Michael Jackson Book Club Review: “Elizabeth and Michael”

June 10, 2023

1958

Elizabeth and Michael
Rating: 4/5

Under Acknowledgment, the author writes that writing this book was like writing three books in one. The material was more extensive than he had realized. But to understand the cornerstone of their friendship, a deeper presentation of their careers and personal lives was needed.

Many reviews I’ve read are negative and consist of complaints such as there was nothing “new” or interesting “gossip” included in the story. They are right about that, but by reading this book you get a better understanding of why these two had such a strong bond with each other.

Elizabeth fought throughout her life against prejudices, that all people have the same value. Among other things, she supported gay people and when it came out that Rock Hudson had AIDS, she never left his side. On the contrary, she started big fundraisers for AIDS research. She was loyal and loving, motherly, and tough, all things that appealed to Michael…but let’s start from the beginning.

Elizabeth was born February 27, 1932, in England. Parents Sara and Francis were Americans but moved to England for work. Elizabeth and her brother Howard were born privileged. They lived on an estate of over three thousand acres owned by her godfather. Already as a child, Elizabeth was unusually beautiful, charming, and charismatic. The parents’ marriage was not easy as Francis drank a lot and when he was drunk, he could be abusive towards both children. Rumors also abounded that Francis was actually gay. During World War II, the family returned to the States. When Elizabeth was eight years old, she was given a seven-year contract by Louis B. Mayer at MGM. Every day until the age of eighteen, she received lessons in the breaks between filming. She grew up in a cocoon controlled by the studio and her mother. Her first marriage was to Nicky Hilton. The marriage was cut short due to his drinking, gambling, and violence. She miscarried after he kicked her in the stomach. With Richard Burton (married two times) her “alcohol abuse” increased enormously. You also read about her close friendships with James Dean, Montgomery Clift, Mickey Rooney, and Rock Hudson. In their ups and downs, she was by their side, the same way she was for Michael. She was known to be polite, well-mannered, and distinguished. Never spoke ill of people, situations, or events. Loved diamonds, and at her death the value of her jewelry was reported at $116 million. She was one of the first “celebrities” admitted to Betty Ford for alcohol/pill abuse. Illness and chronic pain marked her entire life. She was a famous child star who survived “everything”. All her marriages, divorces, infidelity scandals, widowhood, health crises and above all her films had been chronicled for two decades.

Michael was born August 29, 1958. The author thoroughly guides us in his childhood, upbringing, Jackson 5, Motown and much more. But he was “drilled” in the same way as Elizabeth already at an early age. In the beginning, the interest surrounding Michael was mainly his music, but pretty soon he discovered the burden of the scrutiny of his private life. Now the audience wanted to know more about the “real” Michael, which he has never really wanted to share with the public. Already in the eighties he had grown increasingly reclusive and withdrawn. The sunglasses became one of his hallmarks. They protected him from everyone’s eyes and from those who wanted to get close to him, “The eyes are the window to the soul, and the soul was something he had to preserve for himself”.

Michael developed friendships with older established female stars such as Diana Ross, Jane Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, and Liza Minnelli. Stars from “old” Hollywood really fascinated him. He had over the years followed Elizabeth, her career, ups/downs and in his eyes, she was the ultimate star. He tried to contact her several times with no response. In the mid-eighties, he succeeded by giving VIP tickets to the Victory concert. Elizabeth came and went after a while because the VIP seats reserved for her didn’t have the best view of the concert. Michael broke down when he heard this. The next day he called her, and they talked for several hours. This was the start of almost daily conversations and a friendship that grew stronger and stronger. Michael was fascinated! Now he got first-hand information about working with MGM, other stars, collaboration, stories and …gossip. He loved that Elizabeth was fond of children, loved toys, games and cartoons. Despite chronic pain, she could smile and laugh. He admired her way of handling fame and her refusal to live her life according to other people’s terms. They not only shared childhood memories and celebrity but also that medication was important for both of them to function in everyday life. When they were together, they were in their own world, a world few understood or could come close to. About Elizabeth, Michael is said to have said “She is beautiful, the most beautiful I have ever met, and I love her.” Both Elizabeth and Michael were the last signs of larger-than-life stardom.

The author also writes about the Chandler case and Elizabeth’s active role in it. She was the first-person Michael contacted for help and support, and it was her and husband, Larry, that he wanted to visit him, not his family. With her help, he received treatment in England for his heavy abuse of painkillers and sleeping pills.

During the Gavin Arvizo case, many wondered why neither Lisa-Marie nor Elizabeth was by his side. In Elizabeth’s defense, she had undergone a period of severe illness and was incapacitated. But afterwards she defended Michael both in interviews and on her Twitter account. She believed it was much about money, exploitation, and the media’s bad attitude towards Michael.

The marriage between Lisa-Marie and Michael is also mentioned. That Lisa-Marie had received “good advice” from Elizabeth during dinner about what Michael “liked”, which was apparently not appreciated by Lisa-Marie, but Michael defended Elizabeth.

Michael never introduced Debbie to Elizabeth. He said that she had to arrange that herself if she was interested. Debbie contacted Elizabeth’s office, left her telephone number and address, and got back a signed photo of Elizabeth with the text “Thank you for being a supportive fan”.

The last time Michael and Elizabeth met was April 12, 2009. He and the children were present at Elizabeth’s Easter party.

When the news reached Elizabeth that Michael was dead, she broke down. She later wrote a post on her Twitter account, extract:

” I don´t think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I´ve ever known. Oh God!

I’m going to miss him….”

Elizabeth died in 2011 and according to her wishes she is buried near Michael in Forest Lawn.

“Always he looked at her with adoring eyes and a smile that signaled some secret joy she brought him. Always she glanced at him in a protective, loving way.”

The book is very readable and beautiful in its own way. I rate the book 4/5 stars only because it is impossible to find out 100% about their friendship as neither of them openly discussed the depth of their relationship but I think that the author has done a good job of getting an overall picture.

Paula Hoggren
Michael Jackson Book Club Member