One Sunday night last January I turned on Turner Classic Movies and happened upon the documentary, Rediscovering John Gilbert. One of Gilbert's great silent classics, Bardelys the Magnificent (1926, directed by King Vidor), had aired earlier, and though I'd missed it, I watched the documentary beginning to end.
Prominently featured in the film on Gilbert was his daughter Leatrice who, I learned, had written a biography of her father in the mid-1980s: Dark Star: The Untold Story of the Meteoric Rise and Fall of the Legendary John Gilbert. Interested, I decided to pick up the book and tracked down a copy on Amazon.
In the course of all of this I also managed to make contact with Leatrice Gilbert Fountain and we began a friendly correspondence. For example, when I read in Dark Star that John Gilbert had attended Hitchcock Military Academy for a time and realized that the school had been located in the town where I live, I shared this with Leatrice (and later let her know that I'd found the spot where it once stood).
A blog that I posted here at the Cafe, "Blue Angel of Mercy? Another view of Marlene Dietrich," was inspired by a section in Dark Star on Dietrich's relationship with John Gilbert and about her relationship with young Leatrice following Gilbert's death. Both Leatrice and I were very happy when Movie FanFare asked to republish the blog.
And then last month I received TCM's schedule for August and discovered that John Gilbert was to be honored with his own day as part of the annual "Summer Under the Stars" showcase. I contacted Leatrice and we eventually decided to do a phone interview to be published here at the Cafe. Our conversation was a delight...and Leatrice is a jewel - intelligent, articulate, amusing and very warm and kind.
Leatrice Gilbert Fountain's interview will post here on August 23. My hope is that the blog does as much to pay tribute to Leatrice, who has devoted many years to restoring her father's reputation, as it does to promote viewing the films of John Gilbert on TCM, Tuesday, August 24, beginning 6am Eastern/3am Pacific.
This interview sounds fascinating! I'm looking forward to it. By the way, BARDELYS THE MAGIFICENT was written by one of my Dad's favorite authors: Rafael Sabatini, who also penned CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE SEA HAWK, and SCARAMOUCHE (all adapted as super films).
ReplyDeleteTheLadyEve , How amazing! I can not wait to read your interview with John Gilbert's daughter.
ReplyDeleteLooking very forward to this interview, Eve!
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, Rick, on Rafael Sabatini. I happened to watch THE BLACK SWAN yesterday (can't resist the young Tyrone Power...) and that, too, was based on one of his novels. Dawn and Toto (and you, too, Rick) I hope the blog lives up to your expectations!
ReplyDeleteLooking farward to it.
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Dearest Lady Eve,
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to hear of your inspiration for this fascinating interview on August 23. I also am a fan of John Gilbert's and would love to see his star continue to shine. Marlene revived and survived many men, but I think John Gilbert synthesized deep into her subconscious, and if she ever felt any guilt, she felt it about him. I relish all your insights and wait with anticipation for your interview with the lovely Leatrice Gilbert Fountain. I've also seen her short interview on TCM and found it so evocative that it always made me want to know more.
Eve, I am looking forward eagerly to reading your interview with Leatrice. As a couple of others mentioned, I used to read Rafael Sabatini's books avidly when I was a kid, and loved the movie adaptations (although a lot of them didn't exactly follow the books). I missed the screening of Bardelys, but will try to catch his day on TCM. Your article is something to look forward to!
ReplyDeletesounds really interesting...would like to hear the story from "the horse's mouth" i.e. LEATRICE..the rise, fall and resurrection of the career of JOHN GILBERT is fascinating
ReplyDeleteGreat to see that there's so much interest in John Gilbert and Leatrice Gilbert Fountain. As most probably know, Leatrice's mother was silent film star Leatrice Joy - who made many films with C.B. DeMille including his 1923 classic silent version of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I hope to share some of Leatrice's memories of both of her parents in a future blog.
ReplyDeleteEve, I wonder if she might have anything to say about Garbo?
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you, Kim! I'm including one comment in reference to Garbo. Leatrice had more to say about a Garbo biographer who disputes the romance between Garbo and Gilbert (but that won't be in the blog). Since Garbo moved in with Gilbert, and he had the master bedroom and bath redecorated when she did(according to his decorator)...it seems far-fetched not to think they were involved...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely.They were both young,incredibly beautiful,and from what I've read,Mr.Gilbert was one of few who showed Ms.Garbo any kindness when she was first starting out(along with Lillian Gish).SInce Ms Garbo never married,I don't think she was the marrying kind,sexual preference not an issue.But I think she loved Mr.Gilbert as much as she loved,or could love,anyone.I'm not trashing her,I think that was just her way.Thank you aain for sharing.And I can't tell you how much I enjoy Ms.Fountain.She seems like such a classy lady.I'm so glad her fathers reputation has been restored.
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