Hollywood's Dark Screen Siren

Hollywood's Dark Screen Siren


July 22, 2024 | Penelope Singh

Hollywood's Dark Screen Siren


Is there another star who defines the idea of an Old Hollywood screen siren better than Lauren Bacall? Doubtful. With her femme fatale looks and iconic low voice, Bacall was a staple of Golden Age cinema. Her life is practically a checklist of Tinsel Town achievements and scandal, including on-set affairs, a tumultuous private life, and 1940s Presidential selfies.

While making her first film, Lauren Bacall wound up on the wrong end of a disturbing love triangle. Director Howard Hawks was enamored with her, but she was in love with her co-star, Humphrey Bogart. The ensuing drama nearly sunk the film. Many years later, when Hawks was asked about what had happened with Bacall, his answer was so brutal, it’s impossible to forget.

Hawks said: "Bogie fell in love with the character she played, so she had to keep playing it the rest of her life." Harsh.


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