One night, early on in the production, we were all gathered together in a dank, abandoned chapel. BjĂśrn and I were dressed and ready. A little removed from us, as she almost always seemed to be in some curious way, Silvana Mangano sat in a chair doing a crossword. Her hair and make-up finished, but not yet in her costume. She wore a pair of slacks and a fur coat; quiet and contained.
âYou know, man?â BjĂśrn was twisting his sailor cap thoughtfully in his hands. âYou know, she is just so beautiful. Donât you think so?â
'Yes, I do. The funny thing is, she doesnât. She thinks that she is plainâ
'You kid me! She thinks that? I think she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life, manâ
'Why donât you tell her? Or have you?â
'Tell her! Crazy, man, crazyâ
He looked at me with astonishment. 'Tell her. Sheâd think we were nutsâ
'No she wouldnât. If you really feel that about her, that she is so beautiful, then I think it is your duty to tell her so. Itâs a very great compliment from a young man: Iâll come with youâ
'You would?â
'Sure. Weâll both go across and kneelâŚâ
'Kneel! He looked horrified, twisted his cap around and around
'You canât make a statement of that kind to a woman is she is sitting and you are towering over her, and so we kneelâ
Which we did, one on either side of her chair. Silvana looked up without surprise.
'We are probably interrupting youâŚâ She waved my remark away lightly. 'But BjĂśrn has something which he wants to say to youâ
He was kneeling upright in his blue sailor suit, a tumble of fair hair around his shoulders, cap in his hand. 'I think that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in all my lifeâ, he said, and looked across at me.
'And I agreeâ, I said
Silvana didnât move; a very small, warm smile. Then she put out her hand and touched his cheek. 'Thank you, BjĂśrn. You know you are kneeling in your new uniform?â
'I knowâ
'Thank youâ, she said gently. 'You are both mad. But thank you, thank you, reallyâ
Back in our chairs across the dingy chapel, BjĂśrn pushed his hair from his forehead. 'I think she liked that, she had tears,â he said. 'That was a very nice thing to do, manâ.
From Bogardeâs autobiography, âAn Orderly Manâ.
