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jlmb's review
3.0
After reading this detailed biography, I was reminded of how fleeting is fame. Even though Nazimova was famous for over 40 years, today she is practically unknown. In a hundred years she went from wealth, adulation & power to a minor footnote in other people's biographies.
Over the years, I have read snippets about her in other books about Hollywood & Broadway, which made me curious to learn more about her. I'm grateful that Lambert researched and wrote this thorough examination of Nazimova's life. She did so much in her life, I was shocked when I found out she died at only 65. She crammed about 150 years of living into that 65.
Nazimova's life and career can be separated into several distinct periods. First, her youth in Russia, where she studied with Stanislavsky just as he was formulating his acting training beliefs that later turned into Method Acting. Next, she moved to America and worked with top producers and actors on Broadway and became a huge success. The beginning of the film industry lured her to Hollywood for about a decade where she became a silent film star and bought the famous mansion The Garden of Allah. Back to Broadway for another ten years or so before returning to finish up her life in Hollywood, playing small supporting roles in movies.
I enjoyed reading about all the random famous people that were a part of her life at various points. Emma Goldman the anarchist helped raise money and supported Nazimova's first acting troupe because Goldman had a crush on the head of that theater group! That was a weird cameo. Hey, even radical, anarchist feminists need to be entertained sometimes, I guess.
Another odd famous person in Nazimova's life was Nancy Reagan. Yes, that Nancy Reagan. Nazimova was her godmother! So random. An 18 year old Monty Clift had his first theater role in a play starring her. Of course, throughout the biography, Nazimova works with and/or befriends a long list of legendary people in the entertainment industry. Yet, today she is forgotten and others like Charlie Chaplin and Grata Garbo are remembered. Why?
Over the years, I have read snippets about her in other books about Hollywood & Broadway, which made me curious to learn more about her. I'm grateful that Lambert researched and wrote this thorough examination of Nazimova's life. She did so much in her life, I was shocked when I found out she died at only 65. She crammed about 150 years of living into that 65.
Nazimova's life and career can be separated into several distinct periods. First, her youth in Russia, where she studied with Stanislavsky just as he was formulating his acting training beliefs that later turned into Method Acting. Next, she moved to America and worked with top producers and actors on Broadway and became a huge success. The beginning of the film industry lured her to Hollywood for about a decade where she became a silent film star and bought the famous mansion The Garden of Allah. Back to Broadway for another ten years or so before returning to finish up her life in Hollywood, playing small supporting roles in movies.
I enjoyed reading about all the random famous people that were a part of her life at various points. Emma Goldman the anarchist helped raise money and supported Nazimova's first acting troupe because Goldman had a crush on the head of that theater group! That was a weird cameo. Hey, even radical, anarchist feminists need to be entertained sometimes, I guess.
Another odd famous person in Nazimova's life was Nancy Reagan. Yes, that Nancy Reagan. Nazimova was her godmother! So random. An 18 year old Monty Clift had his first theater role in a play starring her. Of course, throughout the biography, Nazimova works with and/or befriends a long list of legendary people in the entertainment industry. Yet, today she is forgotten and others like Charlie Chaplin and Grata Garbo are remembered. Why?
ericaland's review
3.0
This was a really interesting book. Because I'm not super interested in silent film or that industry, there was a lot that I skimmed through. Alla Nazimova's life, however, was fascinating.
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