Tom Cruise: All the World's a Stage

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Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage
Tom Cruise All the World's a Stage.jpg
Author Iain Johnstone
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Subject Biography
Genre Non-fiction
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Publication date
October 1, 2006
Media typePaperback
Pages344
ISBN 0-340-89921-2

Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage is an authorized biography of actor Tom Cruise, written by British film critic Iain Johnstone. [1] The book was first published by Hodder & Stoughton in a paperback format and an audiobook in 2006, [2] [3] [4] and then again in a hardcover format on March 1, 2007, [5] and a second paperback release, on May 1, 2007. [6]

Biography Written account of a persons life

A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curriculum vitae (résumé), a biography presents a subject's life story, highlighting various aspects of his or her life, including intimate details of experience, and may include an analysis of the subject's personality.

Tom Cruise American actor and producer

Thomas Cruise is an American actor and film producer. He has received several accolades for his work, including three Golden Globe Awards and nominations for three Academy Awards. Cruise is one of the best-paid actors in the world, and his films have grossed over $4 billion in North America and over $10.1 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing box-office stars of all time.

Iain Johnstone is an English author and broadcaster. He attended Crosfields School, Reading, Campbell College, Belfast and Bristol University.

Contents

Contents

Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage details some of Cruise's early life, and his role as head of the family after his father left to become "an itinerant hippy in California." [7] The author chronicles Cruise's film career, including his first role in Endless Love in 1981, his breakthrough in Risky Business , and other popular films such as Top Gun , Jerry Maguire and the Mission: Impossible films. [8] He cites Cruise's role as "Frank Mackey" in the film Magnolia as one of his best performances. [9] Johnstone also writes about Cruise's relationships with Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman, and the luxurious lifestyle maintained by Cruise and Kidman during their relationship. [7] Johnstone puts Kidman in a sympathetic light regarding their 2001 divorce. [8]

<i>Endless Love</i> (1981 film) 1981 American film by Franco Zeffirelli

Endless Love is a 1981 American romantic drama film based on Scott Spencer's 1979 novel of the same name. The film is directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and stars Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. The screenplay was written by Judith Rascoe. The original music score was composed by Jonathan Tunick.

<i>Risky Business</i> 1983 film by Paul Brickman

Risky Business is a 1983 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by Paul Brickman and starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. The film covers themes including materialism, loss of innocence, coming of age, and capitalism. Known as Cruise's breakout film, Risky Business was a critical and commercial success, grossing more than $63 million against a $6.2 million budget.

<i>Top Gun</i> 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott

Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, in association with Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired by an article titled "Top Guns" published in California magazine three years earlier. The film stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt. It also marked the debut of actor Adrian Pasdar. Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Radar Intercept Officer, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Edwards) are given the chance to train at the US Navy's Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.

The book discusses Cruise's relationship with Scientology, and controversy in the media, including his public criticism of actress Brooke Shields, and his "TV sofa-bouncing." [9] [10] He also discusses the lengthy production of director Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut , noting the fact that Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures allowed representatives from the Church of Scientology to frequent the film sets during production. [7]

Scientology Group of religious beliefs and practices created by American science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard

Scientology is a body of religious beliefs and practices invented in May 1952 by American author L. Ron Hubbard (1911–86). Hubbard initially developed a program of ideas called Dianetics, which was distributed through the Dianetics Foundation. The foundation soon entered bankruptcy, and Hubbard lost the rights to his seminal publication Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health in 1952. He then recharacterized the subject as a religion and renamed it Scientology, retaining the terminology, doctrines, the E-meter, and the practice of auditing. Within a year, he regained the rights to Dianetics and retained both subjects under the umbrella of the Church of Scientology.

Brooke Shields American actress and model

Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film Pretty Baby (1978), in which she played a child prostitute in New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century. Shields garnered widespread notoriety in the role, and she continued to model into her late teenage years and starred in several dramas in the 1980s, including The Blue Lagoon (1980), and Franco Zeffirelli's Endless Love (1981).

Stanley Kubrick American filmmaker

Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is frequently cited as one of the most influential filmmakers in cinematic history. His films, which are mostly adaptations of novels or short stories, cover a wide range of genres, and are noted for their realism, dark humor, unique cinematography, extensive set designs, and evocative use of music.

Reception

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called the book "an unpretentious model of clarity and humility, simply rounding up the known facts." [9] In his review of the 2006 edition of the book, Bradshaw wrote that Johnstone had presented a neutral overview of events in Cruise's life, and did not offer any strong opinions of his own in the book. [9] He criticized the work for being "incurious about what it is like" to be Tom Cruise. [9] In his review in The Independent , William Cook described the tone of the book as "respectful not reverential". [1] Cook also wrote: "Johnstone's businesslike biog feels as if written at arm's length - but this distance allows him to state some awkward facts about Cruise's Scientology. It's hard to believe he could have been quite so frank in an authorised biography." [1]

<i>The Guardian</i> British national daily newspaper

The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, the Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the Scott Trust. The trust was created in 1936 to "secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of the Guardian free from commercial or political interference". The trust was converted into a limited company in 2008, with a constitution written so as to maintain for The Guardian the same protections as were built into the structure of the Scott Trust by its creators. Profits are reinvested in journalism rather than distributed to owners or shareholders.

