A biographical image of Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was a beautiful woman who stood at 4’ 11” tall and graced with large blue eyes and brown hair. Although her features contrasted with those of the uniformly sweet-faced ingenues of that era, she adapted to films about sexual intrigue among the Wall Street tycoons. With elegance, poise and grace, she glided across opulent sets in satin, sequins and ermine tails. Her work in Hollywood was daring experiment in the early 1920's, because often, it glorified marital infidelity. In the most sensational production of ''Male and Female,'' based on James M. Barrie's play ''The Admirable Crichton,'' it depicted a cave-man making love to Swanson on a desert isle.
From 1921 to 1926, she starred in 20 movies. The early ones included ''Beyond the Rocks'' with Rudolph Valentino. In 1926, after having made scores of ''woman of the world'' epics and light comedies, she sought more substantive roles. She refused a $17,500-a-week contract offered by Jesse Lasky and Adolph Zukor and founded her own production company. The gamble led to an impressive performance in the title role of ''Sadie Thompson,'' based on the W. Somerset Maugham short story about a South Seas sensualist. In 1950, after a virtual 16-year absence from the screen, Swanson gained her greatest triumph in ''Sunset Boulevard,'' playing Norma Desmond, a reclusive, demented silent-film star vainly seeking a comeback. The actress won several honors for the portrayal, but an Academy Award eluded her. Gloria Swanson and Bette Davis for ''All About Eve,'' were regarded as the leading contenders for the 1950 Academy Award in the best actress category. The competition was intense, but the Oscar went to Judy Holliday for her performance in ''Born Yesterday.”
One of the controversial films that also ran her almost bankrupt was “Queen Kelly,” directed by Erich von Stroheim. This silent film was produced in 1928 and was never released for several decades. This story is about a European girl raised in a convent eventually becomes owner of a brothel. Kelly is first abducted and then seduced by a prince before being sent off to German East Africa to visit her dying Aunt. There are many interesting stories about making this film; on the first day of the shooting at Griffith’s Park in Los Angeles, CA. The scene included prince Wolfram (Walter Byron) and his guards ride through the street on which the Catholic Convent resides. Watched by Kitty Kelly (Swanson) and her friends who take bow at the prince, director Von Stroheim makes last minute amendments in which Kelly’s panties falls under her ankles and Stroheim had Swanson throw her panties at the prince. This scene was redone several times to the annoyance of Gloria. He also instructs the prince (Walter Byron) to caress and sniff her undergarments with ardor, passion and lust before placing it in his saddle bag. Stroheim also made last minute changes to the African scene which Swanson was supposed to dance in a bordello. The final insult came when the scene of Kelly marrying a lecherous old man played by Tully Marshall was performed over the deathbed of her aunt. An African priest gives her last rites that enraged Roman Catholic Church and KKK. This was an odd coincidence! Many movie insiders knew well that Stroheim was well known for overspending the budget; and his artistic talents had a thin-line between erotic art and pornography. He crossed this boundary at will and made many studio bosses steamed. Swanson lost much of her money on this extravaganza. She furiously argued with her married-lover and co-financier Joe Kennedy, father of President John Kennedy. Despite all negativity, it was revealed that some of the most audacious and stunning sequences were filmed for this movie. Movie critics gave rave reviews of director Stroheim’s work, but his movies rarely made any money.
Recalling the giddy era of Hollywood's youth, Swanson remarked: ''We lived like kings and queens, and why not? We were in love with life. We were making more money than we ever dreamed existed.'' She had incredibly feminine looks; but she had a masculine mind, said her daughter Michelle. She possessed star quality and allure that captivated her fans. She laughed frequently and lived to the fullest for the moment, and gratitude for whatever lied in her future.
In later years, she became known as a health-food advocate. Espousing proper diet and natural unsprayed foods. She designed budget-priced clothes under the label Forever Young and founded an Essence of Nature cosmetics line. In 1948 she went on live television with ''The Gloria Swanson Hour,'' a talk show in a setting simulating the living room of her Fifth Avenue apartment. Gloria Swanson was much more than just Norma Desmond. She lived to create opportunities in movies and entertainment at a time when women were resigned to marriage, children and housework. She saw no boundaries. Once she said that if you live long enough, the chances are that you will not abide by its restrictions.
I found this book very entertaining to read. If you are interested in the life and works of Gloria Swanson, you would love this book. Ever since I saw her films on TCM Movie Channel, I was fascinated by her work.
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