61 years later, we still love Lucy

61 years ago on this day, on a Monday night, at 9 PM, I Love Lucy went on air and has never gone off since. I wrote this post a few weeks ago with the intentions to post it earlier, but then decided to hold it off for the 15th, though I hadn't necessarily planned to do a post about the show's anniversary this year (as I did one last year for the big 6-0). Anyway, here's the post, I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to squeeze some Lucy into your day today.

***

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to come across an article that wondered if we had finally reached the first generation not growing up on reruns of I Love Lucy. It wasn't the main topic of the article (and it was a pretty rubbish piece, anyways), but, to be quite honest with you, it did scare the hell out of me. As a classic film fan I am well aware of this generation's lack of appreciation of yesteryear's Hollywood, but I have always also felt that there are exceptions to the rule - movies, and, in this case, TV shows, that have defied the odds and still manage to be remembered by the greater part of society today. Like Gone With the Wind. Casablanca. The Wizard of Oz. Actresses like Audrey Hepburn & Marilyn Monroe. It's well known around these parts that I'm not always a fan of the idea of an "icon", but I have learned to be grateful for the "iconization", if you'd call it, of these films and people because it does keep Old Hollywood alive. It's nice to know that there are certain things that give Classic Hollywood and yesterday's entertainment a face, even if there is so much more beyond the face. Know what I mean?

I have always seen I Love Lucy as one of these exceptions. Why not? By many, it is considered the greatest television show to grace the small screen. It seems that at some point or another, just about everyone has seen an episode, or has at least heard of it. Even before I came to watch the show, I knew it existed - it was exactly what I thought of when thinking of "classic television." So many of the episodes are famous in their own individual right, and everyone seems to know them - "the Vitavetavegamin one ," "the candy factory one," "the grape stomping one"... the list is seriously endless.

So, no, I couldn't really bring myself to believe that this was a generation not growing up on I Love Lucy reruns. I remember sitting in the hairdresser's chair a couple of years ago as he recounted having nostalgically caught an episode of the show a few days before while channel surfing. Or going to a family party and meeting a family friend of my age who could remember seeing - and enjoying - at least a few episodes. Or the other day in school, where one of my new friends asked who the face on my iPhone case was (yes, I have a Lucy case) and another said, "It's Lucy from I Love Lucy, see?"

Still, as I said earlier, frankly, the very thought that Lucy had reached a generation which demeaned it less timeless as all the generations before it scared me. A lot. But a couple of events have fully assured me that that article was just as rubbish as I thought; and that over sixty years later, we still love Lucy very much.

Out of my curiosity, I decided to do my own little test of Lucy's popularity. I don't know how many of you readers are on Tumblr or aware of how it works (follow me; loving-lucy!) but a popular game on Tumblr is to do a sort of "Reblog if you love ___" post and see how many notes it gets. Now, I knew I wouldn't be able to get the most accurate of results because despite definitely having a nice, faithful group of followers, I'm most definitely not "Tumblr famous." Still, I decided to give it a try; Tumblr's target audience is teenagers/people in their twenties, thus people of 'this generation.'

[my GIF]

The post has so far gotten well over a thousand notes, but better than the notes were the comments that people added when reblogging the post. "This show was my childhood", "I know them all by heart", "Lucille Ball is my idol" and "I'm watching it right now" appeared frequently; but best of all were the specific memories or emotions the show provoked.

I Love Lucy has been my favorite show since I was 8 years old. I’ve seen every episode more times that I can count and somehow it’s always just as funny as the first time I ever watched it. The show is timeless and I refuse to believe that future generations won’t find the joy, wonder, and laughter that Lucy has brought into my life and the lives of many others. - melodylingerson

I thought I Love Lucy reruns were like…eternal. This show is incredible and I have the fondest memories watching it with my grandparents. - curlyqshoo

If you are not growing up on I Love Lucy, you are doing it wrong. And by “it” I mean life. - grahamburgers

This show was and always will be genius - and I think it would shock people of my generation (and younger) how much of the comedy we see today is referenced or based off this amazing show. - obamayourmama

Heck, some people even said they'd personally educate this generation with DVDs of I Love Lucy - others refused to ever raise children in a Lucyless society! One reblogger added that her mother had gone into labor with her while watching Lucy, while others remembered being little kids and watching the show with family members; knowing that when the theme song ended it was time for bed. Anecdotes like those proved to me what I'd fully suspected.

