Hustons

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Starting with Walter (1884-1960), peaking with John (1906-1987) and continuing with Anjelica (born 1951), three generations of Oscar-winning Hustons have enriched American theater and films. In this anecdotal composite biography, based on talks with family members, friends and associates, Grobel ( Conversations with Capote ) follows the careers of all the Hustons but focuses on John. His research is the most impressive aspect of this massive volume, and he is even-handed, if undiscriminating. No detail is too insignificant for inclusion; no single reaction to an event or version of a story will do if many are available. Thus, the reader comes away with myriad impressions of John's parents, five wives, numerous mistresses, several children, in-laws and paramours. But as Edna O'Brien observes here, although he was a man ``whom women had been in love with all his life,'' he was anxious and sadistic and felt that ``the biggest unhappiness in his life had been caused by women.'' John Huston bestrides this book like a colossus, but after 812 pages he remains a mystery. Photos. BOMC and Movie Entertainment Book Club alternates. (Nov.)

Library Journal

An ambitious family biography, embracing actor Walter, his writer-director-actor son John, and John's three children, actress Anjelica, writer Tony, and director Danny. The focus is on John, who over the last three years of his life granted extensive interviews to the author. By including Walter (and his redoubtable wife, Rhea Gore), we get important glimpses into John's character. And that character is endlessly fascinating. Alternately charming and cruel, John was the ultimate director, manipulating people on and off a set. The stories behind his famed films ( The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen ) are here, but perhaps more revealing are the accounts of the ``failures,'' such as Freud or The Red Badge of Courage . And the portraits of his children attempting to deal with such a dominating father are touching.-- Thomas Wiener, formerly with ``American Film,'' Washington, D.C.