Hello to all Ingrid Bergman fans over the world! I am sorry this edition is late and that the Spring one should be coming fast on its heels!

Here is something to make you laugh: One of our British Sky Satellite channels was showing “The Bells of St Mary’s” a couple of weeks ago and it was advertised as starring Bing Crosby and HEDY LAMARR!!!!!!! Laugh! Now can you imagine Hedy Lamarr as Sister Benedict? Personally – NO!!!!!!

Now here is a lovely e-mail I received from my friend Xu Min, who lives in Shanghai. She has told me many things about “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness”, correcting those that were not authentic and confirming those that were. Remember the Five Happinesses? When Ingrid and Mrs Lawson had put up the inn sign, Ingrid said: “Yang says that in China everyone wishes you the Five Happinesses – wealth, health, virtue, longevity and a peaceful death in old age, but he didn’t mention any more. What is the Sixth Happiness?”

Here we learn a bit more about the Five Happinesses:

I just read a small article on today's evening paper, which tells about the "Five Happinesses".

The article said before the arrival of Spring Festival, Chinese families have the custom to hang the "Fu" (In Chinese "Fu" means happiness) upside-down (upside-down called "dao" in Chinese and is homonymous with the word "arrive")on their doors, which means they hope the happiness will be with them all year around. But what is the true happiness? How can we reach the realm of happiness?  Then the article tells us that in the ancient times (thousands of years ago) there was a book generalized "Five happiness" for peole to pursuit, they were: longevity, wealth, health, virtue and peaceful death...  

I am very excited to read it for this is the first time I read about the "Five happinesses". Before I only heard of it and I couldn't even remember what they were. I knew them from your letter and "The Inn", but I were not very sure about them. This evening the article gave me a lesson! I am very glad! I have saved this elevating article, and I hope I can be that kind of happy person:)

Just write here to share with you!

UNDER CAPRICORN

This under-rated film was shown recently on British television. Personally, I think Ingrid gives a stunning performance and her slight Irish accent is very well achieved: her character, Henrietta Flusky, had gone to New South Wales from Ireland in search of Sam Flusky [who was serving a prison sentence for murder] and had taken menial jobs there while waiting for his release. In those seven years she would have lost much of her Irish accent – so Ingrid pitched it just right. I needed to say that, as there has been criticism of Ingrid’s voice in this film.

It’s not a typical Hitchcock film. It could have been directed by someone like George Cukor, who coached such excellent performances from his female stars and directed Ingrid in her Oscar-winning film “Gaslight”. The storyline bears resemblances to “Gaslight” too. I am not going to give an outline of the story, or it will spoil the viewing for anyone who has yet to see it, but I do suggest that Ingrid’s fans should see this film – and enjoy it! The “Daily Mail” gave it three stars – generous and there were two little “write-ups”:

“Master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, was clearly uncomfortable with the subject matter of this unwieldy costume drama set in 1831 Australia.. Joseph Cotton is a convict turned entrepreneur, Ingrid Bergman his unhappy wife and Margaret Leighton the ambitious maid who will stop at nothing to take her place.”

“ Alcoholic wife Ingrid Bergman and poisonous housemaid Margaret Leighton compete for the affections of businessman Joseph Cotton in a talky and long-winded costume epic set in 19^th century Australia, which lacks director Alfred Hitchocock’s usual confident touch.”

So now you can make up your own minds!!!!

THE INGRID ROSE

Watching a television programme called “The Flying Gardener” [a gardening expert flies all over Britain in a helicopter!] a few weeks ago, I was surprised and delighted when, on a visit to a rose-growing expert in Hertfordshire, he picked out “the rose Ingrid Bergman” as being one which he recommends for any garden. It was a joy to have it mentioned again.

AND……..

Fact about Ingrid and flowers: her rose is grown in splendour in Regent’s Park in London, where so many people from all over the world can enjoy it and be reminded of her. BUT…..Ingrid didn’t like red roses and, if any were sent to her dressing room, she asked that they be removed. Her favourite flower of all was the simple, wild cornflower! Isn’t that wonderful!

AND FINALLY….

I am going to make this edition short, because it’s very late and I want to start on the Spring one. Do take a look at our Yahoo Club, which has now changed to a group. I hope that the photo albums will be transferred and there are new features, which may prove to make the change worthwhile. For example, there’s a facility to do polls of favourite Ingrid films.

IT’S NOW 20 YEARS SINCE WE LOST INGRID.

English Heritage should provide a blue plaque for the front of the house in Cheyne Gardens, where Ingrid lived from 1979 in Flat 4, 9 Cheyne Gardens and where she died on August 29^th, 1982. The plaques can only be put up after the person has been dead for twenty years.

I hope to resume the poem feature next time, as several people say they have missed it. As always, we send our best wishes to Ingrid’s family. Pia Lindstrom is still working hard in the media in New York and recently hosted a conference [see Michelle’s posting on the Yahoo club]. Isabella and Ingrid junior attended a tribute to their father in Paris and were accompanied by Renzo Rossellini and Gil Rossellini.

Do write to me if you have any comments or would like to contribute to the magazine.

Mary

mary@ingrid67.freeserve.co.uk