Black & White and Chic All Over
Out of the Past/1947/RKO Radio Pictures/97 min.
Juggling men is a key skill for any femme fatale. Jane Greer tries to keep seductive gangster and ex-boyfriend Kirk Douglas at bay while she explores new opportunities with laconic, cavalier Robert Mitchum. Not as easy as it sounds, given that Douglas hires Mitchum to track her down. See Jane work all the angles in French-born director Jacques Tourneur’s seminal film noir.
Something splendid is going on next month: The Film Noir Foundation’s Noir City 9, San Francisco’s annual film festival celebrating classic dark-side flicks.
The schedule of films and the new poster will be revealed Wednesday at the first Noir City Xmas double feature. The films are: “Remember the Night” 1940 and “Mr. Soft Touch” 1949.
“Remember the Night” stars Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray (they reunited for the ultra-famous noir classic “Double Indemnity” 1944) as well as Beulah Bondi. Preston Sturges wrote the original screenplay and Mitchell Leisen directed.
“Mr. Soft Touch,” a comedy-drama set in San Francisco, stars Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes. It was directed by Gordon Douglas and Henry Levin.
Film Noir Foundation founder and president Eddie Muller always does an amazing job with the festival and I can’t wait to hear the details for next year.
Noir City Xmas is Wednesday Dec. 15 and Noir City 9 runs Jan. 21-30, 2011, both at the Castro Theatre. For full details, visit www.noircity.com.
Last year’s highlights included:
Marilyn is both steamy and scheming in "Niagara" from 1953 by Henry Hathaway.
Marilyn Noir: “Niagara” 1953 and “The Asphalt Jungle” 1950.
Bad Girls of Film Noir: “One Girl’s Confession” 1953 and “Women’s Prison” 1955.
The Magnificent Gloria Grahame: “Human Desire” 1954 and “Odds Against Tomorrow” 1959.
Image from pixdaus.com
Travel candles: great to give and keep.
Nearly every time I go holiday shopping, I have the same problem: I find item after item that I can’t seem to live without and the list for other people languishes at the bottom of my bag. It’s uncanny – however detailed and thoughtful my list, its contents can slip my mind completely unless I make a point of fishing it out and clutching it every minute I browse.
So I love those serendipitous occasions when I find something that is give-able and keep-able. Such is the case with these lovely travel candles from Seda France; also available at beauty/pharmacy stores. Lightweight and elegant, they burn with a clean, fresh scent and won’t take up much room in a suitcase. They are sweet stocking stuffers or a nice little something for colleagues, neighbors and your favorite jet-setters.
You can’t go wrong with French Tulip, though Elegant Gardenia, Parisian Orchid and Japanese Quince sound intriguing as well. At just $9, you can treat yourself to several. Damn, I did it again! OK, at just $9 each, you can buy a bunch for other people and watch your gift list dwindle.
Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive products or compensation from Seda France.
Ann Blyth as Veda
Most of the men in 1945’s “Mildred Pierce,” starring Joan Crawford, are “heels” as Mildred’s friend Ida (Eve Arden) puts it. But they could all learn a few things from Mildred’s venal and grasping daughter Veda (Ann Blyth), who enjoys taunting her mother in French and taking what she thinks should be hers – pretty much anything that’s not nailed down.
Maybe Veda was misunderstood in the stoic, stiff-upper-lip era of post-World War II America. If she’d come of age in the ’80s or later, she’d be a classic material girl, albeit with a few little boo-boos that warrant a criminal record. And it’s entirely possible that as child she was terrorized by Mildred’s ubiquitous and intimidating shoulder pads. Couldn’t we cut Veda a little slack?
Pica, aka VedaCat
I chose Veda as a nickname for my impossibly demanding and sometimes vicious cat whom I rescued from a shelter. Try as I might to shower her with attention, cater to her every need and lavish her with the finest cat food, treats and toys, she’s quite likely to lash out and give me a scratch for no reason at all. She’s just a natural-born bitch.
So, à la director Jim Jarmusch who founded the Sons of Lee Marvin Club for tall, deep-voiced dudes who like to watch Westerns, my kitty and I launched the Daughters of Veda Pierce Club, for women and pets who keep their claws sharp and aren’t afraid to use them. We’re designing a line of T-shirts, clothes, jewelry, toys and accessories for our members, except we don’t want to do any of the actual work or put up any of our own money.
Ce serait terrible, no?
