这一句因为那个as, 断句要小心。
第一遍读过去觉得那个as 有点多余，再读发现这个as是intentionally 放在那里的，这样句子解读就不一样了。
我的理解：
She was well-prepared for the battle that Chaplin's life became， as unfounded rumors of Marxist sympathies surrounded them both.
她对卓别林的生活变成的斗争有充分准备，在毫无根据的马克思主义的同情者的留言包围他俩时。
再意思上理顺一下：
她对卓别林的生活变成的斗争，以及包围他俩的毫无根据的（空穴来风的）马克思主义同情者的流言有充分准备。

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Note added at 7 hrs (2007-04-03 17:02:52 GMT)
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Seeing Huijun's comments, I realized that my Chinese version(s) here could be misleading-- people could interpret it as the rumors are from Marxist sympathies. I better make it clearer:
她对卓别林的生活变成的斗争有充分准备，在毫无根据的指责他俩为马克思主义的同情者的流言包围他们时。
Thanks Huijun, I would never know my texts there could be misleading if not for you.