Customer Reviews

The Kindness of Strangers

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Where "Casablanca" leaves off, two books pick up the story of leftist and liberal European intellectuals escaping from Hitler to what were then safer parts of the world. Varian Fry's *Surrender on Demand* describes smuggling intellectual and political dignitaries from Vichy-controlled Marseilles to the freer port of Lisbon, and Salka Viertel's *The Kindness Of Strangers* tells about welcoming distinguished emigres and helping them to make a home in the orbit of Hollywood. A charming book, full of celebrity gossip along with more serious themes about loyalty and tests of courage. Viertel also tells the sad story of distinguished emigres greeted with indifference by U.S. public authorities, and left-leaning heroes of the '30s intellectual fight against Hitler becoming political suspects again in the U.S. as "premature anti-fascists." Food for thought in many ways.

This is the most interesting Hollywood memoir ever, beautifully written,and describing the inner workings of the industry from the perspective of someone who had been on top (most highly paid screenwriter in H'wood after QUEEN CHRISTINA) and down-and-out (when she was "greylisted," Salka begged her friend Ernst Lubitsch to front her the cash for a little goulash cart, since everyone loved her cooking). Lots of information about her friendships with Schoenberg, Thomas Mann, Garbo, Brecht, Lubitsch, Murnau; really gives you the texture of German-Austrian exile culture of Los Angeles in the 30's and 40's. A wonderful, touching personal narrative.