Chanel never disappoints. When I choose my old standby Rouge Allure lipstick in Passion, $30, from a masterful range of reds, I’ve had strangers stop me and ask me what lipstick I’m wearing. The idea of trying Rouge Allure liquid luminous satin lip lacquer, $32, gave me shivers of anticipation. Perhaps it’s the vaguely old-school name – lacquer just sounds so 1947, so silk stocking and cold cream-esque. And then there’s the fun of telling Boyfriend Du Jour that “it’s not lipstick, silly, it’s lacquer.” Or perhaps it would be: “It’s not lipstick, silly, it’s liquid luminous satin lip lacquer.”
At the Beverly Hills Saks counter on a recent Saturday morning, my eye was immediately drawn to No. 78. “That’s the color I want,” I told the woman helping me, a far cry from my usual dithering and debating and drawing countless stripes on the back of my hand. Indeed it is a perfect creamy soft rose, bright but light and luxurious. And lacquer, which I’d thought would be more like a stain, turned out to be a cross between a stick and a gloss. Afterward, as I window-shopped my way along Rodeo Drive, a tall, gray-haired guy stopped me and asked for my phone number. I took his instead. 😉
Much as I enjoy shopping on a Saturday, it’s almost more fun to leave work early, head to your nearest department store and buy a pretty lipstick on a weekday afternoon. To lose yourself in those vast, fragrant, shimmery aisles, packed with possibility, is akin to sipping a fluteful of Veuve Clicquot just for the joy of it. Even if you don’t buy anything, there are always free samples to score.
Guerlain's lipstick compact is sleek, shiny and chunky.
Oh who am I kidding? Me not buy a little product? Splurging is my special skill. Hence my acquisition of Rouge de Guerlain jewel lipstick compact, $46. Holding this drop-dead gorgeous tube – sleek, shiny, chunky – and springing open the mirror is a singular frisson and sure-fire conversation starter. It is without question the coolest compact I’ve ever seen. Smooth and silky, Guerlain lipstick glides on effortlessly every time you apply (I chose No. 65) and gives your lips a subtle but very sexy vibe.
Also combining pretty and practical is YSL Rouge Volupte, $34. The charming gold tube is topped with a handy mirror so a touchup couldn’t be easier. I bought mine a while ago and I got a really nice four-color sample set that even included a brush. YSL offers wonderful colors, feels great on your lips and the color is long lasting. No. 1 is a versatile pink/beige that can be brightened or bolded as you desire.
I also adore Laura Mercier’s lip glace, $22, in Plum Noir. What’s nice about this au courant shade is that you can blend a smidgen into a lighter color (such as the above-mentioned YSL) and you’ll get a gorgeous daytime look – sheer and shiny with just a hint of iridescence. And if you want to amp it up, just add another layer of gloss for a full-on plumintense pout. It’s almost like having two shades in one and it’s never overly thick or cloying the way some glosses can be.
Lest you think I plump exclusively for lip color with a double-digit price tag, let me assure you I spend plenty of time in drug-store aisles, less shimmery and fragrant perhaps, but chock full of irresistible bargains and endless opportunities. [Read more…]
Ava Gardner
Sagittarius (November 23-December 22): Work might be a source of irritation this month, especially if you have multiple birthday parties to grace with your presence. The next time you see your least-fave colleagues, imagine taking a cue from fellow Sag Keith Richards (Dec. 18) and telling them: “It’s great to see you all. It’s great to see anybody.” Of course only Keith himself really pulls this off, but at least you’ll be thinking of someone infinitely more amusing than the cube-farm folks. Don’t worry if you’re not best friends with your entire work gang. It’s better to be professional than popular. Besides you’ll need extra energy for life outside the office. Be rendezvous-ready at the drop of a hat; it might just start raining men.
Capricorn (December 23-January 20): Burning the candle at both ends looks likely. Another day, another party. To pace yourself, remember that you should always leave a party wanting one more drink. If the travel bug bites, start planning an exotic trip for next year. Doesn’t Sydney sound fun? Or somewhere closer and cozy. At work, you will find an elegant solution to an awkward problem. This month, toss your guy a few extra compliments; I have yet to meet the man who dislikes praise. If single, toss a new guy a compliment; I have yet to meet the man who dislikes praise. [Read more…]
Mildred Pierce/ 1945/Warner Bros./ 111 min.
“Mildred Pierce” was Joan Crawford’s comeback role and she won an Oscar for her performance.
I saw “Mildred Pierce” for the first time nearly 20 years ago on a Sunday afternoon in my small, studenty London flat – pale gray walls, Venetian blinds, a Victor Skrebneski print opposite the TV.
