Mae West: Offering His Body

While you’re sleeping, college professors in Hungary are thinking about MAE WEST. Here’s a long, striking research paper you might have missed. This is Part 22.
• • "Mae West. The Dirty Snow White" • •
• • Written by:  Zsófia Anna Tóth
• • “I’m the Devil” • •
• • Zsófia Anna Tóth wrote: Again, it is only part of her performance where she appears to be a ‘Black Widow’ (or a potential praying mantis), who might devour the male after mating. In “I’m No Angel” (1933) in the scene when her character first meets her love, she is wearing a black dress that has a silvery, rhinestone pattern of a big sparkling cobweb with a glittering spider brooch climbing up her body (Ruggles 1933), while the male victim (played by Cary Grant) abandons himself willingly to her offering his body to be consumed.
• • Zsófia Anna Tóth wrote: Earlier, she even sings “I have the face of a saint […] but look at my eyes, I’m the Devil in disguise” (Ruggles 1933) and suggestively dances leaving the stage and asking ravished men “[a]m I making myself clear, boys?” then adds hardly audibly: “[s]uckers” (Ruggles 1933). All this also connects West to the figure of the comic Vice. Mellen also concludes that “West was the auteur of films redolent with wit in which the punchline always went to the woman” (243).
• • Masculine Position • •  . . . 
• • This was Part 22 of a lengthy article. Part 23 will follow tomorrow. 
• • Source: Americana — — E-Journal of American Studies in Hungary; Vol. XI, No. 1, Spring 2015.
• • On Friday, 6 March 1970 • •

• • Life Magazine's issue dated for Friday, 6 March 1970 gave a back lot glimpse into the peculiar antics afoot on the set of Myra Breckinridge. Calvin Trillin reported that Rex Reed said their director looked like "a wolf with rabies."
• • Read Calvin Trillin's article and you'll see how tame Rex Reed's remark was in comparison to other opinions, grumbles, score-settling, and sniping. You'll also find out that Gore Vidal's script was rejected as unfilmable, and who was hired to doctor the screenplay. [Hint: he also directed this ragout of rape, rapaciousness, and raunchy excess.]
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Nella Walker was in the credited cast and worked with two actresses who would later appear with Mae West in her films: Lita Chevret and Pearl Eaton, whom Nella would meet again 7 years later when Pearl played a dance hall girl in "Klondike Annie."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "As a rule I have most actors around me work faster than I do; they keep the pace while I take my liberties in my timing."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An Australian newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae West Becomes a Lady" • •
• • On Friday, 6 March 1934 the West Australian wrote: A Mae West picture, and the first of a 'Father Brown' series, form the main portion of today's new programme at the Grand Theatre. Mae West is cast as a Western cattle rancher who inherits a small fortune when her partner-to-be in matrimony dies suddenly. She decides to become a lady, hence the title "Now I'm a Lady."  . . .  
• • Source: Item in the West Australian; published on Friday, 6 March 1934

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 13th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past thirteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,800 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started thirteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3911th 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 1970 • •
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