| Autumn 1998 | Issue 3 |
EDITORIAL by Mary HutchingsWelcome to the third issue of The Ingrid Chronicle! I was pleased with the response I had to the last issue - kind words from many readers, plus requests for copies of "Ingrid Bergman Remembered". This is not, perhaps, the happiest time of year for Ingrid fans, because we lost her at the end of summer - but, remember, she was born at that time of year too.....so August 29th should really be a happy day, because it represents the gift to the world of the great talent and unique human being that was [and is] INGRID BERGMAN. In 1982, the year we lost Ingrid, her memorial service was held at the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on October 14th - autumn had already begun then. Liv Ullmann's moving tribute to Ingrid at that service[read it here soon] mentions autumn and that it was our first without Ingrid. Well, this is out sixteenth without her....yet we shall always have her, so long as we have her films and so long as she has so many loyal fans. I know, Ingrid, where ever you are, that you are moved by the fact that the fans you knew, still love you and that there are so many young fans, who are too young to have known you, but have come to you recently through your films. I start a new feature this time about how people became fans. I would like to thank Jerry Waldman for sending me items to add to the feature on classical music in Ingrid's films. Thank you to Matt, whose continued loyalty to Ingrid enables me to "speak" through his page.
NEWSI have written to Joss Ackland, the well-known actor, who was a good friend to Ingrid. I hope that he will become our honorary patron. If I hear anything from him after this has gone to press, it will be added. I shall send him a copy of each issue before it is released on the net and I shall also send a copy to Pia Lindstrom. I feel it is right that Ingrid's eldest daughter should see the content of each issue John Massey, a young fan, who lives in Scotland, has set up a mailing list for Bergman news and views. If you have any information you wish to share or any questions about Ingrid's life and career, you can find out how to join the list at: http://freespace.virgin.net/sj.massey/faq.htm I feel sure John would wish me to add that he reserves the right not to mail anything which he considers unsuitable or which could damage Ingrid's reputation. Now that she is no longer with us, we are the guardians of all that is written about her.We think that the COMPLETE version of "Joan of Arc" may be released on video later this year. As devotees will know, the version which is available has been unmercifully cut. The original cinema version was 155 minutes long, whereas our videos are only 100 minutes. Not having seen the full length original I am not sure what scenes were cut, but my friend, Peg Lowe, a loyal Ingrid fan for over fifty years and an expert on Joan, says that it consists of much of the trial. I am in the process of writing an article to be titled "The Making of The Inn of the Sixth Happiness". Since I first had the idea for this, it has grown out of all proportion and is in danger of becoming a BOOK! If any reader has any information which they think may be of use, please send it to me. I would particularly like to hear from other people who have visited the locations in North Wales. Needless to say, I have been there several times. All of the Ingrid web sites continue to do excellent work in promoting interest in Ingrid and her films and it's good that they all work together and not in competition. Bill Hicks has recently added some fantastic photo galleries, on "The Inn" [a special thank you from me - an INN addict!], "Joan of Arc" and "Indiscreet". He has also written a feature about Ingrid and her Oscars and has added Margaret Walsh's unique account of her meeting with Ingrid during "More Stately Mansions" in New York. I would like to thank him, also, for publishing my account of my own special meeting with Ingrid at the Cambridge Theatre in London.
