I think Marion Davies must have enjoyed the late 'thirties more than any time in her life. She didn't have to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn to pretend to be a movie star any more (hell, she hardly bothered to brush her hair), WR was getting old enough that he'd let her out on the town on her own every once in a while, and even if she was getting a little chinny, she still had the best rocks in Hollywood. What did she care if stuck-up posers like Connie Bennett gave her the high-hat? Doug Fairbanks still thought she was good fun.
Look at them. You just know that the second the photographer finished, they ditched Miss B. and her lapdog, Gilbert Roland (she'd marry him, eventually, but here she's still the Marquise de la Falaise de la Coudraye, thank you very much), and headed back to the bar.
Marion certainly seems to be enjoying herself, regardless of the company in this photo. In fact, judging by his expression she may well have just "goosed" Mr Roland... Jx
ReplyDeleteI knew her when I was a kid. She used to babysit for us sometimes. We called her Auntie Marion and loved her.
ReplyDeleteShe's truly someone about whom I've hardly ever heard anything but praise and affection. I'm glad we've gotten past the damage done by Citizen Kane and can appreciate her as a personality and a star. I love the image of her as "Auntie" on top of it all.
Deletewell, this must've been taken moments before marion's dress was up over her head.
ReplyDeleteand as for marq, i had it first.
Connie Bennett gives me a pain.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both, sister!
DeleteThat said, of course, she's no Loretta Young.
Connie Bennett is to Loretta Young as a pain is to:
Deletea) a headache
b) a migraine
c) a 45 to the temple
d) an axe through your skull
Hmmmm. I think I'll go with (c) rather than (d) - Connie has her moments of glory, after all (Topper, anyone?), and really when it comes to Intolerables, Loretta pretty much stands alone...
Deleteveddy cute.
DeleteOnce you get past the mid-1930s, I can understand the lack of love for Loretta Young, but check her out in the pre-Code era -- not only is she ethereally gorgeous, up there with Gene Tierney, Carole Lombard and Michelle Pfeiffer in their primes, but she's a capable actress, too (e.g., "Midnight Mary," "Man's Castle"). Perhaps only after "Call Of The Wild" (and what resulted from that) did she turn into Miss Prim and Pious, perhaps to hide her tracks.
DeleteJust as Connie is TCM's Star of the Month for November, Loretta will get similar honors in January (the month of her centenary). Examine some of her early work; aside from Norma Shearer, no actress' reputation was better enhanced by the pre-Code revival than Loretta Young's...and I'm glad for her she got to experience some of that newfound appreciation before she left us in August 2000.
Haha! good times. she was so cool.
ReplyDelete