Simono Signoret
SIMONE
THE CHINA MAIL,
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1960.
SIGNORET
on
Why an
Oscar won't turn my head
SIMONE SIGNORET won the Hollywood Osear the other day for the best
actress of the year.
She won Alice
her parts "Room at the Top, Bestam's met important nim fur
many year
Room at the Yop" aisu vel lerted à revound award -- for the lagt serves adaptation which want 10 serapi-writer Neol
Remember?
SIMONE SAID: "Wanning this Grear will make rei difference to my curves" Arl then she tokes a questomer it he could remem ber the actress Who Wen award for the best screen pers formatier two years ago.
1,17,"
The Burgt tus Pusat Couldn' "See what I mean," Said Mr Signoget. The 157 Oeur went to Joanne Woodward for fhrew Faces of Eve.")
Then she sul "When I was ferred this le in Room at the Top all my friends in Paris Bank Why are you going to do an Pagla Dan And ald Because 1 ble the story. That's the only reason
"We had a lot of tar making it it no one thought we had a Maybe that's the 1 tlie feasam 1 turpoal og sex well."
There are other reasons why this sudde
world ac- mush of
3
LIKE THIS, for example, on
with her playing love-scenes husband, Yves Montand: "I don't want to have people seeing us perform that way, it would mean they were interested in some thing that has nothing to do with the merits of the show... but rather that they were eurious about is as persons,**
OR THIS on the eternal con- Alle between being a wife and an actress; " wouldn't want to be the self-sacricing type of wife who says I'll never go any where without my husband. If I had to choose between a lousy script and going somewhere with my husband then of course 18: choose to go with him.
"But if the script were good then I take that. And when I haram serijit i put in three solid months of werk during which I'm no actress."
Wife but on
Philosophy
BUT THIS really is the philo- segaby which will keep Miss Signoret's feet on the ground while her head temporarily is in the clouds.
She says: " have 20 wish 10 beta truly big star it is loo big a job and I'm lazy abnul things which don't amuse me.
"Spending a whole day work Crain wo!
Miss Sat- ing on your face and your nuret's head. 1 remember her and your bank account so that Talking sanely and will base even your husband has to make Contin case abil so many an appointment to see you at uspeels of Mm-making.
night is no life,
The tonic she
was to me
by JOHN BRAINE
AUTHOR OF 'ROOM AT THE TOP STRICTLY speaking I first met Simone Signoret
"So I'm box office this year — but next year a new face will steal the pieture."
So who in two years' time will remember Simone? That is what, in effect, she is asking.
She need have no fear at the answer.
David Lewin
WE
GILES...on the Big Jamaica Plot.
BEPKA
London Exprom Serving
O
"Rodney-havo vrn invited a hoat-load of bearded men for lunch?”*
BEHIND THE ROYAL WEDDING JOKES LIES À SERIOUS QUESTION
When will it be Alexandra's
turn to marry?
JOHN SMEATON tooks
at the problem. which faces our tall, beautiful Princess
WEDDING receptions always follow a set, traditional pattern. The bride blushes. The best man makes complimentary remarks about the bridesmaids. The groom hesitates, self-consciously waiting for the laugh before referring to "my wife."
And always there is at least These are questions that are une guest who singles out an being asked now. And they are unmarried sister or cousla of hound to be asked, with increas- deeply; she wants her daughter those who are members of the the bride groom, and asks, ing frequency, as long as
the to do the same. with unbearable Jocularity,
Princess remains single,, how long it will be before she takes the road to the aisle.
British aristocracy. In the first men young group and these Strangely enough, these forl- would undoubtedly by greatly ings of the Duchess, these pre- favoured by the Duchess of requisites for her daughter's Kent-there are four young marringe, are not contradictory. princes. next
It is safe to assume that such remarks will be made month to Princess Alexandra at the family party following Prin- cess Margaret's wedding to Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones,
Quite recently Prince Philip
himself conformed to this track- the wedding of his ston ut cousin, Lady Pamela Hicks, by remarking to a rather startled Mountbatten tenantry that the family was greatly relieved that 30-year-old Lady Pamela
got married "at last."
bad
It Princess Alexandro I ask she will probably laugh them off, as any other girl would do.
two years ago when she came to England toed such questions next month make "Room at the Top."
