I think we can all agree that some of the best things in life come in black and white. Whether it be clothing (who doesn’t love a minimalistic black and white ensemble?), books, antique family photographs or films, I crave to be transported back in time and experience all the simplistic glamour we often associate with the colors. I sometimes even forget that black and white cinema wasn’t actually shot in black and white! Still, I imagine it’d be a wonderful feeling to drip in pearls, over the top headdresses, dark pouty lips and cinematic 1920s eyebrows like the iconic Alla Nazimova.
This Russian gem was born was born on June 3, 1879 as Miriam Edez Adelaida Leventon. As a child, she showed an interest for performance art and music, starting to take violin lessons at the early age of seven. When her talent took her to the stage, she adopted the name Alla Nazimova as a way to protect the family name since performing was considered inappropriate and not respectable at the time — especially for a girl! Even so, she let her passion grow and decided to take acting lessons through Stanislavsky’s method-acting company at 17. She grew as an actress but was left unsatisfied. Performing in repertory, several years later, opened many new opportunities to work with some of the best people in the industry including Pavel Orlenev. Together, they toured Europe and brought their success to New York in 1905.
Her interpretations of iconic characters were deeply admired and invited on Broadway so much so that she was specially requested for many leading roles. Within the span of three years (1915-1918), she starred in 11 films (that’s about one film every three months!), becoming a huge box-office star. No one could play her roles of exotic, lavish tragediennes as well as she could and with her own personal style. Her most notable roles were in A Doll’s House, War Brides (1916), Revelation (1918), The Red Lantern (1919) and Camille (1921). Her portrayals defined classic 1920s silent films and set the standards for Broadway stars.
Today, she is respected for her own avant-garde and experimental films that she produced and starred in, regarded as one of the first mixing fashion in film. Her interpretive art-deco style in Oscar Wilde’s Salomé is considered one of her best works today (yet regarded as one of her worst at the time). Despite the controversy she created, she left a legacy in the silent film industry that paved the way for modern cinema. She is commemorated in Hollywood’s Walk of Fame with her own star and imitated through lavish dresses, her Salomé haircut and a good ol’ 1920s sensuous dance. Experience her art yourself and watch Salomé in full.