Mae West: Not Clear Cut

MAE WEST came to the attention of Tinseltown ninety years ago in 1932. Step into the Time Machine with me for a long, leisurely ride. This is Part 10.
• • Mae West in Hollywood 1932 – 1943 • •
• • Mae West: “Night After Night” is not clear cut in its morals • •
• • Andy Goulding wrote: “Night After Night” does have its shortcomings.
• • Andy Goulding wrote: Though the brief runtime makes for a refreshingly breezy picture, it doesn’t allow much time to properly develop the relationship between George Raft and Constance Cummings.
• • Andy Goulding wrote: The basis of their attraction is well set up but the climax of their romance has to be forced through with an abrupt scene in which Joe’s insistent advances cross the line of what we’d now deem sexual assault.

• • Andy Goulding wrote: Still, “Night After Night” is not as clear cut in its morals as many would think and Joe is often portrayed as an unpleasant character.
• • Mae West: Her presence is the key to the film’s longevity • • …
• • This will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Blueprint Reviews U.K.; posted on Friday, 3 December 2021.
• • On Tuesday, 23 September 1941 • •
• • "Ex-Husband Loses Mae West Suit — Monthly Maintenance Has Been Denied to Frank Wallace" • •
• • San Bernadino, Calif., Sept. 23  [U.P.] — — Frank Wallace lost his $1,000 a month temporary separate maintenance suit against Mae West today in a ruling that questioned his good faith in bringing the action against his actress-wife.
• • There is nothing in this case that would convince the court that the plaintiff is not motivated by sheer profit in filing this action, said Superior Judge Charles L. Allison. …  
• • Source: United Press; published on Tuesday, 23 September 1941
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • James Wingate of the Hays Office in Los Angeles sent a Western Union telegram to a colleague on the East Coast.
• • "Just saw the 'Angel' picture," James Wingate wrote. "We think it is satisfactory with exception very few lines still under discussion." He added, "Much better than we expected."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I thought myself to think only of Mae West and then I got so busy I couldn't think of anything else.  You don't leave things to chance in this business."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article in The Guardian mentioned a visit to Mae West in Hollywood.
• • “Mae West” • •
• • "There's nothing better in life than diamonds . . ."
• • Charlotte Chandler recalled an interview with Mae West in Ravenswood Apartments, Los Angeles, California, for London's newspaper The Guardian.
• • Charlotte Chandler told it like this: Mae West held out her hand to me. As I took it, I scratched my palm on one of her diamond rings. All of her fingers were covered with diamonds. These, she explained, were just her "daytime diamonds." Holding out her hands, she said, "They're all real. They were given to me by admirers." Her gaze settled on my unadorned hands. "Oh, you poor kid! You don't have any!" For a moment she regarded me with pity. Then she brightened. "But you have some at home?" I shook my head. She studied me, then said encouragingly, "You could, honey. But you've gotta try, and you've gotta know how to try. Knowing what you want is the first step toward getting it. There's nothing better in life than diamonds." ...
• • Source: The Guardian [U.K.]; posted on Friday, 21 September 2007
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • •
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — —
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,088th 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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Mae West: True Desires

MAE WEST came to the attention of Tinseltown ninety years ago in 1932. Step into the Time Machine with me for a long, leisurely ride. This is Part 9.
• • Mae West in Hollywood 1932 – 1943 • •
• • Mae West: Only Maudie Triplett is comfortable in her own skin • •
• • Andy Goulding wrote: Of all the characters, it is only Mae West’s Maudie who is comfortable in her own skin, helping to shepherd the others towards their true desires.

