The Secrets of the Golden Age – David Niven’s Memoir Bring on the Empty Horses
Title: The Secrets of the Golden Age – David Niven’s Memoir Bring on the Empty Horses
In David Niven’s renowned memoir, “Bring on the Empty Horses,“ the glitz and glam of Hollywood’s golden age are juxtaposed with its darker, more scandalous underbelly. Contrary to popular portrayals, Niven unveils a world where debauchery and tragedy often lurked behind the silver screen.
One particular anecdote dispels the myth of brothels solely located in gas stations, revealing instead a luxurious mansion nestled in the North Hollywood hills. Operated by a mysterious “Baroness,“ it catered to the whims of stars and housed failed actresses entangled in a passionate romance.
Niven’s narrative offers a candid perspective on the Hollywood of the 1930s to the early ’60s, acknowledging its allure while critiquing its false values and seedy elements. Through vignettes, he exposes the eccentricities and flaws of icons like Humphrey Bogart, Greta Garbo, and Charlie Chaplin,