Made in Hollywood

Known mainly for historical novels and war chronicles, Irwin Shaw, in The Top of the Hill, tries his hand at a new psychological fad, probing the relationship between high-risk sports and the fear of death. This universal theme is given a peculiarly American coloring, presented as it is through the persona of Michael Storrs, an exalted escape- artist who of course must win in the end. (The American hero is always triumphant.) In fact, Shaw was aiming for another best-seller, and he has skillfully interwoven the main ingredient—action —with the American fascination for rugged assertion of the individual, much as Hailey has done with our attraction to disaster, or Haley with our longing for roots.

The Top of the Hill seemed destined to follow its counterparts into television: the idea inevitably planted itself in my mind before I had even finished reading the opening chapter. Here are the stock characters: handsome, rich Michael Storrs, brilliant, successful, but with strong suicidal tendencies; gorgeous, talented Tracy Storrs, successful in her own right, but unable through her love to cure Michael’s obsession; beautiful, cultured Eva Heggener, coldly sensual and ferocious as a cat, who drags our willing hero into a loveless affair; dying, philosophical Andreas Heggener, more alive than any of the others.

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Nereo E. Condini

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Known mainly for historical novels and war chronicles, Irwin Shaw, in The Top of the Hill, tries his hand at a new psychological fad, probing the relationship between high-risk sports and the fear of death. This universal theme is given a peculiarly American coloring, presented as it is through the persona of Michael Storrs, an exalted escape- artist who of course must win in the end. (The American hero is always triumphant.) In fact, Shaw was aiming for another best-seller, and he has skillfully interwoven the main ingredient—action —with the American fascination for rugged assertion of the individual, much as Hailey has done with our attraction to disaster, or Haley with our longing for roots.

The Top of the Hill seemed destined to follow its counterparts into television: the idea inevitably planted itself in my mind before I had even finished reading the opening chapter. Here are the stock characters: handsome, rich Michael Storrs, brilliant, successful, but with strong suicidal tendencies; gorgeous, talented Tracy Storrs, successful in her own right, but unable through her love to cure Michael’s obsession; beautiful, cultured Eva Heggener, coldly sensual and ferocious as a cat, who drags our willing hero into a loveless affair; dying, philosophical Andreas Heggener, more alive than any of the others.