Vivien Leigh is remembered as one of the most influential stars of the stage and screen. Film fans will easily recognize her for her storied performance as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind (1939), securing the most sought-after role of the year. Moreover, she appeared in so many other hit films, including the likes of Waterloo Bridge (1940), That Hamilton Woman (1941), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and more.
Behind the scenes, she had a highly-publicized marriage to Laurence Olivier and quickly became a Hollywood icon. However, despite her career achievements, her life was not without its major complications. Lyndsy Spence’s Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh begins with Leigh’s nervous breakdown and institutionalization. Unlike many other biographies, this one begins in 1953 and exposes readers to a Leigh who is trying to save her life, career, and marriage from the start.
Spence’s book is extremely well-researched, relying upon unpublished material and private correspondence to document this point in Leigh’s life. I recommend this book to fans of Leigh, particularly to those who are familiar with her film output and are more interested in her life off-screen.
Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh is available for purchase via Pegasus Books.
Hometowns to Hollywood 