One helluva ride is the authors very honest look at his life and career through his many movies, through his addiction to drugs and alcohol, his childhood and teenage years under the stern gaze if his famous father. We learn of his many female relationships, his son Cameron's drug addiction and ultimately prison, and his eventual true love for Catherine Z Jones. The final chapter deals with his stage 1V cancer diagnosis, his battle, remission, and recovery with the support of a wonderful and loving family.
I was not sure what to expect from reading this biography of such a well known actor. I have been touched by his honesty, and I have thoroughly enjoyed reliving his famous movies under the guidance of Michael himself. It was interesting to note that his father had purchased both book and film rights to Ken Hersey's "One flew over the cuckoo nest" which was in turn obtained by Michael. This at the start of his career showed a man of great foresight, recognising through the pages of this best seller, the potential to make and produce one of the greatest movies of the 1970's and the marvellous casting of Jack Nicholson as the mischievous and flawed Randle Patrick McMurphy.
A superb biography, which I have enjoyed reading so much, highly recommended.
