Cary Grant

In this savvy, fascinating portrait, Graham McCann tracks the transformation of a life and looks closely at the sources of Cary Grant's charms. They did not come easily: born Archie Leach to a poor working-class family in Bristol, England, Grant reveled in ambiguities and surprises. Trained early in the art of vaudeville, he was a supremely physical leading man; in memorable films, he was the American hero with the ripe British accent or the intimate stranger who was often the seduced male; in life, he was a celebrated entertainer who also became a wealthy businessman. Graham McCann writes insightfully about Grant's work and life, including rumors of his homosexuality and his LSD therapy. Generously filled with anecdotes about fellow actors and directors, a realistic portrait of a complicated man emerges. Although Grant was criticized for remaining in Hollywood during World War II, it now seems, according to McCann, that he may have worked as a special agent for British Intelligence, reporting pro-Nazi activities in Hollywood. In 1947 Grant received the King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom, an award that was not made public at the time.