Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Read Online Free PDF

to MGM.
    Small parts in films like
Blonde Fever
,
Without Love
and
It Happened in Brooklyn
followed before Gloria made an impact in the movies. She was hired out by MGM to the RKO
Studio to play the coarse and sluttish tart in the controversial film
Crossfire
, directed by Edward Dmytryk. Gloria was nominated for her first Academy Award.
    ‘I wish that Gloria would have tried harder,’ Mother said. ‘She was just as good an actress as that other blonde girl.’
    ‘Who are you talking about, Mother?’ Gloria shouted from the kitchen, agitated by having to listen to her mother’s reminiscences.
    ‘Oh you know, dear,’ Mother replied. ‘That nice girl who had the affair with the President.’
    ‘It’s true, Peter.’ Joy leant forward and spoke to me confidentially. ‘Gloria would never apply herself properly. She’d never talk to the columnists. I used to get
them on the phone going crazy. “That girl’s going to ruin her career if she won’t talk to me,” they used to say. But Gloria would never talk. She’s always hated
gossip; even though she created quite a lot. And she’d never dress herself properly. When we used to go over to Zsa Zsa’s house, her mother would say, “Oh that Gloria. She could
make something of herself. If she’d only fix herself up a bit.” But that’s Gloria, Peter. She’s impossible. She didn’t even wear a new dress when she won an Oscar! She
just threw on a mink. Gloria likes to do things her way.’
    ‘That’s enough talking about me,’ Gloria called out. ‘Save your mouths for dinner. It’s ready.’
    After the meal Mother fell asleep and Joy brought Gloria up to date on family news until it was time for them to leave.
    The sun had set. The evening was warm and lovely. Gloria and I sat together by the edge of the pool.
    ‘Why don’t you like people talking about your career?’ I asked. ‘Don’t you like being an actress?’
    ‘Yeah, sure I like being an actress. But that’s why I like it when we’re in England. It means something there. I just don’t like this movie-star stuff. It’s
nothing. Sometimes I wish I’d have continued on the New York stage instead of going to Metro. Maybe that might have worked out well. Who knows?’ She shrugged her shoulders and nestled
her head against my chest.
    ‘Let’s go for a drive along the coast,’ I said. ‘It’s a beautiful night.’
    ‘Oh let’s do that, Peter!’ Her face lit up. ‘It’ll be fun. You can practise using the car.’
    We stopped off in a parking lot on the way towards Malibu and sat on the bonnet, looking out across the ocean. There were little bonfires burning along the beach where people were having parties
and, somewhere, someone was playing a guitar. The sky was a magenta colour and seemed to be lit from behind with golden rays. The moon was full and sat on the surface of the ocean. It was the most
stunning evening sky.
    ‘Oh Peter! Look what’s happening!’ Gloria jumped off the front of the car and ran towards the beach.
    I could hear other voices, shouting. There was tremendous excitement.
    ‘Quick, Peter! Quick, come and take a look! The grunion are running! The grunion are running!’
    I looked down on the beach. There were thousands of silver-coloured fish twisting and jumping, circling and flapping. The beach was a mass of silver. The little shimmering fish were washed up on
the sand by a wave, another would take them back to the sea again. The grunion were on the run. It only happens once in a while.
    ‘Peter . . .’
    I dreamt Gloria had called my name. I moved. I was warm until I moved but then I was cold. It was morning. It was light, a running-water coloured light. I could almost feel the rain as it hit
the window and imagined how long each drop was taking to slide down the glass.
    The couch I was lying on was at an angle and I’d been sleeping in a groove. I was covered by a coat, my horrible old overcoat, and a bit of a blanket. The coat was torn and I was