Notorious: The Life of Ingrid Bergman

Rating:
Summary: Well-researched, affectionate, even-handed and moving.
Review: "Notorious" is well-written and deeply moving. Thebare facts of Bergman's life indicate that she was ambitious,impulsive, and not a little selfish. And of course we all know that she was beautiful and incomparably compelling. Spoto makes a good case for Bergman as passionate artist, as well, and while the pursuit of Truth does not automatically excuse all bad behavior, it certainly explains a great deal. Ingrid Bergman has gone from saint to sinner to martyr. Donald Spoto restores her humanity.

Rating:
Summary: So St. Ingrid she wasn't...
Review: ...so have you never made a mistake? We can thank her money-grubbing first husband Petter Lindstrom for her "indiscretions" with Roberto Rossolini and others---if he had spent more time as a loving mate instead of a calculating business manager who belittled Ingrid and put her on a paltry allowance, then maybe none of the nonsense which haunted her for so long would have happened at all. He played the boss, but she was the bread winner, and the shame of it is she let him get away with it!!

She had the same emotional needs as any other woman OR man. But only under the moralistic hyprocrisy of the U.S. at the time could such a woman (I doubt if a man would) have been so pilloried---the rest of the planet was not so hung up as we on attempting to be the guardian of world morals, especially when we had more than enough of our own dirty laundry we kept trying to hide.

No matter, because her beauty, wit and talent counted for more, and in the end she won anyway. She knew her craft well (who else would have felt secure enough to suggest script changes to Hitchcock, and have him acquiesce??) and lived it not at all for money or fame, but rather for the sake of the craft itself. And what she left to stage and screen through the body of her work, through her very presence, will forever be her only true legacy.

Rating:
Summary: So St. Ingrid she wasn't...
Review: ...so have you never made a mistake? We can thank her money-grubbing first husband Petter Lindstrom for her "indiscretions" with Roberto Rossolini and others---if he had spent more time as a loving mate instead of a calculating business manager who belittled Ingrid and put her on a paltry allowance, then maybe none of the nonsense which haunted her for so long would have happened at all. He played the boss, but she was the bread winner, and the shame of it is she let him get away with it!!

She had the same emotional needs as any other woman OR man. But only under the moralistic hyprocrisy of the U.S. at the time could such a woman (I doubt if a man would) have been so pilloried---the rest of the planet was not so hung up as we on attempting to be the guardian of world morals, especially when we had more than enough of our own dirty laundry we kept trying to hide.

No matter, because her beauty, wit and talent counted for more, and in the end she won anyway. She knew her craft well (who else would have felt secure enough to suggest script changes to Hitchcock, and have him acquiesce??) and lived it not at all for money or fame, but rather for the sake of the craft itself. And what she left to stage and screen through the body of her work, through her very presence, will forever be her only true legacy.

Rating:
Summary: So St. Ingrid she wasn't...
Review: ...so have you never made a mistake? We can thank her money-grubbing first husband Petter Lindstrom for her "indiscretions" with Roberto Rossolini and others---if he had spent more time as a loving mate instead of a calculating business manager who belittled Ingrid and put her on a paltry allowance, then maybe none of the nonsense which haunted her for so long would have happened at all. He played the boss, but she was the bread winner, and the shame of it is she let him get away with it!!

She had the same emotional needs as any other woman OR man. But only under the moralistic hyprocrisy of the U.S. at the time could such a woman (I doubt if a man would) have been so pilloried---the rest of the planet was not so hung up as we on attempting to be the guardian of world morals, especially when we had more than enough of our own dirty laundry we kept trying to hide.

No matter, because her beauty, wit and talent counted for more, and in the end she won anyway. She knew her craft well (who else would have felt secure enough to suggest script changes to Hitchcock, and have him acquiesce??) and lived it not at all for money or fame, but rather for the sake of the craft itself. And what she left to stage and screen through the body of her work, through her very presence, will forever be her only true legacy.

Rating:
Summary: She really was notorious
Review: I was a young adult when Ingrid died and I was not aware of her fame and reputation as a film star. I saw her occasionally in old movies and was fascinated by her glowing beauty and talent. I was appalled by her appearance in her role as Golda Meir; she had changed so much, but now I know why. Spoto's biography about Ingrid revealed her intimately -- from her childhood to her death, throughout her marriages and affairs, the successes of her career, and relationships with friends and family. I didn't know that she had been banned from America for her "sins", and I didn't know she had other children besides Isabella Rosselini. In spite of her foibles, Ingrid still seems like a great woman, thanks to the passionate -- and compassionate -- telling of her life story by Spoto. The audio version of the book was completely compelling to listen to, enhanced by the reader, C.M. Herbert, whose voice had a quality similar to Ingrid's, and therefore made Ingrid come even more to life.

