Nonfiction Spotlight: "Evenings With Cary Grant" by Nancy Nelson

When I was a child, I used to stay up late and watch classic movies. One of those movies was Penny Serenade (1941), starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a couple who struggle to keep their marriage intact while raising a child. The film made me cry and has stuck with me after all these years, thanks to the heartbreaking performances by Grant and Dunne. After reading the book Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best (Applause Books), I came to realize that I have only seen three of his many films; Bringing up Baby, North By Northwest and the aforementioned Penny Serenade. So, if I can find the time, I plan to rectify that.

The book includes various statements that Cary Grant made throughout his life, which are followed by commentary and recollections from friends, family and co-workers, as compiled by author Nancy Nelson. In other words, this is not a stranded biography. Grant's life, from his early days in England until his passing, is discussed in the 400 plus pages and include his early heartbreaking childhood years, his amazing film career, his five marriages and his endearing relationship with daughter Jennifer. In many ways, Cary Grant appeared to live a charmed life. He was blessed with good looks, talent, fame, intelligence, wealth, good genes and was very well liked. However, like almost everyone else, Grant battle demons. In his case, it was his mother's abrupt departure from his life at an early age, which separated them for many years.

An amazing number of people from old Hollywood chime in with their thoughts and memories of Grant, including Katharine Hepburn, John Forsythe, Gregory Peck, George Burns, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and George Kennedy. Celebrities who Grant met later in his career, including Angie Dickinson, Rich Little and Burt Reynolds also contribute. I do not recall any of them saying anything remotely negative about Grant, so he was clearly respected, if not loved, by many of the people that he came into contact with.

To his credit, Cary Grant talked openly about his marriages and offered some suggestions as to why the first four failed. However, he finally found the love of his life in Barbara Harris. They were married in 1981 and would stay together until his passing in 1986. The many photographs included throughout the book show that while Grant did age, he never lost his looks, even in his 80s, when he would travel around the country to various venues to talk with audiences. His appeal never seemed to wane and his fans never forgot about him, which is contrary to what he believed. Indeed, Cary Grant was a star for most of his life, even if he did not always embrace his fame.

Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best, by Nancy Nelson, was originally published in 1991.