by Ronald Neame
First published 2002
Ronald Neame began his film career as assistant cameraman on Hitchcock's first sound picture, Blackmail, then spent six decades creating some of cinema's most memorable works. His memoir draws its name from The Horse's Mouth, the 1958 Alec Guinness vehicle that represents just one highlight in a remarkable filmography. Neame recounts the production stories behind Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Scrooge, The Poseidon Adventure, and Hopscotch. He shares behind the scenes moments with Noel Coward and David Lean, chronicles comedian George Formby's on-set behavior, and describes directing legendary performers including Judy Garland, Walter Matthau, and Maggie Smith. The book features original commentary from collaborators like Alec Guinness, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Shirley MacLaine, John Mills, and Shelley Winters. Neame offers readers both personal memoir and cinematic history, spanning British film from the 1920s through the 1960s and Hollywood from the 1960s to the present day.
Genres: biography, autobiography, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, film
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-narrative
Setting: Britain, Hollywood
Period: 1920s, 1960s
288 pages · Hardcover · Scarecrow Press