Judi Dench: With a Crack in Her Voice

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Summary: Description, Reviews & Author bio
Review: FIRST U.S. PUBLICATION

The Life and Career of "Dame Judi" Right Up to Her Winning the 1999 Academy Award

"If I were to nominate a woman for top spot at the theater's top table today, it would be Judi Dench." Benedict Nightingale, The New York Times

Judi Dench has for many years been Britain's premier actress, having been named a Dame in 1988. First acclaimed in England in 1960 as the Juliet of her generation in the famous and controversial Franco Zeffirelli production at the Old Vic, Dame Judi has since triumphed in most of the great Shakespearean leads as well as in Chekhov, Shaw, O'Casey, Brecht and Hare. And with an Academy Award nomination in 1998 for her stunning performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1999 for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love, a 1999 Best Actress Tony Award for her lead role in David Hare's Amy's View on Broadway, and her interpretation of "M" in the last three James Bond films, Dench has quickly become one of America's most respected and sought-after stars.

In his quest to discover the secret of her extraordinary success, and why she is held in such deep affection by both her profession and the public, John Miller has talked to most of her directors and a great number of her fellow actors over the last forty years. He has also spent many hours with Dame Judi herself, at work in the rehearsal room or before the cameras, and at home with her family.

In this authorized, affectionate biography, the first time she has cooperated in the telling of her story, Dench talks of those who have most influenced her work and her way of life and reflects upon her most illustrious career, including her recent ascent to superstar status in America.

"Characteristically thorough and painstaking, and about as close to her secret soul as we shall get in a well-guarded lifetime." Sunday Times (London)

"Compelling reading for anyone intrigued by actors and acting ... (Dench) seems 'real,' disarmingly untheatrical, down-to-earth, sensible, ordinary. With barely a look, scarcely a word, she can move others from one contrasting mood to another, like British weather." The Christian Science Monitor

JOHN MILLER has previously collaborated with Sir John Gielgud on his memoirs for radio, television and two subsequent books. His last book was the authorized biography of Sir Ralph Richardson. He has broadcast regularly on historical and theatrical subjects and is a frequent contributor to arts festivals as interviewer and lecturer. He was recently appointed the first Artistic Director of the Winchester Festival.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating view of the British Theater and one of its Best!
Review: I became interested in Judy Dench when I first discovered the British comedies that appear on American Television. "As Time Goes By" is my favorite and of course stars Judi. When I heard about her most exceptional career I wanted to learn more about her and see more of her acting. I found this book, which does give an "arm's length" view of Judi, the person, which I understand is her choice, and more power to her. However, I was fascinated with the in-depth information on the British Theater and those who have performed there over the last 40 years as told in this biography. It certainly describes many of the wonderful theatrical productions, and all that goes into making these possible. While Judi Dench is the central character, the book shows what a career in theater is like and all the many aspects of theater that go into every presentation. I did enjoy the book, and felt I had learned far more than anticipated about the recent British Theater.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating view of the British Theater and one of its Best!
Review: I became interested in Judy Dench when I first discovered the British comedies that appear on American Television. "As Time Goes By" is my favorite and of course stars Judi. When I heard about her most exceptional career I wanted to learn more about her and see more of her acting. I found this book, which does give an "arm's length" view of Judi, the person, which I understand is her choice, and more power to her. However, I was fascinated with the in-depth information on the British Theater and those who have performed there over the last 40 years as told in this biography. It certainly describes many of the wonderful theatrical productions, and all that goes into making these possible. While Judi Dench is the central character, the book shows what a career in theater is like and all the many aspects of theater that go into every presentation. I did enjoy the book, and felt I had learned far more than anticipated about the recent British Theater.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating view of the British Theater and one of its Best!
Review: I became interested in Judy Dench when I first discovered the British comedies that appear on American Television. "As Time Goes By" is my favorite and of course stars Judi. When I heard about her most exceptional career I wanted to learn more about her and see more of her acting. I found this book, which does give an "arm's length" view of Judi, the person, which I understand is her choice, and more power to her. However, I was fascinated with the in-depth information on the British Theater and those who have performed there over the last 40 years as told in this biography. It certainly describes many of the wonderful theatrical productions, and all that goes into making these possible. While Judi Dench is the central character, the book shows what a career in theater is like and all the many aspects of theater that go into every presentation. I did enjoy the book, and felt I had learned far more than anticipated about the recent British Theater.

