Archives for July 2011

Lip color for sizzling days of summer

July 20, 2011 by

Maybelline's ColorSensational lipstick offers excellent value.

Friends and family in the Midwest tell me is is hot and sticky there, too hot for makeup, they say. Hello, have we met? True, items like coverup or bronzer have a way of melting off my face but, for me, it’s never too hot for lipstick.

I’ve been experimenting with ColorSensational lip color by Maybelline. Ruby Star, though it looks a bit autumnal in the tube, turns out to be a great neutral. Not quite as bright as a classic red or fuchsia, it’s a nice pop of pure color that looks fresh and natural.

ColorSensational hydrates (it contains honey nectar), feels light on my lips and smells good. The line features 54 shades so if your AC suddenly stops, you can always browse the makeup aisles of your local drug store while waiting for the repair. At $7 a tube, you might try several shades. Pictured here, from left, is: Red Revolution, Fuchsia Fever, Fifth Ave. Fuchsia and Ruby Star.

Other ColorSensational lip products include High Shine, Lipstain and Pearls.

Product source: I received samples from Maybelline; I did not receive compensation.

Filed Under: Noir Stuff Tagged With: , , ,

In ‘The Letter,’ Bette Davis captivates as a woman both elegant and evil

July 18, 2011 by

The Letter/1940/Warner Bros. Pictures/95 min.

“Strange that a man can live with a woman for 10 years and not know the first thing about her,” says Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) in 1940’s “The Letter,” directed by William Wyler. The woman in question is Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis), vivacious, charming, self-assured and willful. The man is her husband Bob (Herbert Marshall), sweet, gentle, kind and trusting, and apparently not the sharpest tool in the shed. Or maybe he’s just too busy with work – he runs a rubber plantation in British Malaya. Leslie runs the house and occupies her free time with lace work, tennis parties and gin slings.

Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall play a married couple in "The Letter" from 1940 by director William Wyler.

Howard, a lawyer and friend of the couple, makes his comment in the course of defending Leslie after their tranquil existence suddenly becomes threatened. While Bob is away on business, Leslie receives a late-night visit by an acquaintance, Geoff Hammond, who professes his love for her and tries to force himself on her. So, she shoots him dead; a clear case of self-defense to hear her tell the story. And who doesn’t believe Bette Davis when she’s holding court?

It’s an unpleasant matter, “horrible,” as she says, to be dispensed with as quickly and neatly as the British colonial justice system will allow. And that’s pretty quickly and neatly as these are white, upper-middle-class, upstanding citizens of the empire. It’s smooth sailing, until the appearance of a letter, in Leslie’s handwriting, demanding that Hammond come over the night of the murder and noting that Bob would be away all night.

The letter is in the possession of Hammond’s wife (Gale Sondergaard), a Eurasian native, and she’s willing to let it go for $10,000. But keeping it away from the prosecution and keeping it away from Bob are two different things.

While “The Letter” predates the most prolific period of classic American film noir and its femme fatale is a patrician, married Englishwoman, it is nevertheless a fine example of the form. Just look at the dark, moody, high-contrast lighting, courtesy of cinematographer Tony Gaudio. Nearly every interior scene contains shadowy black bars suggesting confinement. Exterior scenes of lush moonlit landscapes and close-ups of those Bette Davis eyes (the opening scene is particularly memorable) convey the surfacing of the wild, devilish impulses we all struggle to contain.

Then there’s the taut direction by Wyler and sterling acting all round. Wyler, one of Hollywood’s most admired directors, demanded subtlety from Davis, knowing that her strength would resonate on its own. As Leslie Crosbie, she’s an extremely complex femme fatale, equal parts supreme elegance and base evil, one minute winning our sympathy, the next minute making us feel like utter fools for liking her.

Known for being a perfectionist, the German-born Wyler earned the nicknames “90-take Willie” and “Once Again Wyler.” He and Davis had worked together on 1938’s “Jezebel” (for which she won her second Oscar; the first was for “Dangerous” from 1935, directed by Alfred E. Green). Wyler and Davis had an affair that lasted through the production of “Jezebel.” He remained one of her favorite directors. Wyler won three best director Oscars, for 1942’s “Mrs. Miniver, “The Best Years of Our Lives” from 1946 and 1959’s “Ben-Hur.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘The Letter’ quick hit

July 18, 2011 by

The Letter/1940/Warner Bros. Pictures/95 min.

