Orson Welles, that whirlwind showman from Kenosha, Wis., is already the subject of more than a dozen biographies...He has also proved an alluring figure for writers of fiction...Jerome Charyn is at least the third novelist to pay him such tribute, in the cinematic and bittersweet 'Big Red,' which spans the years 1943 to 1958 and pivots on the marriage of flame-haired movie star Rita Hayworth and 'the boy wonder' she nicknamed Orsie...Mr. Charyn, a veteran novelist, biographer and essayist, subtly evokes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 'The Great Gatsby' in telling his saga of star-crossed charismatics through the eyes of an all-seeing peripheral figure, an outsider-insider named Rusty Redburn.
The book includes delicious cameos by real-life Hollywood players besides Cohn, among them the conniving gossip columnist Louella Parsons and, hauntingly, a coked-up Errol Flynn.
Thanks to Charyn’s lifelong obsession with Welles’ Citizen Kane and fascination with Hayworth’s fragility, readers benefit from a probing analysis of their seminal films while being treated to an intimate, fly-on-the-wall look at a legendary, tumultuous romance.
Written with love and affection for its subject, Big Red is an entrancing work of historical fiction that serves as a glimpse into Rita Hayworth’s life far beyond her stardom ... Using Rusty as narrator serves as a successful framing device for the story, as her perspective affords readers a behind-the-scenes glance at two of the most beguiling figures of mid-20th century American cinema. Her descriptions are vivid, humorous, and perceptive ... Readers are in capable hands with Rusty as narrator, who acts as an inside source to the private lives of these stars, as well as giving readers the opportunity to examine their films critically from an outsider’s perspective ... Of all the characters included in Big Red, Rita Hayworth remains the most compelling by a long shot, and I couldn’t help wishing Charyn’s fictional characters were as fleshed out as Big Red herself ... Despite some unevenness, Big Red is a delight for fans of Old Hollywood and great historical fiction. Its characters are compelling, the plot moves along at a clip, and it provides a glimpse behind the curtain of a Hollywood long gone. Through his writing, Charyn’s love for film history shines through, and he crafts a loving and respectful portrait of Rita Hayworth for everyone from longtime fans to those who have yet to experience her magic. Though I was happy to spend time with her through the wisecracking gaze of Rusty Redburn, I hope one of these days someone will allow Rita Hayworth her own voice. Until then, Big Red is a welcome glimpse behind the silver screen.
Charyn plausibly recreates another chapter in American history in this affecting and searing portrait of Silver Screen superstars Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles...Charyn offers rapid-fire dialogue and slapstick action along with affecting character development...It’s a rewarding paean to some of cinema’s greats.
A fictionalized telling of the troubled life and storied film career of Rita Hayworth and her marriage to Orson Welles, as seen through the eyes of a sympathetic outsider...Film-smart and street-smart—if that street happens to be Hollywood Boulevard—the made-up witness, Rusty Redburn, is an Illinois farm girl who dropped out of college to test her fortunes in Tinseltown...She gets a job with Columbia Pictures' publicity department digging up dirt on celebrities...She's so good at it that she's hired by repugnant Columbia head Harry Cohn to spy on the uncontrollable Welles and his wife, Hayworth, whom Cohn lusts after...Redburn, a serious film buff who writes mimeographed movie reviews as Regina X, is a nifty invention, allowing Charyn the novelist to play Charyn the critic...The veteran author's charm and easy sense of irony further lift this surprisingly affecting book...A novel that transcends concept with its human touches.
