With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E.Grant

As somebody who is generally interested in Hollywood, but couldn't care less about celebrity gossip, this still managed to hit a sweet spot with me in terms of being the story, largely, of a witty, attentive, nice guy cataloging the weirdest behavior of a species (directors, writers and actors, all) that we will never ever have to meet or see. It's not mean, as such, but often has a tone of bewilderment in the face of what happens.

Like [b:The Kid Stays in the Picture|44891|The Kid Stays in the Picture|Robert Evans|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1349000997s/44891.jpg|44213], but written by a nice guy without ego, and unafraid to name names of people who behave nicely as well as badly. And the Hudson Hawk section, should one like that show more movie, is worth several times the value of the book by itself. show less

Tremendous fun. Amidst the endless namedropping there's a ton of insight into film culture of the '80s and '90s and a deeply enjoyable streak of bitchy humor. It seems Grant can't turn that last one off, even when in the company of Hollywood's largest power players; it's a wonder he's still working, but I'm deeply glad he is.

Richard E Grant writes as wittily as he speaks. You really get an insight into the vagaries of the film industry and the personalities of the actors, directors and producers he works with. Unfortunately, having read this book I really want to watch "Hudson Hawk" at some point, just to see how awful it really is.

Read during Winter 2002/2003

The film diaries of Richard E. Grant, known to most for Withnail & I. Very funny, sometimes caustic and sometimes very personal. Extremely readable, even if you had never heard of Hudson Hawk and didn't know he was in Henry and June.

Wonderful use of language a twist on every page fully expresses what in my heart of hearts is the experience of almost any working actor.
The star of the cult classic Withnail and I offers “a refreshing combination of comedy, confession, and coruscation” in this memoir of the movie business (Kirkus Reviews).

Richard E. Grant’s acting career has included memorable roles in some of Hollywood’s most critically acclaimed films, including Robert Altman’s Gosford Park and Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula. But he attributes his success to his first film role, starring as a flamboyantly pathetic Shakespearean in the underground hit Withnail and I. As Grant explains, “I had no notion that, almost without exception, every film offered show more since would be the result of playing an alcoholic out-of-work actor.”

In With Nails, Grant shares his long, maddening, and immensely rewarding journey through the world of film. From the hell of making Hudson Hawk to befriending Steve Martin on the set of L.A. Story; and from eating spaghetti with the Coppolas, to window-shopping with Sharon Stone, and working with and learning from the best actors and directors in the business, Grant’s unvarnished memoir “is a biting and wonderfully funny look at the movie business by an actor who is as clear-eyed and observant about himself as he is about the craziness surrounding him” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). show less

I just re-read the chapter on Hudson Hawk and it's as fresh and funny as it was 10 years ago. Grant is a brilliant comic actor raised in Swaziland and London. His diaries are full of his acerbic wit and incisive commentary on the Hollywood film machine and its players. Grant is very likable and compulsively readable. Enjoy!

I just re-read the chapter on Hudson Hawk and it’s as fresh and funny as it was 10 years ago. Grant is a brilliant comic actor raised in Swaziland and London. His diaries are full of his acerbic wit and incisive commentary on the Hollywood film machine and its players. Grant is very likable and compulsively readable. Enjoy!

Reviewed by: John