The Diaries of Alan Rickman
I am a lover of autobiographies. What makes a person tick? That person could be the bloke next door, or a celebrity. I don’t even mind a biography, but it has to be an authorised one, one that the subject or the ‘estate of the subject’ has had input into. There is nothing worse than reading a book of assumptions from someone who claims they knew the person they are writing about when they clearly don’t. This is everything it says on the cover. It’s the diaries of Alan Rickman
I’ve been a lover of his acting work since the Die Hard (and yes, it is a Christmas movie) days, as well as his subsequent work in Sense and Sensibility, Galaxy Quest and of course, the incorrigible Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. Of course, following those movies, a whole new generation learned about Alan Rickman as he embodied Severus Snape of the eight Harry Potter movies.
I’ve been a lover of his acting work since the Die Hard (and yes, it is a Christmas movie) days, as well as his subsequent work in Sense and Sensibility, Galaxy Quest and of course, the incorrigible Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. Of course, following those movies, a whole new generation learned about Alan Rickman as he embodied Severus Snape of the eight Harry Potter movies
Mr Rickman is certainly not afraid to criticise others with his words. He talks of how performers “give their all but don’t get there”. He tells of how “Michael Attenborough is one of the most indiscreet people he’d ever met”. While he criticises some, he sings praises of others. He talks of Daniel Radcliffe being “serious and focused, heading for a director/producer career”. He talks of the warmth of Jerry Hall, after watching her stage performance in The Graduate.
While this book is everything you hope it will be, you also see the grumpy side of Alan Rickman. The days when he is kept waiting for set-ups in movies. You see the frustration through his words when things in life go wrong. You can almost hear the anguish, when you read about people he loved, watched, and admired, pass away.
For me, this book was two main things. It was an easy read. The short diary entries made sure of that, coupled with each year having a list of what was to come. But, it also felt a very private one. An element of me initially wondered whether they were meant to be public or should be, but having an afterword written by his widow and soulmate, answered that question for me.
As general public, we always think we have an idea of what or who a celebrity is. Diaries certainly give you a good idea as it is ‘their words’. Alan Rickman came across as critical, mainly towards himself. He showed his love, not only towards his soulmate Rima, but towards the friends and family that made up his inner circle. He was known for his generosity. The rumour being, that when people went to pick up the bill when they were out with him, he said “I have 2 words for you. Harry Potter!”
He will be forever loved by the older generation for his portrayal as Hans Gruber and the Sherriff. The younger people of the world will forever remember him as Professor Snape. We will all remember him for his words.
