from marlene to marilyn: glamour and desire on the silver screen
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From Marlene to Marilyn: Glamour and Desire on the Silver Screen. Rachel Park, Bryn Mawr College ’10 History & Classical Studies September 1, 2008. Overview: Summer 2008 Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center. My internship at the National Portrait Gallery Resources Main concepts/themes - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
From Marlene to Marilyn: Glamour and Desire on the Silver Screen
Rachel Park, Bryn Mawr College ’10History & Classical StudiesSeptember 1, 2008
Overview: Summer 2008 Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center
My internship at the National Portrait Gallery
Resources Main concepts/themes Impact on contemporary culture
Internship at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait
Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Assisted Smithsonian cultural historian, Amy Henderson, whose past exhibits include “Kate: One Life,” and “Red, Hot & Blue”
Researched Hollywood glamour during the Golden Era (1920s-1950s)
Studied the key actors during that time, the studio system, the concept of glamour and its implications in American culture
What I enjoyed
Staff at NPG and the Smithsonian at large expressed how much they appreciated and valued their interns
Truly felt that my work was making a meaningful contribution
Hands-on experience Experience pulled many of my interests together:
fashion, film, cultural history
Resources
Books from the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art Museum library (and through interlibrary loan)
Kobal Collection online Films during that time period Newsreels at the National Archives in College Park and the James Madison
building of the Library of Congress flatbed viewing machines
Resources
In addition to newsreels, screened Paramount on Parade (1930), The Voice of Hollywood, and Screen Snapshots
--> feature films/film magazines/“celebrity newsreels” that featured popular stars
ProQuest database searches through the following historical newspapers: Atlanta
Constitution (1868-1939), Boston Globe (1872-1925), Chicago Tribune (1849-1986), Christian Science Monitor (1908-1995), Los Angeles Times (1881-1986), The New York Times (1851-2005), The Wall Street Journal (1889-1991), and The Washington Post (1877-1992)
Life magazine (1940s) Photoplay on microfilm (1912-1917)
Key actors and actresses: Glamour
Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) “Legs” Sustained her image of glamour
throughout her lengthy career
Greta Garbo (1905-1990) “The Face,” “The Swedish Sphinx” Has continued to fascinate
audiences worldwide for her
reclusive, aloof nature
Glamour Gary Cooper (1901-1961)
Primarily known for his role in Westerns
Was able to uphold public interest due to his wide range of films, including Sergeant York, The Pride of the Yankees, and High Noon
Dolores del Rio (1905-1983) First Mexican actress to hit it
big in Hollywood Her natural beauty and her
“exoticism” were selling points
Glamour
Cary Grant (1904-1986) The quintessential dashing hero Had excellent comedic timing
Fred Astaire (1899-1987) and Ginger Rogers (1911-1995)
The dynamic duo that brought glamour back onto the screens of Depression-era America
Represented love through the art of song and dance
Glamour
Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957) The definition of sexy
masculinity and moral integrity
Desire
Gloria Swanson (1897-1983) The silent screen vamp Showcased glamour on and off
screen the ultimate “clotheshorse”
Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) First major male sex symbol of film Combination of sensitivity and virility –