Some things never change. Whether you are talking via texts or parchment paper and feather pens, femmes fatales should always take care to destroy any incriminating evidence of the “Dear So and So,” variety. If in doubt, just watch the formidable Bette Davis in “The Letter” directed by William Wyler, a masterful director and the perfect match for Davis.

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Putting on the spritz: Fendi, Prada, Gucci

July 16, 2011 by

There’s something both refreshing and exotic about a splash of a clean floral fragrance like Fan di Fendi on a hot summer day. Something “elegantissima but oh so rock ’n’ roll” – well, ok, that was in the press notes but I am really looking forward to dropping elegantissima into a conversation.

Fan di Fendi is ideal for sultry summer nights.

Fan di Fendi is playful but complex and very fun to wear. Notes include: Damascena rose, yellow jasmine, Indian tuberose, pear, blackcurrant, tangerine, pink peppercorns, leather and patchouli.

As of this weekend, Saks Fifth Avenue is the exclusive retailer of Fan di Fendi eau de parfum fragrance. Fabien Baron designed the architectural bottle. The 1.7 ounce eau de parfum is $76 and the 2.5 ounce size is $92; the 5 ounce shower gel sells for $39 and the 5 ounce body lotion is $44.

Meanwhile, I am curious about Prada’s new fragrance, Candy, which reportedly will be released in August and in U.S. stores by September. Prada picked French actress Léa Seydoux to advertise the new scent, which features retro pink packaging.

And so far my fave men’s fragrance this summer: Gucci Guilty.

Image source: Fendi; I did not receive product or compensation for this post.

Filed Under: Noir Stuff, Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

‘Tabloid’ by Errol Morris tells the bizarre tale of a femme fatale who refuses to give up

July 15, 2011 by

Tabloid/2010/IFC Films/88 min.

Celluloid femmes fatales, though they may lack morals and dabble in deadly sins, are nevertheless pretty easy to like. They have brains, beauty, ambition and style. And it’s just a movie, a 90-minute diversion from reality.

In the real world, however, manipulative, self-absorbed and conniving narcissists typically don’t receive our admiration; if they’re lucky, they might get our compassion. That’s the case with Joyce McKinney, the subject of the latest film from Errol Morris, one of America’s greatest documentarians. It’s a story that’s funny, frenzied and nothing short of astounding.

I was part of a roundtable interview with Morris last Friday and learned more about the film. About three years ago, browsing through the Boston Globe, Morris happened to see a wire story about McKinney, who made headlines most recently for having her dog cloned in South Korea. The story also noted that 30 years before, McKinney had been a front-page fixture in the British tabloids.

Why? Oh, she just wanted her man back. McKinney, a former beauty queen, fell head-over-heels in love with a clean-cut guy named Kirk Anderson. They had discussed marriage and even what to name their kids, McKinney says. But Anderson was (and apparently still is – he refused to be interviewed) a Mormon and was assigned to a mission in England.

According to a 2008 report in London’s Sunday Times: In 1977, the former Miss Wyoming stalked her lover, a Mormon missionary, to a tabernacle in East Ewell, Surrey, allegedly kidnapped him and held him in a cottage in Devon. There, the 17-stone [238 pounds] Kirk Anderson claimed, his petite, busty admirer tied him to a bed using mink-trimmed handcuffs, slipped into a see-through nightie and forced him into sex. At a remand hearing she declared her love for the Mormon with the immortal line: “I’d ski naked down Mount Everest with a carnation up my nose if he asked me.”

Once the story broke, Fleet Street journalists had a field day and McKinney’s bizarre mission was prime Page-One fodder. “Joyce’s story had all the qualities of a crazy B-movie,” says producer Mark Lipson.

Joyce McKinney in an undated photo.

Fast forward to today to a McKinney who did not move on. She didn’t particularly want to. “I think she’s an amazing romantic heroine,” says Morris. “She’s this incredibly romantic soul – an absurdist, romantic figure pursuing some quixotic, hopeless love or the idea of love. She’s remarkable as a person who refuses to give up.”

Morris also likes “Tabloid”’s element of film noir. “I love film noir. … People don’t really have control over their lives in noir. They’re part of some infernal tapestry of design. There’s a sense of inexorability and there’s a sense of inexorability in this story.”

