News and Events
Forthcoming and recent past events are listed below; for a detailed list of past events in Luise's career, since the 1920s see the Chronology. The Twitter feed (right) will constantly keep up to date with Tweets mentioning Luise - you can get regular site updates via Twitter by following www.twitter.com/luiserainer
Luise turns 103
Posted January 2013
On January 12th 2013 Luise turned 103 years old. Here at luiserainer.net I celebrated by posting 103 photos to my Twitter feed, some rare and unpublished online. The images covered almost 80 years of Luise's life from her 1930s stage appearances in Dusseldorf to the unveiling of her star on the Boulevard des Stars in Berlin, 2011. As far as I am aware there were no film screenings, interviews or other articles of note in the press. If you know of any such tributes, please let me know.
New Interview for Entertainment Weekly
Posted February 2012
Luise (and her daughter Francesca) were interviewed for a new two-page article in the 2012 Oscars edition of the US magazine
Entertainment Weekly (available in the week of February 3rd to 10th).
The edition features a whole section of 'Oscar's Living Legends', inlcuding interviews with Sophia Loren, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Maximilian Schell and Luise.
The interview isn't yet online but copies of the magazine can still be found on some auction websites for the face value (or below). [Posted Febrary 2012]
Paradies in schwerer Zeit (Paradise in Troubled Times) - Kunstler und Denker im Exil in Pacific Palisades by Thomas Blubacher
Posted January 2012
Luise Rainer features amongst almost fifty of her contemporary European exiles in this new book, recently published by Elisabeth Sandmann. The book features essays on some of the most celebrated exiles of the 1920s and 1930s who left Europe for a new life in Hollywood; they include Salka Viertel, Fred Zinnemann, Bruno and Liesl Frank, Max Reinhardt, Helene Thimig, Erich Korngold, Erich Maria Remarque, Marlene Dietrich, Bertolt Brecht, Oskar Homolka, Thomas Mann, Vicki Baum, Peter Lorre, Fritz Lang and Lion Feuchtwanger,plus many more. Each chapter is beautifully illustrated with colour photos, rare documents and examples of their work on film.
The book is available online from the
publisher's website and most online retailers. Currently only a German language edition is available although it is hoped an English edition will follow shortly.
Luise's 102nd birthday
Posted January 2012
Luise celebrated her 102nd birthday on January 10th at home in London with her daughter Francesca. Here at luiserainer.net I marked the occasion with 102 Tweets about Luise. Head over to www.twitter.com/escapade1935 or search for the hashtag #LuiseRainer102 for all 102 factoids. [Posted January 2012]
The Great Waltz - now on DVD from Warner Archive
Posted November 2011
Following on from their 2010 release of
The Toy Wife,
Big City and
The Emperor's Candlesticks (in the
Luise Rainer DVD Collection), Warner Archive has now issued a remastered edition of Luise's 1938 film
The Great Waltz. Now only two of Luise's MGM films remain unreleased:
Escapade (1935) and
Dramatic School (1938). It is to be hoped that Warner Archive have those on their list of forthcoming releases.
Click here to visit the Warner Archive page for
The Great Waltz
Luise gets a star in Berlin - Monday 5th September
Posted September 2011
At the end of 2010 the German Museum of Film & Television in cooperation with the German Film Archive Foundation created a new monument in the German capital, Berlin: the Boulevard of Stars is based on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame and aims to celebrate the many German actors, directors, writers, composers and other film-makers who have contributed to the history of film not only in their homeland but across the world.
The first batch of names were announced in 2010 and a grand opening ceremony was held to launch the Boulevard. Those honoured included Marlene Dietrich, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Bruno Ganz, Werner Herzog, Hildegarde Knef, Fritz Lang, Asta Nielsen, Max Ophuls, Wolfgang Peterson, Wim Wenders and Billy Wilder. All deserving honourees amongst many others (the full list can be seen here). There was some consternation, however, among classic film fans that, in her 100th year, Luise Rainer, two-time Oscar winner who was born in Dusseldorf, was not amongst those so honoured. The oversight caused a ripple of astonishment and some campaigning began on Facebook and in the German media (led by the impressive action of Berlin resident Paul Baylay). Although the jury recognised the omission there was a hope that Luise would be listed in the second batch of honourees to be announced in Spring 2011. This new list was publicised by the committee at the Cannes Film Festival 2011.. but, although 20 new additions have been made there was a conspicuous absence.
