Paulette: The Adventurous Life of Paulette Goddard

In the tradition of their previous star bios (of Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth), Epstein and Morella now focus on Paulette Goddard, perhaps more famous for her illustrious lovesCharles Chaplin, Burgess Meredith and Erich Maria Remarquethan for her film career. Despite leading a high life both in Hollywood and abroad, Goddard, according to the authors, was not a celluloid damsel typical of her era: she was independent, unconventional and intelligent. A childhood that was impoverished educationally, emotionally and financially toughened her. Forced to drop out of school at age 14 to support her mother and herself, she married a rich husband who provided her with the first of the many ""settlements'' she would receive throughout her life. She was thus enabled to be professionally and socially selective and to ignore the intrusive demands of press and public. Although the biographers obviously admire Goddard, they have produced a routine and essentially superficial portrait. Readers will come away with lots of facts but an indefinite sense of this actress. Smart, charming, witty, down-to-earth, bejeweledbut is that all there is? Photos not seen by PW. November 25