*Includes pictures of Bergman and important people, places, and scenes.
*Includes Bergman's own quotes about her upbringing, films and relationships.
*Includes a Bibliography for further reading.
"Be yourself. The world worships the original." - Ingrid Bergman
Since the early 20th century, film has been embraced as arguably the preeminent international art form. Not only is Hollywood cinema immensely popular around the world, but other nationalities (Bollywood being the greatest current example) have their own thriving industries. Major actors and actresses are not only icons in their parent countries but reach tremendous international fame.
However, most actors who become internationally famous do so via the success of the films they make in their native land, without actually leaving their country. One of the most famous early examples is Charlie Chaplin, who reached incredible fame in Asia and Western Europe during the silent cinema era despite having never left the confines of Hollywood.
Chaplin's example illustrates how the vast majority of film stars who reach international fame do so through the global success of the films they make within a given industry. This dynamic highlights the uniqueness of Ingrid Bergman's career and her significance as an international film star. Not only were films like Casablanca (1942) famous around the world, but she made films in five different languages and film industries. In this regard, she was the rare star who was willing to literally act in films produced in different countries.
Bergman's fame cannot be doubted, but the international quality of her career has prevented most people from gaining a complete understanding of her filmography. Moreover, the immense success of her most famous films obscured her other achievements; one of Bergman's persistent lamentations late in her career was that even though she appeared in other films she deemed more significant, the only film of hers that people wanted to discuss was Casablanca. As a result, her early films in Sweden, the Italian Neorealist films she made with famous director and future husband Roberto Rossellini, and her French film with Jean Renoir have all been relegated to the margins. Bergman is thus recognized as a Hollywood star rather than an actress who should be identified with an array of different film industries, reducing the enormous scope of her career to a relatively small proportion of her filmography.
At the same time, Bergman's personal life reflects the dynamics of the film industry and the relationship between celebrities and American culture more generally. At times during her career, Bergman was the darling of Hollywood, but at other times she was literally a pariah. It is all too common to remember Bergman for her performance in Casablanca, forgetting the fact that she was effectively exiled from Hollywood for several years during her romance with Roberto Rossellini. Her life and career amply demonstrated the expectations American culture held for their film stars during the mid-20th century.
Ingrid Bergman: The First International Movie Star profiles the life and career of one of the world's most famous actresses and entertainment icons. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Ingrid Bergman like you never have before, in no time at all.