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Bring on the Empty Horses |
Author: David Niven
Published: 1976-10-01 |
List price: $4.50
Our price: $41.01
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As of: January 08th, 2009 07:11:27 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Bring On The Empty Horses
Excellent sequel to The Moon's A Balloon. Continuing David Niven's life and career and written in his own inimitable and self-deprecating style. Amusing and entertaining. Thoroughly recommended to all but read The Moon's A Balloon first.
 Mr. Niven writes about his friends in Hollywood
There is another book about David Niven, titled The Other Side of the Moon. Its author is Sheridan Morley. You might want to read Mr. Morley's recitation of David Niven's life in order to get a more balanced picture. Bring on the Empty Horses is much more about the famous people with whom David Niven hobnobbed during his Hollywood career, than it is about David Niven himself. As to himself, Mr. Niven plays it close to the vest in his autobiography. Mr. Niven makes only a passing reference to the multi-year affair he conducted with Merle Oberon. And a mystery that was not addressed in the autobiography, or in Mr. Morley's book, is exactly how Mr. Niven's wife died. The story from Mr. Niven is that his first wife died accidentally by taking a fall while playing "hide and go seek" at a party at a friend's house. Oh, please! No adult, let alone the sophisticated glitterati of Hollywood, played "hide and go seek." I get the impression that Mr. Niven's autobiography presents a very calculated and sanitized image of himself and his life. But his book does relate fascinating stories of his famous Hollywood friends. Despite my resentment over Niven's obvious lack of forthrightness relating to his life's story, his book remains one of the most entertaining books I have ever read.
Flawed, but highly enjoyable
Upon rereading this recently, I discover many areas in which Niven's memory is faulty in recalling certain events. This isn't surprising, given the fact that he was writing his memoirs decades after said events took place.
Some are frantic to know who "Our Little Girl" could have been. It can only have been Vivien Leigh. No, she wasn't from Arizona, she wasn't a blonde, etc. This would have been Niven's way of protecting her identity by creating an entirely different look and background from Leigh's own. When Leigh had her famous breakdown, Niven stayed with her for two days until Laurence Olivier, who was still married to her at the time, could come from England. Niven writes about this very occurrence in "Our Little Girl", which helps to identify the actress as Leigh. He was good friends with both of them, which may be why he chose to hide her identity rather than to give it out straight - Leigh died years before the book was published, but Olivier was still very much alive.
Niven has a style that is very easy to read, very human, warm, and often hysterically funny. He shows us a Hollywood apart from the glamor, the opening nights of movies, the gorgeous people. His Hollywood is populated by real people with real faults. A widower himself (his first wife died as the result of a tragic accident), he treats the stories of Clark Gable and Fred Astaire, both widowers, with empathy and compassion.
Tricky memory notwithstanding, it's still a wonderful read.
A Bit of Hollywood
David Niven is an often neglected actor from the Golden Age, but as a man, he was very likable. This book is proof that the talented actor was also a talented writer. He discusses many different people and scenerios in this book, the title of which is derived from an amusing incident on a film set. He writes with depth and clarity; it is obvious he has really analyzed the people he mentions. His respect for fellow stars and directors is admirable, especially the malligned ones.
Here we learn that the "Goldwynisms" that Samuel Goldwyn is so famous for might have all been made-up. We learn that Errol Flynn was indeed a womanizer, but no rapist. We hear an amusing story about Edward Goulding's funeral complete with the worst pallbearer casting in history.
The oddest thing in the book is a short story in the form of a chapter called "Our Little Girl." I still am not sure why it was included.
Delectible
What a treat! So refreshing to have someone as talented and connected as Niven share his uncensored experiences. The stories of Errol were moving beyond anything I'd ever read about him before. Everyone has sung this book's merits, I want to concentrate on "Our Little Girl". WHO THE HECK WAS THAT???? People are saying Vivien Leigh (came from Arizona, left her mother behind, had a baby, married a camera man, married three times, grew up in the Hollywood system, a blonde known as the Erector set?????) Vivien Leigh doesn't even begin to fit this description. Lana Turner seems most viable but these details do not fit her story either. Same with Rita Hayworth. WHO WAS IT???
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