Mae West: Evident Entendres

The films of MAE WEST are being shown on college campuses. A showing at Indiana University inspired this fascinating article by Katherine Johnson, a PhD Candidate in Communication and Culture. This is Part 4 of 6 segments.
• • Mae West: More Than Meets the Eye • •
• • Mae West’s sexuality • •
• • Katherine Johnson wrote: The innuendo evident in films like “She Done Him Wrong” became even more subdued, but certainly did not disappear. Rather, Mae West’s sexuality, still often written by West herself, was expressed through double entendres and language that could arguably be understood in numerous ways.

• • Katherine Johnson wrote: Ambiguity made for plausible deniability on Mae West’s part (it was a tactic that many filmmakers used during the period) — she could always argue that she never meant things to be taken sexually if she did not explicitly say it was so, although most knew exactly what she meant. Despite Hollywood’s more intense focus on good, clean storytelling, an emphasis on sexuality and the desire to push boundaries was still a part of West’s style.
• • Katherine Johnson wrote: In fact, she reportedly pushed back against the Code by increasing her use of ambiguity and sexual innuendo.
• • Mae West shaped film history • • . . .
• • To be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Article by Katherine Johnson for Indiana University Cinema… A Place for Film™; posted on Wednesday, 26 September 2018.
• • On Monday, 9 March 1936 • •
• • It was inside their weekly issue dated for Monday, 9 March 1936 that readers could read a review of "Klondike Annie" printed in Time Magazine.
• • On Tuesday, 9 March 2004 • •
• • Starring Mae West, "Myra Breckinridge" [20th Century Fox, 1970] was issued as a DVD Release on Tuesday, 9 March 2004.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Regarding Mae West's "She Done Him Wrong," Will Hays emphasized: "I cannot too strongly urge you to proceed in the strict enforcement of the Code."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "All that a girl needs is brains."
• • Mae West said: "Sure I like diamonds. Who doesn't? I play with 'em like a kid with a set of bricks."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article in the Manila Standard mentioned Mae West.
• • "Singles" • •
• • Karenina Yaptinchay wrote: If I may quote Mae West’s famous line – "I am single because I was born that way." She cannot be more right. We were all born single and if we are destined to find a partner, we later evolve into one-half of a couple. ...
• • Source: Manila Standard; published on Thursday, 8 March 2001
• • 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 15th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fifteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,400 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,426th 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 1933 • •
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