Carole lombard biography book

Whereas most Hollywood biographers give you only a photograph of the star in question, Larry Swindell's "Screwball: The Life of Carole Lombard" is more of a gallery painting, its rich and soft hues leaving you with a true impression of its subject that lingers. You really feel like you know Carole Lombard after reading this most extraordinary look at the life of one of Hollywood's most fondly remembered stars of the 1930s and ’40s. Her death was felt on a deeply personal level by the Hollywood community who knew her, and it is no wonder that many point to her tragic passing while on a War Bond drive as the end of an era for Hollywood.

Swindell traces the life of Jane Alice Peters from her time as a tomboy in Fort Wayne Indiana, to her sudden and tragic end. Those unfamiliar with Lombard will discover a wealth of information both surprising and sometimes poignant. Swindell does not gloss over her rocky marriage to Clark Gable, but gives us a very real look at a one-sided affair of which director Mitchell Leisen commented: “Was all give and no receive." Ernest Lubitsch later added: "The romance ended, but the marriage lingered on." Swindell is fair, however, and shows that a guilt-ridden Gable would become the man Lombard always hoped he would, but only after her death; and perhaps because of it.

Lombard's silent film days are covered in detail. Silent cowboy star Buck Jones stated she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen or kissed. It was that beauty, however, which would get her a near miss as one of the girls in Mary Pickford's Little Annie Roonie. Just as she was on the verge of films with Borzage and Barrymore, a serious car accident would scar her face — another revelation — and she would be dumped by Fox. She would also be dumped by Pathe, but landed on her feet at Paramount before MGM eclipsed it as the most prestigious studio. Swindell gives several examples of her kindness and generosity, and her loyalty to old friends once she became a star. He even delves into Lombard’s very poor health, which is not widely known. The big names she took under her wing before they were stars in their own right reads like a who’s who of Hollywood, both in front of, and behind the cameras.

Those unfamiliar with Lombard’s life will be surprised to read who she felt was the greatest lover in Hollywood, and will be even more surprised at who was the great love of her life — which is a quite tragic story. Swindell of course throws a spotlight on her colorfully "blue" and infamous vocabulary, its origins and its intent — he also explains the reason for it, which is quite unusual. Lombard’s entire life is touched upon, including her brief marriage to William Powell and their continuing friendship after the breakup. Through it all, you get a sense of the person she was, warts and all, which is quite rare in an old Hollywood bio of this nature. I'm not saying it is incredibly deep or insightful, I'm saying that it's enough, which in itself makes it stand apart from many.

Lombard was alive and vital — even if not always right — and she leaps off these pages. It is no wonder that Kay Gable, Clark's later wife, had no objections when he asked to be buried next to Carole Lombard. Swindell’s biography succeeds where others fail in giving film buffs both the nostalgia they crave, while at the same time painting a flesh-and-bone portrait of a Hollywood star. In Lombard's case, it is a lovely and human portrait of a star taken in her prime. It’s good to see this older book is finally back in print. A terrific read.