Thursday, November 06, 2014

Mae West: Complete Dominance

On November 6th, all they could talk about Down Under was their first look at MAE WEST.
• • "At the Capitol — — First Appearance of Mae West" • •
• • The large audience which left the Capitol Theatre on Saturday night after seeing a fine programme must surely had been confronted with a puzzle — — the reason for the title of the Paramount picture, ''She Done Him Wrong."  A dozen or so more appropriate names could have been suggested such as "Bowery Love," or "You'll find out," but perhaps there would not have remained the same perplexity.  But another intriguing question was how great an actress is Mae West. If her first film appearance in Australia represents a completely submerged personality and a complete dominance of the actress by her part, then her performance was a very great success.  This is something to be decided in future film appearances of the blonde.
• • Mae's restraint in phrase, tone, and action was more powerful in a moment • •
• • The picture is an epic of crime, a class of picture in which Hollywood is unchallenged. Every character had been well studied and the atmosphere was entirely that which we are led to believe would attach to a low class bar in the Bowery.  From this atmosphere, the picture never emerges, and the most downright character of the lot is Lou, the music hall queen, playing every one false and played false in turn even by the leader of the next door religious mission, who is really a detective, on whom nevertheless she has set her heart. In Mae West's keeping, the role lost nothing. Her restraint in phrase, tone, and action was more powerful in a moment than many film stars have conveyed in thousands of feet.
• • She was well supported by Cary Cooper [sic], Noah Beery, Gilbert Roland, Owen Moore, and a strong supporting  cast.   ...
• • Source: Film Review on page 2 in The Canberra Times; published on Monday, 6 November 1933.
• • On Monday, 6 November 1933 in Time Magazine • •
• • In October 1933, Time Magazine reported this: "The Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, meeting in Milwaukee last week, congratulated Mae West for popularizing plump female figures . . . ."
• • The edition of Time dated for Monday, 6 November 1933 printed readers' letters reacting to that group of physicians along with the publishing of Mae's measurements in the same article.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • "Record N. Y. Paramount Run" • •
• • By holding over for a fifth week, Mae West's "Goin' to Town" sets the long-run record at the New York Paramount, it was pointed out yesterday by Morris Morros, managing director. Previous record of four weeks also was held by a Mae West film, "I'm No Angel."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Don't you see how my life is?  I gotta top myself in my pictures and I gotta watch myself in everything else. My private life has gotta be a model."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An item on auto shows mentioned Mae West.
• • New York Magazine wrote: On view through November 12th . . . and cars from the garages of Mae West, Dolores del Rio, and Arthur Godfrey. ...
• • Source: Item in New York Magazine; published on Monday, 6 November 1972
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. The other day we entertained 1,223 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3042nd blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo:
• • Mae West in 1932

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