I have rather mixed emotions about this book. On one hand, I really liked the honest, straight-forward way in which she tells the story of her life. On the other hand, the second half of the book was really depressing.
The first half was exactly what I was hoping for--stories about her life and films in the Hollywood of the 1940s. Although she didn’t comment on but 20 of her films, I enjoyed the little behind-the-scenes look at her most famous ones, along with the stories of some of her co-stars.
The second half of the book shows a woman becoming an alcoholic, and at the same time, denying it. But, through it all, she comes across as a very likable and honest human being who I would like to have known. Like the rest of us, what she wanted most was peace, and I don’t believe she found very much of it.
I’m not really sure if I can recommend this to folks who are big fans of the screen star, Veronica Lake. I didn’t find a lot of hope coming through her words, which really saddened me. This is one of those rare books where the first half is fantastic, but the second half takes a lot out of you. If you’re interested in the stories behind the movies and the making of the star, read the first half, but if you’re sensitive and prone to depression, skip the rest. That’s the best advice I can give on this one.
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Lake takes a brutally honest look at herself in this autobiography originally published 4 years before her death. Really could not put this down. She was extremely shy and somewhat pushed into participating in beauty contests by her mother and then, after the family moved to California, into acting. She lucked into film roles and her peek-a-boo hairstyle that was her trademark was an accident when her hair fell over her eye in one scene and the director kept the shot in. She was great in comedy like Sullivan's Travels but never really given a chance to repeat that success as most of Hollywood saw her as a sex symbol. She had three marriages - husband #1 couldn't take being called Mr. Lake. Her second husband, director Andre de Toth, she later found out, turned down numerous offers, even though they were financially strapped, because he did not think the roles did her justice - didn't even allow her to judge for herself. She slipped into obscurity but then revived in numerous stage roles which, despite her shyness, she excelled at. She again slipped into alcoholism dying at the young age of 50 but having a last relationship with a Merchant Marine who had never heard of the famous movie star. A real page turner. ( )