But, in August 2011 there were more names announced for inclusion on the Boulevard des Stars.. and finally it was confirmed that Luise Rainer, Germany's only Oscar winning actress, would receive the honour of a star in her name. The ceremony took place on 5th September and Luise surprised many by flying over to be there in person see the honour. Upon hearing of the tribute she said, "I am delighted that after the old star in Hollywood now I have a new star on the Boulevard in Berlin - how nice that you have not forgotten me in Germany!"
Luise looked radiant and was obviously excited to be able to visit Berlin after many years. There is a great selection of photos from the event - click here
Thanks must go to Paul Baylay who has tirelessly campaigned for this and also to the many people in Germany and worldwide who supported the campaign to see Luise recognised. Well done everyone, and congratulations to Luise.
Desert Island Discs now available to download
Posted August 2011
Luise's 1999 edition of the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs is now available to listen to on their wesbite where you can also download the whole interview for free. This is one of the most interesting interviews with Luise in years as it dwells only briefly on her Hollywood career and spends much more time on her years in Germany, her outlook on life and on more specific encounters, many of which she hasn't discussed before. Her choice of music is reelatory and heartfelt and hr recollections are vibrant and especially moving. Listen now at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00942fr and read my summary
here.
Rocket to the Moon at the National Theatre, London
Posted April 2011
The National Theatre in London recently staged a new production of Clifford Odets' 1938 play Rocket to the Moon. The production, starring Keeley Hawes and Joseph Millson, opened on March 30th and Luise attended the opening night performance of this play which has such a special personal resonance for her. The production played through May and June at the Lyttelton Theatre, part of the National's South Bank complex.
The play was written at the time of Odets' relationship with Luise and was the first of his plays produced after their marriage. Luise was with Odets' throughout the play's gestation and was privy to the creative process often reading unfinished manuscripts and offering her own advice and revisions. At Luise's suggestion Odets' restructured some of the play especially the final act. It's an intriguing glimpse into their world and draws parallels with Odets' own married life with Luise. It is likely that this is the play Odets was working on when, on their wedding night in Mexico, he stayed alone in his hotel room to work while Luise spent the evening on the beach with a group of midgets from a travelling circus!
New interview on BBC Radio 4
On Wednesday 23rd February Luise was interviewed by Colin Patterson for BBC Radio 4's flagship Today programme. Luise talked about her career in Hollywood, her Oscars and her memories of Garbo, Brecht, Einstein, Hemingway and Mayer. The interview took place in her London home and you can click here to hear it and read a full transcript.
New photo(s) via Twitter
Keep an eye on the Twitter feed from RichandGated for some wonderful (and exclusive) photos and updates about Luise. This is the official Twitter account for Luise's daughter Francesca, who runs her own website Homestyles of the Rich and Gated, taking a peek behind the scenes into the homes, and lifestyles, of some extraordinary people. Francesca recently Tweeted a wonderful photograph of herself with Luise at her favourite restaurant on a recent trip to LA (you can see the photo here). Her website also includes a marvellous interview with Luise at her London home.
Berlin's Boulevard of Stars.... but where's Luise?
In September 2010 a new 'Walk of Fame' was unveiled in Berlin to celebrate the lives of those Germans who have made a alsting contributions to the art of cinema. based on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame which bears hundreds of stars embedded in the pavement wth the names of stars of stage, screen, music and television, the German Boulevard of Stars is in the form of a red carpet, scattered with gold stars.
The opening ceremony saw the unveiling of 40 stars... but no star for Luise Rainer! As you can imagine, here at luiserainer.net we are a little surprised and disappointed. Luise may, however, be included in the next batch of honorees due in Spring 2011. Great campaigning has been made by Berlin resident Paul Baylay and here at luiserainer.net we'd like to see Luise get a 101st birthday present from those on the Boulevard of Stars committee.
Between February 10th and 20th Berlin hosts the 61st Berlinale International Film Festival, only a few weeks after Luise's 101st birthday and a fortnight away from the Academy Awards and yet, once again, Luise is conspicuous by her absence. It would seem to be the perfect time to invite Luise back to Germany to celebrate her life and career and to unveil the much overdue star on the Boulevard der Stars... let's not forget that she was the first (and so far only) German actress to win an Oscar, nevermind to win two of them, and she started her career in Germany (on stage) and her final film (so far) was in German (Poem). The organisers have been mysteriously quiet about her exclusion but we hope this anomaly is rectified soon and Luise can be respectfully and rightfully celebrated amongst her fellow coutrymen and women.
