I had no recollection of why I purchased this book until about halfway through when David (Edward VIII) and Wallis showed up. Then I realized this must have been cited in some biography I read about him, Wallis, or Jimmy Donahue (as Jimmy is also in this book, and I remember the disastrous dinner party described here, where he jumps off the yacht twice and humilates them in front of Greta Garbo). But putting that whole grim group aside, this was a lovely surprise to read, because I knew nothing about Lilli Palmer and I came away admiring her and her interesting life. She has a good sense of humor and an ability to keep going through traumatic events. She is also a strong writer and has a good eye for an anecdote, so the book skimmed along at a good pace. I was never bored or pushing through a section to get somewhere else, which is a testament to her writing since film star autobiography is not my usual genre at all.
Lilli Palmer grew up in Germany before WWII, with a father who served in WWI and was a fully assimilated German Jew. He loved Germany, and part of Lilli’s story is her thankfullness that her father died just as Hitler started taking over, so he did not have to see the descent of the country. I thought the overall arc she depicts of her own feelings about Germany, the culpability of the average German, and the challenge she faces in returning the first time, was very interesting and an excellent look into the psychological effects of hatred and displacement. She describes her happy childhood, her desire to be an actress in the face of her father’s wish for her to become a doctor, and her first steps into professional stage acting, before the rise of the Nazi party causes her to realize she needs to flee Germany, as the Nazis will make it impossible for her to act. She joins her sister in Paris as a refugee and through a lot of hard work, luck, and the kindness of others, as well as her own talent and beauty, she is able to break into films in England. The rest of the book details her life as a film actress, her marriages to Rex Harrison and Carlos Thompson, family life, and a lot of very interesting anecdotes about other actors and personalities she meets. I think what admired most was her honesty and her spirit throughout. She undergoes some truly horrible times, including seeing David Niven’s wife have the terrible fall that killed her, and she continues along, determinedly enjoying life and seeking out her happiness. I took away a good lesson about inner strength and attitude that will hopefully stick with me.