Stanley Baker: A Life in Film

by Shail, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780708321263
• ISBN10: 0708321267
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-12-10
• Publisher: Univ of Wales Pr

Summary

Zulu, The Guns of Navarone, Accident:though Wales has produced an iconic roster of acting talent, few can equal the cinema successes of Sir Stanley Baker (192876), star of such classic adventure films asZulu, The Guns of Navarone,andAccident. Like his friend and drinking companion Richard Burton, Baker rose from an impoverished childhood in the valleys of southern Wales to international stardom along with a list of formidable costars that reads like a who's who of mid-twentieth-century cinemaMichael Caine, Ursula Andress, and Laurence Oliver among them. In addition to his portrayal of characters as diverse and engaging as Henry Tudor inRichard III(1955), Bennett inThe Cruel Sea(1953), and Mr. Graham inPerfect Friday(1970), Baker was also a dedicated socialist, a friend to Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and the producer of notable films likeThe Italian Job(1969) andHow Green Was My Valley(1975). An important figure both in front of and behind the camera, Stanley Baker never lost his strong links with his Welsh background, and this fascinating volume offers the first in-depth look at his life and career, shedding considerable light on the images of Welsh national identity and masculinity which he projected throughout his short yet remarkable life.

Author Biography

Robert Shail is Head of the Department of Film and Media at the University of Wales, Lampeter where he also teaches courses in film history.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Introduction	p. 1
Out of the Valleys	p. 7
The Man you Love to Hate	p. 24
Becoming a Tough Guy	p. 42
The Hero of Rorke's Drift	p. 62
Acting for Losey	p. 81
From Actor to Producer	p. 97
The Journey Home	p. 118
Conclusion	p. 130
Bibliography	p. 136
Filmography	p. 139
Index	p. 149
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.