“Tabloid” opens July 15 in Los Angeles and New York.

Filed Under: Neo Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

More pictures of Paris …

July 14, 2011 by
In honor of Bastille Day, I thought I’d share a few more photos of my recent trip to France. After all, without the French critics writing after World War II, it’s highly doubtful that film noir would be so recognized and celebrated today.

Inside the Galeries Lafayette department store

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Stained glass at Galeries Lafayette

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Of course there's a whole section for seduction fashion.

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A detail of an embellished fountain near the Louvre.

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An exquisite little flower shop

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Outside the Gare St.-Lazare

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It's always busy at Ladurée tea room.

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The reason Ladurée is always busy.

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Boxed macarons at the Ladurée shop

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The work of designer Madame Grès (1903–1993) was on display at the Musée Bourdelle.

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Madame Grès saw her work as sculptural so it was a natural complement to the collection at the Musée Bourdelle.

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More elegant creations from Madame Grès

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The Cinémathèque Française

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The Film Noir Foundation programmed a noir series at the CF. My friend and I stopped by for "Woman on the Run" from 1950 directed by Norman Foster and starring Ann Sheridan.

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A cinema on the canal in the 19th arrondisement

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There are two movie theaters, one on either side of the canal. A free ferry takes you back and forth.

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A memento mori, in metal

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Pin-ups never get old, right?

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No need to carry a boring black brolley when you can choose a such a pretty one at Alexandra Sojer, 218, bd Saint Germain.

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A stall at the Marché aux Puces flea market

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Another view of the flea market

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Pont Alexandre III is the most decorated bridge in Paris.

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A new Abercrombie & Fitch store on the Champs-Élysées. Believe it or not, there was a line to get in.

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Inside the Guerlain store on the Champs-Élysées

All images are copyright of Pica Pix LA

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Love at its worst, noir at its best: ‘Sudden Fear’ sucks you in

July 13, 2011 by

Sudden Fear/1952/RKO Radio Pictures/110 min.

If you’ve never seen 1952’s “Sudden Fear” by director David Miller, you are in for a treat. I’m not sure why but this film isn’t mentioned very often as an example of noir at its best. It is precisely that – with delightful darkness at its core. And it was nominated for four Academy Awards: actress, supporting actor, b&w cinematography and b&w costume design.

Hmm, where to begin my gushfest? Well, first of all, it stars Joan Crawford as heiress and playwright Myra Hudson. Glamorous, successful and gracious, Myra has everything in the world, except a man.

Jack Palance charms Joan Crawford on a train trip.

But that all changes fast. While sitting in on a rehearsal for her new play’s Broadway opening, Myra fires actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance; the part was also offered to Marlon Brando). After the show is a smash hit, she runs into him by chance on the train back to her home in San Francisco. By the end of the trip, Myra and Lester seem to be in love. Lester is an actor, after all.

The truth is he has some unfinished business, or more accurately unrealized schemes, with ex-flame Irene Neves (Gloria Grahame). They have expensive taste but no cash; that’s where Myra’s money and a tragic “accident” come in.

Myra isn’t fooled for long, though certainly she has her share of night sweats and shakes. Her playwright’s skill for crafting plot lines as well as a knack for stunts and a talent for forgery come in mighty handy as she painstakingly plans a way to exact her revenge.

Crawford is captivating as the writer/wife with a wickedly resourceful streak. The scene in which she learns of Lester’s betrayal is remarkable – it hinges completely on her wordless, visceral reaction. Grahame sizzles as a smooth operator working every angle she can. Crawford also served as the film’s executive producer; she and Grahame reportedly did not get along. Shocker! Tall, craggy-faced Palance, in his first major screen role, effortlessly exudes mystery and menace. It’s chilling to see Lester morph from solicitous to sinister at the drop of a hat.

Miller, an underrated director, borrows a bit from the horror genre (rest assured, there’s a screeching cat, among other creepy tropes) and outdoes himself with this subversive, scary melodrama that just oozes tension. Love the chase scene toward the end. Miller worked from a strong, clever script by Lenore Coffee and Robert Smith from a novel by Edna Sherry.

