Thirty-Two

News of Barbara’s death at the age of twenty-nine shocks and saddens the world. Her parents—William and Rose—and family, besieged by reporters, hopelessly try to come to terms with their loss. This chapter revolves almost entirely around the aftermath of Barbara’s passing. In accordance with Barbara’s dying wish, her fans are given a final chance to say good-bye. Descriptions of her funeral and interment are then provided, including the unprecedented pandemonium that erupts as thousands mob her service in downtown Los Angeles. Barbara’s reflections upon her life, many of them disclosed a year before her passing, conclude the chapter.

Thirty

Barbara returns to California and is informed by Dr. C. E. Galloway that she exhibits symptoms of incipient pulmonary tuberculosis. Disregarding Galloway’s admonition that she rest, she presses ahead with the next film under her starring contract. Unwilling to continue portraying dimensionless vamp roles, she has taken a stand with her career and insisted upon playing a genuine character in a story with heart interest; she begins work onThe Girl from Montmartre (1926)—concealing her illness and frailty, and determined to make a comeback. She also consults with her attorney, confiding her conviction that Arthur Sawyer and his partner, Herbert Lubin, are cheating her financially, and endeavors to sever her contract with them. A large segment of the chapter entails Barbara’s work onThe Girl from Montmartre; the plot synopsis is presented and Barbara’s valiant struggle to complete the film, despite her advancing illness, is recounted.

Twenty-Four

This chapter explores both the combination of elements behind Barbara’s tremendous public appeal and the complexities of her inner nature. The thoughts and feelings of many of her contemporaries, defining her outstanding star qualities, are shared; Barbara’s physical allure, sex appeal, and talent, together with the sorrowful undertones recurrently pervading her personality, are considered. Readers are given a deep look at Barbara’s true character—her professionalism, strong work ethic, passion for her vocation, goodwill toward others, generosity, and gnawing, mounting insecurities—as observed and described by those who knew and worked with her. Barbara’s charitable tendencies, as experienced by Robert Carville, her former dance partner and ex-lover, during one of the most trying ordeals of his life, are also addressed. The end of the chapter again illustrates Barbara’s continuing struggle to fulfill career obligations while striving to live a “normal” life with Jack and Sonny.

Twenty-Two

In this chapter, readers are again given an intimate look at Barbara’s romantic life. Most notably, her ill-fated affair with openly homosexual actor William Haines and her whirlwind marriage to action star Virgil Ashley (“Jack”) Daugherty—coming on the heels of her split from Haines—are expounded. The chapter then follows Barbara as she attempts to settle into married life and is implicated in two scandals: one involving her ex-husband Philip Ainsworth and the other involving an allegation of adulterous conduct. Film contracts Arthur Sawyer has been negotiating on her behalf are then discussed, mainly insofar as they are threatened by a third widely broadcasted incident. The chapter concludes with the disclosure of one contract that survives the hubbub: Barbara’s most extraordinary opportunity yet.

Twenty-One

As the chapter opens, Barbara’s career again takes central focus. Arthur Sawyer’s strategy for handling her career, his determination to capitalize upon her ability to embody vamps, and his procurement of several beneficial film contracts for her are detailed. Included among these contracts are roles in The Eternal Struggle (1923),Strangers of the Night (1923), The Brass Bottle (1923), and St. Elmo (1923); plot synopses and information pertaining to production and critical commentary are provided for each film. Additionally, a significant portion of the chapter centers on Barbara’s home life and Sonny. Featured in this section are Barbara’s formal introduction of her son to the public, further public reaction to Barbara as a mother, Barbara’s parenting practices, and her inner conflict with having to live a lie in order to avoid losing her career to scandal for raising Sonny as an unwed mother.

Eighteen

This chapter, building upon the foundation of Barbara’s vamp typecasting established in Chapter 16, involves a comprehensive exploration of a pivotal point in Barbara’s film acting career. She filmsBlack Orchids (1922) and Quincy Adams Sawyer (1922);The Prisoner of Zenda (1922) reaches theaters; producer Arthur Sawyer begins managing her career; andBlack Orchids, renamed Trifling Women, is released. Barbara’s success in the aforementioned films, principallyThe Prisoner of Zenda and Trifling Women, and their influence upon her career are delineated. Details pertaining to production, critical reception, and plot synopses accompany each film. Particular attention is given to Barbara’s work on Trifling Women, as it is the film that most strongly affects her career; furthermore, it is while making this film that Barbara is obliged to conceal her pregnancy. Her son is born in secret after her work on Trifling Women concludes.

Fifteen

This chapter continues charting the course of Barbara’s tenure in Fox Film Corporation’s writing department and covers the beginning of her career as a silent film actress. After appearing in Harriet and the Piper (1920), Barbara swears off acting and completes the three remaining films she was hired to write for Fox. As two of these films,Flame of Youth (1920) and The Land of Jazz (1920), begin their runs in theaters, Barbara is induced by film star Douglas Fairbanks to appear in his film, The Nut (1921). Barbara’s association with Fairbanks leads to a plum role in his epic adventure, The Three Musketeers (1921), and her ultimate decision to pursue film acting, regardless of opposition from Ben Deely (recently reconciled with her) and the potential exposure of her disreputable past as Reatha Watson. Details concerning plot synopses, production, and critical reception accompany each film mentioned in this chapter.

Eleven

While this chapter continues the discussion of Barbara and Robert’s career as a professional dance team, it is devoted primarily to the intricacies of their often turbulent love affair. Abruptly discharged from the sanitarium for her unruly behavior, Barbara regularly experiences health fluctuations, continues drinking excessively, and is frequently unable to work. In need of money for herself and Robert, she turns to Alex Sandberg, an older, wealthy man, and a clandestine relationship develops between them. As Barbara edges closer to another breakdown, she and Robert depart for the West Coast, first to her parents’ home in Oregon to salvage Barbara’s health, then to Oakland to resume their dancing career. A great portion of the chapter’s events and quotes have been gleaned directly from Barbara’s private diary.

Five

This chapter opens with sixteen-year-old Reatha, now residing in Los Angeles with Rose and William, her parents, inexplicably vanishing from her home in January 1913. The chapter then delves extensively into the events that follow her father’s charge that she has been kidnapped. Police attempts to track Reatha down and rescue her, Reatha’s mysterious return to her mother and father, Reatha’s sensational explanation of what transpired, the ensuing, widely publicized court hearing, and the full exposure of the truth of Reatha’s disappearance are presented. Central figures in the incident (also discussed at length in the chapter) include Reatha’s half-sister, Violet, and Violet’s illicit lover, Clark Boxley—the accused kidnappers.

Prologue

Providing an overview of the tumultuous life and stellar accomplishments of silent screen star Barbara La Marr, the Prologue begins with her emergence into newspaper headlines as notorious, teenaged Reatha Watson—-reported kidnapped at sixteen, banished from Los Angeles by juvenile authorities for being “too beautiful” at seventeen, and soon barred by film studios from working as an actress for her scandalous activities—-and ends with her death at twenty-nine. Barbara’s impressive careers as a dancer, in vaudeville, and as a screenwriter are touched upon. Her tremendous impact as a reigning silent screen actress is then spotlighted: how her volatile sex appeal, glamour, talent, meteoric film career, and predilection to live life on her own terms bewitched her peers and the world whilst her explosive private life continued playing out in gossip columns and newspaper headlines.