duality of character was very appealing
Desire
Clark Gable (1901-1960) “The King” of the box office Rugged and handsome: the
mustache was essential
Jean Harlow (1911-1937) “The Platinum Blonde” – her
hair set a trend that millions of women would follow
Had a magnetic screen presence, which many attributed to her “honesty”
Desire
Carole Lombard (1908-1942) The woman who could mix glitz
and humor
Joan Crawford (1906-1977) Started off as a flapper girl, but was
determined to be a star
Desire
Veronica Lake (1919-1973) Most well-known for her“peekaboo” hairstyle, which had a tremendous effect on the hair industry
Marlon Brando (1924-2004) Was part of a new wave of “method acting,” which was touse real-life experiences and emotionsas inspiration for the film
Desire
Elizabeth Taylor (1932) Has been called the last great star
James Dean (1931-1955) Was able to induce conflicted
feelings in the viewer with his
portrayal of morally ambivalent characters
Desire Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)
“The Blonde Bombshell” who transfixed the nation with her unabashed sex appeal, but level of vulnerability as well
Pinups During WWII
Betty Grable (1916-1973) the ultimate pinup
Rita Hayworth (1918-1987) in 1941 Life
Influence on American culture
Lake’s hairstyle, Harlow’s hair, Dietrich’s pants Hollywood glamour flourished during the
Depression, when people wanted to escape their daily hardships and live variously through the stars followed every fad and trend Automobiles and dining out were outward
expressions of the stars’ refined lifestyles
Androgynous Appeal
Dietrich in Morocco: famous scene where she sings dressed in a tuxedo
Dean in Rebel Without a Cause: His “delicate” features appealed to both men and women
Transformation of Stars/Contradictions
Rita Hayworth’s hairline was raised via electrolysis and her hair was dyed to look “less Latin”; Gable’s ears were surgically corrected because they were too big
Aim for perfection, but allure lays in imperfection: Monroe’s signature look was the “just-got-out-of-bed” look, but even this image was carefully constructed (Fox, 86)
Stars were like divinities, but attempt to humanize them
Idea of Beauty Picture from the 1937 film, A Star
Is Born, which shows two men drawing on a woman’s face to “reshape” her brows stars began to look the same
1920s flapper girl 1930s exotic, yet natural: In the
early 1930s, Crawford’s heavy eye make-up was widely imitated, but in the September 1933 issue of Photoplay, natural beauty was hailed.
1940s pinup 1950s sex symbol
Harlow’s platinum blonde hair Rita Hayworth’s red hair Hedy Lamarr’s raven hair
Motifs
Stars and Cars Big cat Furs and feathers On the town – night clubs (El Morocco, Ciro’s) , restaurants (Romanoff’s,
The Brown Derby) At play – Santa Anita races, poolside, informal “at-homes,” boats and trains,
tennis, skiing, golfing
Magic Makers
Wardrobe, lighting, make-up, and cinematography helped make the star
Max Factor’s idea of beauty: “The beauty calibrator”
Karl Struss Swanson in Male and
Female (1919)
Magic Makers:Fashion Designers Adrian – 1932 dress
worn by Crawford
Travis Banton – designed costumes for Dietrich in The Devil is a Woman (1935)
Magic Makers: Photographers
Dennis Stock: 1955 James Dean in Indiana
George Hurrell: 1941 Veronica Lake
Impact on contemporary culture
Express newspaper in Washington D.C., 7/2/08 issue: Discussed Armani fall-winter 2008-2009 collection, and cited the influence of Hollywood decadence “Shades of earlier Hollywood heroines like Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich ran through his collection of tailored jackets with razor-sharp shoulders and goddess gowns glistening with beads” (p. 31).