What was also beautiful to read were messages users left for me in my tumblr inbox. They might not necessarily apply to members of "this generation", but attest to the joy Lucy has given many, and what an incredible tool laughter is.

My grandmother runs her own home for women with Alzheimer's and dementia and watching these women watch I Love Lucy was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Some of these women can't respond to their name being called but would just laugh until they were in tears when Lucy would come on. It was so beautiful. Just thought I'd share. - ciarakenadie

 I work at a nursing home and they have the Alzheimer's unit. You can't even imagine how hard life is for them. BUT, Everyday the one thing that they remember is I Love Lucy is on. They all rush to the meeting room to watch I Love Lucy on the tv. We only have about five episodes but they just watch them over and over again. It is a beautiful thing it always makes me a little teary. - xprincessdiana

About a month ago, Barbara Walters hosted a 20/20 special entitled "Best in TV," to count down the best television shows of all time (or, the past sixty years anyways) as chosen by the public. This was split into various categories: Best Comedy, Best Drama, Best Cop Shows, Best TV Mom, etc. with a top five for each, and it was topped off with what voters chose to be the Top 5 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Obviously, I tuned in with fingers crossed to see Lucy might win.

The results were just as I could have hoped for; Americans chose Lucy as their favorite comedy as well as their all time favorite television show. There was a nostalgic ten minute monologue for the show to cap off the special. ABC News collaborated with People magazine for this, and the magazine's editor likened Lucy to the Book of Genesis in television - "In the beginning, there was Lucy." In the monologue, we were reminded of some incredible facts: that Lucy has been translated into seventy-seven different languages, that it is the most watched television show to date, and CBS still makes millions of dollars off the show per year. (Originally, Lucy & Desi owned the episodes, and then sold them back to CBS in 1957 for four million dollars, giving birth to the rerun. Of course, Lucie & Desi, Jr. still hold interest in their parents's images and the many requests they get to use them with "Desilu, too")

On the special, Betty White summed up what Lucy did for women in comedy in one statement: "You had this gorgeous, gorgeous woman who did all these funny things." Isn't this true? Because of Lucy, women have all the opportunities in television and comedy as they do now, and they don't have to appear "unflattering" to be comedic. Whilst flipping through the channels the other day, I caught a bit of a Julia Louis Dreyfus sitcom, and I couldn't help but notice how much her character's wacky resourcefulness reminded me of Lucy Ricardo. Then, come to think of it, almost every comedic female character on television today has a little bit of Lucy Ricardo in her: that screwball spirit, that touch of sarcasm, that goofy steak. That's how deep the influence runs. And besides that, Lucy was a pioneer in the television industry in technical ways that are still apparent today, too. They invented the three camera technique that is still used by most sitcoms today, gave birth to the rerun, and came up with solutions for many of early television's obstacles in lighting & set design.

Lucie and Desi, Jr. were interviewed by Barbara for the special. At the end, Barbara asked Desi, Jr. what he thought it may be that makes his parents's show still incredibly successful sixty years after first going on air. I think he explained it very well when he said it is the show's principles that are timeless: laughter, friendship, and love.

So maybe there are some jokes that just never grow old.

At the end of the day, I've thankfully come to the conclusion that Lucy is still very much popular and very much needed. What was significant about that 20/20 special? Americans voted for their favorites, and Lucy came out on top - not but critic's choice, but by people's choice. In a 1984 televised event, Sammy Davis, Jr. told Lucy with great affection: "You are the one that they love the most." Call me biased, but he was very likely correct.

