A Positively Final Appearance (Windsor Selections)

Sir Alec Guiness is a legendary actor of stage and screen. Much to his chagrin the world seems to identify him almost exclusively as the Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobe of The Star Wars Middle Trilogy. In his previous book, "My Name Escapes Me", he beat upon this topic almost to bitterness. This time around he shares his reasons why, and my thoughts of his being a curmudgeon are gone.

While stating this is not a diary or journal, it is akin to the latter and covers the years 1996-1998. What makes this particular work triply rare is the author's ability to take an event of seemingly little or no importance and connect it to a memory, or 2, or 5 until it becomes a short story of it's own. These stories know no boundaries as Mr. Guiness takes the reader with him from thought to thought and from observation to random event. True there are chapters to the book, however if removed the experience would not be lessened.

The title refers to a falsehood meant to lure patrons to a show which oftener than not, is many things but not a final appearance. Mr. Guiness shares thoughts on his religion, his reaction to the death of Lady Dianna, his memorable meeting with Margaret Thatcher, and at least 100 other people of note. An omission I found very surprising was that he made no mention at all of Mother Teresa who died near the time of Lady Dianna. I note this as he regularly speaks of the importance of his being a Catholic, with the regret that he did not become so earlier in his life. To omit this event completely seems to suggest there are strong feelings, but they will remain his.

He also speaks of his Diamond wedding anniversary, his experiences as a soldier, and the painful process of growing old, "the mind gathers more wrinkles than the skin". He shares the story of Mark Taylor who having tied an athletic record that had stood for 67 years, refused to continue, "so as not to outshine his predecessor". When he is angered, the language only reaches the level of "rubbish on stilts". A true Gentleman of a time past, and whose like is quickly becoming a small, small group.

The book is, in the end a bit sad, for unlike the title that so often is a charade, I fear this is his final appearance. Just as he left the stage and screen and never returned, I believe as he directs the readers to the nearest exit at book's end, he truly means it. I hope I am wrong, Mr. Guiness is unique, he is a gift, and hopefully will return with another volume. In truth I fear he will not.

Not so long after this was written. The world lost an absolute original.
Rest in peace.


A true great reflects on his life in a very English way   July 9, 2001
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Sir Alec Guinness coping with old age, illness, obsessive star wars fans and a very different world from the one which he harks back to.

Interesting opinions expressed on politics, people and religeon. The overwhelming sense of a true old fashioned englishman comes across in every page.

Not a bad read.


Sir Alec Guinness: More, please!   January 4, 2000
Receiving and reading this book was one of the highlights of this Christmas season for me. _A Positively Final Appearance_ is a most worthy successor to Sir Alec's _My Name Escapes Me_ -- a warm, wise, witty, wonderful book that was a joyful companion indeed this holiday season. Sir Alec is justly admired as one of the world's great actors but has not received the acclaim I believe he merits for his erudition as a writer. At the risk of embarrassing him, I would say that Sir Alec embodies all that is best about the English national character -- qualities that have made me, an American, a lifelong Anglophile. As an American, I must also say that I much appreciated Sir Alec's concern about America's growing militarism and ever increasing tendency to inflict its trashy popular culture on other nations.


Final Appearance? Let's Hope Not   July 29, 1999
After the success of Alec Guinness' first diary, "My Name Escapes Me" many wondered whether or not the author had the required energy as well as fresh material to write the follow up. The good news is that the acting world's most literary octogenarian has surpassed the eye for detail and ear for gossip which punctuated his earlier work. Starting with a summary of an eye operation in 1996 Sir Alec guides us through the personal and newsworthy highlights of the following thirty months with a masterful blend of humour, pathos and finely detailed memoir which found me reading slower and slower in order to put off the inevitability of the final page. He may have retired from the stage ten years ago but Sir Alec makes it something of a personal crusade to keep in touch with the theatre and its many characters, both past and present. His anecdotes of working with Gielgud are near-legendary but the occasion of meeting Albert Finney in his (their) dentist's waiting room and the ensuing conversation about Tom Courtenay's latest obsession to the consternation of other waiting patients is as surreal as memoirs can get. Younger readers may be baffled by some of the members in Sir Alec's extensive cast but the extra research required is a small price to pay for such a colourful trove of riches. May his next volume bridge the gap effortlessly between this century and the next.