Book Review - David Niven - The Moon's a Balloon - The Joy of a Born Storyteller.

 

I first read actor David Niven’s memoir, The Moon’s a Balloon, published in 1971, back in the mid-1970s. It was the first “adult” book that I read. It was adult, in the sense that parts of it were somewhat naughty. Other than that, it was a book of stories that were easy to read. It arguably provided a blueprint for others to follow. 

I came across the book when I saw it on the bookshelf of a neighbour of mine, an elderly lady by the name of Violet. She had an extensive book collection, and would allow me to pick one occasionally to take home and read.

Having chosen a book, I would have to give it to her for approval.

“What have you chosen today?” She would ask.

On this day, I handed over The Moon’s a Balloon, a paperback with a somewhat ordinary cover showing David Niven, with four balloons above his head. Each one containing a word of the book title. As book covers go, it didn’t look like one that would sell millions of copies.

Violet put her reading glasses on. “Ah! David Niven, the old Hollywood charmer. It’s not written for children, but you are probably old enough to read it.” And she was right. Niven had a reputation for being a charmer, a true charming man.

Like a librarian, she passed the book to me. “Look after it, and use a bookmark; I don’t want to see any folded corners on the pages.”

I never folded corners anyway.

But back to the naughtiness.

It happens right from the start, when the fourteen-year-old Niven meets a young girl, almost a woman, by the name of Nessie. A seventeen-year-old dancer and lady of the night who becomes more than just a friend. Niven likes her so much that he takes her to his public school, Stowe, just to show her off. He couldn’t afford to pay Nessie, but she didn’t ask for any money.

A Natural Storyteller

What’s immediately clear is that Niven understood the power of a story well told. Whether describing his mischievous youth (Nessie), his years at Sandhurst, his leap of faith from Hollywood extra to star actor, or his service during World War II, Niven turns his experiences into a storytelling feast.

Reading Niven is like being in the company of a man who knows exactly how to tell a story. He has the rhythm of an old-school raconteur, plenty of wit, observation, and warmth. He put it to good use after acting work dried up, telling his stories on talk shows, like the British chat show, Parkinson, presented by Michael Parkinson. Niven appeared several times, and each one was an event.

He writes about his friends and colleagues, Hollywood greats like Errol Flynn, Cary Grant, and Marlene Dietrich—who were the big names of the time. I sometimes got the impression that he was not sure whether he was worthy to be mentioned alongside them. His stories unfold naturally, often at his own expense, as if he’s reminding us that life is a farce best met with good humour.

When Laughter Meets Loss

Not every story in The Moon's a Balloon is light-hearted. He doesn’t hide from the darker parts of his life. He writes about the heartbreak of losing loved ones, including the death of his first wife, Primmie. She was the love of his life, and while he remarried later, the marriage, according to reports, was not so made in heaven.

Lessons from a Life Well Told

Niven’s great gift is his ability to remind us that everyone has stories worth telling. His life happened to include movie stars, champagne parties, and war medals.

But at some point, a question was asked. Were all these finely crafted stories actually his? His life story? And whether they were or not, did he embellish them for good effect?

It would seem that not all the stories he told actually happened to him. It has been claimed that some belonged to others, like Cary Grant. There is also a claim that Niven called Douglas Fairbanks Jr when he was bogged down writing the book and asked for permission to use a couple of stories that Fairbanks Sr had told him. Fairbanks Jr agreed. Other stories came from friends and family.

Does it matter?

Well, the book sold over five million copies, and I think it is still worth reading today. The stories are funny and well written in an easy-read type of way. And even if the stories were not from Niven’s life, no one told them better. Niven was truly a great raconteur, and all the good ones probably embellish their stories a little. 

He followed up The Moon’s a Balloon with Bring On The Empty Horses, about his life in Hollywood. Then he turned to fiction in 1981, with Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly, which was set during and after the Second World War. It draws on his experiences during the war and in Hollywood. He wrote his first fiction book, Round the Rugged Rocks, in 1951. It sank without trace. So, four books, two fiction, two non-fiction — with maybe a touch of fiction! 

As a young boy of fourteen or fifteen, I enjoyed reading The Moon’s a Balloon, whether it was true or made up. If you want to read a more factual version of Niven’s life, then Sheridan Morley’s book, The Other Side of the Moon: The Life of David Niven, is the one to read. 

Just for fun, The Moon’s a Balloon, is a page-turner.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Niven

https://hjordisniven.com/hjordis-niven-1970/

Image by patrick Blaise from Pixabay