MAE WEST’s plump, curvaceous body was a vital element in her comedy. Academics have emphasized that “excessive body is one of the qualities of female unruliness, suggesting that she is unwilling or unable to control her physical appetites.” Japanese film historian Mio Hatokai discusses how Hollywood publicists and fan zines responded to this “fatness” in 1933. This is Part 52 of a lengthy piece — — and our final segment of it.
• • Laughing off the “Fatness” ― Mae West’s Body Image and Female Spectators in the Early 1930s • •
• • Mae West: Sequins made costumes sparkle to spotlight curves • •
• • Mio Hatokai wrote: Once Lady Lou comes up on the stage, the camera occasionally turns to the floor, panning to show us the faces of the charmed audience.
• • Mio Hatokai wrote: It is noteworthy that we see a glimpse of the troop’s performance when Chick Clark tries to strangle Lou.
• • Mio Hatokai wrote:Here, Lou is wearing a glittering, revealing sequined dress that emphasizes her voluptuous figure to the maximum.
• • Mio Hatokai wrote: This moment signifies Chick’s submission to the allure of Lou’s body, and in the next shot, we see the dancing troop twirling around, kicking up their legs to a gleeful tune.
• • Mio Hatokai wrote: This inserted shot underlines the victorious power of female body.
• • “You Don’t Have to Have Feet to Be a Dancer” • •
• • Mio Hatokai wrote: In her next film, “I’m No Angel,” Mae West plays a circus performer named Tira. Loved by men, Tira gets luxurious gifts from her admirers.
• • Mio Hatokai’s lengthy excerpts of his article have now ended. However, you can read his entire 22-page article at Waseda University.
• • Source: Academic anthology on film stars released by Waseda University, 2015.
• • On Saturday, 30 December 1933 • •
• • Picturegoer, a British publication sold in movie houses, ran a three part series: "Making Love to Mae West." The first installment ran on 10 December 1933, it continued on Saturday, 30 December 1993, and the final portion appeared on 6 January 1934.
• • Cary Grant's byline appeared. The actor either wrote it or (perhaps) merely signed it.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The trouble with writing a biography of someone like Mae West is that her image is not only larger than life, it's also big enough to dwarf the portrait you are trying to create. For most of her life, unto the very brink of the grave, she was engaged in imprinting that image of the sexiest of sexy women. Every action, every word, every gesture, off screen and on, seemed to be devoted to making indelible that persona.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “I have to tell you you're the greatest of all the funny men, Groucho. Whenever you're in L.A. come up and see me."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on a new accessories line mentioned Mae West.
• • "Vintage Glamour: Mae West gets a makeover" • •
• • As uncertain times push consumers to seek comfort in nostalgia, screen legend Mae West is returning in a modern form. Jo Roberts reports.
• • Jo Roberts wrote: Old-style glamour is making a comeback. Legendary Hollywood actress and playwright Mae West is to become the face of a fashion brand — — 29 years after her death. It is hoped the late icon will bring some star quality to a range of bags and wallets, which will be sold in boutique stores from spring 2009.
• • Jo Roberts wrote: Using the well-known faces of a bygone era in advertising is not unusual. Gene Kelly has danced to Singing in the Rain for Volkswagen, while Elvis adorned the television screen for defunct mobile brand One-to-One. But featuring a dead celebrity on new products is less common. Could this manner of generating comforting nostalgia in difficult economic times become a wider trend? ...
• • Source: Brand Strategy Magazine; published on Wednesday, 10 December 2008
• • 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 17th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past seventeen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,800 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seventeen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,898th 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 • • onscreen in 1933 • •
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