Thank you for sharing. Do you think that he was a bit into decorations? In his autobiography he told about a woman who asked for his permission to screen The Kid as well his presence there for charity, but he only agreed to go after knowing that he would be decorated.
I reread that section of his autobiography. I think he was mostly annoyed with the woman who was requesting his presence. She wanted to meet with him and then showed up late, etc. He admitted that he knew he was being "naughty" and later regretted his "brashness."
this might sound callous, but from the 1960s onwards Oona always struck me as some 20 years older than she really was. and then with her early death, i find she really was cheated of a lot of her years. :(
I agree, Oona seemed to age from the 1960s onward. I'm sure her alcoholism had something to do with that. Her final years were very tragic and sad but if you look at her family's history, it's hard to be too surprised by it. Her father and brothers had alcohol and drug problems. Both of her brothers committed suicide. Although Oona managed outlived all of them and have a seemingly happy life (at least until Charlie died), you have to wonder how happy she really was. I have a feeling Oona had her demons.
When I read about Oona's brothers I wondered how her life would have been different without Chaplin. I usually think that it's a reason why she could overcome his difficulty, which made her look so submissive in many people's view. From what I have read about her life before meeting him (not really a lot, however) she did not seem to be a conventional girl who was willing to obey.
Oona seemed to know how to handle Charlie's moods. I don't know if she was always content with submitting to his whims but she did. Perhaps she felt she owed it to him. She once told a friend that she was on the brink of suicide when she met Charlie and that he saved her life. Judging from what happened with her brothers, it could be argued that the security of her life with Charlie prolonged her life. After he died, she didn't seem to have much to live for. Even her children didn't bring her comfort.
I did not know about Oona on the brink of suicide, thanks for the info. I remember reading somewhere an interview with Orson Welles in which he said that during the time he dated Oona, when Oona had never met Chaplin, he once told her that some day she would marry Charlie Chaplin, he believed that she was Chaplin's type. If it is true I feel like they were born for each other, at least Oona and the old Chaplin :)
Thank you for sharing. Do you think that he was a bit into decorations? In his autobiography he told about a woman who asked for his permission to screen The Kid as well his presence there for charity, but he only agreed to go after knowing that he would be decorated.
ReplyDeleteI reread that section of his autobiography. I think he was mostly annoyed with the woman who was requesting his presence. She wanted to meet with him and then showed up late, etc. He admitted that he knew he was being "naughty" and later regretted his "brashness."
DeleteThanks for replying. I will have to read the passage again
Deletethis might sound callous, but from the 1960s onwards Oona always struck me as some 20 years older than she really was. and then with her early death, i find she really was cheated of a lot of her years. :(
ReplyDeleteI agree, Oona seemed to age from the 1960s onward. I'm sure her alcoholism had something to do with that. Her final years were very tragic and sad but if you look at her family's history, it's hard to be too surprised by it. Her father and brothers had alcohol and drug problems. Both of her brothers committed suicide. Although Oona managed outlived all of them and have a seemingly happy life (at least until Charlie died), you have to wonder how happy she really was. I have a feeling Oona had her demons.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about Oona's brothers I wondered how her life would have been different without Chaplin. I usually think that it's a reason why she could overcome his difficulty, which made her look so submissive in many people's view. From what I have read about her life before meeting him (not really a lot, however) she did not seem to be a conventional girl who was willing to obey.
DeleteOona seemed to know how to handle Charlie's moods. I don't know if she was always content with submitting to his whims but she did. Perhaps she felt she owed it to him. She once told a friend that she was on the brink of suicide when she met Charlie and that he saved her life. Judging from what happened with her brothers, it could be argued that the security of her life with Charlie prolonged her life. After he died, she didn't seem to have much to live for. Even her children didn't bring her comfort.
ReplyDeleteI did not know about Oona on the brink of suicide, thanks for the info. I remember reading somewhere an interview with Orson Welles in which he said that during the time he dated Oona, when Oona had never met Chaplin, he once told her that some day she would marry Charlie Chaplin, he believed that she was Chaplin's type. If it is true I feel like they were born for each other, at least Oona and the old Chaplin :)
Delete