But does she feel vulnerable about her age? 'No, absolutely not. Aging is very relative. I try to keep myself in shape as much as I can but getting older is wonderful. You mature. 'You experience so many things. Joy. Sorrow sometimes. But I've had a wonderful life. My life has been almost completely fulfilled. I have a wonderful life. And I will have a wonderful life. My life has been almost completely fulfilled. I said "almost" but I have no regrets. I'm proud of what I've done with myself. And I'm very proud of my children. 'There's no question that I took from my mother a kind of strength and dignity in looking at life. Now everything sounds very easy -- like I've done everything with a magic stick. But there were lots of sacrifices and risks that we went through. I never thought and she never thought that I was going to be as successful. I don't know if I deserve what I have -- it's much more than I ever expected. 'I was born old. I've been in films since I was 15 -- always a woman, never a girl. When I was 30 the world Press descended on me to ask how it felt to be middle aged. I felt like a national institution beginning to crumble at the edges. When I was 30 they said it was a critical age for women and then at 40 and at 50 and now at 60. What counts for me in life are the relationships I have with my family which you build at 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 or 60. 'A woman's life can be frightening sometimes. At 30, a woman wakes up and she is no longer a girl and there are things to do in the world. Often if she has no children she is frightened that maybe she'll never have them. For me I started work at 15 and have enjoyed all my ages. My first Oscar was at 26 and I was a success by the important age of 30. ' I did worry about having no children but they came along. I think the best thing for an older woman is to have young children. I think that if we're happy, if we think nice, happy things inside, it radiates out and make anyone beautiful.' Loren, bronzed with those hazel-flecked eyes flashing, knows that it takes care to beat the clock. She likes to laugh about it:' Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.' Or: 'Sex appeal is 50 percent of what you've got and 50 percent of what people think you've got.' Some would be happy with 25 percent. But she says: 'I look okay -- just okay. My nose is too long, my chin too short, my hips too broad. But together all these irregularities seem to work. 'I don't mind aging. Everybody gets older -- if they are lucky. I have nothing against plastic surgery if a woman is obsessed with the way she looks. But I like to stick with my dear old fac e. I don't mind getting older. Everyone has to. I'm young inside so getting old doesn't make a difference to me. The best thing I've ever done for my looks was to quit smoking. ''I have a routine for my looks. Soap and water am and pm, baby cream all over, sunscreen when I go out. But my favourite regime is my bath. I love to relax in a hot, very fragrant bath because I love being alone so I can concentrate on thinking of nothing until I feel as light as a feather.
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