Continuing the transcribed interview with Madame X from PART IV
“…You know, one of the first things [Ouida] did was get in touch with David. He came in one day and said, “Well, darling, guess who wants to have lunch with me tomorrow.” I think maybe she thought he didn’t know and she was going to…you know…but…she…she…So they had lunch and she said, “Do you know about my husband and your wife?” And David said, ‘Ouida, what are you implying? I’m there whenever Basil visits and we just sit round making raffia table mats for the war effort.’
[laughter]
And he said to me, after he had lunch with her, he said “Darling, you need to realize she’s never going to divorce him, because if she isn’t Mrs Basil Rathbone, what is she?” And of course he was right. The whole divorce thing was just…it was just shock and rage…and Ouida being Ouida. She was Mrs Basil Rathbone. That’s what her life was.
[and when the shock and rage subsided she was going to do anything she could to keep him]
Yes.
[and so, how long was it before that happened?]
Oh, a few weeks. It was just a few weeks.
[what happened?]
He went back to the house late to get mail and stuff and she was waiting for him and she told him she had changed her mind and didn’t want a divorce. And she gave him…she said if he broke up the marriage she’d keep him from ever seeing Cynthia and she asked him to make up his mind what he was going to do inside a month.
[did he go back?]
No. He…he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know if she meant it, because she kept changing her mind.
[but he didn’t go back]
No. He was very torn. And…Well, one day she…she…she took a lot of sleeping pills.
[oh no]
And then her maid called the Bruces’, because…because Basil was staying with them. But he wasn’t there. He was with me…he was staying over with me. So Bunny called me. It was about five in the morning. I actually woke up before the phone rang. You know in that way you do when something startles you awake. And I just lay there a few moments, too shocked to think clearly. But you know nothing was wrong. Everything was quiet. And I was just lying there, listening to see what had startled me, when the phone rang. And you know, if the phone rings at 5am it’s not usually anything good. I though, “oh, my God, it’s my mum, it’s David, something awful has happened to one of them.”
And I grabbed up the receiver and my heart is pounding, and I was expecting to hear…I don’t know…but I wasn’t…the last thing I expected was to hear Bunny. And she said “X, put Basil on the phone, dear.” And something……something in her voice. I just, I didn’t say anything I just handed him the phone. And I can still remember how he looked. He’s listening, and he’s just woken up and he’s not really focused, but his face just sort of froze. And he’s just saying, I can tell from what he’s saying. It’s just…it’s obvious from what he’s saying what’s happening. He’s saying, “Did she call a doctor? Well, just get back on the fucking phone and tell her to do it now.” When he put the phone down he said, “Her maid found Ouida and she thinks she’s dead.”
[it must have been horrible]
It’s one of those things were time gets all distorted you know? And you feel outside yourself. He just threw on some clothes and left. I stayed in bed. Just huddled up in bed and waited. And waited and waited and waited. And I kept staring at the same patch of sky out the window, watching the clouds move across it and the color change and it was the only way I knew time was going by. The only thing in my head was “please, please, please don’t let her die”. Because it was my fault if she died. My God, I’ve killed someone. I’ve killed her. I thought she was dead. We all thought she was dead. Later on my mum turned up. Basil had called her and she’d come out right away. She just sat on the bed and cuddled me. I didn’t cry. I couldn’t do anything but wait. I couldn’t move or speak until I knew she wasn’t going to die.
[but she was ok]
Yes she was. She wasn’t even…well, the doctor gave her something to. By the time Basil got there the doctor had been called and he’d given her something to wake her up. I don’t know, something to counter the effects, and she was awake but…she was drowsy but awake and saying she had no idea what all the fuss was about, she’d just accidentally taken a few too many pills. But the maid was a wreck and crying and shaking and saying “I thought she was dead, I thought she was dead.” And the doctor said to Basil he didn’t think it was an accident. So…so no one knew if it was true. Or what to believe.
Basil called me later that morning to tell me. She was…and my mum was…she was saying, “You have to get out of this X dear, you just have to get out of this.” I didn’t…I didn’t want to get out of it. I just…I was so worried about him. I was asking Bunny, “How is he?” I was calling her saying, “How does he look?” Because I knew he’d say he was alright even if…whatever was happening he’d say he was alright. And Bunny said…I didn’t see him for about a week, because of…he just didn’t dare leave her. And didn’t…So I’d call Bunny, or she’d call me, and…because Bunny was going round. She and Benita Colman. They would go round and…just help out. And she…she said, “He’s not sleeping, he looks like death warmed over.” He was living on whiskey and tobacco.
——–
[So, you were telling me about what [Ouida Rathbone] did that winter of 1941 to 42.]
She denied she’d done anything. But sometimes she’d say she had after all, just to Basil. She’d say to him, “Yes, I did it, but I don’t want people to know. I don’t want to live without you.” To everyone else she just denied she’d done anything. I don’t know. I just don’t know. She saw a doctor who…said she was having a nervous breakdown and she needed total rest. And…she told everyone she was exhausted by her workload, because you know she was the Hollywood Hostess and doing the war charity stuff.
[and Basil moved back home]
Yes. Cynthia was crying all the time. He moved back to take care of things.
