Ingrid Bergman has been awarded three Oscars and four Golden Globes. In addition, a variety of roses from the tea-hybrid class was named after her. Natural beauty, high intelligence and acting talent made Ingrid Bergman one of the brightest and most memorable film stars of the XX century.
Life before moving to the USA
Born in 1915 in Stockholm, actress Ingrid Bergman had a difficult childhood. By the age of thirteen she became an orphan: when she was two years old, her mother died (her name was Friedel Henrietta), and ten years later her father (his name was Justus Samuel Bergman). After that, Ingrid lived in the family of her uncle, who, by the way, had five children of his own.
Having received a school education, the young girl decided to test herself in the acting profession. At the age of seventeen, she managed to get a job at the Royal Drama Theater, but soon left the stage for a film career. Ingrid's first serious film role was the role of the charming hotel worker Elsa in the 1935 film The Earl of Munchbrough (according to the script, one of the main characters falls in love with Elsa). After that, Swedish directors began to actively invite the spectacular young artist to various projects.
In 1936, Ingrid played the pianist in the Swedish film Intermezzo. It was once seen by the influential Hollywood film producer David Selznick. He decided to make a remake of this tape and invited Ingrid to Hollywood. At that time, the girl was already married to dentist Peter Lindstrom (they signed in July 1937). However, her husband, perfectly understanding what a brilliant chance Ingrid had, let her go alone to sunny California. Soon a contract was signed between the Swedish actress and the film company Selznick International.
Career as an actress from 1939 to 1949
The remake entitled "Intermezzo: A Love Story" was released worldwide in 1939 and became an instant hit. The audience, of course, also paid attention to Ingrid - the girl conquered not only her talent, but also her beauty that did not fit into Hollywood standards.
In 1942, Ingrid starred in the legendary melodrama Casablanca. She played here Ilsa, the wife of the head of the Czech anti-fascist resistance. Bergman herself did not immediately agree to take part in the filming of "Casablanca", the role of Ilsa seemed banal to her. And subsequently, she constantly emphasized that there are brighter works in her career.
In 1943, Bergman was nominated for an Oscar for her participation in the film For Whom the Bell Tolls. And in 1945 she received the coveted statuette for the first time - for the role of Paula, who is on the verge of insanity, in the film Gas Light (directed by George Cukor).
In the second half of the forties, Bergman began to appear frequently with the master of thriller Alfred Hitchcock. The Swedish beauty can be seen in his films such as "Enchanted", "Notoriety", "Under the Sign of Capricorn."
Collaboration with Rossellini and receiving the second Oscar
The turning point for the artist's biography was 1949. It was then that she met the Italian neorealist director Roberto Rossellini, and he offered Ingrid a role in his film Stromboli, the Land of God (1950). Quite quickly, a love affair began between them. And Ingrid, despite the fact that she was still married to Lindstrom, became pregnant and gave birth to a son from Rossellini. This destroyed her reputation in Hollywood - films with her participation were literally boycotted for some time.
Bergman ultimately divorced her first husband, married Rossellini and later gave birth to two more girls from him - Isotta and Isabella. From 1952 to 1954, Rossellini shot the Swedish beauty in several of his films - "Fear", "Europe-51", "Travel to Italy". In addition to this, he gave Ingrid the main role in the theatrical production "Jeanne d'Arc at the stake", which was warmly received by the audience in many European cities.
In 1956, Bergman was again offered a job in Hollywood. She played the daughter of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, who allegedly escaped execution, in the film Anastasia. Bergman's return to American cinema was triumphant - she won her second Oscar for Anastasia.
Third marriage and recent years
In 1957, Ingrid divorced Rossellini, and soon married for the third time - to theatrical figure Lars Schmidt. Schmidt became not only a husband for Ingrid, but also a personal entrepreneur. He looked for suitable plays for the actress, stage directors, negotiated with theaters - in general, he took over the organizational chores. And Ingrid was able to completely surrender to creativity. As a result, almost every year for fifteen years, high-quality performances with her participation appeared.
But Bergman began to act in films much less often, responding only to really interesting proposals. One of the brightest films of this period - the role of nurse and spinster Stephanie Dickinson in the 1969 comedy "Cactus Flower".
In 1973, doctors diagnosed the actress with breast cancer, and all subsequent years the actress was fighting this serious ailment. However, she continued to play. For example, in the 1974 detective film Murder on the Orient Express, Bergman played the role of the missionary Greta Olson (for which she was given the third Oscar).
Traditionally, the most significant works of the last years of the actress's life include the role of the pianist Charlotte in the film of the equally famous namesake (they are not relatives!) Ingmar Bergman's Autumn Sonata and the role of the Israeli politician Golda Meir in the biopic film A Woman Called Golda.
The great actress died on August 29, 1982 (right on the day of her 67th birthday) in London.
