Three years earlier, on January 1, 1971, her autobiography was released, “a book honest, flamboyant and passionate,” according to the New York Times. “Each of his paragraphs,” says the newspaper’s critic, “confirms his opinion.” Rex Reed: “In the future, when we are all dead, they will still be talking regarding Melina Merkouri.” This thought, fifty-two years later, might also be characterized as prophetic. Evidence of everything that commemorates and honors Melina Merkouri today, thirty years following the date of her death on March 6, 1994.
Reading the excellent book entitled “Melina – A star in America” by Giorgos Archimandrites and Spyrou Arseniswhich was released in 2014 by “Pataki” publications and recently reprinted, reveals unseen moments that outline Melina’s iconic personality and work in the 7th Art, in theater and politics, as the Minister of Culture who emphatically set the return of Sculptors of the Parthenon.
In the pages of the book, we follow the international development of Melina’s career, from the first time Melina’s name is heard in America in 1956, to the thirteenth awarding of the Golden Globe Awards for the film “Stella”, until her final return to Greece in July 1974.
The thorough research and flowing narrative travel back in time to the late 1950s, when Melina’s name begins to travel across the Atlantic, composing a world she rarely spoke of, but ultimately worked – as outlined in the book- as a transatlantic courier. Melina Merkouri, pursuing an international career, conveys the developments of Greece to America and Europe through her struggle once morest the dictatorship.
“From her autobiography to her latest interviews, Melina rarely referred to her New York and Hollywood era. “Although from 1957 to 1974 her presence on the American artistic scene was particularly intense, she preferred to speak passionately regarding her second life, that of social struggles and politics,” note the two authors.
Document
In their study, Melina’s artistic journey in America is traced and through it events and persons who marked that time. Anecdotal personal testimonies, written documents, numerous reviews, interviews, responses and articles of the most important American Media, such as “Time”, “Life”, “The New York Times”, “The Washington Post”, “Variety”, render and capture the spirit of the American public of the time for Melina. Separate chapters, Hollywood and Broadway.
In the pages we also “meet” the relationship that Melina had with them Miki Theodorakis, Marlon Brando, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Aristotle Onassis, Robert Kennedy, Kirk Douglas, Salvador Dali and, of course, her relationship with him Zil Dashenwho, when they met, was already an acclaimed director.
“Only in the “New York Times” in the period 1957-1974 are recorded 235 articles referring to her. At the same time, for other European stars, such as Simon Signorewith an Oscar and a second Oscar nomination, and the Gina Lolobridgeda, 226 and 213 articles are recorded respectively”, the book says. On its pages, the films and awards for her performances are also analyzed, such as for “Stella”, “Christ is crucified”, “Never on Sunday” and “Top Kapi”.
Anti-dictatorship struggle
During the junta, she devoted herself to the anti-dictatorship struggle, knowing – as evidenced by the research – that “her political activism would disturb the American public and have a great cost to her career”.
To the question of the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci if advising American tourists to go to Greece in the summer Melina replies: “If you can go to the Greek islands knowing that some of them are prisons where people are tortured, then go to Greece. If you want to support a fascist government with your dollars, then go for it.”
The edition closes with Melina’s return to Greece and her involvement in politics, yielding a complete and extremely interesting read that reconstructs a world that today may not exist, but has left traces with the indelible ink of History.
Info
“MELINA – A STAR IN AMERICA”
GEORGE ARCHIMANDRITIS, SPYROS ARSENIS
EDITIONS: “Pataki”
PAGE: 288
#footsteps #Melina #Merkouri #side #Atlantic