Hedy Lamarr

The Most Beautiful Woman in Film

De: Ruth Barton Ph.D.

Narrado por: Anne Valliere

Hedy Lamarr's life was punctuated by salacious rumors and public scandal, but it was her stunning looks and classic Hollywood glamour that continuously captivated audiences. Born Hedwig Kiesler, she escaped an unhappy marriage with arms dealer Fritz Mandl in Austria to try her luck in Hollywood, where her striking appearance made her a screen legend. Her notorious nude role in the erotic Czech film Ecstasy (1933), as well as her work with Cecil B. DeMille (Samson and Delilah, 1949), Walter Wanger (Algiers, 1938), and studio executive Louis B. Mayer catapulted her alluring and provocative reputation as a high-profile sex symbol.

Ruth Barton explores the many facets of the screen legend, including her life as an inventor. Working with avant-garde composer and film scorer George Antheil, Lamarr helped to develop and patent spread spectrum technology, which is still used in mobile phone communication. However, despite her screen persona and scientific success, Lamarr's personal life caused quite a scandal. A string of failed marriages, a lawsuit against her publisher regarding her sensational autobiography, and shoplifting charges made her infamous beyond her celebrity. Barton recognizes Lamarr's contributions to both film and technology while revealing the controversial and conflicted woman underneath.

The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky.

©2010 The University Press of Kentucky (P)2016 Redwood Audiobooks

I do not like this reader

The reader's voice goes up and down in regular intervals and it seems like she doesn't really pay attention to what she's reading. Very poor, in my opinion.
Another review said they thought the writer didn't even like Hedy. I can agree with this. Don't even think I'll finish the book - only an hour in. Bummer! What a waste of a credit!

Disappointed

The narration was a sing song
Also I didn’t need to know every plot point to every movie she did. Was more interested in her as a person and as an inventor. I wanted to know more about her life as an inventor. It seemed like just a sidenote in a chapter. Disappointing

What is it with bad biographers?

Okay, why write a book about someone if you sound like you obviously don't like them? I mean really!! This lady makes Hedy sound like a flippant, shallow money grubbing hoar who was a manipulative prima donna. Hey, maybe she was, but they author sure as heck doesn't give me an objective perspective to make up my own mind with the facts. This book is skewed throughout with often subtle, but when you look at it, very definite opinions about Hedy's lifestyle. As such the book is ruined by this biased point of view and makes it hard to accept anything the author says at face value.