The memoirs of Maria Riva, the daughter of the charismatic star of stage and screen Marlene Dietrich, shocked fans of the actress, whose fame for decades was supported not only by her roles in films, but also by her caustic wit, fantastic ambition, incredible energy and halo of bisexual mystique. The great Marlene comes to life on these pages in all her incarnations: muse, mother, wife, lover, standard Hollywood star, creator of new ideas about beauty and femininity.