Rating:
Summary: She really was notorious
Review: I was a young adult when Ingrid died and I was not aware of her fame and reputation as a film star. I saw her occasionally in old movies and was fascinated by her glowing beauty and talent. I was appalled by her appearance in her role as Golda Meir; she had changed so much, but now I know why. Spoto's biography about Ingrid revealed her intimately -- from her childhood to her death, throughout her marriages and affairs, the successes of her career, and relationships with friends and family. I didn't know that she had been banned from America for her "sins", and I didn't know she had other children besides Isabella Rosselini. In spite of her foibles, Ingrid still seems like a great woman, thanks to the passionate -- and compassionate -- telling of her life story by Spoto. The audio version of the book was completely compelling to listen to, enhanced by the reader, C.M. Herbert, whose voice had a quality similar to Ingrid's, and therefore made Ingrid come even more to life.

Rating:
Summary: A Valentine of Superlatives
Review: I'd purchased this biography to learn more about a fascinating woman who left an indelible mark on her profession, acting. But my disappointment was great; this is less a biography than an infatuated paean -- something one might write for a fan club or public relations campaign. Though Mr. Spoto and his crew of researchers obviously undertook considerable investigation into Bergman's life, Mr. Spoto failed to complete the last -- and most important -- task of a biographer: a critical analysis of his subject. Instead, throughout the book, Mr. Spoto repeatedly (and I emphasize "repeatedly") flogs readers with superlatives about Bergman's acting, looks, intelligence, strength, spirit, wisdom, and character. Why the Pope hasn't yet canonized this woman, based on Mr. Spoto's writings, is beyond me -- perhaps it is only because she was not Catholic. I do hope that someday another biographer -- say, someone with the talents of Edward Tytell (biographer of Ezra Pound) or Noel Riley Fitch (biographer of Sylvia Beach and Julia Child) -- might undertake the task of penning a more informative, insightful biography of Bergman. The woman certainly deserves this.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite "Notorious"
Review: She was Hollywood's golden girl, an actress who shone on the silver screen but never burned out. Despite worldwide fame, Ingrid Bergman's life was riddled with tragedies and problems, including an affair that could have wrecked her career.

Ingrid Bergman lost her parents, then her beloved aunt, as a young girl. Growing up in Nazi Germany, she soon became an actress and rose to fame, first in Sweden and then in Hollywood. Then problems arose -- Ingrid met one of her favorite directors, Roberto Rossellini, and left her husband for a whirlwind movie shoot/love affair. The scandal was overwhelming, and it was years until the stigma evaporated -- after which Ingrid was appreciated all over again for her talent and courage.

Donald Spoto's telling of Bergman's life is solid and informative, with quotations by Ingrid, her husbands, children, costars, directors, and lots of other people who had known her. Letters are reproduced, and her different performances are analyzed (some of these movies were downright terrible).

He also does a pretty good job of analyzing Ingrid's motivations -- why she was attracted to the elitist Peter and passionate Roberto, her strong artistic sense, her workaholic attitude, and her feelings about her children and loves. It's a pretty good analysis, overall.

Despite the title, the book isn't a dirt-fest. In fact, that's one of its weaknesses. Oh, it shouldn't be showing only her flaws, but Spoto seems to adore her a little too much. She herself is quoted as saying that she's imperfect. Even though Spoto reveals her weaknesses and failures, he doesn't seem to think any of them really matter.

It definitely could have used better perspective, but "Notorious: The Life of Ingrid Bergman" is a solid, interesting, well-written look at the life of a talented, artistic woman. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A woman called Ingrid.
Review: Spellbound, Notorious, Anastasia & many other films come to mind when one thinks of Bergman.

This is a detail packed book covering her personal & professional life.

If you want to learn about her relationships, romantic & professional, how she developed & utilized her talent as an actress, & why people the world over admired, loved her & for a brief time despised her, then this is the book for you.

A wonderful collection of photographs is included, as well as an excellent Bibliography & collection of notes.

This is the story of an actress whose performances on screen & her life off the screen changed peoples ideas of what it was to be a woman, & is a must read for Movie fans.

Rating:
Summary: Don't mistake the title
Review: This book isn't about everything bad that Ingrid did, even though that's the impression the title gives. This is a well and thoroughly researched and very readable biography. Donald Spoto speaks about Ingrid with respect, and although he mentions her weaknesses and failings, I don't feel he's doing it to spread dirt around. If it happened it happened, but he doesn't spend half the book talking about it.

Except where it concerns Rossellini, and that is perfectly understandable, because everyone who knows about Ingrid knows that was a real and terrible time in her life. I think it's sad that she went through all that and the marriage ended up falling apart anyway.

Anyway, basically he speaks of her work. She went crazy without it, and really as I think about it her life was work. That's what I remember froming reading this.

It is a very good book, and like everything I have read by Spoto, is well-written and highly interesting. I recommend it very much.

Is this a creative review or what? I seem to be suffering some sort of blank as far as reviews are concerned this morning.