Sir Alexander Korda proved - with films like The Thief of Bagdad, The Four Feathers and The Third Man - that you could make movies in England with all the glamour and international appeal of Hollywood. But his own story is more extraordinary than any film he ever made.He was an adventurer who witnessed some of the most dramatic moments in the 20th century. In Hungary he took part in a communist revolution, in Berlin he witnessed the decadence of the Weimar republic. He was in Hollywood during the advent of sound and in London in the 30s he set up a film empire. A friend of Churchill, he spied for Britain and was knighted for his war effort. His personal life was equally colourful - his first wife Maria was mad and violent, his second was Merle Oberon, the star he created, and his many mistresses included Vivien Leigh.In his new book acclaimed writer Charles Drazin paints a vivid picture of this remarkable man, bringing new understanding not only of his complex character but of his lasting legacy to the world of film.