Beware these Women! Festival April 2011 - closing scene

Now the festival is over..

I hope that you had fun with our BEWARE THESE WOMEN Festival in April 2011 – I surely enjoyed it!

Thank you all for following it – and this blog!

And: Thank you to Monty, who came up with the idea of doing a cross-over - and thank you to Dawn, who joined us - both of them made awesome posts.

And - which I love most about it - without having a great agreement we all did our posts in so much different styles. It was great - and if May wasn't one of my favourite month I would plead for a longer April!! ;")

But now - my goodbye to the invidious film-women of April:


Maybe you like to watch more films with women who are dangerous? Or even able to fight for themselves?


Here come a couple of films (in random order) , which you might like to see:

1. 
   
   MILDRED PIERCE (1945) - In which Veda (Ann Blyth) is able to make her mother Mildred (Joan Crawford) do a lot of things for her - and: In this film Ann Blyth has the guts to slap Joan Crawford!! :"o
   
   
   


2. 
   
   SALOME (1953) - In which Queen Herodias (Judith Anderson) is willing to make her daughter Princess Salome (Rita Hayworth) sleep with her husband King Herod (Charles Laughton).
   
   


3. 
   
   REBECCA (1940) -In which are two very dangerous women - and one is dangerous though she is already death! Mrs Danvers (Judith Anderson again) is scary - but the late Rebecca de Winter is the real dangerous woman.. Right?
   
   


4. 
   
   THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1948) - In which the dangerous woman bear the name de Winter! It's Lady de Winter (Lana Turner) - and to see her hand drenched in blood is a real artistic (and impressiv) way to show that a murder happened.
   
   


5. 
   
   PEYTON PLACE (1957) - In which Marion Partridge (Peg Hillias) maybe is just a minor part – but boy is she unpleasant! Maybe the woman who disgusts me most in classic Hollywood films..
   
   


6. 
   
   WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962) - In which it isn’t always fair weather between sisters like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford..
   
   


7. 
   
   THE HEIRESS (1949) - In which a mousy young lady (Olivia de Havilland) won't forget who betrayed her (- even if it is Montgomery Clift!)
   
   


8. 
   
   WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967) - In which Audrey Hepburn proofs that blind doesn’t mean helpless! Make sure to watch this one in the dark! ;")
   
   


9. 
   
   NIAGARA (1953) - In which beautiful Marilyn Monroe is not the good wife Joseph Cotton expected…
   
   
   


10. 
    
    THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940) -In which Ida Lupino goes mad after (or in the moment?) she murdered her husband (Alan Hale).
    
    


11. 
    
    SUNSET BLVD. (1950) - In which an aging actress - the immortal Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) - is still living in the past. - Remember: A woman who can do a good impersonation of Charlie Chaplin 's little Tramp mustn't be an easy person..
    
    
    
    


12. 
    
    THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1947) -In which you will see a blonde Rita Hayworth - several times. ;")
    
    
    


13. 
    
    LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) - In which a very disturbing Gene Tierney has the female lead.
    
    
    


14. 
    
    THE LADY EVE (1941) - In which a hilarious Henry Fonda doesn’t have a chance against Barbara Stanwyck. - Well, who would?
    
    
    


15. 
    
    ANGEL FACE (1952) - In which even Robert Mitchum can be troubled by a woman like Jean Simmons. ;")
    
    


16. 
    
    SUDDEN FEAR (1952) - In which - well, it’s Joan Crawford vs. Gloria Grahame!!
    
    


17. 
    
    WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) - In which Marlene Dietrich is a good wife – or not? ;”)
    
    


18. 
    
    PAT AND MIKE (1952) - In which Katharine Hepburn knocks Spencer Tracy out of his troubles! ;”)
    
    
    


19. 
    
    JOHNNY GUITAR (1954) - In which Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge show that a western can be woman's stuff, too. ;")
    
    


20. 
    
