Head Over Heels

August 15, 2023
A daughter's tribute to two legendary actors. Reading a book about two beautiful, rich, and famous people finding love may not be many readers' cup of tea, but Melissa Newman, an artist and teacher, beautifully captures their lives together and shows off their famed love affair. The author made the wise decision to let photos of her parents do most of the talking, and the fact that the bulk of the photos were taken by some of the 20th century's greatest photographers--including Richard Avedon, Gordon Parks, and Philippe Halsman--only adds to the appeal. An Avedon photo shows Newman and Woodward sharing a lighthearted moment when it looks like Newman is about to chew on her nose. One Parks photo shows them as the epitome of cool on the streets of Manhattan's East Village in 1959. At times, Newman and Woodward are playful; at others, they gaze at each other adoringly; more often than not, they look like they are simply enjoying each other's company. "My parents," writes the author, "were inexorable, they were forever...It wasn't always a fairy tale, but I wanted to remember the best, dreamiest, most sublime part, and that part just happens to be true." Aside from the introduction, she peppers the rest of the book with quotes from her parents to explain their relationship and their careers. "Paul is not only a great actor--and that's all I can do, is act," Joanne says. "He can write, he can produce and direct, race cars and run corporations, and he's a pretty good husband, too." Notes Paul, "No one sings like Woodward, or acts like Woodward, or bitches like Woodward or kisses like Woodward or talks like Woodward, or talks as long as Woodward, or wipes water out of her eyes like Woodward, or smiles like Woodward or cusses like Woodward." A showcase of a singular romance that also serves as a broader demonstration of love.

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September 11, 2023
Newman’s mesmerizing debut gathers together photographs of the “achingly beautiful movie stars who happen to be my parents.” After Joanne Woodward met Paul Newman on the set of the 1953 Broadway play Picnic (she thought he was “grossly untalented” at the time), they began a dynamic moviemaking partnership and storied relationship that lasted until Paul’s death in 2008. In black-and-white photographs mostly from the 1950s and ’60s, a playful, electric bond emerges that often jumps off the page, as in shots of Paul reclining on Joanne on a couch as both amusedly look at something out of frame; Joanne dancing in front of an enraptured Paul; and multiple photos of the pair by the family tree house, “a favorite trysting spot” and “a reminder that escape is always possible, and one doesn’t have to go very far.” In moments as mundane as sharing a cigarette or as glitzy as posing at a star-studded awards show, the couple appears continuously alight in their youth and beauty. Most affecting is the evident connection between the two, captured in their recurring looks of love, lust, and devotion. Throughout, Melissa Newman’s spare, nostalgic commentary enriches the proceedings. It’s an enchanting tribute to one of Hollywood’s most mythologized couples.

Starred review from September 1, 2023
Hollywood is not known for fostering long and loving marriages. That of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward is an exception as evidenced by daughter Melissa's tender curation of photographs taken by some of the world's most acclaimed photographers. This collection of rare images is mesmerizing, showing the couple as actors and parents, collaborators and celebrities, in moments of contemplation and relaxation, concentration and abandonment. What shines most brightly, however, is the couple's romance. Melissa has created a testament not only to how much Newman and Woodward loved each other, she also honors how much they enjoyed each other. The affection is palpable. One gets the sense they couldn't keep their hands off each other, and who could blame them? His smoldering sensuality is ignited by her cool beauty, just as her patrician bearing is softened by his impish playfulness. The intimate photographic narrative is buoyed by a scattering of wise, sly, and heartbreakingly poetic quotes that further demonstrate the couple's wit, self-deprecation, and authenticity. Adding to the recent trove of worshipful documentaries and biographies reflecting on their legendary careers, Melissa's concentration on her parents' storied love affair humanizes these film icons in a way that is instantly relatable and enviable.

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