[That must have hurt]
Well…yes. Yes. But he had no choice. I could only really talk to Bunny about it. Mary blamed Basil for going back. She said “he’s gone back home X, that tells you everything about what he really wants.” And I’d have to…I’d say “no, Mary, you’re wrong.” If she could have seen how much of a mess he was in. But she never trusted HIM. So…So I used to go to Bunny. She’d known Basil for years, longer than Willie had. From before he was married. And it was then she told me what Constance Collier had said about him, you know…
[the slow form of suicide]
Yes. And she said, “hold on to him, because whatever that marriage is about it’s never been about making him happy.”
It was a crazy time. [Ouida] would sleep all day on her sedatives and then she’d be hosting a gala for 300 people in the evening. And she’d say to him “see, I’m shielding you from what you’ve done to me.” But then on another day she’d cry and cry and say “I’m going to do it again, I don’t want to live without you.”
[did you manage to see each other?]
It was difficult. After she did that. Right afterwards he was afraid to leave her for long. And Cynthia was very clingy because she…you know kids always know when things are wrong. We’d manage to grab a few hours sometimes. He’d call me when he could. And Bunny would be a sort of go-between.
[and this was]
Around Christmas. He was supposed to start work on a film. And he had to call in sick for about ten days, because he was afraid to leave her and Cynthia.
[‘41?]
Yes. She’d sleep all day sometimes and then be awake all night and rant at him, or cry and ask him to hold her. The first time I saw him after it all blew up, he…just came to my house and slept on my couch for about five hours. Just dead. He was so tired. David…David was…he came in while Basil was asleep. And he was sitting in the armchair by the fire reading the newspaper, and my dog was asleep beside Basil on the couch. And it looked so…domestic. And Mary came downstairs, and she just…she just came into the kitchen and she said to me, “X don’t ever tell your father I was here when this was happening.”
But he was so…so torn apart. His nerves where shredded. His hands would shake. He bit his nails. He was chain smoking. I couldn’t make it worse by telling him…by making demands, by…I didn’t want to. I just wanted him…even more than I wanted to be with him I wanted him to be ok. And I said to him…I said, “just go back if you need to. Just end it. If you need to.” But…
That winter…I have this picture of him in my mind that winter. He’d sit out on the terrace steps of the house I lived in…wearing his oldest, scraggiest sweater because it was…you know it was his comfort sweater. He was an awful slob of a dresser you know when he, when Ouida wasn’t telling him what to wear. He’d…sometimes he’d just sit out there for hours. He’d just be smoking and throwing a ball for my dog, who…I mean she thought she was in dog heaven. Someone throwing her ball for her for hours on end. But I knew…I knew I had to just leave him be. So, I’d just let him…He didn’t know what to do. He just didn’t know what to do.
[how did you feel about Ouida?]
I hated her. I completely hated her. I saw what it did to him. We should have stayed friends…you know everything…everything was wrecked. His marriage, my marriage, our friendship…it was all wrecked. And…we never had anything. We never had anything.
[you loved each other]
What difference does it make how anyone felt?
[it made a difference to you and to him]
Sure it made it worse. It made everything worse.
———
[and this was winter of ’41-42 your father got sick]
Yes. He was diagnosed with cancer. And he wrote and told me and said “Don’t tell your mother or sister.”
[so you were carrying that as well as everything that was happening (with BR)]
Yes. Just after. I think it was just after Ouida did…what she did, that I heard about my father’s cancer.
[it must have felt like everything was crumbling]
Everything. And then of course David joined the [name of armed service]. So…so…I felt as if he was doing that partly to clear the way. For me. To help me. So, it was very hard. I…
[how did you cope?]
Well, I didn’t eat or sleep too well. I was a bit of a bitch to everyone. My nerves were pretty choppy. It was very hard. Pretending to my mother and my sister everything was fine at home. And also pretending to my father that I was happy. He’d keep asking after David. He didn’t know. He didn’t even know about…how David was. Because I didn’t want him worried about anything. Basil used to say, “Tell your mother, she deserves to know, you can’t carry this on your own.”
[you told him?]
Yes. I couldn’t keep it from him. I had to tell him. He used to say “it’s killing you, you must tell Mary.” But I’d promised my father.
And then that spring Basil said, “I have to go back.”
[were you expecting it?]
It had been pretty much inevitable since she did what she did.
[So you broke it off]
Yes. I said…I gave him my blessing. And I was on the set of [NAME OF MOVIE] trying to keep it together. Trying to be a pro. Not really succeeding, but trying.
Daddy died.. And at that point. When my mum told me I just broke down. I just snapped. I’d been keeping everything in for so long. I couldn’t work. At all. I was just huddled up in a ball on the couch crying. My mum tried to…I just wanted [Basil]. I just wanted him, no one else. I just wanted him. His voice…his voice. His arms. It was the only comfort that meant anything. And he called my mum to see how I was. And she gave me the phone so I could talk to him. And I just said, just like the first time, just when it all started, I said, “Please come and see me.” He came round to the house right away. And he just held me and…and let me cry until I fell asleep. I think it was the first time I slept in about three days. And he stayed with me. Just let me sleep on him in the armchair until morning. He had to go to work and he only had about an hour’s sleep. And Mary said to me that morning, she said, “I was wrong about HIM dear, if a man sits up all night just so as not to wake you sleeping all over him, it’s love dear…”
PART VI
The image at the top of the page is an advertizement for”Madame X” (1920) starring Pauline Frederick
The Baz 
There ARE NO letters. Only the ones already published on BasilRathbone.net. They are the only letters and they are not to to X they are to Ouida. The person who gave them to Marcia and Never is pretending they are to someone different. He crossed the name out because it gave it away. It says “Ouida”. He wrote those letters to Ouida while he was caring for X after her suicide attempt. The other so-called letters do not exist.