<i>The Independent</i> British online daily newspaper

The Independent is a British online publisher of news that was established in 1986 as a politically independent national morning printed newspaper published in London. Nicknamed the Indy, it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016, leaving only the online edition.

The book received a critical review in The West Australian , and a review in Australia's The Daily Telegraph thought the book was almost "dull". [10] [11] Christopher Bray of London's The Daily Telegraph also criticized the work, and wrote that the book failed to answer any of the "interesting questions", commenting: "You will read this book in vain for any suggestion that what we think we know of Cruise's real life might be no more than PR smoke and mirrors." [12] In a review in The Spectator , Roger Lewis was critical of the book, and wrote: "The eulogies Johnstone collects are endless." [7] Barbara Chabai of the Winnipeg Free Press also criticized the lack of depth to the work, writing that Johnstone "has simply repackaged facts from Cruise's interviews with other reporters into a neat but unfeeling tome that offers all the depth of an Entertainment Tonight feature." [8] Both The Guardian and the Winnipeg Free Press noted the absence of any discussion or mention of the controversial 2005 episode of South Park which spoofed Cruise, "Trapped in the Closet". [8] [9]

The West Australian, widely known as The West is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times. The West is the second-oldest continuously produced newspaper in Australia, having been published since 1833. The West tends to have conservative leanings, and has mostly supported the Liberal–National Party Coalition. The West is Australia's fourth largest newspaper by circulation, and is the only newspaper in the top 20 not owned by either News Limited or Nine Publishing.

<i>The Daily Telegraph</i> British daily broadsheet newspaper

The Daily Telegraph, known online as The Telegraph, is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as Daily Telegraph & Courier.

<i>The Spectator</i> British weekly conservative magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs

The Spectator is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828. It is owned by David and Frederick Barclay who also own The Daily Telegraph newspaper, via Press Holdings. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture. Its editorial outlook is generally supportive of the Conservative Party, although regular contributors include some outside that fold, such as Frank Field, Rod Liddle and Martin Bright. The magazine also contains arts pages on books, music, opera, and film and TV reviews.

See also

Being Tom Cruise 2nd episode of the second season of Star Stories

"The Church of Scientology Presents: Being Tom Cruise, Why Scientology Isn't In Any Way Mental" is a satirical spoof documentary from the series Star Stories, parodying the life of Tom Cruise and his relationship with the Church of Scientology. It is episode 2 of the second series of Star Stories, and first aired on Channel 4 on 2 August 2007. The show recounts Cruise's time with a group of some of his early acting friends. After filming Top Gun, Cruise is introduced to Scientology by John Travolta, who convinces him to join the organization by smashing Cruise over the head with a shovel. He meets Nicole Kidman and they start a relationship. After dating Penélope Cruz, Cruise is introduced to Katie Holmes by Travolta. Holmes agrees to marry Cruise, and the program ends with a voiceover asking the viewer to visit a Scientology website and purchase expensive products.

Trapped in the Closet (<i>South Park</i>) 12th episode of the ninth season of South Park

"Trapped in the Closet" is the twelfth episode in the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. The 137th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 16, 2005. In the episode, Stan joins Scientology in an attempt to find something "fun and free". After the discovery of his surprisingly high "thetan levels", he is recognized as the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker. The title is a reference to the R. Kelly serialized song of the same name and a satirized version of R. Kelly appears in the episode.

<i>Tom Cruise: Unauthorized</i> book by Wensley Clarkson

Tom Cruise: Unauthorized is an unauthorized non-fiction biographical book about Tom Cruise, written by Wensley Clarkson. The book was published by Hastings House in 1998. The book discusses Tom Cruise's early life, his rise as an actor, involvement with Scientology, and past relationships with Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman. The book ended during the filming of Eyes Wide Shut.

Related Research Articles

Nicole Kidman Australian-American actress and film producer

Nicole Mary Kidman is an Australian-American actress, singer and producer. She has won awards including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Golden Globe Awards. She was listed among the highest-paid actresses in the world in 2006, 2018, and 2019. Time magazine twice named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, in 2004 and 2018.

Mimi Rogers American film and television actress, producer, and poker player

Miriam "Mimi" Rogers is an American film and television actress, producer, and professional poker player. Her notable film roles include Gung Ho (1986), Someone to Watch Over Me (1987), and Desperate Hours (1990). She garnered the greatest acclaim of her career for her role in the religious drama The Rapture (1991), with critic Robin Wood declaring that she "gave one of the greatest performances in the history of the Hollywood cinema." Rogers has since appeared in Reflections on a Crime (1994), The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Lost in Space (1998), Ginger Snaps (2000), The Door in the Floor (2004), and For a Good Time, Call... (2012). Her extensive work in television includes Paper Dolls (1984), Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997), The Loop (2006–2007), and recurring roles on The X-Files (1998–1999), Two and a Half Men (2011–2015), Wilfred (2014), Mad Men (2015), and Bosch (2014–present).

