Hollywood, as everyone knows, loves an enigma. Especially a beautiful, brown-haired, brown-eyed, young and slim enigma with a sof and lovely voice. Our newest one is Claire Bloom, the British girl with the distinguished acting career behind her who, quietly and without fireworks, stepped into a starring role in "The Brothers Karamozov" sought by nearly every other actress in Hollywood.
Mostly, Hollywood remembered her as the girl who played with Charles Chaplin in "Limelight," which gave her a vast eamount of publicity- and added to her mystery. Otherwise, she seemed to have gained fame in a number of Shakespearean roles, especially as one of the loveliest of all Juliets with the Old Vic Company in England. Hollywood was a little bit in awe of her. "She'll be terribly British," I suppose, was one opinion. "Terribly highbrow!" was another.
She isn't. Though she was born in London, she has lived in many parts of the world, as her fathre's business kept the family on the move. She even attended schools in America for several years when she was very young. And far from being solely a Shakespearian actress, she has appeared in many modern works. She is young, gay and exquisite to look at...and she has a mind of her own. She lives alone a in a smart little apartment, goes out with sophisticated men, like Sydney Chaplin, maintains that she cannot cook, and despite what she says about not being "chic," she is considered one of Hollywood's best dressed women.
When MGM announced Claire for "The Brothers Karamozov," the columnists immediatley converged, of course, and came up with some surprising conclusions about her. She was, they said, "aloof, withdrawn, moody... a dedicated Shakespearean actress, a true artist, interested in nothing but her work." They couldn't have been more wrong and they couldn't have annoyed Miss Bloom more. Basically she is a healthy, forthright young girl, who is interested most of all in being a complete human being, a girl who knows what she thinks- and is willing to speak her mind. Finding her in this mood, we volunteered to help set the record straight on matters in which she feels she has been misunderstood. Here is the direct transcript of our interview:
Somehow has quoted you as saying that you think Hollywood people are "superficial" and a little bit "shabby". Is that true?
Her brown eyes were flashing as she instantly rejoined , "How dare anyone say I said such a thing? It's an absolute lie. The people I have met in Hollywood are completely sincere in their interest in their work, intense in their desire to improve. It isn't all tinsel and glamour here, believe me. The very young actors, especially, are almost suffocatinly intense about their work." She laughed a little. "I will admit, however, that I think a lot of Hollywood peple overdo this preoccupation with acting or whatever they are doing in pictures. When they get together they can't talk anything but shop and, frankly, that gets a bit boring. "Acting can not be one's whole life- or one could not be a very good actor. That's why I was so disappointed with the columnist who said I was interested in nothing but my work. I can't stand that sort of story about me! I am interested in scores of things.
"You have to be a whole person. You have to live and love and suffer and rejoice. To say an actress is interested only in her work, is to make her a sort of cipher. I do not wish to be a cipher!"
Is it true that you think Hollywood peple are overly career-conscious"?
"YES, I think they are, rather. At parties, for instance, they divide into groups. The men who are interested in the same branch of the film industry gather in one corner and talk about their special problesm. Another group in a different corner is discussing a different problem. The women sort of coagulate across the room and I think they mostly talk about clothes. "It is difficult ot get to know anyone outside your special group and I think that is a pity. So many people with so much to offer..."
Which brings us to the question of how do you feel about the practice of people dating, being seen together at parties and premiers and in smart restaurants for the sake of publicity? It is a general practice in Hollywood, you know.
"I think it is an appalling idea. What kind of an eving can it possibly be when two people go to a theatre or a party, knowing they them must do it to be photgraphed together, to get their names in the papers? I simply can't think of anything dismal for both of them. And they are supposed to look as if they are enjoying themselves! Yet I know it is often done and I am willing to admit that for the very young, just-beginning actors it may sometimes be useful."
When Claire talks about "young, just-beginning actors," she sounds positively maternal. She, herself, is in her early twenties. Yet she has been a distinguished actress since she was in her early teens. So perhaps she has that right. She went on, "At the studios and on the sets everything is entirely different. People are working together and there is a certaom cameraderie. We have a saying in the theatre that 'Dr. Greasepaint' can cure anything. It means simply that no matter how you feel once you get your make-up on, everything else disappears and you just get on with the show."
How about the mysterious romance of which we hear rumors?
The lovely face clouded and the brown eyes became opaque. "If there were a romance in my life, I should certainly not tell anyone. There are some things which belong to one's self. It's like big gaudy weddings. How awful! To parade one's most precious moments in the glare of lights and newspaper reporters. No. When I have a romance or a wedding it will be strictly in private."
How do you think American men compare with Europeans as escorts and as husband material?