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Actually both Marcia and I and several other independent people have seen the unredacted letter, with the name visible, and it does not say “Ouida”.
And there are other letters. I’ve seen them. Not in autograph, but in typed copies, so I can’t absolutely guarantee the originals were in Rathbone’s hand, but they came from the same source as the sample we have and I am pretty sure they aren’t faked.
Also Alyssia, you keep adding your email with a typo and I have to keep correcting it, if you’re using autofill I think you need to fix it.
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How convenient that you “can’t” show us the original. I believe that name was blanked because you don’t want to admit the letter is to Ouida
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How convenient that YOU “can’t” show US the original MAKE-BELIEVE “DIARY” you keep lying about possessing…it’s because YOU “don’t want to admit” it’s a story you invented to sound as though you had something WE didn’t; perhaps to make us “jealous”……well, it didn’t work!! 😉
By the way, those letters CANNOT be shown with the name of “X”, because it was her wish when she died that her identity NOT be known until her daughter passes away—you said you already KNEW who she was, so why would you care if her name was shown, or NOT?? (‘Cause you DON’T know, that’s why!) 🙂
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Sorry?? I thought you said the letters were fakes?? Now you’re saying there to Ouida?? jeeez, get your story straight. If I was the blog owner I would have banned you already.
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So, Alyssia……there “ARE NO” letters, eh?
Just like there “IS NO” diary! 😉
I’m getting pretty TIRED of your nonsense and lies. Obviously, you’ve been attempting (quite unsuccessfully) to DECEIVE us all along—since last YEAR—with this utter GARBAGE!! 😡
I know of something ELSE that is “so-called” and does “not exist”……EVERY item of Basil’s/Ouida’s you “say” you’re in “possession” of.
You’ve made-up this ENTIRE “DREAM” SCENARIO about Basil and Ouida, and their lives together…perhaps because you cannot accept how TERRIBLE the truth is, and have your little “idealization-bubble” burst by REALITY.
And, Little Miss “THINKS she knows more about Basil than even his OWN friends and family”—IF the letters were written to Ouida, how come he’s talking about putting Cynthia to bed…in HIS bed? Is he writing a letter to his wife from THEIR house?? That seems mighty POINTLESS! His daughter isn’t staying with he and “X” at HER house, I would presume, or he wouldn’t write: “she’s fast asleep in MY bed, now”. PLUS, he wants this person to contact him “via the Bruces”…why on EARTH would she need to do THAT, being his wife?? Sounds a tad MORE like someone writing to a MISTRESS whom he doesn’t want contacting him at his home phone/address so he isn’t found-out, DOESN’T IT??? Lastly, since the letters AREN’T ADDRESSED TO “OUIDA” (the original copies are NOT blocked-out—DUH), then you absolutely cannot deny that they ARE written to his LOVER. (And, the typed one says: “Ouida came into the kitchen”…so, he’s writing TO Ouida ABOUT Ouida? I don’t THINK so!)
HA-HA! This is TOO much!! 🙂
Oh……and the fact that you foolishly stated in your comment above that you’ve spoken to Nigel Bruce’s SON (when he doesn’t HAVE a son), pretty-much means that NO ONE on this PLANET with a BRAIN would EVER believe your tripe!!!
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Let’s take it easy on Alyssia. I know she’s basically “asking” to get beaten up by saying stupid things, contradicting herself and lying. I know, she doesn’t deserve our respect, but let’s try to respect everyone who posts a comment on this blog, no matter how deluded he or she is. Perhaps it’s best to just ignore her.
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Thanks but I don’t need you to defend me. I have truth on my side.
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.. and the lonely voice of youth cries. What is truth?
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In REALITY, Alyssia—the truth is ONLY on the side of those who are actually TELLING the truth—and that would be US. 😉
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Alyssia you are just rude as well as everything else.
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Was screening done pre-adoption of potential parents then?Seems like she could’ve threatened him with deportation,as Baz was never U.S. citizen.Thought she refused to relocate when married to Fitz,reason for that divorce,and that he already had a replacement for her with Mrs Vidor.
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Pre screening ? Maby? but I doubt it. We dont realy know how they got Cyn.People adopt in dif ways. Some go through an adoption home for unwed mothers. some through a curch. some through an orphange.Some from overseas. some just find out through a friend that x’s dau is ..well.. in a family way and needs an out. Alot of time it’s just kept in the family.Dau expecting out of wedlock mom takes baby and it’s raised as dau little sister.We dont know?Could Weedy have Basil deported? I dont know?If they divorced could Weedy get him deported? It seems like only if he hasnt got a green card.He didnt marrie Weedy JUST to stay in America DID he?
