Truly, Madly

Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, and the Romance of the Century

By: Stephen Galloway

Narrated by: Molly Parker Myers

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

A sweeping and heartbreaking Hollywood biography about the passionate, turbulent marriage of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

In 1934, a friend brought fledgling actress Vivien Leigh to see Theatre Royal, where she would first lay eyes on Laurence Olivier in his brilliant performance as Anthony Cavendish. That night, she confided to a friend, he was the man she was going to marry. There was just one problem: She was already married - and so was he.

Truly, Madly is the biography of a marriage, a love affair that still captivates millions, even decades after both actors' deaths. Vivien and Larry were two of the first truly global celebrities - their fame fueled by the explosive growth of tabloids and television, which helped and hurt them in equal measure. They seemed to have it all, and yet, in their own minds, they were doomed, blighted by her long-undiagnosed mental illness, which transformed their relationship from the stuff of dreams into a living nightmare.

Through new research, including exclusive access to previously unpublished correspondence and interviews with their friends and family, author Stephen Galloway takes listeners on a bewitching journey. He brilliantly studies their tempestuous liaison, one that took place against the backdrop of two world wars, the Golden Age of Hollywood, and the upheavals of the 1960s - as they struggled with love, loss, and the ultimate agony of their parting.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Stephen Galloway (P)2022 Grand Central Publishing

Passion has its limits

Galloway presents a beautiful but troubled love story between 2 brilliantly talented actors. Their love, passion and shared talent could not overcome Vivien Leigh's illness that took years to diagnose. Descriptions of their life together, then apart paint a vivid picture of 2 lovers who never stopped loving each other, yet could not continue being together. Highly recommend, especially if you love classic movies and their stars.

The real lives of two acting legends brilliantly revealed

The lives loves and careers of acting legends Laurence Oliver and Vivian Leigh, always with us as gwtw’s Scarlett O’Hara are brought to life in Stephen Galloway,s excellent biography. Known as among the greatest actors of their generation and all time, Galloway shows their humanity and tortured love from the beginning to end of their lives. The first half covering their rise as stars and their star crossed love affair and marriage is wonderful. The second half as she descends into madness and he faces career marriage and health crisis after crisis is gripping and an emotional roller coaster. It is all well worth a listen and will leave you entertained informed and deeply touched. I recommend it highly.

Another Book Ruined by Narrator

I was so excited for this book to be released. I pre-ordered and patiently waited. So it was totally disappointing when I could barely tolerate the narrator, who reads this book like she's performing in the theatre, and promptly stopped listening and bought a copy off Amazon.

This is a must have for fans of Leigh-Olivier. Leaves you feeling sad that there wasn't a lot known about bipolar disorder/mental health or much to help Vivien. These two, it seems, really were torn apart by illness.

Definitely recommend.

Good book, but the narrator!!

Couldn't stand the narrator throughout the book. I'd still buy it, however I need to make a note that she completely over-acted the parts and at one point I had to roll my eyes at how she was reading it.

Reader is soooooooo bad

The story is interesting and competently written, but the reader! Hyper enunciation, a clipped and mannered delivery, a sing song inflection repeated over and over. It is seriously challenging to get through. I almost didn’t make it. It takes courage and determination. Her voice is lovely but so contorted my her vocal mannerisms and ridiculously unnatural diction. What a waste of a beautiful voice.

Great book

Loved this book and a wonderful part of our theater and movie history. Vivian Leigh was a fascinating woman.

Poignant and Memorable

I thoroughly enjoyed this accounting of the legendary couple Lord and Lady Oliver. I’ve read several books on Vivian Leigh and a couple on the “ couple”. This book really got into the weeds of their passionate but heaven and hell relationship and fleshed out aspects of each of their personalities that were somewhat sketchy in previous accounts. Vivian was gifted with much indeed but her mental illness was a deep wound in her life, Larry’s life and ultimately their relationship.
The narration was excellent - Molly Parker is a talented actress in her own right and really did this material justice.
An excellent book- though very sad as madness, infi delity and the pangs of guilt and abandonment become front and center as the story progresses.

A back door into a world I never knew

Well written, lots of quotes, the author takes us on a ride with two very different dramatic actors through a very dramatic life. I only thought of her as Scarlet and him as the old man in Sleuth. Yeah well that's where I first saw him. I had no idea the two ever crossed paths. A deep love beyond anything I can comprehend. An illness and the damage it can do, which I am very familiar with. It's worth a listen.

Worst reader ever

The book was interesting but ruined by the reader.
She read it as it it were a book young adults. All of her inflections were wrong. Ruined the book.

The real side of Larry and Viv

An incredibly well written and real look at a romances for the ages. Told through the 21st century lens of sympathy and understanding of mental illness, this is the most real look at Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier I’ve ever read. I feel like I got to know the real Larry and Viv.