Feb 16, 2011

Book Review: "My Wicked, Wicked Ways" by Errol Flynn


Hey everyone, I'm back. I won't waste any minute telling how great my vacations were, but I have to tell you that during these days away I finally finished My Wicked, Wicked Ways, Errol Flynn's autobiography. 

I simply loved it. 

It was really an adventure book in which Flynn tells his life from his childhood to the days in Jamaica in his fifties. He didn't live to see it published, but he managed to write an incredibly entertaining autobiography and share many, many stories about his life in different countries: Australia, New Guinea, England, Spain, Jamaica and America.

The early days in New Guinea, commanding a crew of natives, searching for gold and supervising the copra plantations are told in detail, and they were a surprise. I had no idea about these episodes and had a blast reading about them.

Maybe if you expect a book based only in his Hollywood experiences, you'll be a bit disappointed. Because Hollywood was just one of the many adventures in his life. It contains, nevertheless, many interesting passages about his film experiences and the stars he met. 

You read about how difficult was for him to work with Michael Curtiz, or about the days he lived with John Barrymore; the actresses he admired like Olivia de Havilland ("By the time we made The Charge of the Light Brigade I was sure I was in love with her"), Greer Garson ("The popular conception of Greer is that she is a kind Mrs. Miniver: finely bred, the epitome of English cultured womanhood. She is all this, but at the same time a mischievous imp") and Maureen O'Hara ("Never did I see a more dreamlike creature"), his battles with Bette Davis ("The only woman in Hollywood I have ever had any histrionic trouble with") and Jack Warner...and a long list of anecdotes about other actors

Reading this book, you notice that Flynn loved acting, especially on the stages of London in his early days. He didn't like a lot of his movies (two of his favorites are Objective Burma and Too Much, Too Soon), he ended up hating the swashbucklers and wanting more serious roles. I wish he had got them.

The version of the book you see in the picture, contains four pages of black and white photos and a super legible typography. Flynn's writing style is great (even when he used a ghost writer). I know he published two books before this one, so the way he tells the anecdotes has to be his. He usually ends his paragraph with a funny, unexpected note or twist, that reflects the rascal in him, and he also has interesting passages on art, literature and philosophy.  It shows him as a man of contradictions (he even discusses the point, concluding: I am convinced of the validity of contradiction. there are many worlds. Each is true, at its time, it its own fashion). He was reflective and learned but also, of course, a passionate man of 'wicked ways'. 

Even when it has some passages that I guess were censored before this uncensored version, it's not a big deal at the end, you get used to them. I was more shocked by some parts like the way he tied some ducks when he was a child, than by his drugs experiences and encounters with dames around the globe. Women are a great subject in this book, of course. At the end you realize that he was bitter about them, especially his ex wives (Lili Damita is portrayed as an evil witch) and the girls that sued him. It's sad, because being a Don Juan that simply couldn't settle with one woman made him lonely. 

I don't care if he took liberties while writing, I believe in what he says because I know that everything that he tells, completely true or not, at least is a reflection of his own self. He was an adventurer, with fears like everyone else, with domestic problems like everybody, who loved to laugh and loved the sea, and loved women and also hated them. He wanted to figure it out who he really was, I hope that near his dead he had. 

I really enjoyed it and as all the good autobiographies, after I finished it I felt I had lost a friend.---



PS. Hey, be kind and help me to choose my next reading. I have this three books waiting on my desk
(Poll closed):

13 comments:

  1. I've recently really come to love Errol Flynn as I watch more of his movies. I really like what you had to say in this review and about how this book was a representation of him. It is also interesting to know that behind that devil-may-care attitude there was a man, just trying to figure it all out. You always say things so well!

    I hope you enjoyed your vacation! It's glad to have you back, though. :)

    For the next read, I voted for Jean Arthur. I really don't know much about her although I love her screen personality. The other two books sound interesting as well, though. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on them.

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  2. This book has been on my list of things to read for a while now, but I'm determined to track it down soon after hearing what you had to say about it.

    Have you ever read David Niven's book, Bring on the Empty Horses? It's a fantastic read, and there's a chapter about Flynn that's very funny, insightful, and also a little heartbreaking. Flynn's life was fascinating. Messy and wild, but fascinating.

    Thanks for the great review! Hope you had a lovely vacation. :)

    Melissa

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  3. Hey Audrey, thank u very much for your super kind comment, I'm glad you liked my review :) Thanks for voting, and yes, I like Jean's movies a lot, but I don't know anything about her life, so everything I read in her biography will be new to me. Thanks again, I really appreciate your participation in my blog ^_^

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  4. Melissa, yes, you should totally check this book, even when there's strong language at some points :) Oh, yes, one of the books I really really really want to read are the two by David Niven, I know they are great. The problem is that they're not available at my local store, but I'll check again soon. Thanks for your comment!