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Hate to think anyone would be promised a bill of goods only to have a huge bill always due from her overspending.Think Cyn must’ve been abandoned/illegit.Can’t believe no psych screening for adoptive mothers back then.But when she’s raised by nurses/nanies,guess no one cared.Maybe hostess with mostest put her in for sainthood.Agree she had big revelations to hold over him(Baz).To put up w/so-called freedom to sleep with anyone so long as it didn’t require OR to “do that for a man again”,as me sainted Irish granny used to say.How many men (I know of former friend whose mom did that to her dad,and her dad started molesting her,she moved out started sleeping around at 17) use any means avail to get what they ain’t getting at home,and not talking cookin’.Baz said Cyn was an Irish girl,maybe one of the maids kid?But to use Cyn as pawn when the marriage in trouble,threaten to not allow contact with her was right up there with denying contact w/Rodion and his family.Maybe she denied him contact w/Bea,too?Cuz there not beingany avail info on Bea after early 1920s VERY SUSPICIOUS!Granted,she was the wronged marital partner,their agreement to open marriage ?would it hold water in divorce court?But she was seriously gaga,and suicide attempt and her vicious attack on him confirms to me she was not only not all there,but psychotic,too.That was her true self coming out,she had the high life cuz of his talent/looks and minute seems to be he finds happiness,move in for the kill.Hope there were no guns in house,she was deranged and dangerous.Hope Cyn didn’t live w/OR after Baz died,esp if she was ill.She could recount what Cyn died of,but never mentioned how Cyn took care of her or vice versa.
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In comments above X as Alex from Fatal Attraction,sorry but OR was deadly female,not X who had only to lose,knew it,took chance on happiness of both she and BR,OR played the suicide card Love Nigel’s words that he had Bunny and all else could go to blazes (to paraphrase him).Only wish he had forgiven Baz’s walking away from friendship(Nigel/Baz friendship),as OR had to keep and demean him.Cost him days from movie set cuz she couldn’t be left alone when they had a massive household staff to hold her hand.Why pay people if you can’t work because of a 1st class diva,sleeps all day but throws parties to cover for her hubby?What kind of varmint acts like “I’m doing you a favor putting on party”,at his expense,no less,wonder if that was time he was almost in tears cuz she was breaking him,no Baz SHE BROKE YOU in 2 pieces and had you staked out or the other vultures,maybe when he signed that MGM contract>No wonder he reacted the way he did when called Sherlock years on-loss of true love,loss of lifelong friends (I’m sure he was forced by her royal nibs to give up friendship w/Nig & Bunny Bruce because of X affair,totally convinced of it now).Sorry,my post a little off-major headache coming on-OR,please leave my head alone.My computer,too,you made it totally schizo yesterday.Kept cutting out on me,at least not doing so,so far today.
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hope your headache is better today.
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It has been my experince that courts favour the Mom in child custody cases.I have only known 1 case where it didnt happen and then the little girl went to Dads parents.Moms generaly had to be something that the cat drug in before the Dad gets the kid,espicly before the 1980s.I can easly see Basil getting socked in that case,sence he was the one haveing an afair. If she had a good laweyer she’d have taken him to the cleaners…but then she did anyhow. But at least Cyn had a stabel human in her life.
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No he wouldn’t need to marry for a green card. If a person is gainfully employed in the USA and has assets over a certain amount in that country they will be granted Resident Alien status automatically.
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Thats what I thought.Altho i’m not up on imegration law.And he was employed..How long does a person have to go without “gainfull” employment to loose that status? Would the period between movies,count? I rember when Robert Shaw was filming Jaws hes an Irish Citz. And They had to keep letting him go back to Irl.[/and/or/ i think it was Cannada] to comply with the law.
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I have to say while I deplore Ouida’s behavior I do find myself feeling intensely sorry for her. It seems she had become quite monstrous, but also terribly lost and unhappy. I wonder if Basil had handled it differently. Not tried to appease her and just left, would things have been better or worse? Was he “enabling” the worst aspects of her by staying?
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Did he really have a choice? Once someone has attempted suicide and said “I can’t live without you,” how could you leave? If he had left, and she had killed herself, could he have been happy?
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That is a good question. I can see how he would feel unable to leave. In his place I would probably feel the same. But that doesn’t mean he ought to have stayed, in a purely practical sense, if you see what I mean. It’s quite possible IF he had been ruthless enough to simply walk out that would have been the best thing for everyone, including Ouida. In a sense maybe his own decency was his undoing, and hers too.
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I’m just struck by wanting Ouida’s side of this or even Basil’s side of it. I’m not sure I trust X’s judgment or memory. Fascinating though.
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There are the letters from Basil to Madame X, which would seem to offer some corroboration of her version of events. And would the blog owner and Marcia agree that were her story can be checked against known facts it scores fairly well?
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Ah, ok so how much corroboration is there? Have the letters been published?
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The letters have not been published (except for the two on basilrathbone.net) and we can’t afford to have the handwriting authenticated by an expert. But, where X’s story could be checked against known facts, it held up well. We couldn’t find any holes in the story or evidence that she was making stuff up.
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Yes, I would second that.
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Thanks for taking the time to answer Marcia. Would it be possible to publish the letters along with the transcript? I appreciate not being able to authenticate the handwriting but I think I could tell a lot just from the phrasing and syntax. It’s in some ways harder to fake that than the handwriting IMHO.
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I agree about that, could we see the letters, or is it crossing a line?
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I’m not really sure. I’d need to ask the person who owns the letters. He gave permission for Marcia to publish the ones on her site, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be happy with all of them going on show.