"Hmmm-mm. I haven't been out with a great many American men but the ones who have taken me here and there have been nice. Still, I think I prefer the Europeans. They seem to have the knack of making you feel more feminine, somehow. They take more care of you and fuss over you and make you feel pampered and special. American men seem so casual, so...what do you call it?...'palsy-walsy'.
"As for husbands, it's true, I think that americans are very generous and thoughtful of their wives and I admire them for it. They even help with the children. You see men, right here in Hollywood, taking the babies out of their prams. A man in Europe would be embarrased to be seen doing that. But in Europe the man is the head of the house and there is no doubt about it. He makes the decisions about money, about how the children shall be brought up, about social obligations...everytning. I think I like it that way. In Hollywood, the women seem much stronger than the men, somehow. The wives seem to make the decisions, seem to plan the budgets, seem to manage the households. I just don't know whether or not I could be comfortable under that sort of domestic arrangement!"
Do you find that Hollywood is "name-conscious" or "career-conscious"?
"Oh, yes indeed!" But aren't people everywhere? Here you go to rent an apartment and the owner tells you hat so-and-so's (a screen name) mother lives here. That seems to make it more desirable and more expensive. You go into a shop to buy a sweater or something. They are cool and noncommittal. But the moment you order something and give your name or sign a check and they realize that you are in pictures...everything is changed. They gush over you no end and bring out scores of expensive items for you to look at. You can hardly get away from them. Of course, the same thing is true in England of people with titles. It simply happens that picture stars are the aristocracy in Hollywood as titled people are over there. I guess it's a natural reaction."
Is it true that you think Hollywood women "overdress"?
"Yes, I think they sometimes do at parties. But I can understand why they do. In Hollywood, women ordinarily wear slacks and sweaters all day if they are not actually in costume and make-up on the set. Hollywood is the most casual town, dress-wise, in the world. So when they do dress, it is so much fun for them theat they go all out wiith the great great frou-frou skirts and the jewels. It's rather gay, at that. And why not? But it was rather a treat recently to go to San Francisco where chic women know about tailored suits and the classic 'little black dress.'" Claire broke off with a giggle.
"Y'know, I have never been 'chic' in my whole life! I can wear gloves and carry a bag but I simply can't wear hats. I look horrible in a hat and how can you be chic without one? I've owned only two of the things in my life...and I didn't wear those. I wear mostly shirt dresses in the daytime and for evenings I like black or green or red...clear colors. Blue depresses me terribly. "And," she sighed, "I do love emeralds. I like beautiful antique jewelry, too, even if it isn't very valuable. Often it is interesting. And I have a real passion for blue-gray pearls."
Because Claire is British and because she earned her first fame in Shakespearian productions, she finds herself a bit hemmed in sometimes...mentally. She can be annoyed about this, too. "People as me, 'Do you always have tea in the afternoon? .,Actually, I drink coffee all day long every day. But what is this tea bit? And what is it supposed to mean? We aren't slaves to tea! And then there are the people who ask, 'are you a devoted member of the Hollywood British Colony?" That infuriates me. I certainly am not a member of any such thing, although I believe there are a few people in Hollywood who cling together simply because they happen to be British.
"That I cannot understand. I hate cliques of any kind. I dislike and distrust 'nationalism.' How silly to pretend to have a bond with someone simply because he happened to be born on the same island that you were. I consider this a rather silly form of snobbery."
She seemed to be thinking. Then she came back to the subject of ambition. "It can destroy you, you know." she concluded. "I think it can especially destroy women. If you have that cloying ambition which rules out everything else in life, then you aren't anything at all. You aren't even a good actress! People keep asking me if I would give up acting for marriage and children. Yes, I would. It would be a terrible wrench and I hope that I shall never have to make that choice. I should look long and hard at the man in my life and at what his work meant to him. If his work seemed important to him, then I shouldn't hesitate a moment. After all, being a person, just plain living, is much more important to a woman than any career can possibly be." END

The article is accompanied by a full page black and white photo of Claire from waist up holding some long stemmed flowers, with short dark hair; A fifth page black and white photo of clair at a soda barmixing a drink while the bar tender looks over her shoulder- "ACTING can not be one's whole life," declares Claire Bloom. "I am interested in scores of things." That's British for enjoying a real full life.; ;A full page black and white photo of Claire leaning back against a sofa pillow while reading from a script- "I THINK I prefer European men," says Claire. 'They fuss over you and make you feel pampered. American men seem so casual."; A half page black and white photo of Claire holding a script while seated on a sofa, but looking at the camera- FAMOUS first in Shakespearean roles Claire was signed by MGM and brought to Hollywood to star in "The Brothers Karamazov."; A ninth page black and white photo of Claire looking over an iron railing on a stairway- TO DATE just for the sake of publicity is something that really appalls Claire Bloom.