Frayling's Something To Do With Death

[mal247]

Having recently seen Frayling in the bonus features on a OUATITW DVD, I was motivated to get this book. As other readers will have have noticed, there are some errors in the book but its 570 pages are packed with quotations from Leone and his acquaintances.  Some people's recollections of events differ widely and Frayling presents these without voicing his own opinions - a bit like the films, it's down to the consumer to form his own interpretation.  Also I suppose we are dealing with imaginative and creative people some of whom have big egos and a reputation to protect. Personally I found the beginning a little dry but once the chapters relating to Leone's films started, I found it a very interesting read and there are some fascinating snippets of infomation. For example the scene where Noodles stirs his coffee for 60 seconds was invented by De Niro during rehearsals as an homage to Leone's style.

It answered a couple of questions I had re OUATIA.  One of the cast members of the film is listed as Macro/Young Macro (Massimo Liti) and until I read the book I'd no idea who this was.

For some time I had been wondering whether the events in the book "The Hoods" actually happened.  I was aware that Leone himself had expressed some doubts and he seemed to think that the events relating to the gang members when they were young were correct but Grey's recollections of the events in their adult life were coloured by things which had happened to other gangsters.  According to Frayling, Grey said that the only liberty he took was with Max.  Max didn't die in 1933 - in fact Max telephoned Grey when Grey was in his seventies to invite him on another job.  Grey's wife threatened to leave Grey if he took up the offer so Grey declined.  It turned out to be the correct decision as subsequently Max botched the job and was arrested.

Regrettably there's not much about what happened to Grey between 1933 & 1953.  Presumably he got  married, committed some fairly serious crimes, was imprisoned In Sing Sing and wrote the book with help from his wife.  He probably then became a police informer and moved to a new area under a different identity.

For anyone who has not read the book its contents are summarised below:
 
List of Illustrations, ix
Preface by Christopher Frayling, xiii

1  Once Upon a Time in Rome, 1
2  Bob, Son of Robert, 25
3  Hollywood on the Tiber, 49
4  Economic Miracles, 80
5  Fistful of Dollars, 118
6  For a Few Dollars More, 165
7  The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, 201
8  Once Upon a Time in the West, 247
9  Keep Your Head Down, 302
10 Entr'acte, 348
11 Once Upon a Time in America, 379
12 A Certain Cinema, 464

Notes, 495
Bibliography, 523
Filmography, 525
Index, 544-570

[cigar joe]

 

[Tucumcari Bound]

Where is Frayling talking on the OUATIA DVD? I thought there was only one feature which is ONCE UPON A TIME: SERGIO LEONE. Can anybody clear this up for me?

[The Peacemaker]

It's a great biography.

[Tucumcari Bound]

It's a great biography.

Can you clear that up for me Peacemaker. Does Frayling indeed talk on the special features of the OUATIA DVD? I just recently watched the one feature on it and didn't see him. Am I missing something?

[The Peacemaker]

Can you clear that up for me Peacemaker. Does Frayling indeed talk on the special features of the OUATIA DVD? I just recently watched the one feature on it and didn't see him. Am I missing something?

He's not on the DVD.

[Tucumcari Bound]

He's not on the DVD.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

[Derbent 5000]

Having recently seen Frayling in the bonus features on a OUATITW DVD, I was motivated to get this book. As other readers will have have noticed, there are some errors in the book but its 570 pages are packed with quotations from Leone and his acquaintances.  Some people's recollections of events differ widely and Frayling presents these without voicing his own opinions - a bit like the films, it's down to the consumer to form his own interpretation.  Also I suppose we are dealing with imaginative and creative people some of whom have big egos and a reputation to protect. Personally I found the beginning a little dry but once the chapters relating to Leone's films started, I found it a very interesting read and there are some fascinating snippets of infomation. For example the scene where Noodles stirs his coffee for 60 seconds was invented by De Niro during rehearsals as an homage to Leone's style.

It answered a couple of questions I had re OUATIA.  One of the cast members of the film is listed as Macro/Young Macro (Massimo Liti) and until I read the book I'd no idea who this was.

For some time I had been wondering whether the events in the book "The Hoods" actually happened.  I was aware that Leone himself had expressed some doubts and he seemed to think that the events relating to the gang members when they were young were correct but Grey's recollections of the events in their adult life were coloured by things which had happened to other gangsters.  According to Frayling, Grey said that the only liberty he took was with Max.  Max didn't die in 1933 - in fact Max telephoned Grey when Grey was in his seventies to invite him on another job.  Grey's wife threatened to leave Grey if he took up the offer so Grey declined.  It turned out to be the correct decision as subsequently Max botched the job and was arrested.

Regrettably there's not much about what happened to Grey between 1933 & 1953.  Presumably he got  married, committed some fairly serious crimes, was imprisoned In Sing Sing and wrote the book with help from his wife.  He probably then became a police informer and moved to a new area under a different identity.

For anyone who has not read the book its contents are summarised below:
 
List of Illustrations, ix
Preface by Christopher Frayling, xiii

1  Once Upon a Time in Rome, 1
2  Bob, Son of Robert, 25
3  Hollywood on the Tiber, 49
4  Economic Miracles, 80
5  Fistful of Dollars, 118
6  For a Few Dollars More, 165
7  The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, 201
8  Once Upon a Time in the West, 247
9  Keep Your Head Down, 302
10 Entr'acte, 348
11 Once Upon a Time in America, 379
12 A Certain Cinema, 464

Notes, 495
Bibliography, 523
Filmography, 525
Index, 544-570

can you tell me where I can buy this book besides amazon.com thanks

[mal247]

can you tell me where I can buy this book besides amazon.com thanks

If you are based in the USA Derbent my local knowledge won't be any use to you.
There seem to be a lot of sellers but I've yet to find an ebook.

Abe Books (click to follow link)

Bookfinder  (click to follow link)

Sellers connected to Amazon (click to follow link)

[Groggy]

Other than a few fairly minor errors (like the Sergio/Chris Huerta controversy), it's an indispensible addition to any Leone fan's collection. You'll learn a lot about the man, the films, and even Italian cinema and Westerns in general. At least Frayling has the decency to admit when he makes mistakes, unlike some authors oft-mocked by Banjo. He had a whole section in the beginning of the re-release of "Spaghetti Westerns" correcting mistakes from the previous edition.

[Tucumcari Bound]

This Bio is out of print isn't it? I want this book. Is this the best biography on Sergio Leone?

[The Peacemaker]

This Bio is out of print isn't it? I want this book. Is this the best biography on Sergio Leone?

It's been out of print for a while. I was so determined to get this two years ago that I got it used. It was in pretty good condition, but it's starting to fall apart now.

[dave jenkins]

This Bio is out of print isn't it? I want this book. Is this the best biography on Sergio Leone?

As far as I know, it's the only one in English.

18 vendors have it for sale, here (kinda pricey, though: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0571164382/ref=pd_bbs_sr_olp_2/104-1512335-1543158?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187900603&sr=1-2

[Tucumcari Bound]

As far as I know, it's the only one in English.

18 vendors have it for sale, here (kinda pricey, though: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0571164382/ref=pd_bbs_sr_olp_2/104-1512335-1543158?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187900603&sr=1-2

Thanks jenkins!