Straight from the Horse's Mouth: Ronald Neame, an Autobiography

by Ronald Neame, with Barbara Roisman Cooper, Michael Caine (Foreword by)

Overview

Now in Paperback! Ronald Neame's autobiography takes its title from one of his best-loved films, The Horse's Mouth (1958), starring Alec Guinness. In an informative and entertaining style, Neame discusses the making of that film, along with several others, including In Which We Serve, Blithe Spirit, Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, Tunes of Glory, I Could Go on Singing, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Scrooge, The Poseidon Adventure, and Hopscotch. Straight from the Horse's Mouth provides a fascinating, first-hand account of a unique filmmaker, who began his career as assistant cameraman on Hitchcock's first talkie, Blackmail, and went on to direct Maggie Smith, Judy Garland, Walter Matthau, and many other prominent performers. The book includes tales of the on-and-off-the-set antics of comedian George Formby, and original accounts of his experiences working with Noel Coward and David Lean. This is not simply an autobiography, but rather a history of British cinema from the 1920s through the 1960s, and Hollywood cinema from the 1960s through the present. Aside from Neame's own writing, the book contains original commentary by many of his contemporaries and associates including Alec Guinness, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Shirley MacLaine, Walter Matthau, John Mills and Shelley Winters. Includes more than 40 photos!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810848993
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/27/2003
Series:	The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series , #98
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	5.64(w) x 8.56(h) x 0.92(d)

About the Author

Ronald Neame has enjoyed an unparalleled career in the film industry, beginning as an assistant cameraman in his native England in the 1920s, becoming a director of photography with such major motion pictures as Major Barbara, In Which We Serve, and Blithe Spirit, and later graduating to producer and director with Take My Life, The Golden Salamander, The Card, The Man Who Never Was, and some 20 other feature films. Barbara Roisman Cooper is a freelance writer specializing in celebrity profiles for various publications.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Foreword Part 2 Foreword Part 3 Introduction Chapter 4 1 Miss World Chapter 5 2 Blackmail Chapter 6 3 Beryl Chapter 7 4 The Elstree Fire Chapter 8 5 Quota Quickies Chapter 9 6 Major Barbara Chapter 10 7 Noël Coward Chapter 11 8 Cineguild Chapter 12 9 Hollywood Chapter 13 10 Expectations Chapter 14 11 The Academy Chapter 15 12 Take My Life Chapter 16 13 Passionate Friends Chapter 17 14 Crashing On Regardless Chapter 18 15 The Magic Box Chapter 19 16 The Card Chapter 20 17 The Million Pound Note Chapter 21 18 The Man Who Never Was Chapter 22 19 Windom's Way Chapter 23 20 Alec Guinness Chapter 24 21 Tunes of Glory Chapter 25 22 Judy Garland Chapter 26 23 Ron Pon Chapter 27 24 Mister Moses Chapter 28 25 Gambit Chapter 29 26 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Chapter 30 27 Scrooge Chapter 31 28 The Poseidon Adventure Chapter 32 29 Losses and Gains Chapter 33 30 Walter Matthau Chapter 34 31 Donna Part 35 Appendix A: The Films of Ronald Neame Part 36 Appendix B: Awards and Honors Part 37 Acknowledgments Part 38 Index

What People are Saying About This

Martin Scorsese

Any career that spans across eight decades is quite an achievement, particularly a career that's been so consistently distinguished and adventurous, a career of such passionate pursuits. More than a career, really—a Life.

Editorial Reviews

Ronald Neame's life story reads like a veritable Who's Who of the movie business.

The Director's Guild Of America

Intriguing...I couldn't put it down and read it all in one sitting, as David Lean, who features very heavily would have said 'A bloody good read.'

British Society of Cinematographers Newsletter

Long-overdue, revealing, and extremely readable

Academy

You'll enjoy his book.

The Veteran

a charming memoir.--Kenneth Turan "Los Angeles Times "

Yours is an extraordinary life, and I found the book enthralling. It encompasses so much of our film history, and for you to have mastered three great film crafts, to have worked with Hitch, Coward, Lean, Guinness, Powell, and Pressburger, even Garland and Formby, and to have been responsible for such magnificent films as The Horse's Mouth, Tunes of Glory, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie places you firmly in the pantheon of great British filmmakers.--George Perry "London Times "

Ronald Neame's life story reads like a veritable Who's Who of the movie business.--The Director's Guild Of America

From the Publisher

An invaluable history of British cinema from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Culturevulture.Net

An inside story, not about one man, but about the entire fascinating industry in which he worked.

British Heritage

Given that Neame collaborated with the likes of David Lean and Noel Coward, he recalls some impressive anecdotes, the choicest of which can be found in his consistently engrossing autobiography. Told in a gentlemanly style, the book provides a valuable first hand record of what it was like to work in the British Film industry in the Thirties and Forties. As for Neame's experiences in Hollywood, they're the icing on the already delicious cake.

(Uk) Film Review

Any career that spans across eight decades is quite an achievement, particularly a career that's been so consistently distinguished and adventurous, a career of such passionate pursuits. More than a career, really—a Life.

Martin Scorsese

a charming memoir.

Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan

Yours is an extraordinary life, and I found the book enthralling. It encompasses so much of our film history, and for you to have mastered three great film crafts, to have worked with Hitch, Coward, Lean, Guinness, Powell, and Pressburger, even Garland and Formby, and to have been responsible for such magnificent films as The Horse's Mouth, Tunes of Glory, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie places you firmly in the pantheon of great British filmmakers.

London Times - George Perry

Both amusing and informative...Cinematographers will delight in the many colorful stories Neame relates about filmmaking in this engaging autobiography, and it's required reading for anyone interested in the history of British film.

American Cinematographer

The name Ronald Neame should be a household word...A virtual who's-who history of the film business, here and in England, since the beginning of sound films...it's a book that deserves a read by anyone interested in the endlessly fascinating process of filmmaking, especially those who, like Neame, pursue their passion with class, style and wit.

The Hollywood Reporter

a charming memoir.
— Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Yours is an extraordinary life, and I found the book enthralling. It encompasses so much of our film history, and for you to have mastered three great film crafts, to have worked with Hitch, Coward, Lean, Guinness, Powell, and Pressburger, even Garland and Formby, and to have been responsible for such magnificent films as The Horse's Mouth, Tunes of Glory, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie places you firmly in the pantheon of great British filmmakers.
— George Perry

London Times

Given that Neame collaborated with the likes of David Lean and Noel Coward, he recalls some impressive anecdotes, the choicest of which can be found in his consistently engrossing autobiography. Told in a gentlemanly style, the book provides a valuable first hand record of what it was like to work in the British Film industry in the Thirties and Forties. As for Neame's experiences in Hollywood, they're the icing on the already delicious cake.

Film Review