Monday, August 18, 2025

Book Review: “Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story:”

Title: Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story

By Eric Monder

Publisher: University Press of Mississippi

ISBN: 9781496831491 (hardback)


Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story offers a carefully researched and engaging look into the life and career of one of Hollywood's most enduring, yet often underrated, leading men. Author Eric Monder navigates Milland's journey with a biographer's eye for detail and a fan's genuine affection. From his early days as a dashing heartthrob to his unexpected second act as a versatile character actor, the book paints a comprehensive picture of a man who was more complex and resilient than his on-screen persona often suggested.

The book spends a good deal of time during Milland's golden age, particularly his definitive role in Billy Wilder's The Lost Weekend. Monder vividly recounts his preparation for the part of an alcoholic writer, a performance that earned him a Best Actor Academy Award. This section of the book is an interesting trip through film history, providing context on the production and reception of this groundbreaking film. It highlights how Milland’s commitment to the role cemented his status as a serious dramatic actor, changing his public image from a charming romantic lead to a performer with more dramatic range than he was given credit for up to that time.

Milland's post-Oscar life didn’t turn out the way the actor expected. As his star waned in the studio system, he made a conscious and strategic pivot to television and B-movies, a move many of his peers would have scorned. The book treats this period not as a decline, but as a testament to his adaptability and sheer love for acting. Monder reveals anecdotes from Milland’s time directing and starring in sci-fi and horror films like The Man with the X-Ray Eyes. This perspective gives credit to his late-career work, revealing that he tackled these roles with the same professionalism and dedication that he brought to his Oscar-winning performance.

In conclusion, Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story is a definitive biography that is a must-read for classic film enthusiasts and anyone interested in the inner workings of Hollywood's studio era. The biography will leave the reader with an appreciation for Milland not just as a gifted actor, but as a shrewd and enduring professional who was "dashing to the end."

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