The Tits, Tiaras and Toils of the Queen, Helen Mirren
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"The tiaras and silvering hair of Britain's sexiest sixty something - it's all here, in In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures, a glossy hardback scrapbook of photographs extensively annotated by Helen Mirren. Born Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov in Chiswick, London, in 1945." Eva Wiseman
Helen Mirren, my image of the perfect woman and actress, warts and all, beautiful to look at as she ages and beautiful in mind and soul as I got to know her a little better. I think she will love the title I chose for this review, like me, she's a little bit raunchy and rock 'n roll. Helen was asked why she wrote this book. It seems that she has been asked many times to write her story, but could not think it through. A good friend suggested she write it like a scrapbook. Helen has always been surrounded by pictures of herself, her family and what is important to her. She started with the pictures, and the words came pouring out. This is a lovely way to write a book, the gorgeous pictures give you a mind's eye picture of Helen at the time. One of the more innovative methods of writing about yourself.
Helen's father was from a royal Russian family who came to the UK and ended up as a very well educated cab driver. Helen loved this part of her life,getting to knwo her Russan ancestors. She explains the history of the family, and along with the pictures we get a feel for what life was like.
At 23, Helen visited a palm reader in the UK who told her that she would see her greatest success after the age of 45. How right she was! She began her career with the National Youth Theater in the UK in 1965, and forty years later won an Academy Award for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 feature film "The Queen," She tells us of her many experiences in these past forty years, the memorable plays and movies and people that she met along the way. She has had one hell of a life, and she has worked very hard for every bit of it. Strangely, her role as Detective Tennison in 'Prime Suspect' on BBC TV helped to show her veritable talents. She signed a contract for one season and ended up playing four. This series became a 'WATER COOLER' series- everyone was talking about it. And then the same year that she ended her reign as Tennison, she played the Queen, and won the top coveted prize for her acting. The years in-between were filled with a busy career in TV, film and theatre. As Max Holmer says when he interviewed her, "She has won acclaim for 'The Madness of King George' and 'Gosford Park', took her clothes off for Calendar Girls, then came the damehood, The Queen and the Oscar."
Helen shares her version of her first lovemaking and other areas of her sexual history, but it is the photos that you will love. She has indeed had wonderful luck with her photographers and some marvelous pictures grace this book. Like me, I can see you looking at the photos before you start reading.
Helen talks about her family, her loves and losses. And she introduces us to her husband, Taylor Lockeford, an acclaimed director in his own right. He brought two sons into the union, and a ready made family with its trials and tribulations is in the fore. Her subsequent marriage in Scotland, and their stay in an old castle completes the story of her life thus far. It is not the life of a princess grown into a queen, but that of an everyday young girl who has become one of the best known women in the world.
"Actress Helen Mirren began her career with the National Youth Theater in Great Britain in 1965, and four decades later is still packing in audiences at cinemas and playhouses around the world. Best known to American audiences for her Academy Award-winning turn as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 feature film "The Queen," Max Follmer
A wonderful rollicking look into the life of a woman many of us emulate. Helen Mirren is a woman that could be my best friend. I feel like I know her as a person through her writing and her photos. This is a woman to be admired and loved. I have seen most of her films and television series, and I have never been disappointed.
Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-20-08
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Elizabeth I
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A marvellous book
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I was excited to buy In The Frame by Helen Mirren. Following her successful year in which she won the Oscar, Bafta and numerous other awards for The Queen, I was eager to learn more about the legendary actress.
The book is sumptuous with its photographs, documenting every stage of Mirren's life. It does make you feel that you are being 'let into' Helen's world, and allows you the chance in a sense to get to know her better.
The text is a nice accompaniment, it is very personal and compliments the photography.
I would reccomend this book to anyone interested in Helen, her career or the workings of the film industry and theatre in general.
Looking forward to the release of the audiobook!
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Disappointed...
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I enjoyed the book, HOWEVER, it really is disjointed and I was constantly left with a sense of going backwards/forwards/sideways etc. The layout and flow of the book does not work - it's not chronological. From my point of view the book is disappointing given the expectation one has of the magnificent character and actress that she is.
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Excellent stuff from a brilliant woman.
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I throughly enjoyed this biography. It was refreshing to have acesss to many photographs which only served to enrich the writing. Photographs can say much more than words sometimes, and they brought her family alive to me. I felt Helen's writing was interesting, crafted and down-to-earth. I was left feeling that I knew a little more about one of my favourite actresses of all-time. Many thanks for this Helen, one of the most enlightening and engrossing biographies I've read for a very long time.
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A very different autobiography but great unseen photos
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Having just finished this book I can say that when I saw the layout I was a little dissapointed. The book is very informative and Mirren is very honest in her writing although a few chapters are not so interesting. A great selection of photos and images from the career of one of the countrys most treasured actresses.
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