Madeleine Carroll

From February 23 to June 11, 2006 – Museu del Cinema

A Committed Actress

When, in 1934, Madeleine Carroll set foot on the Costa Brava for the first time, this English actress was still unknown away from British cinema screens. The imminent step towards Hollywood led to her starting out on a dazzling career on the back of her work with some of the most prestigious directors of the time: John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, William Dieterle and Cecil B. de Mille. It was then that this region became the star's refuge between filming, but the tranquillity that she most longed for was interrupted by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, which kept her away from her Catalan home.
In no time the same shadow of war was cast all over Europe. Madeleine Carroll did not wish to be a simple spectator of the conflict and she decided to take an active part in recovering peace and democratic values. She became closely involved as a member of the Red Cross, giving support to the most direct war victims, especially orphaned French children and wounded American soldiers.
Now, on the centenary of her birth and with some objects and documents from the actress's legacy, which she herself kept as her most treasured memories, we invite you to discover the different aspects of Madeleine Carroll's life, from the most glamorous to the most committed.