Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh

Beginning in 1953, when Leigh suffers a nervous breakdown, Where Madness Lies tells the moving story of the actress as she attempts to rebuild her life, salvage her career, and save her marriage.

Vivien Leigh was one of the greatest film and theatrical stars of the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. Her Oscar-winning performances in Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire have cemented her status as an icon of Hollywood.

From 1940 to 1960, Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier, and together they were considered the royal couple of British theatre. Indeed, their romance and acting partnerships captured the imagination of the public around the world.

Behind the scenes, however, Leigh’s personal life was marred by manic depression that remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she would also suffer the heartbreak of Olivier’s infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she would die at the age of fifty-three.

Unlike previous biographies, Where Madness Lies begins in 1953 when Leigh suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized. The tragic story unfolds as she tries to rebuild her life, salvage her career, and save her marriage.

Featuring a wealth of unpublished material—including private correspondence—Lyndsy Spence reveals how this Hollywood luminary tragically fell victim to the draconian medical practices of the era.