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Summary: Look into the life of a true actor
Review: I'm an immense Judi Dench fan and waited for the publication of this paperback version of her biography. I wasn't disappointed. The author gives a complete picture of 'the Dame's' professional life--from her first stage parts up until her more widely known successes in the last couple of years.
Reading the book made me want to know this smart, funny woman who has now added 'M' (Bond movies) to her coverage of classical stage roles, television pieces and other movie parts. I came away with a somewhat better understanding of the enormous talent it must take to get to the heart of various characters. And, I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of the practical jokes JD loves to organize. I loved the 'corpsing' (the Brits use the term to describe actors 'cracking each other up').
Great reading for a 'Dame Judi' fan, or any fan of good acting, with an 'inside' view of the process.

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Summary: dench fans will love the book
Review: if you are a dench fan you will love the book. it is packed with information. the only drawback for some may be the style in which it is written. the author seems to have approached it more like a research paper rather than a book. but this does mean there is much material... and a good read if you're not looking for the slick, overly editing books we have become used to.

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Summary: Details Dench's professional life: no personal revelations.
Review: Since the biography written about Dame Judi Dench in the mid 1980's is almost impossible to find, this book is now the book to have to follow her life and career. Some is told of her childhood, family, schooling, and early ventures into acting. It is really an accurate and intimate story of her professional acting career. A mention is made of nearly all her stage performacnes, the directors, her fellow actors, the theatres, the reviews, and the audience reactions. It makes an excellent reference for all her work, including television and film. There are direct quotes from the Dame herself regarding rehearsals, travels, backstage fun, her ability to break-up on stage during a performance without the audience ever knowing, and the games, jokes, and tricks she has instigated. She is shown as a very caring person. It is said that she makes every cast she is involved with, a happy, close-knit group. Judi Dench has been acting for about 43 years and is little-known to American audiences. It is our loss. Now, with the Academy Award nomination for Mrs. Brown, the Academy Award win for best supporting actress for Shakespeare In Love, the Toni win for Amy's View, Tea with Mussolini, her role as M in the three most recent James Bond movies(The World Is Not Enough comes out in Nov.),and her role as Jean Pargetter Hardcastle in As Time Goes By shown on most PBS television channels in the US(two videos of As Time Goes By are available on Amazon.com), Americans are beginning to notice this overnight phenom! For anyone interested in Judi Dench, this is an absolute necessity. One of the best parts really is that there are no itimate details of her very personal life. We learn of her parents, her brothers, her marriage to Michael Williams, and the birth of their daughter Finty. If there were bad choices, mistakes, lovers, and indiscretions, we are not told. Maybe, there were none! Wouldn't that be refreshing? This book is refreshing and a tribute to talent, hard work, perseverance, study, determination, a willingness to take direction and learn. Dame Judi Dench connects with her audience with her marvelous unique voice, her sexy piercing eyes, and her ability to make you believe she is that character before you. There is nothing like a Dame-Dame Judi Dench, that is.

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Summary: Dame Judi Dench
Review: This biography is a rarity. Its purpose is to share the tremendous career and achievements of Mrs. Judi Dench, and it happily is lacking what biography has often become. It is not several hundred pages of dubious gossip or borderline slander. It is not a litany of innuendo from those who claim some dubious relationship to the subject and then do their best to damage the individual's reputation. If you are looking for gossip-strewn trash, buy history as revised and fictionalized by Kitty Kelly. Mr. John Miller has written a wonderful book about a woman of substance and of great personal and professional merit. Unlike other biographers who survive based upon how low they will sink for tabloid attention, he did not write whatever someone would spew to relate a story that was not there.