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  5. Great review :)
    You make me want to read. I'd like to read so much biography, I can't decide wich one I'll read first ><

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  6. He visto un documental sobre Errol y sobre su biografia ( que me gustará poder leer )My wicked, wicked ways. ¡interesantisimo!. Me ha sorprendido mucho saber sobre sus últimas peliculas, la que hizo sobre Cuba, Fidel y el gran trabajo dramático en Too much, too soon. No tenia ni idea.. y ahora veo tu reseña. Asi que doblemente interesada en la vida de éste guapisimo y tremendo actor.Un rebelde.
    ¡Su vida es tan cinematográfica ..!! No me extrañaria que la llevaran al cine, sino lo han hecho ya.

    Un besito :-)

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  7. Clara, I have always loved Errol Flynn, starting as a very small girl. He was charming and mischievous in his movies, was excellent at drama and I wish he could have had more opportunity to do it. I have a copy of My Wicked Wicked Ways, and I loved it.

    Good and bad, what a life! He did everything, even when he shouldn't have! The book is a wonderful self-portrait, and I loved it. He was a real man. I really enjoyed your wonderful review.

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  8. Thanks for the review, this is on my list! I think you should definitely get to the Jean Arthur one next- I can't wait to delve into that one. I am reading Betsy Blair's- The Memory of All That and Gloria Swanson's- Swanson on Swanson right now. Both are good!

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  9. Lo tengo pendiente, tengo muchas ganas después de ver un documental sobre la vida del actor. Ya te contaré...
    Besitos
    Isabelnotebook

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  10. Just noticed that I forgot to reply, girls:

    Abril: De verdad una vida muy muy interesante...y sí, hay, no una sino dos pelis basadas en "My Wicked" (...), parece que son muy malas según Imdb:

    Flynn (1996)
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116330/

    My Wicked, Wicked Ways... The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089653/

    Yo creo que deben ser un poco difíciles de encontrar en todo caso. Ah, y si aún no lees este libro, debieras es muy entretenido :)

    ClassicBecky: Thank you! I agree with you of course, Flynn was a interesting rascal :)

    Camille: I don't know what other books are in your list, but I'll play the adult here, and you are 18, so wait a couple of years before reading this one :) It's not because of the rape charges and his opium sessions, but because of that episode with the ducks when he was a kid :) Really shocking :)

    Sarah: I'm so late answering this, that I already read Jean's bio, LOL. Thanks for the recommendation :)

    Isabel: Yo tengo un docu que aún no veo, se llama "The adventures of Errol Fynn"...sólo lo usé para sacar un pedacito de imágenes para el video tributo que tengo puesto en el sidebar :) Pero recomiendo este libro totalmente.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just noticed that I forgot to reply, girls:

    Abril: De verdad una vida muy muy interesante...y sí, hay, no una sino dos pelis basadas en "My Wicked" (...), parece que son muy malas según Imdb:

    Flynn (1996)
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116330/

    My Wicked, Wicked Ways... The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089653/

    Yo creo que deben ser un poco difíciles de encontrar en todo caso. Ah, y si aún no lees este libro, debieras es muy entretenido :)

    ClassicBecky: Thank you! I agree with you of course, Flynn was a interesting rascal :)

    Camille: I don't know what other books are in your list, but I'll play the adult here, and you are 18, so wait a couple of years before reading this one :) It's not because of the rape charges and his opium sessions, but because of that episode with the ducks when he was a kid :) Really shocking :)

    Sarah: I'm so late answering this, that I already read Jean's bio, LOL. Thanks for the recommendation :)

    Isabel: Yo tengo un docu que aún no veo, se llama "The adventures of Errol Fynn"...sólo lo usé para sacar un pedacito de imágenes para el video tributo que tengo puesto en el sidebar :) Pero recomiendo este libro totalmente.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the review, this is on my list! I think you should definitely get to the Jean Arthur one next- I can't wait to delve into that one. I am reading Betsy Blair's- The Memory of All That and Gloria Swanson's- Swanson on Swanson right now. Both are good!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Melissa, yes, you should totally check this book, even when there's strong language at some points :) Oh, yes, one of the books I really really really want to read are the two by David Niven, I know they are great. The problem is that they're not available at my local store, but I'll check again soon. Thanks for your comment!

    ReplyDelete

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