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You will get Ouida’s (and Basil’s) side of it soon
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Do you mean “soon”, as in: “when we’re all dead and living with Baz and “X” in the afterlife, knowing that everything about them ended-up being TRUE”, kind of “soon”?? 🙂
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snicker snicker
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Alyssia: All of us here want credible information leading to a new and accurate biography on Basil Rathbone. At least that’s why I’ve come to this website. His autobiography, which I read over 45 years ago, is clearly in need of clarification with new insight and factual information. Alyssia, you are clearly a fraud and an impediment to the gathering of information for this new book. Get some psychological counseling and give up the ruse on this blog.
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I intend to write the definitive biography of Basil Rathbone. Excuse me if you don’t like that but it’s true, and I have the documentation no one else has.
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So, this would be the “definitive biography of Basil Rathbone” one would find in the “fiction” section, right? 😉
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This is atrosious lies. The opposite of the truth. It was X who tried to kill herself and phoned Basil’s home at 4am. Basil had to run out to see her and call the doctor to save her life. X was known to be crazy and it makes no sense to take her word. She was obssesed with Basil and hunted him like Glen Close in that film. He moved from Hollywood to escape her persuing him.
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Someone should attempt to contact the Bruces’ kids/grandkids about the “facts” regarding this affair, AND Ouida’s suicide attempt—THEY would know what REALLY happened, since Nigel and his wife Bunny talked SO extensively to “X” and Basil during that time…someone from their family just HAS to have the info. (and would possibly remember the details they either heard about, or saw firsthand).
I DON’T mean that they should give-away “X’s” identity—but, that perhaps they could confirm with a direct answer whether or NOT these things took place at that time, between “X”, Ouida, and Basil. Then, there would be NO doubt as to “whom” was actually CRAZY!
(We ALL know it was Ouida, don’t we, folks?) 😉
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Go for it Gretchen. See if you get a past the front door? You never know? Some stars are super nice and very aprochable.
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I have already spoken to Nigel Bruce’s son and grandson. They know the truth about the X story and will coroborate everything I have said. If I was allowed to mention X’s real name you would see what a crazy person she was. She was famous for it in Hollywood as anyone else who knows who she was could say.
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I know the identity of “X” and I can tell you that she was respected in Hollywood. She most certainly did NOT have a reputation as a crazy person.
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Ymmm sorry, but when I was a kid X did have a rep as a ..I hate to use the word wacko…If theres anything I hate worse then agreeing with Weedy it’s agreeing with..well you know. And Alyssia The Bruces dont have a son.
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Since we don’t even know if we are all talking about the same person this can only go so far can’t it? 😀
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Well Claud that is the problem isnt it.I am pretty dang sure I know who X is ..even if I’m not totaly convinced they did have an affair. I figured it out by her hubby not her. But if X is who i think X is, then she did have a rep as unstable. When I was a kid, my Mom got like every movie star mag in creation. And X did a guest staring roll on a show I was in love with.I was interested in anyone who appered on that show.Trying not to give away her secert ID here. When that was on, my mom said she was crazy and wondered how or why they chose her.And yes later I did read she had a problem with booze, alto I never read drugs. She had a rep as a “hard woman”.a tearm I chooze so as not to use a harder one.As far as looks goes I have always thought she was beautiful.But I have never found her pretty in other ways. Yes I know You’ll all throw stones at me for saying that but…And the lonely voice of youth crys What Is truth?
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You are certainly entitled to your opinion, Countess, but Alyssia’s point was that X was famous for being a crazy person in Hollywood. And that’s simply not true. Go ahead and Google her name (the woman you think X is), along with words such as crazy, deranged, mental illness, and see what you get.
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Well I never tryed that actuly. X wouldnt have been a blip on my childhood rader screen if she hadnt did a guest star in that show. I was just pointing out that I also had heard about her haveing a problem..from my Mom, I wasnt saying she was a certifed loony toon in any way.Hollyweird is plenty full of them. X as an actress I never gave much thought to.I only figuered her out by “David”.When I figuered it out I looked her up as an actress,saw she had been on that show and rembered what i was told about her.That was my whole impresion of X. My Mom didnt have a hot line to Hollywood so I assum she got her info from her movie mags and talk shows.Any how she heard/read it someplace. Untill I Goolged around to find David I couldnt have told you who he even was.Altho I have to say I’m impressed by him, truly.
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I think I agree with you Countess. If she is the person I think she is then she was certainly called “eccentric” a lot. But then if a person is under a lot of strain and the people around don’t know about all of it her behavior might seem more “crazy’ than it really is. Just my two cents there.
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I already happen to know WHO “X” is……not by my CHOICE, but because she and Basil sort-of “told” me. (I’m psychically-sensitive to dead people, and sometimes they “let me know stuff”, telepathically.) 🙂
Anyhow; so recently (over the past few weeks), I kept “sensing” her name in my mind throughout the day, and “equating” it with the affair, for NO reason—or, when seeing her on TV, it was like Basil was saying to me: “This is HER! She was my lover”…and, she was saying: “It was ME.” It’s kinda HARD to explain, but it’s as though both of them were “quietly” attempting to TELL me—probably because I didn’t CARE who “X” was, and they were touched by my lack of interest in gossip, and my respect and love for them as people…and, as my “friends”.
