a better job than Shail, though it's not perfect and like many similar books seems to deal with the director or actor's early life in depth but then seems to rather forget their private life once they start analysing their work.

[Lord Brett]

The Mitchum book is a really good read, and quite sad at the end as it is revealed that Mitchum's reputation as a heroic drinker led to his being impotent for years before his death and led to erratic behaviour.

[orpheum]

I too read the Mitchum biography and it gave a good picture of him.To me the nastier side of his character made him a rather dislikeable person particularly the pain he must have caused his wife.

By the way i have taken the Hancock biog by John Fisher out of the library.Bearing in mind what a bore Fishers book on TC was anyone read it and have any views.It is a very long book.

[asiamiles]

I too read the Mitchum biography and it gave a good picture of him.To me the nastier side of his character made him a rather dislikeable person particularly the pain he must have caused his wife.

I didn't come away from the book disliking Mitchum. I guess his wife loved him and was willing and able to deal with his behaviour, which seems rather par for the course for Hollywood...some other women would probably have not stuck with him. To bring the discussion back onto its subject, I wonder if Mitchum's role in Losey's SECRET CEREMONY was originally intended for Baker?

[Windthrop]

I didn't come away from the book disliking Mitchum. I guess his wife loved him and was willing and able to deal with his behaviour, which seems rather par for the course for Hollywood...some other women would probably have not stuck with him. To bring the discussion back onto its subject, I wonder if Mitchum's role in Losey's SECRET CEREMONY was originally intended for Baker?

Or Burton ?

[asiamiles]

Or Burton ?

But Baker had already been in 4 of Losey's films and was a good friend, though they drifted apart after ACCIDENT.



Finished the book, which sadly failed to shed much light or show much enthusiasm for films I'm dying to see again and would desperately like to see out on DVD such as SANDS OF THE KALAHARI, THE LAST GRENADE and INNOCENT BYSTANDERS.



Shail came up with a mind-boggling criticism of Baker in ROBBERY: "...the first in a series of unfortunate macho moustaches," though the only mention of him wearing a wig on (or off) screen was in a quote from Bogarde; I guess it was sort-of expected in those days for stars to have a full head of hair but I'm not sure how many continued the charade when the cameras weren't rolling...the likes of Bogey and Connery didn't but it would appear that Baker did.

[Lerica]

One story out of Sands of the Kalahari was about the 'lead' baboon, which was due to fight Whittman. The baboon somehow got loose and ran off into the desert, which lead to Stanley Baker leaping into a landrover and haring after it before anyone else could act. He apparently chased it for 2 miles, when eventually the baboon ran out of steam, and was cornered against some rocks. Baker then lured the baboon into the back of the landrover using some fruit, and was said to be very pleased with his efforts when the ape got in! Unfortunately he forgot that there was no partition between the front cab and the back of the vehicle, and he got in! The baboon took a great dislike to its capture and promptly went beserk, biting Baker's leg badly. According the interview Baker gave, he commented he'd never moved so fast as when he got out of that landrover. He then had to walk back to get someone to come and sedate the baboon. By the end of the film, the entire cast were like pin cushions apparently, after having so many tetnus jabs!

[Peter Greenhill]

I haven't read this book, but my understanding is that's about his work rather than his life. I think it needs to be judged regarding it's success in covering his career in the film industry rather than be critical of it for not being what it was never meant to be.

[Moor Larkin]

Watched Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951) on TV yesterday afternoon and spotted big Stan in a small part (although he launches the Trailer!!), along with James Robertson Justice, in a somewhat bigger part, Christopher Lee in a fairly nice part as a dusky Spanish Captain, but failed to recognise Richard Hearne as the batman...........



They even got away with referring to the Spanish baddie as *Monkey Face* (not Christopher of course)..............



IMDb Video: Captain Horatio Hornblower