The Hollywood Daughter

The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott   438 pages

A very good story of a young girl who's father worked in Hollywood as a publicist, who's biggest client was Ingrid Bergman.  It was a high good ride for a long time as Hollywood careers go and Ingrid Bergman and her then family, the Lindstroms,  lived next door to the Malloys (her publicist), in Beverly Hills.    Bergman's career was soaring and Jessica Malloy a teenager at the time adored the star who would talk to her at the school bus stop when Bergman walked her daughter, Pia down to catch the bus.   Jessica was totally star-struck and remained a fan of Bergman throughout her life.  When Jessica came off a little too saucy and savvy about sex, her parents (her mother especially) pulled her out of public school and sent her to a Catholic School for more religious education.   Her mother was a devout Catholic, her father not so much, though he would attend church with his wife and daughter on occasion until the McCarthyism set took hold of the country.   Hollywood was in the line of fire and several writers were singled out as Communists and were blackballed from working in Hollywood.   It became a huge witch hunt and many careers were lost because of it.  Bergman had gotten a roll as a nun in the film, "The Bells of St. Mary's " and in this story the location scout got Jessica Malloy's Catholic school to let them shoot several of the scenes there for authenticity.   The school and its students were all excited, Jessica Malloy most of all.  And it was quite a coup when the other students realized Jessica and Ingrid knew each other.  While the "Bells of St. Mary's" didn't win an Oscar that year, Ingrid still won for "Gaslight."    Ingrid Bergman's next role was as Joan of Arc and her legion of fans grew by leaps and bounds especially within the Catholic Church.   Then during the McCarthyism chaos Ingrid got a role in a Roberto Rosellini film, "Stromboli," and while in Italy filming she had an affair with the director and a child out of wedlock.   She was still married to her first husband who denied her visitation with their daughter, Pia, and who would not grant her a divorce.   A big fiasco blew all out of proportion, Bergman was banned from entering the United States and Jessica's dad lost big time, too.   The Catholic church urged all of its members to turn against her and sermons were preached about the evils of Hollywood which made Jessica's dad completely turn away from Catholicism.    While Bergman had played a nun then a saint the public had gotten the impression she was a virtuous woman who had fallen to degradation fueled by her Hollywood career but Bergman's reaction was she never said she was nor had she tried to be a saint but only a woman.   Jessica held her hero up in the face of those who would trash her name.   Much more happens  As Jessica grows up and there are surprises afoot.   I recommend this book it was an enjoyable read and a look into how those most affected by the accusations and hounding of the 50s dealt with their torment.    I think tweens on up will like this story as will readers my age and older who remember what was up back then.