Patricia Roc the Goddess of the Odeons

by Michael Hodgson

THE BEAUTIFUL and alluring Patricia Roc was the epitome of style, elegance, sophistication and finesse that defined the wonderful days of Britain's 'golden age' of cinema during the 1940s. Women loved her, men adored her, and for ten consecutive years from 1943 onwards, she was one of Britain's top box-office stars, packing cinemas worldwide in classic films such as Millions Like Us, Love Story, The Wicked Lady, The Brothers and Canyon Passage. In her hey-day, she was without doubt a phenomenon - actually rather modern in her style and ahead of her time - who, through her unpretentiousness and sincere approach, had the exceptional talent of making her audience believe in her whilst she was on the screen. Yet behind this ethereal screen image smouldered a passionate femme fatale. Men who came into contact with her couldn't help but fall in love with her, including America's future President, Ronald Reagan whom she helped get over a difficult period in his life. "I was seriously concerned that he might do something to himself if I didn't make him feel that somebody wanted him," explained Patricia Roc. Here, at last, is the complete and remarkable story of Patricia Roc's life, her films, her three marriages, her secrets and lovers, in an intimate biography that defines the character and the personality of a movie goddess of a million dreams.

Genres: Biography

244 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2010

Reviews

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 really. Pretty pedestrian run thrpugh of the actress's work and personal life from a man who appeared to be as smitten as every other male who came into her orbit. I did feel at times most of these men were used and then tired of pretty quickly. Lots of proof reading errors in this edition which always slightly annoy me. I was interested to read about Roc as my mam used to talk about the Gainsborough stars and especially 'The wicked lady' which must have made an impression. She was familiar with this stable of stars and therefore so was I as a child. Interestingly a lot of them turned up on the TV in their later years and my mam was happy to spot them and somehow feel it was a come down for them. Patricia Roc was one of the few who for various reasons never made it to the small screen.There was another connection my dad in the war years remembers seening the actress coming out of a flat in London. Not sure what he was doing there but it made enough of an impression it became one of his anecdotes.