I’m not too sure how to label this book. Perhaps “Autobiographical Vignettes.” It is a series of short tales taken from the author’s work as a film extra. Part of the draw for this sort of work is the possibility of learning something about an area of our society that is closed to us. Hart promises to give us a peek behind the gold-trimmed curtains of Hollywood.
Unfortunately, the lessons aren’t as pleasant as we might have hoped. This is not a name-dropping, star-studded exposé. It’s a down-to-earth, day-to-day recounting of work in the movie business, which, it turns out, is rather a grind. We discover it is also very hierarchical. Actors are a vain lot, no matter what level of production. Names are often dropped, but nobody is impressed. Hours are long and arbitrary. Food is uncertain and usually gone by the time your turn comes.
His fellow-travelers along this sunless path are interesting, but there is a sameness to their grim determination to endure.
The author survives this negative atmosphere with a wry, world-weary form of humour and an amazing resilience. Life isn’t fair, and while hope springs eternal, it is usually disappointed.
The unfortunate result of this approach is that while each vignette feels accurate and valid, the book as a whole doesn’t take us anywhere. Plotwise, the actor makes a small advancement in his career path, but (surprise, surprise) nothing changes much. To be fair, he steps out of the story line for one chapter to give us a look at an alternative occupation: restaurant server. However, while the venue is new, the tone remains the same. We are mired in a “Waiting for Godot” world where nothing important seems to happen.
This book does a good job of providing the advertised look backstage in the movie industry. Having spent my share of time on film and TV sets, I don’t disagree with his presentation. However, readers need a few more moments of uplift, a bit more traditional humour to provide variety in the tone of the read. We don’t want bleak reality. We’d also like a touch of glamour to lift our spirits.
Four stars
