Pola Nergi. A Pole by origin, a superstitious femme fatale. A vamp who captivated Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino and Adolf Hitler. Towards the end of her life, forgotten, she lived with a friend on a farm in Texas. Her life is an exciting story of a free woman artist.
On Monday, 11 January, two films will be screened at the Film Discussion Club: “The Beast”, one of Pola Negri’s first films, and the American documentary about the artist “Life Is a Dream in Cinema”, directed by Mariusz Kotowski. An exhibition devoted to the actress has been prepared in the foyer of the Forum cinema, featuring original memorabilia related to the star’s life and a collection of posters for films starring Negri. The silent film “The Beast” will be accompanied by live music. The role of the accompanist, a person playing the piano and creating the musical background for the scenes being shown, will be performed by Daniel Połeć “Lopez”.
Born in Poland, Pola Negri conquered America and the world not only with her beauty and talent, but also with her eccentric behavior and extraordinary life. If you think that the settled-down Madonna with children or Angelina Jolie with her father Pitt are shocking, it is high time you met a true vamp woman.
At a time when independent women were considered prostitutes at best, Pola Negri walked the streets with a leopard on a leash and scandalized passers-by with her toenails painted red. She conquered silent cinema and dethroned another great Hollywood star, Gloria Swanson. Their rivalry was called the “cat war.” Pola was highly superstitious, and whenever a cat crossed her path at the studio, she would immediately return to her residence. Swanson therefore bred whole groups of cats, while her dressers waited for Pola with cats in their arms and released them directly in front of the passing actress.
She had affairs with stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino. But she left the former because he was too possessive, and after the latter’s death she had no intention of grieving for the rest of her life. Her lack of visible sorrow after the death of an idol adored by many women did not win her the viewers’ sympathy. This, together with her age, led to the collapse of her American career. Pola was already thirty, which at that time made her an old and unattractive woman, so she had to give way to younger colleagues. She, meanwhile, wanted children and, eventually, a real family. At the same time, the era of talking films began in cinema. Pola, however, knew little English and had a hoarse voice. She became so unpopular at that time that Paramount refused to use her name in advertisements.
She returned to Europe, where she was rediscovered for sound cinema. Some time later, she signed a four-year film contract in fascist Germany. She was, after all, a star adored by Adolf Hitler. Her German career ended when Goebbels banned her from being cast in films because of her allegedly Jewish origin. She fled to the United States, leaving all her property in Europe. She settled in San Antonio, Texas, with a friend, composer Margaret West; some speculated that it was more than friendship. She died on 1 August 1987. She was buried in Los Angeles.
Both films can be seen on 11 January at 7:00 p.m. at the Forum cinema, as part of the Film Discussion Club. The exhibition in the cinema foyer will be open until 14 February. You are invited.
(information by Grażyna Hanaf)