I finally gave-in, and said to myself (AND them): “Okay, OKAY! I’ll check-out her life-story online, and see if it corresponds with the KNOWN facts about “X””. I didn’t particularly happen to “like” this actress as one of my “faves”, or anything, so I had NO knowledge of her life or career. After looking her-up (on several different sites, JUST to make sure), I discovered that she WAS “X”! Her birth-year was right…she was from England…her husband was gay, and they got separated and divorced at the time of the affair…she’d worked with Baz in a film together in the correct year, when they’d first met…she was a somewhat “masculine”, highly-independent and outspoken woman, who’d been put on “suspension” several times because of it…she had blue eyes and brunette hair, and was quite skinny…EVERYTHING matched-up.
So, I thanked Basil and “X” for “sharing” something SO personal and intimate with me (when I hadn’t asked them, and they didn’t NEED to). Now, I feel even MORESO that she was the “right one” for him. If you want to know WHO she is…sorry, I’ll NEVER tell!! That would be unfair to HER, now wouldn’t it? And, she and Basil TRUST me with this “secret”, so I won’t let my buddies down. Plus, you can probably figure it out on your OWN…it’s not that difficult.
No matter WHAT Alyssia claims to be the “truth”—I haven’t yet read ONE THING that mentions this actress was supposedly “famous for being crazy”. But, I DO know of someone ELSE who just might be! 😉
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Do you think they are together now? The story makes me cry it seems so sad and I hate to think of poor Basil being so unhappy. I’d love to think they were reunited after death.
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Nigel Bruce didn’t have a son – he and wife Bunny had two daughters. As for “X” – she was a very respected actress and made many strides, especially in TV direction. X had old age problems at the end of her life. Get your facts straight and stop taking up valuable space on this blog.
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Hear hear. I think NeveR should consider blocking Alyssia unless or until she produces some evidence.
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Ah-HA!!! 😮
Alyssia has finally been exposed as the LIAR I knew she always was. Now, THIS is proof that the “diary” NEVER existed—nor are ANY of her claims about Ouida and Basil’s “perfect union” true—or, that SHE’S somehow “related” to Ouida. So she thought she’d sound “smart” by saying she’d spoken to Nigel’s “SON”, eh??
TOTAL FAIL! 🙂
I suppose NOW she’ll tell us:
“Oh…I meant, his DAUGHTER……no, wait—his son “IN-LAW”.”
Yeah. Sure. Whatever. 😉
As for “X” acting “crazy”—she suffered from alcoholism and depression, which probably caused some mood-swings and temper flare-ups—and, she began having difficulty with remembering her lines and stuff as she grew older, perhaps due to dementia or something. I wouldn’t call this behavior “CRAZY”.
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Alyssia isnt hurting anyone Claud.Shes intitled to her own oppnion.Even if it’s not yours or mine. Shes harmless and shes not foulmouthed. I dont think it would be fair to block her because she differs in her oppnion and as far as her other statements when she says things like she talked to Willy Bruces son we all know right off she didnt,dont we!Of course It’s not my call or my blog. But i find Alyssia to be mostly mistaken mostly wrong,sincere in her belifes and interesting none the less.Judge not lest yee be judged also.
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I disagree. If Alyssia was saying “I think this” then you’d be right, but she’s saying “I KNOW” and claiming she has proof. She never debates or discusses she just pronounces “facts” on the basis of “proof” she never shows. So she isn’t offering opinions she’s making claims that she won’t verify. It’s not helpful or interesting it’s just disruptive. I think the webmaster is totally within her right to say “if you post any more unverified claims I won’t publish them.
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That’s RIGHT, Vanessa! 🙂
I was thinking the SAME thing.
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“David” strikes me as a lovely and fascinating character. I’m motivated to find out more about him.
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“David” became an American citizen and joined the Second Marine Division right after the Pearl Harbor attack; was awarded a Bronze star and a Presidential Unit Citation for his courage as a Captain and combat photographer […]Previous to his war experience, “David” was also a close protege of Noel Coward – quite a switch from being in the Marines. Owned a club on the Strip […] Also spoke many languages and was known as a genuinely nice person. Yes, an interesting and diverse life.
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I think “David” sounds like a hero!!!
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I am totally fallen in love with David.
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OWWWW i got it i got it! YEEEEWWW I may take up Alyssias side now.Not sayin I belive Madam X but how could 1 man have such bad taste twice.
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Def the right type of love so lacking in his life.To use Cyn as ransom to control him,I hate her even more (OR,not X) after all she dug her own oit (The Mrs),and the maid not having sense enough to notify a doctor of an overdose-where was she from,Pluto?Did OR fight like this to save any of her other marriages (I know no one can answer that,man Baz should’ve run instead of proposing-how many of NYC mob were laughing at this ongoing drama).And did she maybe go to NY for psych treatment before his bond tour,I wonder.Oh,BR,X,Cyn deserved so much more,esp w/X’s dad dying during all this.
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That is pit,not oit.Was she getting back at all her husbands by her fury at Baz’s emotional/physical affair w/X?Did she marry 1st time to 1st man who asked her (I have several 1st cousins who did-2 wound up divorced,but after much longer marriages,1 after 10 yrs,other after 25 yrs.And who did she really adopt to please-herself or the film colony fans/public.2nd marriage was a very costly emotional roller coaster for his career and health.Can’t believe other H’wooders tolerated that kind of married life for 41 years.Wonder if Baz had ulcers.
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I see it not so much as fighting to keep a marriage as fighting to hold on to controlr of the sitution. It’s not about luv its about controle.Mabey maid simpley wanted Weedy gone..oh i know what a terribal thing to say shut up.