But
Inus! importan: My doubts about Laurence sense of the word I first met her Harvey evapurates when I saw #t the Glenroyal Cinema, that first wonderful opening shot Shipley, in 1953.
in which, without saying a word. he established the character of Joe Lampton.
The Alm. "Golden Marie," was ret in tenth-century Fune. When I run out into the
Lading of street member a anrgrive became then was no horse-drawn traffe, and every- sale spoke English. And 10- menbir being hinted by Samone Signeret's face, partie larly the final scene where she watched her lover being led out to the guiluting.
She didn't speak, her eyes were dry, and she dichts't move; but she was the embodiment of sorrow and heartbreak.
Terrifying
I remember too walking home from the Glenroyal over the bridge where Joc Lampston WED beater: up in the n.
I didn't have títat scene in my mind that night; but I did have "Room at the Top" very much In my mind.
But
My Alice
I didn't lenow anything about Simane Signoret's pertur mance. I knew that she was a good actress. I know also that she had the intelligence for the pari.
PRECEDENT
But it is worth
considering some of the questions that are bound to be in her mind when her cousin marries.
Two things can be regarded as fairly certain.
FIRST, Princess Alexandira is unlikely
to marry for two or three years, Sho has told
friends that before taking that step she wants to see more of take an even the world, and more active part in public life.
Also, she feels that the late
:)
twenties are the best age for woman to marry. In this DC- spect, she has a wonderful example to follow. Her mother was nearly 28 when she married, And hers was a marriage that could hardly have been SUT- pussed in happiness.
SECOND, her friends will be extremely surprised It she
marring a commoner.
all
SUITABLE
For Princess Alexandra, like members of the Royal Family, has been brought up with a deep respect for the family's tradition and a bellef that she must do all she can to ensure a future. And un- like her cousin, who is to some extent
The favourite at the moment 26-year-old PRINCE MAX OF BADEN, son of the Mar- grave of Baden and his wife, Princess Theodora, one of Prince Philip's sisters.
Prince
educated at Max, Gordonstoun, has all the neces- sary qualifications. And when he and Princess Alexandra last mel-at the royal bali given
and breaking tradi- by the King
Queen of in Stockholm, fast tion by marrying a commoner, Sweden, she has no rebelllous streak in month--it was noted that they her nature,
spent a considerable amount of time in each other's company.
Her character is such that sho has always found it easy to live the royal life, with all is Impli- catlons-accepting its inevitable linitaliong philosophically,
One man close to the Kent family tells mo: "The Duchess
Then haa nover made any steret of One resell of this has bern PRINCE the fact that she feels that that nearly all her young men WAY,
tris
of royal
marry
that is not should
NEPHEWS
there is CROWN HARALD OF NOR-
an engaging, handsome
blood should friends have 2 background young man, a Iow months men of royal blood. entirely suitable for a future younger than the Princessbut What doch, In fact, Ho And, if
possible, husband. In nearly every case mature beyond his years, they nhead for the tall, stately, and that
marry they are, like the Princess, live- Princess? members of the aristocracy." ly, witty, and intelligent. They aften beautiful
are also well-bred. When will she marry? Is she likely to follow the
Who are the most prominent precedent being set by her she does not belleve in arranged, contenders for her hand? They cousin by marrying com-
loveless marriages. She herself can be divided into two groups. marticl
sho nikn
loved Those with royal blood. And
For Allee's tragedy was pre- | moncr? cisely that she was too intelli- gent, that she felt too much and knew too much.
But I still wasn't sure that she was my Allco I didn't ex- pect her to give a bad perfor- mance. I didn't know whether the would Elve a great one.
But when I saw the flo realized how wrong I'd been. She was my Alice, just as Laurence Harvey was my Joe, and Heather Sears my Sus.
These were the figments of my
It was the first time in two imagination, just as I created
months that I thought seriously
about 1; for 1 hadn't been think- ing about anything else up t then but my own woes.
And because Simone Signoret took me out of myself, that very night I went to work on the novel again.
With The result that some five. your inter I found myself dis- cussing the Bling of my book with her and Laurence Harvey
them.
Real Oscars
I have seen "toom at the Toy" four times. And cach time I've enjoyed it not less but more. And each time it has kept its enormous emotional impact, has made me laugh and cry - almost against my will.
and Jack Clayton in a Bradford But in a sense I haven't yet
hotel.
1 was then that 1 sajd to her
and Laurence Harvey that I fell they were the Agments of my imagination.
seen it properly. For haven't
yet seen it at the Glenroyal.