But why do we still need Lucy? The world has changed so much since when Lucy & Desi owned the airwaves. It's become more explicit, for sure - you couldn't say 'pregnant' then, but now you can air a woman actually giving birth. It's become a busier place and lacks the warmth that we once had. But this difference between their generation and ours is, I think, the very reason we still need Lucy. The world still needs Lucy because is something familiar that comforts us with the best memories of the past, and gives us something to smile about, even if for only twenty-four minutes. I'm sure there are only a few who, having watched even a single episode, haven't smiled or giggled or laughed at least once.

I guess the only way to end this post is to say two words to the cast, and, primarily, that beautiful redheaded girl who starred in the show: thank you!

"The world not only loves Lucy. The world, as it is today, needs her very much."
[my GIF]

Happy Birthday, My Favorite British Dames | Deborah, Greer & Julie

I'd first like to apologize for having disappeared into thin air for nearly three weeks! In that time, I missed a blogathon I'd promise to write an entry for, several SMRs, and also consequently reached 100 followers! (As of now, it's 101 - it could be apt to change if I lose one or two but anyways, this is my first time reaching this milestone!) I'm sorry I haven't been around as of much - it's just one of those terrible times when real life gets in the way of blogging, you know? I'll have a little note about the SMRs at the end of this blog, but most importantly I want to give a big THANK YOU ♥ to all 101 of you that follow me. It really does mean a lot to me, and hopefully when I have a little more time on my hands I can come up with a more creative way to celebrate making it past 100!

***

As it so happens, three of my favorite actresses have birthdays three days in a row! How wonderful is that? (Albiet exhausting, most definitely.) I felt that bombarding you with three birthday posts in a row would be a bit too much (especially seeing how that would come after my being M.I.A. for so long), so I'm combining it all into one post. (I chose this date because's it's the middle one.) 

The three actresses are: Greer Garson (September 29th), Deborah Kerr (September 30th) and Julie Andrews (October 1st). Interestingly enough, all three British dames are actresses that I finally come around to truly appreciating within the last year. Needless to say, I now adore them to bits and find them all pretty much perfect.

Greer Garson

(SEPTEMBER 29, 1904 - APRIL 6, 1996)

“I think the mirror should be tilted slightly upward when it`s reflecting life -- toward the cheerful, the tender, the compassionate, the brave, the funny, the encouraging, all those things -- and not tilted down to the gutter part of the time, into the troubled vistas of conflict."

Greer Garson, my beautiful bonny daisy. I fell in love with her nearly a year ago, after watching Adventure (1945). To say that Adventure is a perfect movie would be an overstatement, but I will always love it because it introduced me to Greer. Instantly, I loved her: her voice, her smile, her refined acting. I wouldn't be lying if I say I have very nearly seen everything Greer was in, and I worked my way through most of her films within a couple of months. I couldn't get enough of her. Despite having won an Oscar and having been nominated countless more times, Greer is an actress that isn't as well remembered as she should be today. She brought real vitality to her performances, which she combined with sweetness and warmth and a particular sensitivity. It's impossible not to sympathize with a Greer Garson character. Gregory Peck once described her as "all woman", and she was: radiant, funny, and brave. Greer Garson should be every lady's aspiration and every girl's heroine.

After reading her biography, I came to the conclusion that Greer Garson might also very well be one of the most likable people of all time. It seems that her real life disposition wasn't a far cry from the image she projected on screen. My favorite personality trait of hers was how she was famous (or maybe infamous) for talking nonstop! The speech she gave when accepting her Oscar for Mrs. Miniver (1942) is the longest in the history of the Academy Awards, a whole five minutes long where she has been said to have thanked everyone from the doctor who brought her into the world to the film's production crew. (Needless to say, the following year the Academy instilled a forty second limit on speeches which is even more greatly enforced nowadays because the event is televised).

Greer was the biggest box office draw of the World War II years. From the start of the era, she won the hearts of moviegoers with her most famous role as the endearing, resilient Mrs. Minivier, who soon enough became a model for combating the war to American & British women alike. She was just what both countries needed at the time: a little hint of sunshine and spirit that was a reminder of what we were fighting for. Happy birthday, my bonny daisy.

Deborah Kerr

(SEPTEMBER 30, 1921 - OCTOBER 16, 2007)

“I'd like to be remembered as a good actress, but above all, as a good human being."

