Evening star., 1944-07-30
Ingrid Is a Serene Star
By Inga Arpad.

HOLLYWOOD.
A big star who is satisfied with her
roles, her salary and her life In gen.
eral is a rarity. But there is one
shining brightly in the Hollywood
flrmament-Ingrid Bergman.
Her life story has been written so
often, by SO many, that Ingrid says,
smiling. by now, am often tempt
ed to invent a different and far
more exciting one. 1t is not much
fun to keep on telling the same
thing over and over"
There isn't superlative left
which hasn't been used about her
person and her acting She is prob
ably the only woman here who
hasn't a single enemy. She has
never, in the five years she has
lived here, been mentioned un-
favorably in a gossip column. Be-
cause she is a 100-per cent women
she doesn't find it peculiar that men
adore her, but it f1atters and pleases
her because women do. too.
There is nothing star-ish about
her. except her personality. her
smile, and her charm. Otherwise,
she doesn't dress to beat the band,
and she doesn't dear" and "dar-
ling" everybody. She never wears
makeup, except a little lipstick oc-
casionally, and she lives quietly with
her husband. DR.. Peter Lindstrom,
and daughter Pia. She has no con-
ceit except about her ability as an
actress, which, she quite simply
knows, has no, or hardly any, limit.
Satisfied With Roles.
IT am satisfied with the roles I
get" Ingrid said. as we were chat
ting in her dressing room on the set
of "The House of DR.. Edwards"
The only thing can't stand is to
be idle, In the beginning it was
quite difficult to find role for me /;
I was automatically out of any pic
ture which starred an American girl
because OF my accent. / hope some
day to be able to lose even the
slightest trace Of an accent, but it
is proving to be very hard, and I
still take lessons. At that time I
told Mr.. Selznick I didn't care bit
what I played as long as I didn't
have to sit around and do nothing" j."
1t has been told often that Ingrid
didn't want to sign up with a
Hollywood studio and that David o.
Selznick. in desperation, sent a
representative to Stockholm with
instructions to get her at any
price, and with any conditions"
That" Ingrid says, as she smiles.
and her face instantly takes on new
and nearly divine beauty. lis true in
a way. You see, after I played in
the Swedish version of 'Intermezzo'
all the studios over here became IN
terested, but I wouldn't sign a
seven-year contract, not under any
circumstances. I had never been to
America, didn't know, the working
conditions of Hollywood. and had
my husband and child in Sweden.
I certainly wanted \ try at Ameri-
can movies, but not with a seven
year contract.
Then when Mr.. SelZnick suggest
ed that I come, just for remake
of .'Intermezzo zo-aud that meant a
stay of three mon,hs--I was over
1oyed I was particularly happy to
play opposite Leslie Howard. You
see. to the Americans l was a COM
pletely unknown person, and if the
actor PLAYED opposite was to be
unknown, too, tnen 1t automatically
put the picture in the b class.
That didn't want.
Contract Up Next Year.
Before had been here very long
I discovered liked the working con-
ditions so much that I became
clirhf1xr ;olx
wouldn't sign me up. But he did, for
five years. and in another year the
contract is up"
Does that mean that you shall
free-lance or sign up with another
studio?" asked.
mo, certainly not" said Ingrid,
shaking her head vigorously. "I
want to stay right where 1 am. I
wouldn't care to be with big studio,
where I constantly would work with
the same male stars and on the
same lot. like to move around
from studio to studio. as I have in
the past, and that will always be
possible because Mr.. SelZnick Is
never going to make as many pic
lures as I like to do. He will loan
me out"
do you mind that Mr.. Selznick
makes a lot of money with your
talents?"
mo. why should -" she was quick
to say. He sticks to the contract
which I signed with him. I might
mind if I were starving and didn't
know where my next loaf of bread
was coming from, but that isn't the
case. I don't understand revolts
against a signature. T signed be-
cause I wanted to and Mr.. Selznick's
guidance and advice have brought
me where I am today.
Eyes, there are parts which I
would like to do More than any,