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Well said,Countess.She kept her claws sharp just in case she had to scrap for a living.Why didn’t she use contacts to get back into her writing?She’s prob why he had the MGM contract during the war.Oh,do I see her in the pits of Hades for eternity(OR,that is-she makes my blood boil-getting me Irish up,the banshee)
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Why didnt Weedy go back to work? Why should she as long as she could hang on to Basil? And lets discuse her “career” any how. She wrote dilouge for silent pictuers..lotta call of that in 1941. When she did “write” a play S.H. it went over like a led ballon… pic the Hindenburg…Being Mrs Rathbone party giver par exalance was her career.With out Mr Rathbone. money for throwing partys goes down in flames ..pic Hindenburg again. The only thing Weedy was useing them claws for was holding on to her golden parachet of of the Hindenburg…ie Mr Rathbone. She probly would have ben happy as an interor decorater.
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I agree with that 100%. Someone who really loves a person wants them to be happy. What Blanche Yurka said and what Constance Collier said seem to sum things up. Constance Collier said Basil was committing slow suicide by marrying Ouida. He knew what he was doing somewhere in his heart and mind. Blanche Yurka told Ouida she was killing him by fording him to work non stop and she ignored that. Either she did not care about her husband’s life or she was too mad or childish to see sense.
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X’s dad died in June ’42?IMHO OR had no right to tell “David” anything about things.Don’t know if “alienation of affection” was grounds for divorce then,if she ever really had intention of divorcing Baz,or just to beat him senseless w/permission to seek comfort elsewhere.Should’ve at least had separate beds,same room,but he seemed to comply w/OR’s demands.IMHO,OR deserves anything but pity.Having dealt with her type of personality too many times,the ok to seek companionship elsewhere was a trap he walked right into.All the more passages in IAOOC are looking more like they were penned by her royal highness,as others have stated in this blog.She makes me chew nails,and not likeBaz,fingernails,but real nails,maybe spikes.Too bad domestic wasn’t called in when she ravaged his face.To me,that shows what she really was,not the wronged woman,but barely above a wildcat.Claw your mealticket.And the comment about her doing the parties to cover what he did to her?What a warped way of thinking.
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The Bruces prob were rewarded by The Rathbones hasty departure from H’wood w/o so much as a good-bye.Still find if OR would attack him for cheating,he stayed cuz of not knowing what else she was capable of.WWI was prob as stressful in the trenches as homelife with Weedyclaw.I’d worry about her making her way to my bedroom and doing me in,or having one of her faithful minions do it one night.Hope she wasn’t a markswoman or fencer.Maybe she deserves a little consideration for being the injured party,but she gave carte blanch for sex outside marriage.And she chased after him in early 1920s while still married w/o regard to her own husband.If there was truly a blissful 41 yrs married,I’d applaud them both,but agree there were serious psych issues involved from both marriage partners.She was lucky not to pull some of her more famous stunts on another WWI Vet than Baz,as someone else might’ve strangled her for clawing their face.Look at how many H’wood scandals have been covered up over the years-Hearst & Tom Ince/Charlie Chaplin;Thelma Todd,Jean Harlow’s hubby Paul Bern(? murder or suicide),Bogie shot or was it stabbed by “Sluggy” Methot to name a few.No man is going to stand there and take having his face slashed open by someone’s talons.That’s why she gets no pity from me,she was a cold-calculating schemer and caused him embarassment and great emotional pain.Daniel Davis,Niles from THE NANNY tv show,was from Arkansas and effected a British accent quite well,speaking of OR’s “Brit accent”,something else “borrowed”.
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Well no one will ever convince me she didnt “have the goods on him” in some verry sinester dangerous way. and I’m NOT talking about ‘he was gay or she knew some pal of his was gay” NO I’m saying she had some BIG thing on him.Not some little thing the studios could jump into “cover up mode” for real quick.And they were realy good at that.Oh and I always hered Bren was suiced. Altho I had a book that insuated the Jean did it.But so much of the other info that could be checked in it was wrong so i basicly dis count it.
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Wow. Just — wow.
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I SOOO wish that Basil could hold and comfort ME like that sometimes, when everything goes wrong, and I’m depressed, hurting and crying……or, when I’m missing him—I’ve actually pictured it in my head on several occasions—it’s nice to know someone who really DESERVED it got this moment with him; this special part of who he was. 🙂
I’ve thought a LOT over the years about going back in time and holding HIM like that, too—knowing all the GRIEF he went through in his life—after all, he needed it the MOST! 😦
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Basil hugs….MMMMMM *Dribbles slightly*
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This is better than anything on TV! 😀 I just adore Basil and that last little scene just described in the armchair – the best.
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I know what you mean. He’s sooo beautiful in this. I think X really loved him.
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Is that your real pic Blackcat? If so you look like a modle.
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Yes, that’s really me. Thank you! I think the photographer gets full credit for making me look good. 🙂
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For real? :O I thought you’d put a picture up of an actress up or something? :O
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Stop it! 🙂 It’s really me. Google blackcatpratt. Why does everyone else use these funny little drawings as their avatar? Show yourselves – be proud Basil fans! 😉
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If you arent signed up to Gravatar or WordPress then you get a default icon based on your email address 🙂
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(._.) Even if I could, I’d probably be too bashful to show myself.