Deborah Kerr, is, to me, the most versatile actress in films, then or today. I don't think there was a role that Deborah couldn't tackle and make her own, or a character that she failed to lend her own touch of ladylike gentility to. (Glenn Close was correct when she said that Deborah played "nice ladies and not-so-nice ladies, but always ladies.") She rolled around in the sandy surf with Burt Lancaster in what is remembered as one of the sultriest kisses in movie history in From Here to Eternity (1953). She was center stage in one of Hollywood's most beloved musicals in The King and I (1956). She also played a nun that Robert Mitchum couldn't help be immorally attracted to in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957), a haunted governess in the creepy The Innocents (1961), and the newspaperwoman Sheilah Graham in Beloved Infidel (1959). She gave into her feelings for a younger man in Tea and Sympathy (1956), became illegitimately pregnant with William Holden's child in The Proud and the Profane (1956), and even briefly appeared topless in The Gypsy Moths (1969).

Can you imagine playing roles like those in the 1950s while still maintaining a ladylike reputation and public respect? It's needless to say that Deborah could do it all, and I don't think there was any role she wasn't afraid of. The biggest atrocity in movie history is that she never won an Oscar, because of any actress truly deserved one, it was her. So many of her movies and so many of her performances are among my favorites. She's always a joy to watch, and absolutely gorgeous. That red hair and that perfect dimpled nose. There's a story that goes that a woman once approached Deborah inquiring about the doctor who had done her nose for her. In her polite manner, Deborah informed the woman that her nose was, thank you very much, quite real.

"She is warmly human and sympathetic and possessed of a humor that ranged from the subtle to the downright wicked," said her good friend Robert Mitchum, who considered Deborah his alltime favorite actress and 'the only leading lady he had a strictly platonic relationship with.' One of my favorite stories about Deborah is in good attest to that quote. It was during the filming of Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison and Deborah was in a canoe rowing a boat. "Faster, row faster!" the film's director, John Huston was constantly shouting. Finally, the intensity of Deborah's rowing resulted in the oars splitting into half in her hands, and in her soaked nun's habit she yelled, "Is that f--king fast enough?" Mitchum laughed so hard he nearly drowned.

 Julie Andrews

(OCTOBER 1 1935 - )

“ Perseverance is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth." 

The only thing, in my opinion, that Julie Andrews hasn't been yet is Queen of England (and if you ask me, she should - after all, she's already a Dame!). Jools is Maria Van Trapp, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Eliza Doolittle, and the Queen of Genovia. It could probably be statistically proven that most people's childhoods are spent much of the time with Julie Andrews.

Jools is quite honestly the sweetheart to end all sweethearts - "I'm so sweet sometimes even I can't stand it!" - but what I love about her is the less wholesome side of her. Let's it face it, no matter what she does Julie will never be able to shed her General Foods image, because to us she will always most prominently be Maria twirling on the hill or Mary Poppins powdering her face with chimney ashes. 'Wholesome' will forever be the word associated with her, used most often to describe her, and the word she hates most (she's been quoted as saying so).

But there is definitely a side to her that's a little less sweet and a bit more, I guess you could put it, raunchy and that's one of the main reasons I love her. I didn't discover that not-so-lily-white side to her until I became a true fan of her within the last few months, and once I learned about this I couldn't get over how fabulous she is. It's that part of Jools that swears like a sailor, appeared topless in S.O.B. (1981), and as a cross dresser - "a woman, pretending to be man, pretending to be a woman?" - in Victor/Victoria (1982).

(Please, if you will, pardon the swearing that appears here :D) Once, when she appeared on Jay Leno's show, he told her that her best friend, Carol Burnett, had once told him that she could "outcuss anybody." Julie's reactions to that were of shock. She dropped her jaw and turned to the audience, "Me? Me?" "I couldn't believe it!" Leno told her. Julie, shaking her head said, "That bitch!" Best are some of the bloopers from The Julie Andrews Hour. Trying to close on episode, she encouraged viewers to tune in next week, but after flubbing up fell down the wrong path. Tilting her head to the side, she said, "Tune in, you silly bastards, we're not getting good enough ratings." In another clip, one of her co-stars swears loudly after messing up a scene, and Julie says with fake innocence, "I never heard that word before." Still, she hasn't shed her image completely - she once said on a talk show, "I thought it would be fun if I really, really wanted to change my image, I would take the centerfold of Playboy, but do it with the hat, the umbrella, and the carpet bag of Mary Poppins - and period!"