Dame Judi's career has spanned a period that has allowed her to work with many of the greatest names of the theatre of the 20th Century. Additionally the actresses, the Directors and Playwrights also read like a list of those most accomplished in their fields. Many fans first met her as "M" in the James Bond Film Series, or as "Mrs. Brown", in her portrayal of Queen Victoria, or Queen Elizabeth in "Shakespeare In Love". The latter two films won her nominations for The Academy Award and the trend continued this year in Chocolat.

If you are interested in a story of a hard working actress, a woman who is a consummate professional, and respected by virtually all who have worked with her, this book is for you. However if you are like the journalist that opened a press conference by asking her a personal and intimate question, which caused her to rightfully dismiss the press conference format of dirt gathering from that day on, you will have to look elsewhere.

This is a great book about a woman who has succeeded in all areas she chose, and has done so with style and without the sordid notoriety that passes for fame today. Hers' is not a career of 15 minutes or 15, 30, or 45 years, but more like another legend Sir John Gielgud, who when he hit his 90th birthday never thought to pause.

Mr. Miller is to be commended for writing a worthwhile book and not a hardbound tabloid. If he seems less than objective due to the praise he has collected from her peers, it in fact only does "seem" that way. There are accomplished people today who can be admired and pointed to as role models. This book documents one. The other group tends to be long on press clippings and short on substance, but they also unfortunately sell books by the ton to book reading voyeurs.

Mr. Miller has written a work for the other readers.

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Summary: Good bedtime reading....
Review: Well, I've finally finished WITH A CRACK IN HER VOICE and I am certain this the most boring biography I've ever read...and I've read hundreds of biographies and autobiographies. The first part of the book is so boring I almost tossed it in the wastebasket a dozen times (and I bought a hardcover!!).

If I can believe what John Miller writes, Judi Dench never had a date until she met her husband Michael Williams in her mid-thirties. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. Miller's writing seems to have improved a bit after Judi marries Michael Williams, but I say "seems" only because the first half of the book was so dry and dull. Maybe Judi herself keeps everything under wraps?

After reading this book, I can understand why a frustrated reporter once asked Judi "When is the first time you had sex and with whom." I imagine the reporter was desparate. The result of this incident according to Miller has been that Judi Dench no longer does press conferences. Unlike her character Jean Hardcastle, the Judi Dench of this book is flat and sexless.

Judi Dench is one of my favorite actresses. I've followed her career since I first discovered her in ROOM WITH A VIEW in which she co-acted with Maggie Smith another favorite. I'm an Anglophile and I love British Theatre and Shakespeare. I've seen most of the plays she has performed in at one time or another (other actors, but I have seen many RSC productions). I've seen all the episodes of her two tv shows and most of her movies (not a James Bond fan). I own VHS tapes and DVDs movies of her work. I LOVE JUDI. I bought this book because I thought I would learn more about the "real" Judi and her husband Michael. Forget it. Michael is barely mentioned. Jeffrey Palmer gets more coverage.

WITH A CRACK IN HER VOICE is really a synopsis of Judi's work over the last half century. If you love the theatre and want a glimpse of the creativity and toil that goes into a stage production, you'll get a little glimpse of it in this book. If you are not familiar with the older British actors who have worked with the RSC over the past few decades you may not recognize many people. If you recognize Elisabeth Garvie then you will probably enjoy the sections of the book that discuss casting and performances. If you want a list of the plays, movies, and tv shows Judi has appeared in over the past 50 years, you'll obtain the equivalent of an annotated bibliography in this book. If you want to know more about the real flesh and blood Judi Dench, you will have to wait.

One anectdote led me to believe this could have been a different book. John Miller writes of Judi's experience while performing in Hamlet in the 1980s. One night Daniel Day Lewis, who was playing Hamlet, fell to pieces. His own father had died recently just as Hamlet's father has died before the play opens. After Day Lewis finished the ghost scene, a fellow actor found him collapsed in the hallway in tears and he gathered him in his arms and comforted him. In this one little shared memory, Miller reveals Judi is capable of recognizing real human pathos and not just play acting the stage version.