AUDREY HEPBURN

by Ian Woodward ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 4, 1984

No better written than other recent Hollywood bios from Britain, this adoring work-up--""an acting talent of stained-glass brilliance. . . those huge eyes, long neck and barest covering of flesh over her splendid bones""--does at least feature some fresh interview material, along with the usual recyclings of old press kits. From sketchy sources, Woodward fills in Audrey's youth in England and Holland--making breathy melodrama out of her teenage WW II experiences: malnutrition, a life-in-hiding with her divorced-Baroness mother, helping the underground. Soon, however, that singular face led young Audrey from dance classes to minor film-work, London revues, and then a double-jolt towards stardom: in Monte Carlo for a film, she was spotted by the 78-year-old Colette as the perfect Gigi for Broadway; meanwhile, ""Hollywood beckoned""--with Roman Holiday, which ""made the whole world hers."" An Oscar and a Tony soon followed, as did romance/marriage with ambitious Mel Ferrer: she ""became Trilby to Mel's Svengali."" There were rumors of liaisons with all her legendary co-stars (Peck, Cooper, Grant)--but Audrey apparently only strayed in order to ""arouse the emotion of heartburn and doubt"" in philandering Mel. Divorce came nonetheless; then whirlwind courtship by young Italian psychiatrist/playboy Andrea Dotti--who tortured the ever-patient Audrey with his flagrant womanizing. (""Audrey had a compulsion to be emotionally dominated."") But finally, after throwing herself at Ben Gazzara, Audrey wound up with Merle Oberon's widower Robert Wolders, the antithesis of Dr, Dotti: ""It required a Dutchman to show the Roman how to really love a woman."" Despite the gossipy emphasis, the private Audrey--reluctant superstar, devoted mother--remains elusive here. The films receive rather shaky attention, especially when it comes to States-side details. (Woodward calls the ""Moon River"" singer Danny Williams; he describes the film They A U Laughed as an all-out success.) But, with chatty (if unsurprising) comments from colleagues, cronies, Audrey's ex-PR man, and other minor players, this is serviceable, approximately informative fare for the many longtime Hepburn fans.

Pub Date: Sept. 4, 1984

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1984

Categories: NONFICTION