Charmed Lives
by Michael Korda

Name: Charmed Lives
Brand: Michael Korda
SKU: 9780060085568
Rating: 3.95 (173 reviews)

Charmed Lives Book Cover — Charmed Lives Cover

Highlights

American

What readers are saying

Readers generally appreciate the insightful and engaging narrative of Michael Korda's family history in the film industry. Many find the blend of personal anecdotes, historical context, and humor captivating, while a few note the desire for more focus on the films themselves. Overall, the book is celebrated for its rich depiction of the Korda family's lavish lifestyle and struggles.

Engaging narrative and humorRich historical contextFascinating family historyLacks more film detailsSometimes repetitive

Synopsis

A Rolls Royce Silver Cloud drove him to airports; the British film industry kowtowed to his power; the great Hollywood studios fawned at his feet

Sir Alexander Korda, one of the world's most flamboyant movie tycoons, rose from obscurity in rural Hungary to become a legendary filmmaker.

With him were his brothers, Zoltan and Vincent, all living charmed lives in circles that included H. G. Wells, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Marlena Dietrich, Vivien Leigh, and Merle Oberon, who was soon to be Alex's wife.

But along with Alex's flair for success was an equally powerful impulse for destruction.

Now, Vincent's son, Michael Korda, in the first book of his memoirs, recalls the enchanted figures of his childhood...the glory days of the Korda brothers' great films...and then their heartbreaking, tragic end.