Ladies of the Silver Screen Pt 1

Shanghai Lily in "Shanghia Express" ('32): When asked if marriage is the reason for her name change, Lil replies: “It took more than one man to change my name.” Marlene Dietrich dazzles as “the notorious white flower of China.”

Hei Fei in "Shanghai Express" ('32): Anna May Wong beguiles with her subtle brilliance. She should have had more good roles - O-lan in "The Good Earth", for instance. But she was never offered that role. Instead, they wanted her to play the deceitful Lotus. Wong refused the role, telling Irving Thalberg: "If you let me play O-lan, I will be very glad. But you're asking me – with Chinese blood – to do the only unsympathetic role in the picture featuring an all-American cast portraying Chinese characters.”

Susan Vance in "Bringing Up Baby" ('38): Cary Grant plays opposite Katherine Hepburn in this first rate screwball comedy: "Now it isn't that I don't like you, Susan, because, after all, in moments of quiet, I'm strangely drawn toward you but - well, there haven't been any quiet moments..." Daffy, screwy, elegantly cuckoo, Kate at her wacky best.



Charlotte Vale in "Now Voyager" ('42): Bette Davis, with caterpillars for eyebrows, becomes a beautiful butterfly. The ultimate makeover movie.

Mrs Henry Windle Vale in "Now Voyager" ('42): Gladys Cooper as Charlotte's mother, one of the most selfish matriarchs in motion pictures. Cooper was a stage actress extraordinaire and it shows.

Stella Dallas in "Stella Dallas" ('37): Big jewelry, big heart, big sacrifices. If Mrs Vale was one of the nastiest mothers in cinema then Stella wins for being the most loving and sacrificial. In her clanging baubles and gaudy frocks, Barbara Stanwyck aces the part.



Marina in "A Fantastic Woman" (2017): Captivating and talented with a golden voice and eyes that tell you everything you need to know, Daniela Vega breathes ferocious resilence and heartbreaking beauty into this character.

Madame X in "Madame X" ('66): Lana Turner doing the sacrificial wife/mother bit in this epic hanky-soaker. Her costars are formidable: Burgess Meredith, John Forsyth, Keir Dullea - and Ricardo Montalban as her sleazy lover. Constance Bennett completes the stellar cast, playing Lana's diabolical mother-in-law.

Baby Jane Hudson in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" ('62): Wearing ringlets and rouge not fit for lady nor courtesan, Baby Jane (former child star now in her 60s) taunts and tortures her wheelchair-bound sister: "But ya ah in a wheelchair, Blanche, ya ah." Bette Davis chewing up the scenery.

Marge Gunderson in "Fargo" ('96): "I'm not sure I agree with you a hunnert percent on your police work, there, Lou." Frances McDormand as the smalltown cop. Strong, compassionate, pregnant - a trooper in more ways than one.



Billie Dawn in "Born Yesterday" ('50): Judy Holliday originated the role of this not-so-dumb-blonde on Broadway but almost didn't get the screen part. Good thing she did: her gin game is the prize in this box of Crackerjacks. You wanna watch this:

Tracy Lord in "The Philadelphia Story" ('40): "My, she was yar." Kate Hepburn, that is, especially in that sleek white evening dress (by Adrian), dancing tipsily with Jimmy Stewart. Spoiled and rich but human.

Dinah Lord in "The Philadelphia Story" ('40): Virginia Weidler as the spirited little sister of Tracy. Only Groucho could outdo her rousing rendition of "Lydia the Tattooed Lady". Little Weidler playing the piano and belting out: "Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia?" Precious.

Loreli Lee in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" ('53): Upon discovering that the tiara really does belong on top of one's head, Marilyn Monroe as Loreli declares: "I just LOVE finding new places to wear diamonds." Marilyn played the diamond-digging Loreli with her usual platinum aplomb.

The Girl in "The Seven Year Itch" ('55): Marilyn in that marshmallow pink ensemble, Marilyn in that iconic white dress, Marilyn in her usual platinum aplomb.

Judith Canfield in "Stage Door" ('37): Lucille Ball wasn't always the card we knew from "I Love Lucy". In her early movie career, she tackled serious roles. This one has its share of wisecracks, but Lucy holds her dramatic own opposite a boardinghouse full of accomplished actors, including Kate Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and Eve Arden.

Coming Soon: Ladies of the Silver Screen Part 2