二十世紀英國最重要、也是最知名的作傢之一。一八七四年齣生於法國巴黎，二十三歲即以第一本小說《蘭白斯德麗莎》一鳴驚人；一九一五年的《人生的枷鎖》與一九一九年的《月亮與六便士》，則更確立瞭他在文壇的地位。他也是一位成功的劇作傢，編寫的舞颱劇在當時倫敦的賣座程度與蕭伯納相比不遑多讓。

毛姆的一生多姿多彩，幾乎遊遍世界各地，一次世界大戰時曾擔任情報員，戰後遊蹤更廣，最後在法國南部定居，直至一九六五年去世為止。

毛姆著作甚豐，無論是小說、劇本、評論、隨筆、遊記和迴憶錄都廣受好評，一九六一年與福斯特（《印度之旅》作者）同獲英國皇傢“文學勛章”最高榮譽。毛姆的小說多以異國為背景，處理情節的技巧十分精煉，善於營造懸疑氣氛，而對於女性內心的描寫更見細膩，處處展露齣對人性的洞察。其他作品尚有《兼差密諜阿申登》《刀鋒》《餅與酒》《書與你》《作傢手記》《巨匠與傑作》等。

Julia Lambert is in her prime, the greatest actress in England. On stage she is a true professional, in full possession of her emotions. Off stage, however, she is bored with her husband, less disciplined about her behaviour. She is at first amused by the attentions of a shy but ambitious young fan, then thrilled by his persistence — and at last wildly but dangerously in love. Although Maugham is most celebrated as a novelist and short-story writer, it was as a playwright that he first knew success. Theatre is both a tribute to a world from which he had retired and a persuasive testimony to his enthusiasm for drama and the stage.

Theatre by W. Somerset Maugham is the basis of Being Juli a, a major worldwide movie release in October 2004 starring Annette Benning and Jeremy Irons.

About the movie: Being Julia is a delicious tale of amorous folly and revenge set in the world of the London stage in the late 1930’s. It is the story of reigning stage diva Julia Lambert (played by Annette Benning in a tour-de-force performance) who falls head over heels in love with a young American. When she realizes that he is just a young social climber whose real passion is ambitious starlet Avice Crichton, Julia begins to plot a delightful revenge. Being Julia is at once playful, sexy and viciously satisfying. Jeremy Irons, Bruce Greenwood and Maury Chaykin also star.