• • Film Review: "Belle of the Nineties" • •
• • It is obvious that the American "purity campaign" or the local censor, or possibly both, have caused the latest Mae West film to be considerably cut down and reshaped. In her last vehicle, "I'm No Angel," it was precisely the audacities of Miss West — — the impertinent way In which she burlesqued the bygone "vampire" of the screen — — that made her amusing. When the moral crusade suddenly reared its head In America, she had already been even more daring in the present picture, as it then stood in the studios. The film went to New York for release. The State censor refused to admit it unless it was modified and retitled. Back it went to Hollywood. The directors of Paramount thought of calling it "Belle of New Orleans" — — an apparently Innocuous name. But the leading citizens of the southern city showed such horror at the thought of Mae West being identified with New Orleans that Hollywood had to think again. It finally emerged with "Belle of the Nineties."
• • The continuity jumps a good deal. Scenes sometimes begin, and do not come to what seems their predestined end. Occasionally dark shadows arise inexplicably from the floor. But what betokens the influence of decency most sensationally is the emphasis placed on the Belle's fundamentally moral outlook. Having dazzled a silly young man Into giving her diamonds worth a fortune. Miss West appears in a scene with her coloured maid, and remarks that she will give the jewels back. She had no right, she says, to take them m the first place. Impossible to imagine the luscious charmer of "I'm No Angel" giving back jewels in whatever circumstances they were obtained! Then at the end of it all, the Belle . . .
• • This has been Part 1. Part 2 continues tomorrow.
• • Source: Film Review in The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW); published on Monday, 28 January 1935.
• • On Saturday, 28 January 1978 in Los Angeles • •
• • Trying to catch up on paperwork on a Saturday, Mae was paying bills. A personal check was signed by Mae West on Saturday, 28 January 1978. It was payable to "Dept. of Water and Gas" for the sum of $18.47.
• • On Saturday, 28 January 2012 • •
• • It was a very warm Saturday, 28 January 2012, when acclaimed Australian actress Marie-Therese Byrne took on the challenge of portraying Mae West in "Courting Mae West," a serious-minded comedy written by LindaAnn Loschiavo. A one-time only presentation Down Under, the play had a rehearsed reading in the style of a 1930s radio play under the spirited direction of Cameron Menzies during the Midsumma Festival, which was then in its 24th year.
• • Australia's trendy L.O.T.L. Magazine said: "Those in the mood for some titillating theatre should consider 'Courting Mae West,' part of Midsumma's Playing in the Raw season."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West and the Paramount studio jointly accused each other of voiding her movie contract today.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The curve is the loveliest distance between two points."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An Australian paper in Perth mentioned Mae West.
• • ("The Sunday Times" Special Message.)
• • New York, Saturday — — The National Broadcasting Company from its headquarters here has issued definite instructions that the name of Mae West must not be mentioned over any station in the network which it controls.
• • It is believed that this is the result of violent objection that followed Miss West's recent appearance, after a four-year absence from the air, in a sketch entitled "Adam and Eve."
• • Source: Item in Sunday Times (Perth); published on Sunday, 30 January 1938
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,300 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3365th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1938 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
No comments:
Post a Comment