I have just finished reading Maureen O'Hara's autobiography that was filled with many misfortunes the actress had endured on her climb to fame and success when I realized that her hardships were similar to those that many actors/actresses have endured in that time. Even though Ms.O'Hara had filmed several successful films including "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939) and "How Green Was My Valley?" (1941) she wrote about how her wealthy alcoholic husband had taken all of their money and then an admirer bought the then starving starlet dinner. Katherine Hepburn was called "box office poison", experienced poverty, and endured heartbreak all throughout her already established film career but later was named the greatest actress of all time by the American Film Institute (http://www.filmsite.org/). Audrey Hepburn (very distantly related to Katherine) suffered from malnourishment due to living in the Nazi controlled pieces of Europe and but still left a legacy. How is it that the 
incredible actresses from not too long ago had to fight and suffer for their fame but mediocre actresses had an easy climb to fame for the most part? Today, fame is achieved by joining a reality show, signing up with the Disney Channel, or just looking the desired part.In my perspective, the fan base of today's stars is very different. In the Golden Age of Hollywood, people were more interested in the films then the attractive people that played the roles (although The Golden Age is notorious for its timeless beauty of those actors and actresses).
The films produced then were made to be admired because of class, 
elegance, and how they related to that time. Every film had an underlying message that related to that time from films like Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" (1936) that exposes the governments negligence and how incredible the suffering was due to the Great Depression to films like "Breakfast at Tiffany's"(1961) that told women it was okay to break their cookie-cutter image of the fifties and live for themselves. Films from these times served for entertainment but also gave the world new perspectives of life, and gave incredible role models. Both important aspects that were completely understood by the people. When I was younger I looked up to Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, not the half 
naked Miley Cyrus or the talentless Kristen Stewart.Most of today's films have bad acting, and teach the wrong lessons, not because of the story lines, but how the actors and actresses portray them. Most people today pay attention to how the actors and actresses carry themselves and not the quality of the actual acting.
naked Miley Cyrus or the talentless Kristen Stewart.Most of today's films have bad acting, and teach the wrong lessons, not because of the story lines, but how the actors and actresses portray them. Most people today pay attention to how the actors and actresses carry themselves and not the quality of the actual acting.
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