The visuals are magnificent, noir at its finest, courtesy of cinematographer Charles B. Lang Jr. Black stripes and bars invade every scene, suggesting the characters’ entrapment in their fate. Intense contrast and chiaroscuro lend a painterly quality. Elmer Bernstein’s score, part nerve-wracking and part lushly romantic, is also key to building the suspense. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘Sudden Fear’ quick hit

July 13, 2011 by

Sudden Fear/1952/RKO Radio Pictures/110 min.

All newlyweds face a few challenges. But successful playwright Myra Hudson (Joan Crawford) and aspiring actor husband Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) have deeper issues. For example, Lester really wants to be with his true love Irene (Gloria Grahame); Lester and Irene both want Myra’s money. Myra taps her creative powers to throw a few wrenches into the mix. Melodramatic, it’s true, yet tense and satisfying.

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

FNB proclaims Gloria Grahame Day: July 13

July 12, 2011 by

Lately I find myself compulsively watching “Sudden Fear” from 1952 starring Joan Crawford, Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame. It’s on as I write, in fact.

Directed by David Miller, the movie has a lot going for it (regular readers know I adore Joan Crawford) but at the top of the list is Grahame, playing a femme fatale nonpareil who’s also rather skilled at mingling in high society.

Gloria Grahame shined in ’50s noir classics.

With her feline face, flirty smile and hour-glass figure, Grahame was a stalwart of film noir. Besides “Sudden Fear,” she was in “Crossfire” (1947, Edward Dmytryk), “In a Lonely Place” (1950, Nicholas Ray), “Macao” (1952, Josef von Sternberg), “The Big Heat” (1953, Fritz Lang), “Human Desire” (1954, Fritz Lang), “Naked Alibi” (1954, Jerry Hopper) and “Odds Against Tomorrow” (1959, Robert Wise).

Commenting on her seductive powers, she once said, “It wasn’t the way I looked at a man, it was the thought behind it.” (Though she often played the bad girl, she was a Los Angeles native from a comfortable family.)

She had acting chops, too, winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952, Vincente Minnelli). Her breakthrough role was Violet Bick in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1947, Frank Capra).

Her career faltered, though, when on “Oklahoma” (1955, Fred Zinnemann) she acquired a reputation as being difficult to work with. Her big number in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No.” Natch. Also harmful to her public image was the fact that in 1960 she married Anthony Ray, her former stepson from her marriage (1948-1952) to director Nicholas Ray. Nonetheless, she worked on the stage, in TV and occasionally in films until she died at 57 in 1981. She was married four times and had four children.

So, because I can, I am declaring July 13 Gloria Grahame Day on FNB and will be posting reviews of her noir classics in the coming weeks. (If you are in LA, try to catch “In a Lonely Place” at LACMA on Friday, July 22.)

OK, time to restart “Sudden Fear” and break it to my friend – who stopped by tonight, took one look at the alluring Grahame and asked if he could get a date with her – that request, alas, will have to remain in the realm of fantasy. Ah, men and their fantasies; it’s a kingdom Grahame ruled perhaps not wisely but well.

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Noir greats at LACMA; a Nicholson noir night at the Aero

July 10, 2011 by

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has a particularly good lineup of classic and neo noirs this month.

“Rear Window” (1954) 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 12

“Pickpocket” (1959) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16

“Bay of Angels” (1963) 9 p.m. Saturday, July 16

“The Letter” (1940) 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 19

“The Honeymoon Killers” (1970) 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21

Bette Davis stars in "The Letter" by director William Wyler.

“In a Lonely Place” (1950) 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22

“The Long Goodbye”(1973) 9:15 p.m. Friday, July 22

“Mulholland Dr.” (2001) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23

“The Lady from Shanghai” (1948) 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 29

“The Conformist” (1971) 9:10 p.m. Friday, July 29

Tickets range from $2 for the matinees to $10 for evening double features ($5 for one film only). Discounts for LACMA members and seniors. For tickets, call 323-857-6010 or visit the web site; there is a $2 charge to buy online. For synopses of the movies, see LACMA’s listings. LACMA is at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036.

Additionally, the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica is running a “Jack Nicholson Noir” double bill on Saturday, July 23, starting at 7:30. The films are Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” and “The Two Jakes,” which Nicholson directed. The Aero Theatre is at 1328 Montana Ave. General admission is $11; members pay $7. Visit the American Cinematheque for the complete schedule.

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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