The definitive movie star, in her own words
The definitive movie star, in her own words
Despite a relatively short stay in Hollywood — only 10 years — Ingrid Bergman quickly became, and remains, the definition of a movie star.
In Her Own Words, that makes generous use of Bergman’s journals (she kept a diary throughout her life), letters and home movies.
The result is close to mandatory viewing for aficionados of one of the great periods of American film.
Using still photos, film clips and the ever-present diary entries, Björkman introduces us to a girl who had a natural affinity to try to embody or imitate the things she saw in the world around her.
Unlike her studio-groomed public image, she was quite ambitious, and (at least after she arrived in Tinseltown) apparently had a relaxed interpretation of her wedding vows.
Friends and colleagues, such as Cary Grant, publically defended her, and she gave a few more highly praised performances, such as her work in “Murder on the Orient Express” (for which she won her third Oscar) and in Ingmar Bergman’s “Autumn Sonata.”
The film was made with the cooperation of her family, and two of her daughters — actress Isabella Rossellini and TV journalist Pia Lindstrom (who incidentally began her career at San Francisco’s KGO-TV) appear onscreen to share many memories.