Devra's Reviews > Ava: My Story

Ava wrote her autobiography by dictating it to her secretary on a tape-recorder. As a result, the book has a very conversational style; it feels as if she was right there talking to you. Her very forthright, earthy language is there too. Some of the facts may have been sanitized to make her look better, but it is still nice to hear her side of the story. The book also includes chapters written by some of her close friends, such as Arlene Dahl, Gregory Peck, and Roddy McDowall.

Ava tells the story of how she started from a simple, country girl and became one of the screen's greatest femmes fatales. After her screen test, the director declared, "She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!" Ava would go on to costar with some of Hollywood's greatest leading men, such as Burt Lancaster, Robert Taylor, Gregory Peck, and her childhood favorite, Clark Gable. She lit up every scene with her ravishing beauty. Ernest Hemingway gave her the title of "The World's Most Beautiful Animal".

Ava's personal life was quite tragic. She suffered through three failed marriages and many turbulent love affairs. Her public life was often in the tabloids; her image was that of a sultry temptress. However, Ava grew up in a family with very old-fashioned values. She was actually quite shy and lacked self-confidence. Despite her glamorous look, she was very down-to-earth. She was subjected to typecasting based on her looks. But with such an unreal beauty, you can't blame them. Ava was underrated for her talents; she was more than just a pretty face. Ava: My Story will reveal different aspects on this great screen legend.