The Hollywood History of the World: From One Million Years B.C. to Apocalypse Now

This was a very entertaining and unstuffy book to read comparing actual history and historical figures with Hollywood's interpretation of them. Surprisingly, Hollywood did a pretty good job of it, most of the time. It also contains over 200 pictorial comparisons of paintings of historical figures with photos of their Hollywood look-a-likes (or not), e.g. Charlton Heston as Cardinal Richelieu; Charles Boyer as Napoleon; Henry Fonda as a young Abraham Lincoln; and a truly remarkable photo of Ben Kingsley as Ghandi. (On the other hand, cute and perky Doris Day looked nothing like the coarse, drunken, manish Martha Jane Canarray - aka "Calamity Jane.") the author, George MacDonald Fraser, best known for his series of comic novels about the misadventures of the Victorian era rogue Harry Flashman, writes in his usual, easy going and humorous style that is guaranteed to keep the reader's interest high. This is a difficult book to put down. I recommend it to movie and history buffs alike.

I bought this book when it first came out in the '80s, and it has gained that most honored spot for a book -- the bookcase right next to my bed. It's an old friend; I've read it over and over. It's hugely entertaining, and remarkably informative as well. I joined Netflix largely to get access to many of the wonderful old movies I'd read about in Fraser's book, and I've learned all sorts of tidbits of history. Also fascinating are the many illustrations showing contemporary portraits of the historical characters portrayed and the actors who played them. Much of the casting and costuming has been remarkably good -- in particular, in The Private Life of Henry VIII, Merle Oberon's costume as Anne Boleyn is a dead-on copy of the clothes Anne wore in a portrait. Read this book and you'll have a new respect for how much history Hollywood has gotten right.

A brillantly conceived foundation with combines GMF love of history and Films. It also allows him to poniticated on all of the issues and ideas that claim his fancy. It was a very fun read for me!

This is not a dry scholarly study but a witty, droll, and entertaining book in its own right. Fraser has apparently seen every historical film ever made; it goes without saying that films set in Regency England and Mary Stuart's reign in Scotland are throughly scrutinized by Mr. Fraser, along with "One Million Years B.C." and "Ben Hur." Fraser peppers the book throughout with his own knowledge of history without ever getting pedantic. A real treat for movie buffs and fans of Fraser's novels.