When it comes there again I'll
go there by myself, and once again succumb to itzi magle.
For here were my fictional And 1'11 remember with characters in the Benh; it was o terrifying, almost god-like feel- ing.
But it wasn't unill I saw the Alm that I realized just how true my words had been.
I had een a few rushes be fore the film was completed, but which featured Skmate Signoret.
Bohe
gratitude the night when Simone Signoret made it all possible,
I discovered her that night: and I gave her her Oscar too.
For cinemas like the Olen- royal are where the stara pro really discovered and where the Oscars which really matter are landed out.
~[London Express Hervice).
But the Duchess bus alo mude no secret of the fact that
ม
With Deepest
CIRCUMSTANCES CREATE ALTERATIONS
Warid Copyright by urdignment with the Mészkester Chanistan
The fact that he and his next father are not coming to
has бость month's wedding
that Interpreted as suggesting Princess Alexandra has already refused to
marry him. But I discounted. can be feet this They have met only once or twice and Harald's father, King Olaf, la an old friend of the Duchess of Kent,
it is certain that he will ask the Duchess to keep a motherly eye on the prince when he goes to Oxford University later this year. And it is inevitable that he and Princess Alexandra will then meet often.
Alexandra Respect for tradition,
shown that childhood friends are often disregarded by young woman in search of husbands,
but they all suffer from cess too long. Experienco has Insuperable disadvantages, They are either too young; or they are scions of families that In declinet or they are Roman Catholics; or they, are
nre
too poor.
LIMITED
FIRST HINT
the
With this in mind, one can- not ignore the clamp of three young men who have come to know the Princess only in re- In Britain, the feld is also went years.
the They aro
DUKE OF unexpectedly limited. There are
28: VISCOUNT ATHOLL not as many aristocratic young LUMLEY, 27-year-old son and men of the right age group as
heir of the Lord Chamberlain, The two other princes who might be expected.
Scarbrough; and the Earl of must be considered are also
The favourites in this UP LORD PATRICK BERESFORD, nephows of Prince Philp.
are without doubt the
of MAR 25-year-old brother OF HAMILTON and PRINCE KARL OF HESSE. QUIS
Marquis of Waterford O'NEILL Both have.
Ono other mon must be men- aged 23, is the son of Princess LORD Sophie, Prince Philip's favourite been friendly with the Princess oned-MR DAVID BAILEY,
of st 20-year-old
ginss sister. His father, Princu Chris- since childhood.
Until recently, Lord O'Well, manufacturer. The first hint of topher of Hesse, was killed em Relive service in the Luftwaffe 20, held the advantage. But he their friendship camo two years In 1043, His mother has since lost it in October last year, ago, when some of the Princess's from married
Prince George of when In a newspaper inter hand-luggage was stolen Hanover,
view he said that the question Mr Bailey's car, while she was having coffee with him in his parents Bayswater home:
FRINCE KRAFT, aged 24, of his engagement to the Prin
cess was "all in the air." the Hereditary Prince of
The immediato result of this Hohenlohe-Langenburg, is the statement was that the Princess eldest son of Prince Philip's cancelled an arrangement to eldest sister, Princess Margarito, visit his home in Ireland. who la morricel to Prince Goltfried of Hohenlobe-Langen- burg.
Through family affillations,
I am told that the Princem was deeply attached to Mr Bailey at the time, But in the intervening yesan, I hear, sho hua contended to advice that marriage to Mr Baller, * condoner, would nel bo so- replable or suitable.
This lapse left the young marquis, 25-year-old heir to the Duke af åberoorn, DE DIN- challenged favourite SMOTHE the British men friands of the
Bonio girls might be broken- Princem.
hwarted obout o miuation Uke And his position is further this. But not Princess Alox- consolidated by the fact that his andrs, Bhe accepts, very wisely, sister, Lady Moyra Hamilton, that a girl con fall in love more
ing been the Princess's Indy-in- then once.
Nexi time she rails in Toyo Theta ara virtually the only walling for the past six years
Both those young men "suffer feet wure it will be with princce of royal blood when Tho Princes could marry, from pho
lebdivaninge—they rullable man.
London Axyren Services.
Princess Alexandra has mot both Prince Karl and Prince Kraft on a number of occasions, I understand that, of the two, she favour Princo Kart.
There are others in Europe, 'have' positify, known Uię Prin¬
&
1