gold diggers of 1933

I have to thank my Tumblr friend and fellow Christoph Waltz enthusiast, Amelia, for sparking me to finally rent and see the amazing pre-Code musical Gold Diggers of 1933.  She did this by writing about it and its follow-up, Gold Diggers of 1937, on her fantastic film blog, More Stars Than in the Heavens.  If you like movies--especially classic films--I strongly recommend following Amelia's blog.  She is an excellent writer, and has, in a very short period of time, made my Must See Films list ridiculously long.  

I won't go into great detail about the film's plot.  Basically, it's about a group of four showgirls during the Depression.  The Busby Berkeley musical numbers are beautiful, bizarre, magical, and extremely moving, by turns.  Just go rent the movie and see it. 

My post here is going to be frivolously full of pictures of pretty costumes.

My favorite gal in the film was Aline MacMahon's Trixie.  She plays the Funny One, and maybe it's just because she's the only one with eyebrows, I thought she was the loveliest.  (I never quite understood that 1930s no eyebrows look.)  Trixie also wears the best clothes.

...Like this amazing macro herringbone print dress.  I've been a little obsessed with the Wiener Werkstätte movement lately, and this print reminds me of some of the textiles made by those artisans.

Ruby Keeler tap dancing in a great little plaid-accented outfit.  Love how the scarf pulls through her lapels.

Here's Aline MacMahon in another great print, this time an op art-y shadow plaid.

Ginger Rogers (who is more than a little freaky in the film's opening musical number--watch it and tell me what you think!) in diagonal stripes and cute little jacket.

Um, this bar?  Send it to my house.  Also love Joan Blondell's black gown, which is accented with a sparkly sequinned plaid.

I should probably mention that the costumes are by famed Australian-born costume designer Orry-Kelly.  He moved to Hollywood in 1932, so Gold Diggers was one of his earlier gigs.

THIS IS A JUMPSUIT.  Yes, I had to put that in all caps.  How cute is it?  And just look at Aline's face.  Is she not lovely?

Here's Guy Kibbee in another of my favorite costumes--a very Wiener Werkstätte-ish dressing gown.

I had to include some shots of the musical numbers.  This being a pre-Code film, those gals behind the screen get even more obviously naked than you see here.

In this number, the ladies are "playing" violins edged in neon.  When the lights come one, you can see the electrical cords.  Apparently, the performers would occasionally get shocked.  Hey, it's what you do for Art.

xo

K

À bout de souffle / Breathless

I know I'm way behind the times, but I finally saw Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 French new wave classic, Breathless (À bout de souffle).  I took a bunch of screenshots, and I think the one above shows Jean Seberg in the most iconic outfit from the film: striped shirt, pleated skirt, sunglasses.  She is also wearing loafers (or flat shoes) with ankle socks, and is carrying the cutest little white drawstring satchel (blurry here).

I liked the movie.  I wouldn't say I loved it.  But I enjoyed the music, and the style of filming.  I thought Jean-Paul Belmondo was charming, despite the fact that he was, y'know, a cop killer.  Jean Seberg's character was sort of meh, I thought...but her look!  So chic.  The pixie hair, the shades, and the outfits!  All amazing.

Even her selling-newspapers-on-the-street outfit is great looking.  Love the New York Herald Tribune top and cigarette pants.

You can see the cute little satchel better in this shot.

I'm assuming that's a Burberry trench with plaid lining.

Beautiful Paris.

Nearly everything Seberg wears in Breathless is striped, down to her bathrobe (worn most fetchingly by Belmondo here).

And then there is this incredible striped dress worn with white gloves (better photos below).

Love this shot.

A better view of Seberg's dress. Between the collar and the stripes, I'm dead.

I thought this sartorial exchange about Belmondo's outfit was pretty funny.

I love how Seberg is looking at the guy here, like, "what's the big whoop?"

xo

K

holiday

The pairing of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn most likely brings to mind The Philadelphia Story (1940) or Bringing Up Baby (1938).  But Holiday (1938, directed by George Cukor) is possibly my favorite.  It's the story of Johnny (Grant), a self-made man who has proposed marriage to heiress Julia.  Johnny wants to quit working so he can travel and experience life.  Julia can't understand why he doesn't want to just make more money, but her sister, Linda (Hepburn), a fellow free spirit, understands Johnny completely.  You can imagine what happens next.

There are some lovely late 1930s fashions in the film.  A New Year's Eve/engagement party showcases some evening wear, but I really enjoy seeing the daily outfits and shoes (and wild hats) the sisters wear.

Linda is usually dressed a bit more simply and less flashy than Julia, though still always very elegantly.  I prefer Linda's black satin dress here.

Hepburn is dressed in a simple black gown for the party, but wears a necklace that sparkles more than anything I have ever seen captured on film.  I really think Cukor used some kind of special effect for the glittering jewels on this necklace.

I love this scene.  Ned (Lew Ayres), the sisters' hard-drinking, frustrated musician brother, marches in with champagne.  Ayres plays this role with the perfect mixture of humor and pathos.

Grant and Hepburn perform some fantastic tumbling moves in the film.

xo

K

the wicker man

I didn't get to watch it on Halloween as I'd planned, but I've finally been able to see The Wicker Man.  I'd been wanting to see this cult classic horror fillm for ages.  It's about the inhabitants of a Scottish island who practice a form of paganism that includes ritual sacrifice.  Though called a "horror" film, I didn't find it particularly scary.  It's more creepy than anything else.  The islanders, while not exactly good guys, are bawdy and quite funny.  And there is some amazing imagery in the film.

Heh, heh.

Lots of great animal masks in the film.

Hand candle!

 The badger is carrying a boy made out of bread that was baked in a casket.  Yep.

I could do a whole separate post about Lord Summerisle's (Christopher Lee) hair.

xo

K