Just before the opening scene unfolded – a shooting in a shadow-drenched California beach house with a sinister vibe – I remember popping a batch of popcorn in oil on the stovetop and making American lemonade (fresh lemons, sugar and water). Such wholesome snacking for the decadence on the little screen.
Directed by Michael Curtiz, “Mildred Pierce” is based on James M. Cain’s 1941 novel, adapted by Ranald MacDougall with uncredited help from William Faulkner. Joan Crawford plays the title character, a wife and mother, who tries to buy the love of her spoiled and ungrateful teenage daughter Veda (Ann Blyth). Her younger daughter Kay (Jo Ann Marlowe) is easy to love, but Mildred is determined to win Veda over as well.
Hubby Bert Pierce (Bruce Bennett) doesn’t think Veda is worth it and they break up over Mildred’s intense maternal devotion. Some subtexters theorize that Mildred’s love has romantic overtones; I don’t think there’s a strong case for that.
Mildred works as a pie-baker and a waitress, then opens a chain of restaurants to pay for Veda’s clothes, music lessons and extravagant taste. Problem is, nothing’s ever good enough for the Everest-level high-maintenance Veda. “I can’t wear that rag,” she snarls, upon seeing a dress Mildred bought for her.
Besides sniping at loved ones and spending their money, Veda enjoys hatching blackmail plans and singing in sleazy nightclubs. So it’s no shocker that she also has designs on Mildred’s new love interest Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott). Monte is an aristocratic playboy who’s always short of cash but really rather useful for Veda’s plan to become patrician.
Ann Blyth and Joan Crawford as daughter and Mumsy
No matter what, Veda sinks her serpent’s teeth deeper and deeper into Mildred’s flesh, which, by the way, at 40, was still very shapely. Curtiz wisely gives Crawford plenty of opps to show off her gams. And her little hats, tailored suits and ankle straps are the picture of retro chic. [Read more…]
Mildred Pierce/ 1945/Warner Bros./ 111 min
What obstacle can’t be overcome with the help of ankle straps and padded shoulders? The incomparable Joan Crawford makes this her mantra as she attempts to give her greedy daughter everything her heart desires. Big mistake, hugely delightful movie, directed by Michael Curtiz.
Finally! Your go-to resource for all things noir – film reviews, must-haves for your makeup bag, fabulous fashion finds, advice, horoscopes, spots for swanky dining, red-carpet rumors, movie news and interviews. Oh, and anything else I feel like writing about.
All of this stylish sin is brought to you by the high priestess of decadence and lady in charge, Film Noir Blonde.
Film Noir Blonde
I’ve long been in love with film noir – those sumptuous, cynical tales of the darker side of life, an American cinematic phenomenon that started in the 1940s and was greatly influenced by German Expressionism and French Poetic Realism. In these movies, strong women often call the shots, or have fun trying, and they’re always dressed to thrill. Some say film noir is a b&w genre that ended in 1958; others call it a style that transcends time. For others, like me, noir is a way of life. 😉
The idea for the film reviews came to me after reading lots of film criticism about classic and neo noir. Mostly written by men, it often failed to give an interesting female perspective. So why not write about these terrific movies and offer fatale-centric reviews that are critically sound, but aren’t above gushing over a stunning gown, sassy ankle straps or a diamond brooch? (Admittedly, it took me about four years from thinking of the site to launching it, but then industriousness isn’t high on a vamp’s priority list, especially when shopping and champagne cocktails beckon.)
My aim is to provide insightful, entertaining film commentary and expert advice to look and feel like a million bucks. FilmNoirBlonde is also a place to connect with tough guys and wily women – such a challenge because we ladies of ill repute can be hard to actually locate, what with traveling incognito, making quick getaways in 5-inch heels, vanishing like puffs of smoke, puffing smokes and seducing hapless chaps in dimly lit bars. I know, I know. Chances are, you don’t really sleep till noon, plan heists and pad your bank account with other people’s cash; you might even be a straight arrow with a 9-5 job. But a girl’s gotta dream, right?
So, take a look at this site, see what you think and let me know if there is a film, book, band, stiletto, trench coat, purse, lipstick, perfume, restaurant, club, hotel or handsome stranger that warrants a review. And stop by often because I’ll be hosting contests and giving stuff away. Go on, embrace your inner temptress. Because as Mae West once said, “When I’m good, I’m very good. But when I’m bad, I’m better.”
From FNB readers