From the slums of Naples,
this Italian beauty
rose to international stardom,
but the main ambition of her life
still eludes her
by Peer J. Oppenheimer
J fesr
Elsa Maxwell and society accept Sophia,
but she can't forget her slum origins.
suddenly put down his fork and shouted
at Sophia, "You are eating like a peas
ant. You don't twist spaghetti in a
spoon!"
"But all my life ..."
"You haven't had a life yet. Forget
what happened before!"
Then he showed her how to scoop up
the long strands with just the fork. When
she spilled some food in the process, he
went into another rage. But she remem
bered the lesson well.
To get rid of her Neapolitan accent,
he made her read aloud from books, lis
ten to recordings, take speech lessons.
Carlo went to work on her wardrobe
with equal vigor. When she first earned
enough to buy clothes without worry
ing about prices, she went overboard
on gaudy, frilly things all of which he
made her return or give away. Today
Sophia is one of the best-dressed ac
tresses in films.
Her lack of education proved more
difficult to overcome.- She had quit
school at 15 and had never read the
classics or present-day literature. Her
knowledge of history, geography, and
philosophy was almost nonexistent But
she was eager to learn.
She did so by reading and by min
gling with educated, cultured people;
but for years she hardly dared open her
mouth for fear of voicing the wrong
opinion and being laughed at
Sophia's fundamental problem today
is her clouded marriage to Ponti.
After his Mexican divorce and their
marriage in Juarez, Mexico, on June 17,
1957, she thought she had at last
achieved respectability. They estab
lished residence in Switzerland and
rented a house in Lucerne near Audrey
Hepburn's and Mel Ferrer's home. Her
presentation to Queen Elizabeth in Eng
land was the highlight of the following
year. But the final test came with her
return to Italy.
It had been reported that she dreaded
going back and did so only because "Bay
of Naples," in which she costars with
Clark Gable, was filmed in Capri.
That was not the case. She would have
gone back anyway. In fact, months ear
lier she had bought an ancient mansion
near the Appian Way. "It was built in
the year 700 and has so many rooms I
haven't counted them all," she told me
proudly. Trees centuries old line the
narrow road from the street to the estate.
For what she hoped would be a tri
umphant return to Italy, Sophia had
collected antiques wherever she went. "I
want to live like a lady," she told me,
"and I could have, if it hadn't been for
this." Again she waved the clipping
about the bigamy charges.
If that indictment were really the only
barrier to respectability, it shouldn't be
for long. On her subsequent arrival in
Italy, her lawyers advised her that the
most probable outcome of the whole case
would be a repeal of the entire civil big
amy law, which is peculiar only to Italy.
However, even this prospect doesn't
promise Sophia the fulfillment of her
ambitions.
To gain the kind of respectability she
seeks, she will first have to find the self
assurance she still lacks. This was
apparent when I accompanied her to the
"Breath of Scandal" location near a lit
tle village southwest of Vienna. Three
shabby youngsters approached her
for her autograph. Tensely Sophia
signed her name, not even looking at the
children who reminded her so painfully
of her own childhood.
So far, she is at ease only with people
she can look up to. She still hasn't
learned to live in the present while
accepting the past But Sophia has made
such tremendous strides, it seems only
a matter of time before she attains her
most important goal.
Family Weekly, January 10, 1960
If you have a Serious
PROBLEM
Read these
Wonderful Letters
DOCTOR'S COULDN'T HUP-NULLO DID!
"I spent $200 with one doctor for treat
ments on my odor problem, which did not
help me at ail. After taking just a few Nullo
Tablets it was like a miracle the odor has
left me. Thanks a million." Mrs. C.J.
BREATH SIOPfiD DATING HULLO RESTORED IT!
"I am a girl of 17. My breath was horrible
but after taking Nullo that has a 11 changed.
I never believed anything could stop bad
breath until Nullo. Now when I go out on
dates I feel better knowing my breath is
sweet." H.M.
OVERACTIVE SWEAT GLANDS NO ODOR
SINCE USING NULLO!
"My husband has overactive sweat glands
across his shoulders and a doctor said
'nothing could be done about it.' I insisted
upon my husband trying Nullo. Within a
week his clothes and bed linen were free
of the disagreeable odor. Mrs. A.B.
FUNGUS ODOR-NUILO ELIMINATED ALL TRACE!
"I had a serious lung condition and the
odor was terrible v fungus condition). I
took Nullo each day and there is now no
trace of odor, thanks to Nullo." D.E.
SPRAYS AHD CREAMS INEFFECTUAL
NULLO WORKS!
"I sure wish we had found out about Nullo
before. In the seven years we have been
married 1 know we have spent at least
$100 for sprays and creams. Now we have
found the best in protection from body
odore in Nullo." Mrs. W.B.
EVEN COLOSTOMY ODORS SURRENDER
TO NULLO!
"Nullo has made my life more pleasant. I
had a colostomy and was advised to use
Nullo by a nurse in the hospital." B.T.
DENTAL NURSE APPLAUDS NULLOI
"Nullo tablets are very good. As a dental
nurse. I meet the public every day so
have to be sure.' Mrs. T.C.
MAKE THIS FREE TEST
IWe will send you one week's supply of
NULLO free and postpaid. The magical
ingredient it contains extracted from
fresh, sweet alfalfa safely neutralizes the
most stubborn odors, internally, BEFORE
they form.
2 Foot odors, under arm odors, breath odors
even menstrual and colostomy odors
simply can't exist when NULLO is used
regularly. Try it. FREE!
3 Send name on coupon at right. Your Seven
Day Trial packet of NULLO will be mailed
free, postpaid.
tut nr poet m ru- nai - " -J
I Please mail postpaid a Seven Day Sup- I
ply of NULLO with directions for use.
i There is no charge to me now or at any
' other time.
Name.
I
i
Th DaPraa Co.. Dapt.1281. HoNand. Mich. L -J2.- 'e J
I
I Address.
on New U.S. Savings Bonds
now in effect
and the Bonds you already own
are better than ever, too!
Now U.S. Savings Bonds are a better
buy than ever in three important ways:
All Series E and H Bonds bought
since June 1, 1959, now tarn iVVo
interest when held to maturity.
- Older Bonds will also pay more
an extra ViVc, from June 1 on, if
you hold them to maturity.
All Series E Bonds, old or new, now
carry an automatic extension
privilege; they'll keep paying liberal
interest for 10 years beyond maturity.
Three big new dollar benefits that make
it smart to buy new Bonds and hang on
to the ones you have !
40 million Americans own tone's
More people than ever own Bonds to
day. There's simply no easier, safer, more
American way to save.
You can buy them through the Payroll
Savings Plan at work; you can buy them
where you bank. Hither way, your U.S.
Savings Bonds help build a more secure
future for you, your family, and your
country. And now they're better than
ever!
HELP STRENGTHEN AMERICA'S PEACE POWER
SAVE WITH U.S. SAVINGS BONDS
The II. S. Government does not pay for this advertising.
The Treasury Department thanks The Advertising Council
and this magazine for their patriotic donation.