Simone Signoret

Actress Simone Signoret (1921-1985), an important figure in French cinema and the author of several books, was known for her roles as femme fatale in a series of films including Macadam (1946), La Ronde (1950) and Casque D'Or (1951), until she achieved international fame and an Academy Award in 1958 for her portrayal of a rejected woman in Room at the Top. David, a Parisian journalist, provides little new insight into her subject's career or into the commitment to political activism Signoret shared with her husband, singer and film star Yves Montand. Claiming that she was stonewalled by Montand and Signoret's inner circle, David relies on information already provided in Signoret's 1973 autobiography, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be , and sprinkles her text with conjecture regarding Signoret's childhood, marriage and her reaction to Montand's much publicized affair with Marilyn Monroe. David's personal ruminations regarding her obsession with Signoret's life further flaw this biography. Photos. (June)