INGRID'S FILMS ON TELEVISIONWe in Britain do not have access to as many channels as people in the USA, but even so, this has been a good year so far. We have seen "Gaslight" earlier in the year and in August the lovely documentary "Ingrid Bergman Remembered" was repeated, followed by a screening of "Anastasia". Last week we saw "Murder on the Orient Express" and, as I write, we are getting ready to see "Goodbye Again" and "The Bells of St Mary's" on BBC2 this coming week. Some younger fans have already told me that they have yet to see these two films and are looking forward to having them on video. Most of us oldies -like me - have seen all of the films and have the videos - but it is excellent news when they are shown on television again. Potential fans are always there - just waiting to fall for the greatest of them all! The satellite channels in the UK show more Ingrid films - "Casablanca" was shown again last week and there's always a first time for someone to see that. There are two Swedish films which remain elusive:" Pa Solsidan" [On the Sunny Side] and "Branningar "[Ocean Breakers]. I would love to know why these have never been shown on television and why they are not available to buy as videos. The same is true of "Die Vier Gesellen" [The Four Companions], which Ingrid made for UFA in Berlin in 1938. If anyone has any idea where we can get hold of videos of these films, please let me know.NEW FEATURE: How Did YOU become a fan of Ingrid?Where and when did you see your first Ingrid film? Here are two short stories.Kathleen Torres, who is still a teenager and lives in Southern California, was spending Christmas a few years ago with her grandmother. They were cosily curled up on the sofa watching television and her grandmother was flipping through the many channels. Suddenly, something caught her eye and she stopped on that channel - Kathleen says that her grandmother's eyes were twinkling - for she had found "Casablanca". Together they watched the film and Kathleen was hooked. She became a firm fan of Ingrid. Wanda Colon, who lives in Puerto Rico, was only half watching television one evening - her father was watching a film. Wanda came into the room and stopped in her tracks. She watched for a few minutes and then asked her father "Who is THAT?". Thinking she meant Goldie Hawn, her father told her "No" said Wanda "the other one...." "Oh - well, that's Ingrid Bergman of course" said her father. Wanda sat down and watched the rest of the film - it was "Cactus Flower". That film still remains Wanda's favourite. I was thrilled by this story, because it means that Ingrid's later films are capable of creating new fans. "Cactus Flower" IS one of Ingrid's masterpieces, for she proved [not for the first time!] that she was a brilliant comedienne, with lots of amazing pieces of comic improvisation, which never cease to amaze me. If YOU have a story to tell, about how you became a fan, please send it to me.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!I am sure you all wish to join me in wishing a "Happy Birthday" to Pia Lindstrom on September 20th. By the time this is released, her birthday will have gone by - but our good wishes are meant just as sincerely.
ANOTHER FAN DISCOVERED!Did you know that Margaret Thatcher [now Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven], Prime Minister of Great Britain 1979-1990, is a fan of Ingrid!!! As a teenager in Grantham and later when she was an undergraduate at Oxford, Maggie never missed an Ingrid film and continued to follow her career. I wonder if she saw the plays in which Ingrid starred on the London stage? Well done, Maggie, and welcome to the club!
INGRID AND THE OCKENDEN VENTUREEver since she filmed "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" Ingrid had been concerned about the plight of refugees, especially children. It was by chance that she came into contact with The Ockenden Venture, while she was appearing in "A Month in the Country" at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford in 1965. The headquarters of Ockenden are in nearby Woking and Ingrid heard about Joyce Pearce, the founder. Ingrid went to visit Joyce. Just at that time Joyce was beginning a project to help Tibetan orphans and she was sure that Providence had brought Ingrid to her! They liked each other from the start and Ingrid began the help which she was to give Ockenden for the rest of her life. She often visited the various Ockenden houses, where she could be seen talking to and hugging the children. Her first radio appeal resulted in donations of over £11,000 and in listeners writing from all over Britain offering to sponsor Tibetan children. A few years later Ingrid bought a minibus for Ockenden. In 1973 five child polio victims from Vietnam were given permission to come to England to spend one year, in order to be given orthopaedic treatment and exercises. Ingrid loved these five girls - Lan, Minh, Thuy, KimChi and Ngoe. Shortly before their return to Vietnam, she took them to London Zoo, bought them toys from the shop and gave them tea in the restaurant. She rocked with laughter when they burst into song - a Vietnamese version of "Frere Jacques" [which is all about a butterfly], "One Man and his Dog" and "Yellow Submarine". She should have taught them "This Old Man" , which the Chinese children sang in "The Inn".......I have a feeling that she did!! If you would like to read more about Ockenden and see a super photo of Ingrid with the five Vietnamese girls, you can obtain a copy of "Joyce's Ockenden" from:Rosalyn Taylor [Fundraising Manager], The Ockenden Venture, Constitution Hill, Woking, Surrey GU22 7UU, England. Please send £5, plus 83 pence postage. E-mail: ov@ockenden.org.uk and website at www.ockenden.org.uk 1998 Christmas cards with unusual designs are now available - a great way to spread the word about Ockenden and to help in however small a way to continue Ingrid's work. CHOICE OF POEMThere seemed to be nothing about autumn which related to Ingrid, so what better than a verse from Byron, which I have always loved:
She walks in beauty, like the night I hope you have enjoyed reading the Autumn 1998 issue of The Ingrid Chronicle. It would be encouraging to have contributions from more fans: if you would like to write anything for the next issue, please e-mail me. Film reviews would make welcome additions. Mary mhutchings@taunton-cyber.co.uk
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