Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies

In the innocence of its early days, Hollywood was captivated by a very public affair between an old, married publishing empire magnate and his young, fun-loving mistress, who was also an aspiring movie star. The romance of William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies lasted decades and stirred lurid speculation and gossip, which in turn led to Orson Welles' famous fictional portrayal of Davies as an alcoholic, untalented opera singer in Citizen Kane. Narrated by Charlize Theron, this video biography of a generous free spirit who paid a high price for loving well, if not always wisely, shows that Davies had little in common with her movie counterpart. A talented actress whose natural inclinations and gifts ran to comedy and mimicry, Hearst saw Davies as a romantic heroine, preferring her to act in heavy costume dramas (when a shot required a bit of slapstick, Davies and crew had to wait until Hearst was off the set). Contrary to Citizen Kane, San Simeon's Hearst Castle was far from a gloomy Xanadu: Hollywood's elite flocked to the weekend entertainments, and Davies worked hard to make everyone welcome. Not everything was perfect; Davies would drink heavily in Hearst's absence, and she had numerous affairs with leading men. When Hearst died in 1951, the family removed from the house every trace of the relationship the lovers had shared for decades. Despite a major age difference and excesses on both sides, this documentary, which combines clips, testimony from film historians, and taped memories from an aged Davies, convincingly claims that the relationship was marked by passion and mutual caring. As a bonus, the video includes Davies' 1927 silent film Quality Street. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)