Fascinating quasi-authorized (Beatty was behind it until he, characteristically, changed his mind) biography of one of the most important, narcissistic, intelligent, notorious stars and lovers of the last age before Hollywood was swamped by movies for dunderheads. Thrill to tales of Warren's bedroom exploits! Chill to stories of his selfishness, dilatoriness, and poor behaviour! Cheer as he makes Bonnie and Clyde, The Parallax View, McCabe and Mrs Miller, Shampoo, and Reds! Boo as he drives Julie Christie and Diane Keaton to distraction and treats them, Robert Altman and Buck Henry (who likes to watch, apparently...) amongst others poorly! Shudder as he gets involved with Madonna! Quiver as he mucks up with the misbegotten Love Affair and Town and Country! Sigh as Bulworth is released into an underappreciative world!
Famously a playboy, Warren Beatty has also been one of the most ambitious and successful stars in Hollywood. Several Beatty films have passed the test of time, from Bonnie and Clyde (which confirmed for him the importance of controlling the projects he was involved in) to Shampoo, Heaven Can Wait, Reds (for which he won the best director Oscar), Bugsy, and Bulworth.
Few filmgoers realize that along with Orson Welles, Beatty is the only person ever nominated for four Academy Awards for a single film - and unlike Welles, Beatty did it twice, with Heaven Can Wait and Reds. Peter Biskind shows how Beatty used star power, commercial success, savvy, and charm to bend Hollywood moguls to his will, establishing an unprecedented level of independence while still working within the studio system.
Beatty's private life has been the subject of gossip for decades, and Star confirms his status as Hollywood's leading man in the bedroom, describing his affairs with Joan Collins, Natalie Wood, Leslie Caron, Julie Christie, Michelle Phillips, Diane Keaton, and Madonna, among many others.
Throughout his career, Beatty has demonstrated a fascination for politics. He was influential in the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns of Gary Hart. It was said of Hart and Beatty that each wanted to be the other, and Biskind shows that there was considerable truth in that wry observation. As recently as a few years ago, Beatty was speaking out about California politics and contemplating a run for governor.
Biskind explains how Beatty exercised unique control, often hiring screenwriters out of his own pocket (and frequently collaborating with them), producing, directing, and acting in his own films, becoming an auteur before anyone in Hollywood knew what the word meant. He was arguably one of the most successful and creative figures in Hollywood during the second half of the 20th century, and in this fascinating biography, Warren Beatty comes to life - complete with excesses and achievement.
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