• • Andy Goulding wrote: “Night After Night” is very much a Pre-Code film, not just evidenced by West’s suggestive dialogue and manner but also by an ambiguous amorality that would soon be squeezed out of subsequent pictures.
• • Andy Goulding wrote: Hollywood would soon have its hand forced away from making such overt suggestions that you’re better off as a small-time crook than a phony socialite, even if there’s a warmer core message of being true to yourself that makes such specifics the fodder of the over-literal.
• • Mae West: “Night After Night” is not clear cut in its morals • • …
• • This will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Blueprint Reviews U.K.; posted on Friday, 3 December 2021.
• • On Friday, 22 September 1911 • •
• • On Friday, 22 September 1911, 18-year-old Mae West from Brooklyn was in the spotlight. On that date, "A La Broadway" had opened at the Folies-Bergere Theatre, New York, NY. This short-lived revue closed on 30 September 1911.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Brave women have carved this trail of emancipation from ageism for my generation — — for instance, Mae West did her best in the USA nearly a century ago.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'll never play sad parts, dumb parts or 'wronged' heroines. I feel sorry for weak women, but I cannot like them."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A news item by Kevin Thomas revealed the private life of Mae West.
• • "Up for Bid: All That Glittered on Mae West" • •
• • Mae West was the genuine article — — even if not all her diamonds were real. Such were my thoughts as Joe Gold and I, both longtime friends of Mae's, went over the jewelry and memorabilia that her longtime companion Charles Krauser had stored after her death in 1980 at 87.  ...
• • Source: The Los Angeles Times; posted on Friday, 22 September 2000
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • •
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — —
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,087th 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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• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1932 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Wreaked Havoc

As MAE WEST would say, “When I’m good, I’m very good.” And when she broke records, one reporter quipped, she could have wiped out the Depression. Travel back in time on our a-MAE-zing magic carpet. This is Part 3 of 3 segments, the conclusion to this piece written in 1933.
• • What's Doing at the Cinema • •
• • “I'm No Angel” — Breaking Records at the Embassy • •
• • Mae West confesses • • 
• • Mae West, whose latest picture "I'm No Angel" is now playing at the Embassy, with Cary Grant featured, confesses that she is a student of the lives and loves of the sex appeal champions of bygone days.
• • Her character, "Lady Lou," whom she portrayed in her film, "She Done Him Wrong," was based upon a woman who actually wreaked havoc with men's lives in the unregenerate Bowery of the Gay Nineties, Miss West said. This flamboyant caricature was not a modern reincarnation of any of the bad women of history, according to Miss West, but, she added, "her technique was the same."  Mae also said that a sex worker can have more advanced ideas than most of her female onlookers.
• • Source: Reading Times (Reading, Pennsylvania); Wednesday, 22 November 1933.
• • On Wednesday, 9 January 1889 in Brooklyn, NY • •
• • On this date, John West took his best girlfriend Tillie Decker to Brooklyn's Borough Hall to apply for a marriage license. Mae's mother's name appears as "Tillie Decker" on the form, not as "Matilda."
• • On Wednesday, 9 January 1974 in Los Angeles • •
• • A popular piece of memorabilia for a Mae-maven is anything signed by the icon. One fan snapped up a check written on Wednesday, 9 January 1974. On that date Mae had signed a personal check, made out for $50 in cash and signed by the star in black ink.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •

• • In "Belle of the Nineties" starring Mae West cinema staple and singer Frank Rice will be seen in a minor role as the Best Man at a wedding.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “Kiss and make up-but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss.”
• • Mae West said: "I've always taken the rap for the Code — — but it was really those Barbara Stanwyck pictures (i.e., 'Babyface') that did it."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on Pre-Code movies mentioned Mae West.
• • Susan King wrote: Though a number of these films revolved around the gangster world, including 1930's "Little Caesar," 1931's "The Public Enemy" and 1932's "Scarface," these pre-Code films were generally dominated by strong female actresses such as Mae West, Barbara Stanwyck, Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, and Clara Bow.
• • Susan King explained further: Women were much more sexually aggressive in pre-Code films, morals were loose. Their dialogue was suggestive. And their often skimpy outfits left little to the imagination. Some actresses who starred in pre-Code films flourished even after the Code crackdown in 1934. But others, like Mae West, whose image was so sexually charged, lost audiences as a more sanitized version of herself. ...
• • Source: Article: "Classic Hollywood: Pre-Code films out from Warner Archive" written by Susan King for The L.A. Times; published on Sunday, 8 January 2012

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 14th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fourteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,100 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4123rd 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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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in costume in 1934 • •
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