And all the while, she's still the star of the two most family friendly films of all time, the author of several children's books (which, by the way, came as a result of her breaking a bet with her stepdaughter that she could go without swearing), and one of the most beautiful singers of all time. Her late husband, Blake Edwards once said, "As long as we've been married, I've never really found anything I didn't like about her." And I feel the same.

***

So many, many birthday wishes to these three fabulous, favorite ladies of mine. As for that little note about the SMR I mentioned:

You might have noticed that I have been unable to keep up with my biweekly Sunday Movie Review schedule. At the moment, I feel like I'm too busy with schoolwork to really maintain regular features on here, you know? So, as of right now, I'm putting the Sunday Movie Review on the backburner - I will still be doing movie reviews (hopefully still on Sundays to keep some kind of consistency around here, but not necessarily), only there will not be fixed dates for when I put them up. Which means the appearance of reviews on this blog will be a little more erratic, but I do promise to keep on writing them. Hopefully, in the near future I'll be less occupied with real life and will be able to return the SMR to it's usual format, but for the time being, I think that's best. It allows for a greater variety of posts (so not every other article in the stream is a review), as well as when I do do reviews they will be (hopefully) better written and longer. And, I won't feel so guilty about missing SMRs! So the SMR isn't gone - it's only on a kind of a semi hiatus.

That being said, I also promise to be post more frequently. I already have some posts drafted up, so never fret: I'll be spamming your dashboard soon enough again! Also, don't forget to to sign up for the Letter to the Stars blogathon I'm cohosting with Marcella & Nat; you can do so here. 

And lastly - 

A Letter to the Stars. Or alternatively titled: Co-Hosting Yet ANOTHER Blogathon?

A Letter to the Stars Blogathon 

Best of the Past | In the Mood | Frankly, My Dear

October 21 - 23 2012 

Wait, I'm co-hosting another blogathon? Wasn't it only a few months ago did I did this? No, it's not deja'vu, it's for real. You'd think I'd wait before throwing myself back into the blogathon pool again, but when one of my favorite people on here, Marcela, asked Nat and I to help her co-host her blogathon, how could I resist? Especially when it's such a particularly incredible idea.

One misfortunate of us Old Hollywood fans is that most of us will never get the oppertunity to write a gushy fan letter to our favorite star. I know  won't. (I did send a letter to Lauren Bacall for her birthday, however. But I'll never get to send fan mail to the other actress with the initials L.B. You know, the one that, to me, is the queen of everything. The one I worship to bits and pieces. Yeah, that girl.)

Okay, so here are the rules:

1. Just leave a comment here and let us know you're going to be writing to. No dibs on stars, it's okay if someone's already taken who you wanted to do, you can do them too.
2. The blogathon is taking place on October 21 - 23 (three days, three hosts. Get it?). All you have to do is, on the day you are assigned, write a letter to the star of your choice. It'd probably be a good idea to do your favorite, but hey, it's up to you. No hatemail, though okay? Just tell them why you love them, what are your favorite things about them, their favorite performances, even ask them questions I guess (though, if I were you, I would expect a response... okay, not funny). Anyways, any of the normal things you'd put into a fan letter, except you can't actually send it.
3. Post your letter and email the link to alettertothestars@hotmail.com
4. That's it! As the blogathon draws near, you will be assigned a date and a host. For the most part, this worked pretty well for Nat and I last time... If you have conflicts with the date, scheduling can fix it, just so you all know. But let us know if you're having too much conflict anyways and we can fix it up!

