Book excerpt: At a time when filmmakers turned actresses into the idols of modern times, a brilliant woman from Mexico emerged by the name of María Félix. She had a sober and proud beauty that exempted celluloid heroines from the burdens of ambitious scenarios. She satisfied masses of fans, who transformed her into a goddess rivaling Garbo and Dietrich. But it was her life - both private and public - that comprised the best melodrama. Destiny is a fine screenwriter. Félix excelled in creating an image of the doña, both forceful and rebellious, and as indestructible as the jewels she displayed on her feminine body, where a man's heart would beat. AUTHOR Filmmaker, novelist, songwriter, and movie and theater lover, Pierre Philippe has written lyrics for the Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, directed major television shows, and is the author of L'Aire et la chanson, a novel about music-hall life, published by Grasset in 2003. His love for the seventh art inevitably led him to a love for actresses. ILLUSTRATIONS 60 colour & b/w photographs