Book Reviews

When it comes to books written about Diana Dors, the number is surprisingly small – especially when you compare her to screen legends like Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor. Yet what makes these books so fascinating is not their quantity, but the very different ways each author has tried to capture who Diana really was.

The very first attempt came during her lifetime with Wolf Rilla’s Dors & Diana. Rilla had recorded hours of interviews with her while she was filming Bedtime with Rosie. But when Diana saw the manuscript, she was horrified by the way she was presented. She did everything she could to block its release, and the experience lit a fire under her; it pushed her to set the record straight in her own autobiography, Dors by Diana.

Since 1984, a handful of books have sought to capture Diana Dors’ life, frequently leaning on her own accounts and revisiting the tales she once told. This section gives a brief account of the books by other authors that have attempted to tell her story.

Only a Whisper Away - 1987

Joan Flory and Damien Walne’s Only a Whisper Away is an invaluable and deeply moving account of Diana Dors. It offers an intimate portrait, capturing both her charm and vulnerability, and provides a profoundly emotional insight into the life, experiences, and personal struggles that shaped her. This is a book that truly allows readers to connect with Diana on a deeper level.

Come By Sunday - 1998

Damon Wise’s Come by Sunday is an accessible and engaging read, offering an enjoyable overview of Diana Dors’ life and career. The book provides insightful glimpses into her personality and experiences, though it leaves the reader wishing it were longer. A fantastic introduction for anyone wanting to get to know Diana.

Hurricane in Mink - 2010

David Bret’s Diana Dors: Hurricane in Mink is a lively and engaging read, offering a vivid account of her life. However, it has faced criticism for its sensationalist approach and reliance on unverified sources. Some reviewers note that Bret’s portrayal of Dors’ relationships, particularly with her first husband, Dennis Hamilton, is highly graphic and may not be entirely accurate, and the focus on scandal has led some to question the book’s overall reliability.

Connecting Dors - 2011

In Connecting Dors, Diana’s late son Jason, together with writer Niama Ash, presents his perspective on her life. While the book offers personal anecdotes, many aspects have been questioned by others close to Diana, and some details do not align with established accounts of her life.

Passport to Fame - 2018

Huw Prall’s Passport to Fame takes a look at Diana Dors’ film career, covering her work across four decades. It’s an invaluable resource for anyone interested in her movies, offering an overview of her cinematic achievements in an accessible and straightforward way.

Bombshells Five Women Who Set the Fifties on Fire - 2020

For transparency, this is my book, and is featured on my website! In Bombshells: Five Women Who Set the Fifties on Fire, I examine five iconic women of the 1950s, including Diana Dors. The section on Dors provides an overview of her life and career, highlighting her rise to fame and the challenges she faced, and places her story within the wider cultural landscape of the era.

The Real Diana Dors - 2021

Anna Cale’s The Real Diana Dors draws heavily on Diana Dors’ memoir Dors by Diana and Damon Wise’s Come by Sunday.

I reviewed the following and the most recent book in more depth below:

Diana Dors
Film Star and Actor
by
Martin Shingler
Edinburgh University Press 2022

I am an avid reader of books that mention Diana Dors so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this book – the newest title dedicated to the films of Diana Dors.

First impressions – it’s a fairly small book 24cm tall by 16cm wide (approx 9x6 in) it has a glossy hardcover with a dramatic appearance featuring Diana as Phyllis Hochen in a scene from ‘The Unholy Wife’ (1957)

Aesthetically, the outer case of this book is extremely pleasing and makes a great addition to any collection!

Internally, there are only around 12 images, all black and white, and they are screen shots from films. If you’re looking for a photo book – this isn’t it! The images are disappointing but they do illustrate the films discussed in the book.

I was wondering if the content would be overly academic but was pleased to find it wasn’t – this is a very readable book indeed.

Diana Dors: Film Star and Actor is clearly not a biography of the life and times of Diana Dors. The focus of the book is on Diana’s career, which includes an overview of her films from the mid 1940s until just beyond her death in 1985.

Five films are given an intense inspection and they are:

  1. 1953 – Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?
  2. 1957 – The Unholy Wife
  3. 1967 – Berserk!
  4. 1972 – The Pied Piper
  5. 1985 – Steaming

 

The author’s views are interesting and certainly activate the reader’s imagination and thought process, especially given the context of the era in which Dors worked, and taking into consideration the values and expectations that this particular time held for a working woman and especially one that was an up and coming actress.

There are quite a few points in the book where my own opinion and the authors differed, but I cannot say this is a negative as I thoroughly enjoyed considering the authors point of view and I think it’s important to see things from an alternative perspective – it was thought provoking, with reference in particular to the chapter ‘DD v MM’

I would recommend this book for fans of both Dors films and vintage films in general as the author give a detailed synopsis of several films together with a deep analysis of the five mentioned above. It’s a book I’m thrilled to have in my collection.

The book is currently available on Amazon and can also be purchased directly from the Edinburgh University Press and retails for £85.00 - however I do have a discount code for fans of my Instagram page for Diana Dors! The code is DORS30 although I'm not sure how long the code will be available for but it did previously mean that you could purchase the book for £30 - but it can only be redeemed here via Edinburgh University Press Website