There are more banners over at Marcela's post so GO and look! Any questions? You can ask me or Nat, but Marcela's probably the best to ask as it's her idea. (And what a fabulous one at that.) That's pretty much all. I guess you're all scratching your heads wondering who I'm going to write to. I'll leave you all in suspense, but I'll give you a clue: she has red hair and a husband with an accent. ;)

Sunday Movie Review: "Penny Serenade" (1941)

PENNY SERENADE (1941) |★★★ 1/2

Penny Serenade (1941) stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant as Julie and Roger, a happy young couple who fall in love and get married. When a tragic circumstance results in Julie becoming sterile, the two look to fulfill their wishes to become parents in the event of an adoption, which gives way to unexpected joy and heartbreak. The story is told through a series of flashbacks provoked by a stack of Victrolas played by a nostalgic Julie as she reflects back on what she and Roger had and lost. Beulah Bondi costars as the the orphanage caretaker.

There were things I liked about this movie, and things that I didn't like as much. Over all, I thought it was an average but enjoyable film, and there's no drastic reason not to give this a viewing. 

It had been quite a while since I had seen one of Irene Dunne's movies - I remember watching more of her when I just began to watch old films, a handful of her best - Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), My Favorite Wife (1940), I Remember Mama (1948). She is always a pleasure to watch on screen, a warm and sweet actress with a terribly infectious smile. (I would like to think she's grossly underrated as well, I believe she never won an Oscar). The best thing about Irene was that she had a quick wit for comedy but finely tuned emotions for drama, and she gets to use both of them in this film. More of the latter but there are a few chances for her to show off a hint of her comedic flair, as well. She's enjoyable and endearing as Julie, breaking our hearts bit by bit, and you can hardly help but not sympathize with her.

There's no need to wonder what I thought of Cary Grant in this movie, because, of course, I thought he was perfect - but I do think that about anything he was ever in. (Cary Grant could try to sell me Oxy-Clean in an informercial and I would buy it, just because of him.) As he always is, he's witty, charming, and marvelous. He gets more of the witty lines than Irene, like when their adopted child begins to cry and he says flatly to Irene, "Well, make her stop!" 

As a pair, they are adorable, especially with the addition of a small baby, then it's almost too much. I like the idea of how the film is told through a sentimental journey of memories brought on by a "serenade" - the title song is "You Were Meant For Me," and if that sounds familiar, it probably is: it was also used in Singin' in the Rain (1951). There are cute scenes and sweet scenes. But the movie also drags a bit too long and it ends in yet another tragedy that seemed completely unnecessary. In the end, it comes off looking a little too sappy and heartbreaking. 

The pairing of Dunne and Grant was done twice before: The Awful Truth (1937) and My Favorite Wife (1940), both of which, as I mentioned before, I have already seen. Out of the lineup Serenade comes off as the most average but it's still an enjoyable movie with warm performances. I would say that the film's main fault is trying to be too sad (which is often the case with movies like this), and it eventually feels as if it's harnessing itself to our heartstrings and tugging until it tears. Whatever can go wrong for this couple seems to, which works for a while but then ultimately is a bit too corny. Still; it's most certainly not a bad film and you could definitely give it a watch all the while!

On the Subject of Ingrid Bergman

If you've been reading my blog for a while yet, it's probably no news to you when I say that I love plenty of actresses. I'm always discovering new favorites, altering my list, and forever trying to emulate these ladies because there's a part of me that aspires to be a little bit like each of them. My favorite, far and away (thus this should give you a idea of how much she means to me), is, obviously, Lucille Ball. But after that it's hard for me to rank them in a chronological order. It's like trying to pick between your children, okay?

However, if I really had to pick a second favorite, it would probably be the lady I'm writing about today: Ingrid Bergman.

Today would be her 97th birthday - and it is also the 30th anniversary of her death. It's exactly what it means; she died on her birthday. I think it would be pretty terrible to die on your own birthday (and, alas, there's only one day to celebrate Ingrid rather than two), but all the while, it seems quite neat and particular and special - so it's no wonder it happened to Ingrid. Isabella Rossellini thinks it was "just like Mama to die on her birthday" because she was "very orderly, and it was a tidy thing to do."

