About the Author

Francis Beckett is a journalist, author and contemporary historian, writing mainly about education, politics and society for several national newspapers. Olivier will be a departure, yet someone he always wanted to write about and he feels passionate about.

Reviews

'Not only does the author tell us what we need to know about the stage productions, the films and, of course, the three wives and other loves, he also draws an irresistible picture of the man himself. Beckett's Olivier is a great talent, but also a monster of egotism who undermined all who came into contact with him. The tragedy of Vivien Leigh, it is implied, is to be laid squarely at his door. Beckett sticks the knife in at every opportunity, but does it so elegantly that one can quite forgive him.' -- David McLaurin The Tablet