NY Times audio feature published on 7/27/08: “On the Street: The Appeal of the Heel,” by Bill Cunningham revival of high heels with short skirts or shorts, reminiscent of Betty Grable, “no one could care less” attitude in the City
“Women In Film” video (Google Docs) on the transformation of women in film
Sources
Hayworth on cover slide: http://www.tcf.ua.edu/Classes/Jbutler/T577/Students/RitaFace.jpg (8/14/08)
Sources
Dietrich: http://www.humanesocietyny.org/auction/images/index-photo07.jpg (8/5/08) Garbo: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/75/171481871_7467da1339.jpg?v=0 (8/5/08) Del Rio:
http://bp1.blogger.com/_CLu8_jFPNZ4/Rf83bUN_w3I/AAAAAAAAAIA/rHcrc-J9LjY/s1600-h/Delores+Del+Rio12.jpg (8/5/08)
Cooper: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/steichen/steichen_gary_cooper_b.jpg (8/5/08) Grant:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/screendreams/images/postcards_grant_450.jpg (8/5/008)
Fred and Ginger: http://bp0.blogger.com/_VkZbqqaJEtQ/RkPYhbmW0oI/AAAAAAAAAtA/Fq-uX8TPbnQ/s1600-h/fred.bmp (8/5/08)
Bogie: http://www.filmsquish.com/guts/files/images/Annex%20-%20Bogart,%20Humphrey%20(Maltese%20Falcon,%20The)_02.jpg (8/5/08)
Swanson: http://jasonlandry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/steichen.jpg (8/5/08) Valentino: http://www.altfg.com/Stars/actorsv/valentino-rudolph-1.jpg (8/5/08) Harlow:
http://www.allaboutshoes.ca/images/common/heights_of_fashion/fantasies_big_screen/1.jpg (8/5/08)
Gable: http://www.theothersideofkim.com/images/uploads/2007files/clark_gable18.jpg (8/5/08)
Sources Lombard:
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd164/iamericamag/1920s%20sirens/carole_lombard_1313.jpg (8/5/08)
Crawford: http://images.scripting.com/archiveScriptingCom/2006/02/27/youngCrawfordBig.jpg (8/5/08)
Lake: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1192/1383365761_3a4f4e66ab.jpg?v=0 (8/5/08) Brando:
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039_4032~Marlon-Brando-Posters.jpg (8/5/08)
Taylor: http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Elizabeth-Taylor-Photograph-C12145909.jpeg (8/5/08) Dean: http://www.cinematical.com/images/2005/09/james%20dean2.jpg (8/5/08) Monroe:
http://www.gallerym.com/images/work/big/associated%20press_marilyn_monroe_seven_yr_itch_L.jpg (8/5/08)
Hayworth: http://www.tcf.ua.edu/Classes/Jbutler/T577/Students/RitaPinup.jpg (8/14/08) Grable: http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/images2/1943.jpg (8/5/08) Lamour: http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/images2/lamour1.jpg (8/5/08) Turner:
http://www.seraphicpress.com/images/Lana%20Turner,%20They%20Won't%20Forget.jpg (8/12/08)
Sheridan: http://www.ipacific.com/shop/photography/hurrell/08AnnSheridan.jpg (8/5/08)
Sources “Androgynous appeal”
Dietrich: http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z297/GreenAmbassador/Green%20Ambassador%20Weed/Canna%20Embassy%20art/marlene_dietrich1.jpg (8/11/08)
Dean: http://www.vafilm.com/images/FilmFest07/rebel.JPG (8/14/08) “Transformation of Stars/Contradictions”
Rita Hayworth: Basinger, Jeanine. The Star Machine. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. 42
Fox, Patty. Star Style: Hollywood Legends as Fashion Icons. Santa Monica: Angel City Press, Inc., 1995. 86.
Cary Grant cooking from Kobal Collection online: photo ref. XGR004ML (8/14/08) “Idea of Beauty”
A Star Is Born: Basinger, The Star Machine, p. 40
“Motifs” Jean Harlow from Kobal collection online: photo ref. CA002FF Santa Anita races from Kobal collection online: photo ref. XDE027CA
Sources “Magic Makers”
“The Beauty Calibrator”: http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3065333.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=32F168F2F013CA9AFFA45C14C2D93F44A55A1E4F32AD3138 (8/11/08)
Swanson in Male and Female: Kobal, John. The Art of the Great Hollywood Portrait Photographers: 1925-1940. New York: Harrison House, 1987. 74. (8/14/08)
Adrian: http://static.flickr.com/47/179512788_e9296c2c95.jpg (8/11/08) Travis Banton: http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/thehollywoodcollection/md643.jpg
(8/11/08) Stock, Dennis. James Dean: Fifty Years Ago. New York: Harry N. Abrams,
Inc. 2005. 43. George Hurrell:
http://www.ipacific.com/shop/photography/hurrell/06VeronicaLake.jpg (8/11/08)
“Impact on contemporary culture”“The Appeal of the Heel” feature:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/27/fashion/street-multimedia-3/index.html (2:15 mins - 2:07 mins)
“Women In Film” video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEc4YWICeXk