If This Was Happiness: A Biography of Rita Hayworth

If you ever find yourself wishing that you could live someone else's life, or thinking that celebrities have an ideal existence, read this book biography of Rita Hayworth. Barbara Leaming meticuliously researched the actress's life, from her traumatic childhood as her father's dance partner and incest victim, her mother's alcoholism, her crippling shyness, and her deep insecurities that affected her relationships, her career, and finally, her tragic descent into alcohol abuse and Alzheimer's disease. She was forever after identified with her signature performance in "Gilda", defining an image that would last a lifetime, and from which she was desperate to escape. Her choice of husbands often reflected the controlling traits of her father, and her sad estrangment from her late daughter, Rebecca Welles, are just a few parts of this compelling, poignant biography. As this was before abuse was discussed and therapy was made available, Rita hardly could have been expected to live a demon-free life. Her youngest daughter, Princess Yasmin Khan, continues to raise funds and spread awareness for Alzheimer's research. We can only imagine the pain and anguish that Hayworth's loved ones and friends experienced as her mind deteriorated to the point where she did not recognize them. It would have been nice if the book had expanded upon her relationship with her five-time costar, Glenn Ford (who is only twice mentioned), with whom we now know she shared much more than a friendship. This book is a touching tribute to a woman who appeared to live everyone's fantasy life, surrounded by stars, wealth, power, success and public adulation, but in reality lived a nightmare of pain, abuse, low self-esteem and pathos. Peace and love to the lovely Rita.

This is a wonderful biography of Rita Hayworth my favorite of all the biography's oh her. I think Mrs. Leaming did a wonderful job on the people she interviewed including rare informantion from Rita's second husband Orson Welles which she also wrote a biography on. I recommened this book to every Rita fan.A great biography on one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the screen.

Leaming takes a psychological approach to her film star subjects, backed up by key interviews and archival and print documentation. The story of Rita Hayworth, Hollywood's Love Goddess, is poignant and well told. Hayworth was identified with her screen role, Gilda, the fiery, redhaired temptress who drove men wild. In real life, though, as she was supposed to have said, "Men go to bed with Gilda and wake up with me," a sad and ironic commentary on movie-fed fantasy. None of her five marriages lasted long, and she was involved in countless lawsuits with husbands, her studio (Columbia), and ex-husbands. Leaming posits a possible reason for her failures as a lover, wife, and mother, that is, that she may have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father, Eduardo Cansino. Mature-looking beyond her years and a talented dancer, she was her father's dance partner at 12, working to support her family in gambling casinos and other dives south of the border. Leaming backs up her assertions by relating Hayworth's adult behavior to that of incest survivors. She makes a provocative case, but since Hayworth died prematurely of Alzheimer's disease and never spoke on the subject, it has to remain pure--but nonetheless tantalizing--speculation. A fascinating read, and a sad one.