When I used to live in Hollywood, California, years ago and was studying the history of cinema, I’d often wonder what it used to be like back in Hollywood’s Golden Age (from the 1910s to the 1960s). Stars were real stars back then and many of them who have now passed on most likely wouldn’t even recognize what the American film industry has become.
With all of the absurd budgets that go into all of today’s sprawling billion-dollar film franchises laden with copious amounts of computer-generated imagery (such as many of the mega-popular superhero franchises), everyone is competing to be the next big thing in the industry. Of course, things were very different back in the Golden Age. Before such modern advancements as proprietary subscription services (video-on-demand), the film industry was dominated by only a handful of big movie studios.
Fortunately, some of the great movie stars are still among us and each of these individuals carries with them a veritable plethora of wisdom and inside knowledge about Old Hollywood. French-American star Leslie Caron knows all too well about the film industry back then—first-hand since she lived through that incredible era.
In 1949, Caron was spotted by dancing sensation Gene Kelly when he and his entourage were visiting Paris. She was an 18-year-old brunette beauty who had trained in ballet and after Kelly witnessed her dancing on stage, he reckoned she’d be the perfect fit as the leading lady in his upcoming film, “An American in Paris” (1951).
Caron was asked to come in for a screen test for the film so that the producers (and Kelly) could see what sort of talent she had. “Jazz … I don’t know jazz,” Caron remarked about Kelly’s dancing style in the upcoming musical production. “Just to be polite, I said ‘Okay, I’ll do the test.’”
She went to do the test and then “promptly forgot about it.” Two weeks later, she received a call—she not only aced the test but was going to be on a plane flying straight to Hollywood in a few days to not only be in the film but also sign a big seven-year movie contract. Caron’s nervousness kicked in since she didn’t speak English and had never been on camera before.
However, Caron had matured beyond her years, having grown up in an oppressed Paris that was occupied by the German army during World War II. Her mother was pretty icy, demeanor-wise. Caron remembers that her mother would never hold her hand when crossing the streets nor show her one iota of affection. Once, her mother told her, “Sweetheart, I know I am not there now. But I will be there when you are a star.” Caron thought that was such an odd thing to tell a little girl.
And become a big star she did. Caron hit a grand slam with her role as Lise Bouvier in “An American in Paris,” which launched her into the stratosphere. She went on to star in films with Hollywood stalwarts such as Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Orson Welles, and Jerry Lewis. She headlined such classic films as “Lili” (1953), “The Glass Slipper” (1955), “Daddy Long Legs” (also 1955), and “Gigi” (1958). Indeed, Caron has such a joie de vivre, that she is still performing to this day at the age of 91.
Although all of the old pictures and film footage of Caron are nice, the real attraction is watching this lovely woman as she’s being interviewed for the documentary. Caron is the epitome of the class indicative of the days of yore. Elegantly dressed in chic outfits, her voice is rich and powerful—a far cry from the vocal fry and uptalk that is so prevalent these days.
Although much about Caron’s past is interesting, I feel it would have been even more affecting if she would have delved more into some of the darker aspects of her life. For example, her mother had a huge struggle with depression and ultimately committed suicide. Caron had a past involving substance abuse and also attempted to take her own life.