There are so many things I love about Ingrid, I wouldn't even know where to begin to tell you. I believe I have seen more movies of hers than any other actress (as so many of Lucy's B movies are hard to find). I'm in awe of her as an actress, and respect her as a human being. So here's a post to celebrate my second favorite star on the occasion of her birthday - and the anniversary of her death. It's cliche, and you saw it coming, but how can I not say it? Here's looking at you, kid.

Happy birthday, Ingrid

[ and rest in peace! ]

Inspirational - because I have learned quite a few things from Ingrid and the way she lived her life. For one, there is the passion for her occupation and how much she genuinely enjoyed her work. "If you took acting away from me, I'd stop breathing!" she once declared, and I'm pretty sure she would have. And for another, she lived honestly, always, with no regrets, and I'd like to be that way too.  

Natural - Ingrid Bergman was the most natural actress in Hollywood. When she first arrived in this country, David O. Selznick wanted to pluck her eyebrows, cap her teeth, and change her name ("how about Barrymore?" he suggested). But Ingrid, forever true to herself, would have none of it. Selznick had to think of a different way to market/typecast her, so she became the "natural goddess," wearing little to no makeup on screen and appearing most often in wholesome, saintly roles, so much so that the public saw the private Ingrid as one and the same. Thus, they were all the more shocked and scandalized when their St. Ingrid of Stockholm had a love affair with her Italian director in 1950. But she was natural - natural at acting, and natural in her beauty. 

Gorgeous - Well, I'm pretty sure this one needs little to no explanation. All you have to do is take one look at her and get the general idea. She was very nearly perfect looking, and I love how tall she was, making her less than conventional amongst the petite starlets of the day. Stories about how her famous male co stars, like Humphrey Bogart and Yul Brynner, having to stand on lifts when doing love scenes with her never fail to make me grin! 

Resilient - I have told this story on here before, but I think it is one that best demonstrates Ingrid's love and passion for her craft; and what resilience she had. By the time she was working on her final project, a biopic of the life of Golda Meir - this would win her a posthumous Emmy - she was deep into the stages of her cancer, and her arm had swollen up to the point where Ingrid had dubbed it her "big, overgrown, ugly, sick dog." Meir used to often make the gesture of crossing her face with her two arms, and this was televised and seen around the world, but Ingrid could not physically lift up her right arm. Though she had been assured she did not need to do it, Ingrid knew the part would not be complete without it, so the nights before she had to film she would have to suspend that arm in the air so the fluid would go down and she would be able to do the simple task of raising her arm. She would do this all night long, and she wouldn't sleep, but she would do it, and she did. That's how devoted and resilient she was.

Interesting - Or, rather, for lack of a better adjective starting with I, her life was interesting! I've read her life story multiple times and it's never a dull moment. She had a great personality, one that seemed warm and kind, and she seemed like she'd be fun to be around. Especially those stories about her in the 1940s, when she was a young star in Hollywood, and she enjoyed pulling pranks. Her husband often thought this was childish of her, but of course, that didn't stop her. I love the story about her and her Gaslight costar Joseph Cotten going to a Hollywood party, except they dressed up as the maid and the butler. She did have an affair with Victor Fleming, and on Halloween one year, she swept into his house dressed up in a ugly witch's costume, throwing bags of candy into the laps of his daughters. AND, she died on her birthday! Tell me that isn't interesting or particularly special?!

Darling - Well, okay, before you laugh this was one of the better adjectives I could find starting with D! Besides, anyone who knows me a little will know that it's just one of my favorite words, okay? And Ingrid was just that. Darling. In absolutely all sorts and kinds of ways. So yes, I'm going to go with darling for this one, because she definitely was. I mean, have you seen those incredibly adorable closeups of her?

Brilliant - As in a brilliant career. Everyone makes stinkers, everyone must, and trust me, she did. (Of course her performances were always that: brilliant!). But she also made so many fabulous films in Hollywood; so many of my favorite films are Ingrid movies. Notorious. Gaslight. The Bells of St. Mary's. Spellbound. But, most appropriately, there is Casablanca - and I think because of this movie she will live in on film eternally. Patricia Clarkson once narrated a tribute for her for TCM, and in it she says, "After all, you never heard anyone say, who was that girl in Casablanca?"

