Memoirs of a star

by Pola Negri

Pola Negri may not be a household name today, but at one time Ms. Negri was one of the darlings of the film industry coming to America in September 1922 after becoming a popular film and stage actress in Europe. She was considered a member of the foreign legion who were actors that moved abroad to be in American pictures. Her first American contract was signed to Famous Players, a Hollywood studio which later became Paramount.

Courted and solicited by directors and producers during the silent film era which emerged through the Roaring Twenties, Ms. Negri continued to be in demand through the 1930's when film first came with voice called Talkies then. She was a part of the early stages of the film industry and her autobiography, "Memoirs of a Star" chronicles her journey from the slums of Warsaw, Poland to the palatial estates of Beverly Hills to a king-size chateau in the south of France, all abodes that were once homes to Pola Negri.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

453 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Pola Negri (born Apolonia Chałupec, 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles.

She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became one of the most popular actresses in American silent film. Her varied career included work as an actress in theater and vaudeville, as a recording artist, as a ballerina, and as an author.

Reviews

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a novel, hard to tell how much is true, but a fun read

[Jim Leffert · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife turned me on---in this case, to this vivid self-portrait of a remarkable, determined personality who lived through turbulent times and who gained international celebrity as an actress in silent films and talkies. Born on the last day of the 19th century, Pola was the daughter of an impoverished Polish aristocratic mother and a Slovakian democracy activist father. When Tsarist police hauled Pola’s father off to prison, Pola and her mother were left to fend for themselves. Pola’s mother eventually became a cook and companion to a wealthy Jewish woman, which is how Pola’s talents came to include making gefilte fish.

Pola trained to become a ballerina, but tuberculosis crushed this possibility. Nevertheless, by age 15, she became a renowned actress in Poland. During World War I, her performance in the film The Yellow Ticket, as a Russian Jewish girl who had to disguise her identity to go to medical school, became her entrée to becoming a film star. She gave extraordinary film performances in Germany and the United States in the 1920’s and 30’s, collaborating with her close friend Ernst Lubitsch (in films that included Sumurun, The Mountain Cat, and Anne Boleyn) and other directors on both sides of the Atlantic.

Pola’s account of her life in Hollywood includes detailed accounts of her relationships with Charlie Chaplin and Rudolf Valentino, offering intimate portraits of these legendary people. Pola had less success in relationships than in her creative endeavors, although later in life she had a close partnership (which she insists was not sexual) with Margaret West, a wealthy retired cowgirl performer and sometime composer.

This autobiography conveys Pola Negri’s intense spirit and dedication to her craft, which enabled her to overcome the adversity that repeatedly befell her in her personal life. Her take on the vicissitudes and challenges of stardom further enriches this personal tale. It’s eloquently written, and Pola’s larger than life personality shines through every page, even though she acknowledges receiving help in getting her story on paper.

[Samantha Glasser]

It is interesting how many celebrities began in destitution. Negri came from a family with a good (ie titled) background but her father's extremist leanings put him in prison, a dank cell so low-ceilinged he could not stand, and her mother subsequently spent anything she could round up to pay for an appeal of his case.

Negri's writing is very good, readable and entertaining. She is insightful too; her description of why she prefers the dancing of Fokine versus Nijinsky is eloquent.

[Sherry Leffert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. After seeing the movie The Yellow Ticket, I wanted to learn more Pola Negri who starred in it. The book takes you through her life, the history of the movies and World Wars I and II. It's a very honest, moving, and interesting account.