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Any of you guys who want to personalize their avatar, it’s very easy. Just go to Gravatar.com. If you don’t want to use your own photo you can choose something else.
http://en.gravatar.com/
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I wish everyone would post pics & names. For one, I cannot stand anonymity online. People are much too quick to spew hateful things thinking there will be no consequences. I think everyone would have more credibility if they would stand behind their thoughts with their names…not to mention the internet would be a lot more civilized. Two, and no offense to you all, but looking at these doodle-creatures makes me think you’re all about 13 years old (no offense to the teens & tweens out there) – and there are those who comment like they’re about that age too…
I’m a loudmouth and will say what I think, but you’ll always know it’s me! 😉
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BTW, if you’re a teen or tween fan of Basil, I think that’s awesome. 🙂
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In fairness to all I have to say the little monsters are courtesy of WordPress. I’ve grown sort of fond of them, though it’s true they don’t convey a great deal of gravitas 🙂
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Why thankyou! *Raises top hat*
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As much as I love my avatar, that does sound rather tempting..
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Basil, I think you should post a picture of yourself in an elegant top hat! 🙂
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…I never like putting pictures of myself on the internet because you never know, some creepy old guy might come along and…EW.
Some creep pretended to be me once and sent lots of sick and really mean messages to my friends, I guess I’ve been sort of wary ever since. ;_;
And anyways, I have no top hats in my possession, as much as I’d like one. ;_;
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I think I found your blog. I am a proud crazy cat lady too. I have three. I love that one of yours is called Basil! I would use one of mine as an avatar, but I have grown very fond of my little “monster”
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My blog is “down” for now, and it’s not much. 🙂 But yes, that tiny black kitten on the home page is my Basil! He is 6 years old now.
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Dont count Basil out. My cat Anna had a heart mummur when she was born..she died at 16,of old age.If your interested in my pic goodnes only knows why but I repinned a couple of your pics on pinterset you can check me back that way. And yes that is me in the pic. but its a few years old.My hairs longer now.
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Oh, my – I hope I don’t sound like a creeper who wants to check out everybody! HA! 😀 I just meant I prefer to see the human beings with whom I’m interacting rather than the wordpress doodles – I think it keeps the online world a tad more real and civilized. 🙂 However, if you’re not comfortable with it, as “Basil” (whom I’m now thinking may be of the teenage female persuasion – sorry, I was confused by the choice of user ID!) pointed out, then I can understand. Countess, I’m guessing you are “Myhorse Thunder” on Pinterest, since I see a few recent repins from a lady with VERY long hair!
Basil (my kitty) had a heart murmur three years ago, and he’s been on meds since. Unfortunately, we just got a diagnosis of increasing heart failure and a dangerous blood clot in the heart, which has me very worried. He is now on 4 meds, and we should get a clearer picture at the cardiologist tomorrow.
Neve, sorry I took this thread got WAY off track! 🙂
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I really do need to change it, I was going to come up with something awesome and use it as a short-time username but never seemed to get round to doing it.
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….I think I’ll start calling myself Mikufan.
I hope your little Basil’s gonna be okay!
I saw the little pictures of him and he looks adorable! ^_^
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Yes thats me,I luv that pic of me it was taken by a total stranger. Thats the Goldsmith house in Wheatfield village at Hale farm and Village behind me.http://westernreservepublicmedia.org/halefarm/village.htm It’s a pretty cool place. I’ll pray for your lil Basil. I have 2 furbabys of my own at the time.Both were abandon babies. Little boy named Bustopher Jones and a Lil girl named Shorty Blackwell.
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I used to have a cat named Basil, but that was many years ago. He’s in kitty heaven now. Now I have two completely spoiled cats named Boris and Natasha.
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Wow, for once I could actually feel sympathy for Ouida–trapped in her own madness, clutching at this decent, helpless man, sucking away at his life blood. Poor Bazz, poor X. Hope you print Part VI soon!
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This portion of the transcript reveals how deep the love was between X and Basil. Both of them are more concerned about the other’s welfare. Unlike most “other women” X cares more about whether B. is “all right” than whether she can have him permanently. The section about him holding her all night after father’s death is especially moving. Yeah, X’s mom was right — it was real love.
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Not that it has a dang thing to do with this series but I could NEVER feel Sorry for Weedy.Period.She could get hit by a streecar in front of me and I couldnt find it in me to feel bad for her. Feel bad fr Basil for Cyn for Jr. I can even muster up feeling bad for Marion. But not fof Weedy. If that makes me sound teribal well so be it.
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Countess,I hate her more with everything I read.IMHO,many feel same way,as Phil Collins said “Well if She told me she was drowning,I wouldn’t lend a towel,a hand,a life jacket,life preserver”Saw the movie MEAN CREEK with a young cast,independent film.A truly disgusting bully was lured on a boat to teach him a lesson,not kill him,things went awry,he was given a reprieve by all but the oldest kid,he got truly abusive,got shoved in the water,flailed around,hit his head and eventually drowned.They tried to save him,all but the kid he got really abusive to who’s father had shot himself.She (OR) reminds me of that bully,hence my paraphrasing Phil Collins.Marion,Eva,X,his family all had more class.I suppose she learned deportment at Searcy school you gave info on,still think everyone had more class naturally then,maybe her prev marriages soured her on life.But she chose to try suicide,and from what I gather,would’ve succeeded as she was discovered by type of hired help who didn’t seem to know her hinquarters from a hole in the ground.Hope someone smarter was Cyn’s nurse/nanny.
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