If one were to tell the story of Catholic America in the 20th century, one could do worse than contrast the careers of Grace Kelly and Rita Hayworth. Both were Catholic girls who became Hollywood royalty and married actual princes – but their personas could not have been more different.
Grace Kelly embodied a perfectly American and classically Protestant elegance. As John Ford observed, she had “breeding, quality and class”. She brought these qualities to her portrayals of the Quaker bride (Amy Fowler Kane in High Noon), the Park Avenue socialite (Laura Fremont in Rear Window), and the Newport divorcée (Tracy Samantha Lord in High Society). Her success in these WASPy roles made her the image of the Catholic who could assimilate into mainstream society.
