Muriel Pavlow's Malta Story

A protagonist of the 1953 film The Malta Story, Muriel Pavlow is back in Malta for the first time since filming the British drama that focused on the crucial battle for control of Malta during the second world war. The Malta Story tells the story of Peter Ross, a Royal Air Force reconnaissance photographer who gets shot down over Malta while flying to Egypt. Since he cannot get off the island, the British forces make use of his talents in their war efforts against the Germans. Ross sets out to find and photograph the location of the Nazi forces attacking the island and he ends up falling in love with Maltese girl Maria played by Muriel. The film mixes archival combat footage with documentary-style reenactments to create a realistic portrayal of the historic battle. Muriel Pavlow spoke to Fiona Galea Debono of The Times about her career and her impressions of Malta:

Cameras click and fans ask her for autographs outside the Malta at War Museum at Couvre Porte, where the protagonist of the 1953 movie The Malta Story is being taken on a tour... down memory lane. It is Ms Pavlow's first visit to Malta since and, half a century down the line, she finds the island used to be "much rougher in looks, but still retains a unique quality and personality. I hope they won't alter it too much. "I wanted to come back (after making the movie), but it just never happened. My husband was an actor (Derek Farr) and we were both very busy. Short holidays had to be grabbed and it wasn't quite as easy as it is now to book a quick flight..

In The Malta Story, Ms Pavlow starred as a local girl, Maria Gonzar, and actually looked and sounded Maltese - which is hard to fathom, given the petite lady is an English rose, speaking Queen's English. As regards the accent, "it wasn't easy and I couldn't do it now. (Well, I could if I studied.) But I had help and was introduced to a very nice girl, Maryann Kissaun, with whom I've made contact and am hoping to meet again. "They had flown me out here about 10 days in advance and I had spent that time with Maryann, listening to her. I'd read a couple of lines from the script and if I was doing something really awful, she'd tell me."..

There may be nothing very diva-like about Ms Pavlow, but neither has she forgotten that she was an icon, and still is, for many a man who, at the time of The Malta Story, were young boys. She is not in the least bit surprised by the attention, but still finds it "touching". "As a matter of fact, however, I do get very worried when someone is introduced to me, and hope they are not thinking of me as Maria, or in one of my roles in the doctor films, or in Reach for the Skies," as she wouldn't want to disappoint...

Muriel Pavlow's Malta visit was made possible by Merlins Over Malta, in conjunction with the Malta Tourism Authority, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The film is being screened at St James Cavalier this Wednesday 9.30 a.m. during the launch of the Malta Historic Cities Festival; more from MaltaMedia