HAPPY 100th, LUISE RAINER!
12 Jan
Today, movie legend Luise Rainer — the first two-time Oscar winner, the first back-to-back Oscar winner, and the oldest living Oscar winner — celebrates her 100th birthday. Rainer’s two best actress Oscars came for her work in the best picture winner “The Great Ziegfeld” (1936) and “The Good Earth” (1937). Her “telephone scene” (see it here from 8:00 to 10:00) in the former remains one of the most celebrated and studied pieces of acting ever captured on film.
Back on July 24, when Rainer was only 99, I had the thrilling — and frankly surreal — opportunity to interview her during a brief trip to London. Even seventy years after walking away from Hollywood, she was still every bit the star — she made a grand entrance (grand, even with a walker) after I had already been seated by her aide; she spoke with not only the thick German accent that I remembered from her films but also the expressive gestures; and she had no patience for nonsense, harshly chastising me for asking questions that she felt were too broad for her to adequately answer during one interview, and even smacking the laptop (“that thing”) from which I was reading my questions when she concluded that it had provided me, in one instance, with inaccurate information about her career.
By the end of the visit, though, we were getting along just fine, despite the more than seven decades separating us in age. Upon learning that she did not own “The Good Earth” on DVD, I offered her the copy that I had in my laptop bag (“That’s very dear of you,” she said, but decided not to accept it for fear it wouldn’t play on a British DVD player); she humored my curiosity by calling in her aide to escort me into another room to show me her two Oscar statuettes (one an original, the other a replacement); and, as I packed up my belongings at the end of the interview, she even agreed to pose for the photo that you see atop this post, which I will always treasure — and in which, I humbly submit, she could pass for someone decades younger.
In honor of this momentous milestone, I’ll be calling Rainer later today to thank her again for the great interview and to personally wish her a very happy birthday (and many more); and I’d urge you to check out her work for yourself during tonight’s Turner Classic Movies marathon: “The Great Ziegfeld” (1936) at 5pm, “The Great Waltz” (1938) at 8pm; “The Good Earth” at 10pm; “Big City” (1937) at 12:30am, “The Emperor’s Candlesticks” (1937) at 2am; “The Toy Wife” (1938) at 3:45am; and “Dramatic School” (1938) at 5:30am.
In the meantime, here are several exclusive/never-before-released audio clips from my conversation with Rainer that I think you may enjoy — these may not be reproduced or redistributed without my express written consent…
Photo: Scott Feinberg and Luise Rainer on July 24, 2009 in London.
Not only is this an interesting and heart-warming piece, your interview with her is a film history resource unlike most others.
If you’ve never seen The Great Waltz, it really is an underrated film which provides a rich visual and musical adventure.
This is wonderful, Scott. I’m writing a play about The Group Theatre, so her talking about Odets is very informative.
Thanks!
Blessings,
Mark
Thank you for making this fascinating interview available.
I knew Ms. Rainer was alive, but I had no idea she is doing as well as she apparently is. Film historians should flock to London to learn about early Hollywood from a very informed and sophisticated primary source. I sincerely hope the Academy brings her to LA to honor her on her 100th birthday. Thank you again.
I enjoyed the valuable oral history you created on one of my favorite performers. I had the privilege of interviewing Luise Rainer in New York in 1999 and published my interview in MovieMaker Magazine
How wonderful to be so clear about one’s life
at such a ripe age. We can only wish that for
ourselves. Did you discuss Clifford’s affair
with Frances Farmer or was that off-limits?
Thank you for sharing this. It is truly special. I have always thought Ms. Rainer to be a suberb actress and completely fascinating to watch! How delightful to hear her speak about it all now. Happy Birthday!!
Hi! Thank you so much for interviewing this woman whom Jane Fonda herself called “one of the greatest actresses in film history. Luise Rainer–here’s to one more movie, as a 100 year old woman who does, oh, I dunno…something!
Thanks for sharing both your recollections and the wonderful interview footage. A very fitting birthday tribute.
Like these recollections on my mother for her birthday. Just returned from London with her. She’s a pistol….Log onto my website http://www.homestylesoftherichandgated.com
Great to hear from you Francesca–thanks for putting me in touch with your mother for my nterview, and please send her the best from all of her loving fans!
Thank you so much for this. It’s wonderful she still gives
interviews. You’re a lucky man. She sounds great and glad she’s still walking.
I loved “The Great Ziegfeld.” I hope she uses a laptop now
so maybe I can e-mail her.
I have loved listening to all of these clips. I recently wrote to Miss Rainer in both English and German and I told her how much she and her films have meant to me. It was a delight to hear her voice again. Thank-you!
Hi Scott,
I’m from Mexico, and also a big fan of Luise Rainer, I’m a librarian and I ordered to Library the two films which Ms. Rainer won the Academy Award, but I have to say you that I had to ask my provider get the films from US because here in Mexico is really hard to find Ms. Rainer’s films.
When the movies ‘arrived’ to library, we immediately commented them in our webpage, and we get the movies was asked for the students, I dont know if it was for curiosity or if they wanted to watch the movies… well, finally I got some of our students knew the greatest Ms. Rainer.
Well, thank u again, and I hope Ms. Rainer will be with us for a very long time!!!
Regards from Mexico!
Oswaldo Torres.