All About Eve, Original Window Card, 1950
All About Eve, 1950
Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz
Finally tossed the Christmas trees to the curb. No more Twinkle Twinkle. Sigh. Need something to keep the winter gloom away. How about a Twinkle Trifeca? Bette Davis, George Sanders, and Marilyn Monroe. So un-Noir. But, who cares. Ladle this trio with some cocktails and you got yourself a sparkly little show.
Bette Davis was only 42 when she made All About Eve, and the bloom was definitely off the rose. But the thorns were sharper than ever. Oscar nomination numero Ocho. Every fiftyish single lady who bypassed kids and a husband on her way up the ladder can identify with Ms. Channing. Money, men and melodrama. And plenty of gators snapping at your heels.
A Double Life, Vintage Original Half Sheet
A Double Life, 1947 Directed by George Cukor
Yuck. A Double Life had all the ingredients to make me put off watching it indefinitely: 1) never heard of it; 2) Shakespeare; 3) no favey actors. But since Ruth Gordon, the freaky old lady from Rosemary’s Baby wrote it, let’s roll.
A Double Life (also the name of Cukor’s bio) debuted George Cukor’s cinematic partnership with Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon. At MGM, Cukor had been waiting to do meatier, less twinkly stuff. An opportunity opened up to work independently with the Kanins and he jumped.
The Glass Web, 1953 Original Vintage Half Sheet
The Glass Web, 1953, Directed by Jack Arnold
Too much to discuss. Sometimes it takes me too long to write and edit my jibber jabber. Should I focus on the obvious? Versatile Sci-fi director Jack Arnold? The early 3-D experimentation craze. Or, the boom boom bodacious Scarjo harbinger Kathleen Hughes. Measurements: 38-24 1/2-36 1/2.
Fortunately in this flick they kind of all fugue together.
In 1948 pretty, perky pin-up girl Betty von Gerkan signed up with Fox on a seven year stab at stardom and adventure. Not too much happened until Fox dropped her. Then she dyed her hair platinum. Presto! The Clairol Cure revs up another stalled career. First came the boys. Then came the parts. One “big” breakthrough was 1953′s It Came From Outer Space.
Don't Bother To Knock, Original Vintage Half Sheet
If you Google “Marilyn Monroe, Don’t Bother To Knock“, you will get 49,300 responses. I won’t waste your time.
But….as an ex ad-bitch I can’t resist pointing out the obviously misleading marketing ploy with regard to the poster:
Crazy Marilyn
Sell Sexy Marilyn
Marilyn never wore the cherry red sparkly bustier in the movie. In fact, Marilyn went out and purchased a cheap shift off the rack for her character. Also, Marilyn strikes an exaggerated come hither pose while Widmark leers doorside. Is Marilyn a wanton Las Vegas showgirl? No! Throughout most of the movie, Marilyn actually looks looks like she’s having a nervous breakdown. Oh Wait! She is having one. Duh. Well that won’t sell.