Watch this space as I'll report on any further developments!
Luise's 101st birthday, January 12th 2011
After a momentous 2010 when Luise celebrated her 100th birthday, with celebrated appearances at the National Theatre in London and the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Los Angeles Luise recently celebrated her 101st. IN the UK there was little ceremony this time around with no television coverage or press for that matter. IN the USA fans were well-served by TCM, once again, who marked the occasion with a special screening of Luise's interview with Robert Osborne from last year's festival. To accompany the interview the channel also screened four of Luise's movies, including her two Oscar winning performances in The Good Earth and The Great Ziegfeld, which were followed by a chance to see The Great Waltz and the rare Dramatic School (both of these films have never been released on DVD!) Many Tweeters and movie bloggers also took time out to mention Luise's birthday. Now, here's to 2012 and her 102nd!
Luise Rainer at the 1936 Academy Awards
The official Academy Awards website has begun it's countdown to the Oscars 2010 and there's some rare footage now showing on the site from the 1936 ceremony when Luise picked up her first Oscar for The Great Ziegfeld. The newsreel shows Luise accepting the award from George Jessel and is followed by Paul Muni collecting his award for The Story of Louis Pasteur. A nice Christmas treat!
To see the short clip and read more about the ceremony vist click here.
Three DVD Collection released by Warner Archive
In November 2010 Warner Archive announced the release of three of Luise's films on DVD for the very first time: Big City, The Toy Wife and The Emperor's Candlesticks. The films have been released in a 3-DVD set as part of their Signature Collection series. None of these films have ever been available before on DVD, or indeed, home video. Here at luiserainer.net we've been trying to get all of Luise's MGM films released to celebrate her 100th year so this is a small step in the right direction.
It's brilliant news to finally see an official commercial release for these films which are all well worth look; Big City is a strange romantic-comedy-drama starring fellow two-time Oscar winner Spencer Tracy, The Emperor's Candlesticks was Luise third and final film with leading man William Powell, a tale of romance and espionage at the turn of the 20th century, and The Toy Wife, with Luise as a coquettish French-Southern belle is a sweeping romance co-starring her favourite leading man, Melvyn Douglas (you can read full details of each film by clicking on the Film tab from the menu bar).
Warners have used the best available prints for this DVD release, however, the films have not been restored or remastered. There are also no DVD extras included. To order yours visit the Warner Bros shop at www.wbshop.com (US delivery only). If you live outside the Uk there are many online vendors to choose from (I used Movies Unlimited),but bear in mind this is a Region 1 DVD so you'll need a US or multregion player.
AnOther Magazine interview (Spring 2010)
The Spring/Summer 2010 edition of AnOther Magazine features a new exclusive interview to mark Luise's 100th birthday. Hans Ulrich Obrist, co-director of the Serpentine Gallery in London discusses Luise's life, including her early life in Germany, her theatre and film work and her time with Fellini, Brecht and Pirandello, amongst others. The article is accompanied by a new portrait by Wolfgang Tillmans. (for a list of magazine and press interviews click here).
Turner Classic Movies Film Festival (25th April 2010)
On Sunday 25th April 2010 Luise returned to Hollywood as one of many special gusest at the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival. Nothing, not her 100 years, or a recent fall, or the loss of her hearing aid or even a bilious Icelandic volcano could stop her. Luise talked for about an hour about her time at MGM in the 1930s before a screening of her Oscar winning film The Good Earth (1937). The interview with Robert Osborne was recorded and it is hoped that this will be broadcast on TCM at some time (for viewers in the US, I expect). You can read more about Luise's appearance at the Film Festival website and there's wonderful new photo over at IMDB.com too by John Nowak.
New interview in Vanity Fair (March 2010)
In 1890 Marcel Proust answered a set of questions designed to delve deep into someone's personality; Vanity Fair magazine have used the questionnaire in each issue for many years and this month it is Luise's turn. What makes it a great interview is that it offers questions that aren't usually asked so it gives us a chance to hear more from Luise that isn't just about Louis B. Mayer and MGM!
The interview appears in the March 2010 issue of the magazine and is also now available online at the Vanity Fair website.
