Never could there be a more appropriate title for a book than “One Helluva Ride,’’ the just-released memoir by actor Michael Douglas. Now 82 (interestingly my age as well), Douglas has indeed led one one helluva life.
I can’t say enough about the book or – for that matter – the story of Michael Douglas overall. We frequently digress in this site from golf, sports and travel subjects, and book reviews are a welcome diversion.
Long an avid reader on a wide variety of topics I feel compelled to sing praises of this writing effort in “One Helluva Ride’’ (Grand Central Publishing, 496 pages). This is a book I didn’t want to rush through, but had trouble putting it down none-the-less.
It helps if you’re a movie buff, particularly one at least somewhat familiar with Douglas’ brilliant career as both an actor producer. I’m both of those, though describing myself as a movie expert would be a big, big stretch. But, when I like something I see, I’ll want to tell you about it.
It was clever how Douglas’ book was constructed. It was largely done by chapters dedicated to his best known movies: “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’’ “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,’’ “The China Syndrome,’’ “Romancing the Stone,’’ The Jewel of the Nile,’’ “Fatal Attraction,’’ “The War of the Roses,’’ “Basic Instinct,’’ “Falling Down,’’ “The American President’’ and “Behind the Candelabra.’’
One movie at a time we learned just how demanding it is to make quality motion pictures and the adventures that developed in the making of each one.
The roles that Douglas played was far-ranging – from Gordon Gekko in Wall Street all the way to Liberace in Behind the Candelabra. I’ve seen most of Douglas’ movies, my favorite being Wall Street.
Most impressive of his many accomplishments might be winning his first Oscar at age 31 – as a producer of One Flies Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In that capacity he had to make a most difficult decision, deciding not to cast his father – Kirk Douglas – in a part that veteran actor famous for his earlier role in “Spartacus,’’ badly wanted.
Kirk Douglas, who lived to be 103 before his death in 2020, was a tough-minded father to Michael who deemed him too old for the role in “Cuckoo’s Nest.’’ Michael found it tough to escape his father’s shadow as an actor but their relationship was a loving one long before Kirk’s passing.
Though the book dealt heavily with motion picture issues, it was unfiltered regarding Douglas’ personal life. Most challenging was on the parenting side. His son Cameron, who struggled with a variety of issues, spent nearly eight years in federal prison on drug-related charges. He has since turned his life around and gone into acting.
“One Helluva Ride’’ tells you all about the remarkable life, and career, of Michael Douglas. I found it highly interesting and inspiring.