Elegant - Of course, just because she was one of the more natural beauties in Hollywood doesn't mean that she couldn't be just as elegant or glamorous as the rest of them. How about the party scene in Notorious (1946)? She has on that long, black gown and the way she carries herself in it so regal. In reality, she was a pretty classy lady herself. She speaks with such grace and the perfect drop of candor in all her interviews. I've seen many from the late 60s or early 70s where she is asked if the film industry is getting better and better, but she begs to differ: "they were better in the old days." Her explanation for this is exactly how I feel about old films. One would wonder what Ingrid - who, for her time, was considered 'notorious' - would think of some movies today.

Romantic - Because, I think, Ingrid did romance better than anyone else in Old Hollywood. After all, when Humphrey Bogart was asked about Casablanca (1942), he easily credited his performance to Ingrid, saying "when the camera moves in on that Bergman face and she's saying she loves you, it would make anybody feel romantic." And, of course, the many romantic scenes in Notorious cannot be forgotten, most especially that famous kissing scene between her and her husband Cary Grant where they skirt the three second law on kisses. She played different characters but she was always best, perhaps, when playing a woman in love. 

Global - Ingrid did all kinds of foreign films. She started out her career in her native Sweden, also doing one German film, and when America sent her packing thanks to her affair with Roberto Rossellini, she did movies in his native Italy, as well as France. She played roles that travelled to all parts of the world and experienced a handful of different cultures, like the Chinese missionary in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) and the Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in The Woman Called Golda (1982). You can't help but grasp the feeling that Ingrid had a openness to experiencing many different ways and walks of life. And she definitely returned to her Swedish roots - one of her final film roles was Autumn Sonata (1978), completely in Swedish with Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann. 

Multilingual - This ties in with the latter, and it's honestly one of the things I admire most about her because I muddle through learning the alphabet in French. (This is also coming from the girl who took five years of Spanish in elementary school and wouldn't be able to say more than "Hola.") Guess how many languages Ingrid spoke? FIVE. Her native Swedish, English, French, Italian, and German. She learned German as a child from her aunt (and excelled in this class at school!), and picked up English, French, and Italian over the years. I can hardly imagine being fluent in FIVE different languages. How incredible is that?!

Actress - This one is obvious, and she was truly one of the best. The very best. When you watch her on screen, you can believe anything she does or says. When I watch her in any film, whether it's amazing or really terrible, I'm in awe of her brilliance, of how she can bring small things to a performance to make it believable, how she was a master at drama but could also be incredibly witty and funny. I love her as a human being, obviously, and as an actress just as much. I really have yet to find a performance of hers that I found so-so. Her work in Gaslight (1944)? Really and honestly one of the most worthy Oscars given. 

Notorious - Before you think that using this adjective as a way to end off a post filled with so much affection for her is meant to be negative, believe me, it's not! Nor is it meant to be a pun! I mean this in a positive way. Being notorious to a particular group of people is not always a bad thing. At the time people may look down their noses at you, but later on you'd realize that being notorious was something you had to do. I'm referring to her scandal with Roberto Rossellini in 1950, of course. The way people treated her at the time was incredibly terrible. Was it really nessescary to take to the floor of the U.S Senate to condemn her?! I think it was because Americans thought of her as such a saint, scrubbed with soap, that when she went out and did something as outrageous get pregnant by her Italian director, it drove them wild. It was as if she had turned on them. Thankfully, she was forgiven - and publicly apologized to - but it still must have been a hell of a time for her. Perhaps what she did was notorious, but rightfully so. She was not the public's slave, and she lived honestly. I suppose she could very easily have covered up the scandal (as Loretta Young had done a few years before when becoming pregnant with Clark Gable's love child), but she didn't. I guess you could say there was a little feminism showing in her in this action, too. It was her private life, and her body, and she did what she pleased.

“Do you know what I especially love about you, Ingrid, my dear? I can sum it up as your naturalness. The camera loves your beauty, your acting, and your individuality. A star must have individuality. It makes you a great star. A great star.”

- George Cukor