Mae West: Serious Danger

Hollywood film censor Joe Breen's name turns up on an awful lot of correspondence involving MAE WEST.  Someone had a brilliant idea to title her next picture "It Ain't No Sin."  This would be retitled several more times before it was sent out into the world as "Belle of the Nineties."  Let's follow the backstage drama, shall we? This is Part 2.
• • in cases where our letters indicate serious danger • •  . . .
• • Joe Breen wrote, "It is our thought that in cases where our letters indicate serious danger, the heads of the companies in New York promptly get busy with the studio executives, most probably." Breen tells Hays that they will accede to Paramount's request, but will keep accurate records as evidence "in the case of troublesome pictures, that we warned the studio of the danger."
• • "There is much "under cover" work going on," Breen continues, "that smacks to me of a desire on the part of the studios definitely to outsmart and outwit the machinery of the Code, and to fly a lone kite in the matter of production, without any counsel, guidance, or reference to New York offices. ... The general attitude we have found here [in Hollywood] with regard to the public criticism which has become so widespread [is for Hollywood filmmakers to] belittle it all, to sneer at [their] critics and to continue to make pictures to suit [themselves.]
• • "I am deeply concerned about it all" • •  . . .
• • Source:  Notes [from TCMDb Archive Materials].
• • To be continued tomorrow with Part 3, the last excerpt.
• • On Sunday, 6 June 1976 in the U.K. • •

• • In Britain the Sunday Times did an article that quoted Stanley Musgrove, who was serving as Mae's deputy for the film project "Sextette," and communicating with the young producers Dan Briggs and Robert Sullivan.  The feature was printed on Sunday, June 6, 1976.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • W. C. Fields and Mae West spoof the Old West in the 1940 classic film "My Little Chickadee."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “Cultivate your curves.  They may be dangerous but they won't be avoided.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A feature in Star Pulse mentioned Mae West.
• • Star Pulse asked:  And who would you say was your greatest lover?
• • Mamie Van Doren responded:  Oh god, so many of them were good! Then, there were the bad ones. I talked about Burt Reynolds. He was the worst. But nobody cares about Burt Reynolds today. [She laughs.]  
• • Mamie Van Doren responded: I had one guy, Steve Cochran, but no one probably knows him. He was Mae West’s lover. He was very good and I didn’t mind sharing a lover with Mae West. She had very good taste. I never experienced a lesbian encounter. ...
• • Source:  Interview: “Legendary Mamie Van Doren on 'Playing the Field'” written by Stephanie Nolasco for Star Pulse; posted on Monday, 3 June 2013
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th 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 3,700 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3719th 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 1976 • •
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