Lee Server - Ava Gardner, Love is Nothing

Review by Maggie on show 18th Nov.
THIS WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT 3YRS AGO AND I FOUND IT VERY READABLE.
THE STORY OF A GIRL BORN IN JOHNSTON COUNTY IN THE RED DIRT HEARTLAND OF CAROLINA, IN 1922 AND NAMED AVA LAVINIA GARDNER, WHO GREW UP TO BE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD AND FEATURED IN SEVERAL FILMS, VERY FEW WHO REALLY USED HER TALENT TO ITS BEST ABILITY.
SHE WAS DISCOVERED IN A PHOTO OF HER IN A SHOP IN NEW YORK, TAKEN AS A PRESENT FOR HER MOTHER AND USED IN A DISPLAY IN A SHOP WINDOW. AS HAPPENED IN THOSE FAR OFF DAYS A SCOUT CONTACTED SOMEONE IN M.G.M. MOVIES AND SHE WAS BROUGHT TO HOLLYWOOD FOR A SCREEN TEST. IT WASN'T VERY SUCCESSFUL, HER DEEP SOUTH ACCENT ALMOST UNINTELLIGIBLE, HER MOVEMENTS AWKWARD AND SELF-CONSCIOUS BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT MADE HER STAND OUT AND THEY KEPT HER ON AND EDUCATED HER TO BECOME THE ICON SHE IS THOUGHT OF TODAY.
I SOMETIMES THINK SHE IS MORE REMEMBERED FOR HER MARRIAGES THAN FOR HER FILMS!!
IT WAS MICKEY ROONEY FIRST, HE WAS TOP OF HIS PROFESSION AND IN GREAT DEMAND BUT ONCE HE SET EYES ON AVA IT WAS THE ONLY GOAL IN HIS LIFE - TO MARRY HER. SHE BEING OVERWHELMED BY HIS PURSUIT AND HIS STANDING IN HOLLYWOOD SUCCUMBED (ONCE THE RING WAS ON HER FINGER!) ONLY TO FIND THAT FOR MICKEY IT WAS ALL IN THE CHASE. HE NEGLECTED HER FOR GOLF AND OTHER HOBBIES UNTIL THEY WERE DIVORCED. HER NEXT LIAISON WAS WITH ARTIE SHAW, A VERY ERUDITE BUT COLD CUSTOMER WHO FELT HER EDUCATION WAS SADLY LACKING AND MADE HER READ BOOKS HE HAD RECOMMENDED TO IMPROVE HERSELF. AGAIN SHE FELT LEFT OUT OF HIS LIFE AND THEY DIVORCED AFTER A SHORT TIME.
AVA WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL HER FEET, SHE APPEARED IN THE KILLERS' AND MADE A GREAT IMPRESSION AFTER ANOTHER FILM 'WHISTLE STOP' HAD NOT DONE MUCH FOR HER, HOWEVER HER BEAUTY WAS SOMETHING ELSE. HER FIGURE AND FACE MADE HER THE OBJECT OF GOSSIP COLUMNISTS AND NEWSPAPERS WORLD WIDE. SOMETHING SHE NEVER GOT USED TO.
HOWARD HUGHES ALSO PURSUED HER. HE SET SPIES TO WATCH HER EVERY MOVE WHICH UNNERVED HER AND THEN SHE AND FRANK SINATRA STARTED THEIR AFFAIR AND THE WHOLE WORLD STOPPED!! RATHER LIKE LIZ TAYLOR AND RICHARD BURTON THEY LOVED TOO MUCH TO SETTLE INTO OLD AGE. MAYBE THEY WERE TOO MUCH ALIKE, BOTH ATTRACTIVE TO THE OPPOSITE SEX, BOTH JEALOUS AND POSSESSIVE AND FIERY. THE STORIES OF BUST UPS BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FILL THIS BOOK UNTIL THEY FINALLY DIVORCED BEFORE THEY DESTROYED EACH OTHER. HOWEVER, SHE SUPPORTED HIM WHEN HE FELL ON HARD TIMES IN THE 1950'S. HE HELPED PAY HER MEDICAL BILLS DURING HER LAST DAYS OF CRITICAL ILLNESS. ON HER DEATH HE WENT INTO MOURNING FOR DAYS.
SHE WAS DEFINITELY A MASS OF CONTRADICTIONS, HER ROISTERING DAYS IN SPAIN WHERE SHE AND BULLFIGHTERS CAROUSED DAWN TO DUSK, SHE HAD AFFAIRS WITH MOST OF HER CO-STARS AND DRANK AND SMOKED HERSELF NEARLY TO DEATH. SHE WAS ALSO A VERY DOWN TO EARTH STAR WITH NO PRETENSIONS, NO RACIST FEELINGS, UNUSUAL IN THE 1950'S AND A GREAT LOVE FOR THE UNDERDOG AND ANIMALS, PARTICULARLY IN FILMS WHERE SHE FELT THE DIRECTOR WAS TOO HARD ON THEM!!
A GREAT ACTRESS? THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT ONE.
THIS IS A THOROUGHLY ENGROSSING BOOK. IF WE THINK TODAY'S STARS ARE OUTRAGEOUS, READ THIS YOU MAY NOT BE SO SURE!!!!
REVIEW BY MAGS