Reviewed by Frank Evans
In 1972, silent film accompanist Stuart Oderman saw Paulette Goddard in a theatre lobby just before curtain time.
"Miss Goddard! Miss Goddard!" he called to her. "You must come to the Modern Art next week. I'm playing a series of Chaplin shorts."
"Thank you very much," she answered, "but I've seen all I want to of Mr. Chaplin's shorts."
Whether she married Charlie Chaplin is still a mystery. Biographer Gilbert claims that When Goddard could not to produce a marriage license, producer David O. Selznick denied her the promised role of Scarlett in "Gone With the Wind". Selznick feared a boycott of the film if it were discovered that his leading lady was "living in sin" with Chaplin. "If I had gotten to play Scarlett," Goddard later reminisced, "my life would have been a much deeper red."
Writer Anita Loos, Goddard's only close female friend, claimed that Paulette was the inspiration for her gold digging heroine, Lorelei Lee of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Loos would later say: "Gentlemen prefer blondes Uhtil they get a load of Paulette." Paulette had affairs with Clark Gable, John Wayne, George Gershwin -- and inevitably Howard Hughes. She was probably the most understanding of Howard Hughes' lovers since she had learned to deal with the eccentricities of genius with Chaplin previously. Goddard was a chorine for Ziegfeld (during her blonde period) before she embarked for Hollywood. Early on, when she played bits, she had a knack of creating publicity for herself, parlaying her notoriety into two films opposite Chaplin ("Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator"), a series of successful comedies with Bob Hope and epics for Cecil B DeMille, with whom she quarrelled on the set. Their disaqreements would lead to the end of her major film career propelling her into grade "B" pictures like "Babes in Baghdad" co-starring Gypsy Rose Lee.
That Goddard's life would intertwine with Erich Maria Remarque seems improbable, but their love affair and eventual marriage would prove to be his most satisfying relationship. No slouch himself, the handsome German was linked romantically to Garbo and Dietrich.
Remarque became an instant celebrity with the publication of his anti-war novel "All Quiet On the Western Front", based on his experiences fighting in the Germany army during World War One.
While his writing was embraced world-wide, the Germans took his anti-war message to be anti-Nazi. His books were burned in the notorious bonfire organized by Goebbels and Remarque was forced to leave Germany days before Hitler became chancellor. Remarque was so hated by the Nazis, they beheaded his sister when he was in exile. The expatriate's life would provide the basis for many of his novels which followed. Although popular in their day, none of the novels attained the classic status or "All Quiet..." but long after his death continue to be the basis for motion pictures such as "Bobby Deerfield" in 1977 and "The Black Obelisk" in 1968.
Biographer Julie Gilbert was given access to Remargue's previously unpublished and untranslated diaries as well as newly discovered tape recorded interviews Goddard made late in life. Goddard, unfortunately, constantly reinvented herself and Gilbert wisely probed further when Goddard's reminiscences seemed a bit too improbable.
Hovering over the entire story in an allegedly supporting role is Marlena Dietrich. In life as in film, she dominates. Goddard had to turn down "Destry Rides Again" to make Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", with which proved to be both unprofitable and unpopular. Dietrich got "Destry," (only after Remargue coaxed her to star in it) which revived her sagging career.
Goddard would bed many of Dietrich's boyfriends after Dietrich, Remarque had affairs withsome of Goddard's co-stars (including two time Oscar winner Luise Rainer) and one only wishes there were a family tree charting the interlocking liaisons of Dietrich, Goddard and Remarque.
Gilbert's book, however, is a more than a Juicy Good Read. In the first Englislh language biography of Remerque, Gilbert examines his demons: years in exile, hatred of war, battles with alcohol, melencholia, a man admired by the world yet shunned by his homeland -- all of which figure heavily in his work.
Gilbert also captures the vivacity and youthfullness that saw Goddard well past middle age. "Opposite Attraction" is the most complete biography of Goddard, charting her career from the dawn of talkies, through Hollywood's heyday, into the Golden Age of live television, rediscovery in the Warhol era and a painful reclusive decline. Goddard maintained her Zieg[[sterling]]eld figure well into her fifties, documented by Remarque's candid snapshots of her topless sunbathing, one of which is reproduced in the book.
Not the only reason to read "Opposite Attraction" but an inducement, nonetheless.