Mark Rathbun American whistleblower

Mark C. "Marty" Rathbun is a former senior executive of the Church of Scientology who last held the post of Inspector General of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), the organization that is responsible for the protection and enforcement of all Dianetics and Scientology copyrights and trademarks.

<i>Hollywood, Interrupted</i> book by Andrew Breitbart

Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - The Case Against Celebrity is a book and website authored by Mark Ebner, with co-author Andrew Breitbart. The book was published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons. The writing focuses primarily on what Ebner sees as the disconnected, self-indulgent nature of Hollywood culture. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was also a Los Angeles Times bestseller. The title references the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted.

<i>Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography</i> book by Andrew Morton

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography is an unauthorized biography of actor Tom Cruise, written by Andrew Morton. The book was published in the United States in hardcover format on January 15, 2008 by St. Martin's Press, with a first printing of 400,000 copies, and an audio format on five CDs by Macmillan Audio.

Project Chanology protest movement against the practices of the Church of Scientology

Project Chanology was a protest movement against the practices of the Church of Scientology by members of Anonymous, a leaderless Internet-based group. The project was started in response to the Church of Scientology's attempts to remove material from a highly publicized interview with Scientologist Tom Cruise from the Internet in January 2008.

Ian Kelly is a British writer and actor. His works include historical biographies, stage and screenplays.

<i>Hollywood Undercover</i> book by Ian Halperin

Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown is a non-fiction book about the culture of Hollywood society, written by investigative journalist and author Ian Halperin. Halperin poses as a gay man trying to become a successful actor in Hollywood, and informs individuals he is from the non-existent "Israeli royal family". He investigates rumors that the Church of Scientology reportedly claims to have a "cure" for homosexuality through "auditing", and speaks with a former Scientologist about his experiences. He also explores the casting couch phenomenon, the pornography industry, and the Oscars. Halperin meets with famous actors and celebrities, successfully obtains a talent agent, and a role in the film The Aviator.

Scientology in the United Kingdom is practised mainly within the Church of Scientology and its related groups which go under names including "Hubbard Academy of Personal Independence" and "Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Centre". The national headquarters, and former global headquarters, is Saint Hill Manor at East Grinstead, which for seven years was the home of L. Ron Hubbard, the pulp fiction author who created Scientology. Church-connected groups promoting aspects of L. Ron Hubbard's teaching, including Narconon and CCHR, have also been active in the UK, in some cases with charitable status. There have also been groups practising Scientology independently of the Church.

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Nicole Kidman filmography

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<i>Going Clear</i> (film) 2015 film by Alex Gibney

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is a 2015 documentary film about Scientology. Directed by Alex Gibney and produced by HBO, it is based on Lawrence Wright's book Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief (2013). The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It received widespread praise from critics and was nominated for seven Emmy Awards, winning three, including Best Documentary. It also received a 2015 Peabody Award and won the award for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.

<i>My Scientology Movie</i> 2015 documentary film by John Dower

My Scientology Movie is a 2015 British documentary film about Scientology directed by John Dower, and written by and starring Louis Theroux. The film takes an unconventional approach to the subject matter, featuring young actors "auditioning" for parts playing high-profile Scientologists in scenes recreating accounts from ex-members about incidents involving senior church management. The Church of Scientology responded by putting the filmmakers under surveillance and denouncing the film.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cook, William (December 1, 2006). "Seduction, scandal and Scientology". The Independent . Independent Newspapers UK Limited. p. 26.
  2. ↑ OCLC   317927837
  3. ↑ OCLC   148676410
  4. ↑ Johnstone, Iain (October 1, 2006). Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage . Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN   0-340-89921-2.
  5. ↑ Johnstone, Iain (March 1, 2007). Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage. Hodder Headline. ISBN   0-340-89920-4.
  6. ↑ Johnstone, Iain (May 1, 2007). Tom Cruise: All the World's A Stage. Hodder Paperback. ISBN   0-340-89922-0.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Lewis, Roger (October 21, 2006). "Little and Large". The Spectator . The Spectator Ltd. (UK).
  8. 1 2 3 4 Chabai, Barbara (November 26, 2006). "Higher Tom climbs, the harder Cruise falls". Winnipeg Free Press . FP Canadian Newspapers.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bradshaw, Peter (September 23, 2006). "Hot air from a big fan". The Guardian . Guardian News and Media Limited. pp. 9, Arts and entertainment. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
  10. 1 2 Crompton, Helen (December 4, 2006). "Clueless on Cruise". The West Australian . West Australian Newspapers Limited.
  11. ↑ Hughes, Kathryn (November 4, 2006). "Too easy on Cruise". The Daily Telegraph . News Limited. pp. 84, Section: Features.
  12. ↑ Bray, Christopher (September 23, 2006). "Portrait of an actor in perfect, wartless glory". The Daily Telegraph . Telegraph Media Group. pp. 29, Section: Art.
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