Warren Beatty is – or at least was, probably still is – a very sexy guy. I don’t know whether he seduced America or not, but he did apparently seduce an astonishing number of American women – more than 12,000 is a number that’s out there. Add to that the fact that he is (has been) a huge star, and you have more than sufficient reason for America’s fascination with Mr. Beatty.
So therefore a number of books have been written about Warren Beatty over the years. Warren Beatty 
And now there is one more. This month, 
Warren Beatty is quite famous as a playboy, and rightfully so. But he is more than just that. Beatty has also been one of the most ambitious and successful stars in Hollywood. Several Beatty films have passed the test of time, from Bonnie and Clyde,Shampoo, Heaven Can Wait, Reds (for which he won the best director Oscar), Bugsy, and Bulworth. And many of those movies are epic, and Warren Beatty’s acting in them outstanding and memorable.
Few filmgoers realize that along with Orson Welles, Beatty is the only person ever nominated for four Academy Awards for a single film – and unlike Welles, Beatty did it twice, with Heaven Can Wait and Reds. Biskind shows how Beatty used star power, commercial success, savvy, and charm to bend Hollywood moguls to his will, establishing an unprecedented level of independence while still working within the studio system.
Beatty’s private life has been the subject of gossip for decades, and Star confirms his status as Hollywood’s leading man in the bedroom, describing his affairs with Joan Collins, Natalie Wood, Leslie Caron, Julie Christie, Michelle Phillips, Diane Keaton, and Madonna, among many others.
And, when you add to all of this that Warren Beatty also has been interested in politics and quite influental as well, then you see that there is much to write about, and lots of interesting reading to be had. As recently as a few years ago, Beatty was speaking out about California politics and contemplating a run for governor.
Biskind explains how Beatty exercised unique control, often hiring screenwriters out of his own pocket (and frequently collaborating with them), producing, directing, and acting in his own films, becoming an auteur before anyone in Hollywood knew what the word meant. He was arguably one of the most successful and creative figures in Hollywood during the second half of the twentieth century, and in this fascinating biography, Warren Beatty comes to life — complete with excesses and achievements — as never before.
One to read?
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