    PRETTY POISON (1968) - In which Sue Ann (Tuesday Weld) is manipulating Anthony Perkins’ film character ~ let’s be honest: To me it seems to be pretty easy to manipulate Anthony Perkins' film characters.. ;”)
    

Boy - don't you just love lists? ;")

Here is another one listing my favourite dangerous acting actresses (in no particular order again) :

1. Miriam Hopkins - because she can act both dumb and mean at the same time.

2. Gale Sondergaard - because she can act and I just love her. End of story. ;")

3. Agnes Moorehead - Do I have to explain? I do not think so.


4. Ida Lupino - because she can act crazy in a very impressiv way.

5. Judith Andersson - because she can act so very, very wicked.

6. Gladys Cooper - because she can show you how mean old ladies can be. ;")

7. Angela Lansbury - because she can act sooo ice cold!

8. Anne Baxter - because she can act mean - and still won't lose her beauty

9. Gloria Grahame - because she can act so cheap!


10. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford - Because they are Queen Bee and J. ;")

But remember: It’s still film – all of them just acted bad/mean/invidious etc. ;”)

- see: The wicked witch is not that mean:

I simply adore Margaret Hamilton!

Well, “Girls just wanna have fun!” ;”)

Maybe we’ll do something similar someday.. – Maybe:

MEN YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR?? ;”)

Yours

Irene

Beware these women! - They beat it!

You should be careful: Some of the film women are not afraid to use their fist (or anything else in reaching distance...)

When film women have a quarrel they may solve it very sophisticated - like Angèle (Taina Elg) and Sybil (Kay Kendall) in LES GIRLS (1957) - and sue each other.

Or they try it more hand-tight like their friend Joy (Mitzi Gaynor), who simply hits Barry (Gene Kelly) with a framed picture..

Marlene Dietrich and Una Merkel did a very turbulent fighting-scene in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939):

The best-known catfight ever is probably the fight between Rosalind Russell and Paulette Goddard in THE WOMEN (1939):

- and my favourite fight between a man and a woman is probably

Judy Garland beating Gene Kelly up in THE PIRATE (1948):

(That gal played softball, you know?)

Seems like a lot of trouble for Mr. Kelly here, right? Well, he deserved it - and of course made good for all in the end..

(That old charmer.)

So, finally we have myself caught in a cat-fight:

~ I am the one wearing blue jeans.. ~

Love,

Irene

Beware these women! - Making a bad impression..

Like in real life the first impression influences how you see people or vice versa.

The first impression of a woman in film who will make trouble shall show you that she is bad (– of course this does not apply for the surprisingly bad girl who at first appears like a dream of a girl – where would be the surprise if she wasn’t an angel in the beginning and turns out to be the devil?)

But sometimes you won’t be left in doubts: It could be the music that makes clear: Beware! This is no nice lady!

Kay Thorndyke's (Angela Lansbury) entrance scene in STATE OF THE UNION (1948): you hear her voice (shouting: "NO!") and than you hear a dramatic piece of music – and there she is: coming into the house, looking tough like a stone and you immediately know: Beware!

Bette Davis as Stanley Timberlake in IN THIS OUR LIFE (1942) has a meaningful entrance music, too + she is a crazy driver! (Remember the Disney villainesses? Btw: Dawn has made a post about her favorite Disney villainess – there are some videos to watch, too!)

You can be sure that you are watching a bad woman in film when she has her own wicked sounding musical theme like

• Miss Gulch/ The wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) of THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) ~ Monty has posted an article about her (there is an interesting video about the casting of the wicked witch, too) ~ but here is the maybe bestknown theme of a meanie (besides the shark's theme from JAWS (1975):

Sometimes it can be a more visual first impression:

The classic introduction of a beautiful woman is the view of her - beginning on her feet. Very effective when she is going down stairs or something rolls on the floor and the view goes back to her feet - like the lipstick rolls to

• Lana Turner in THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946):

( if you are able to watch this film: Do it! – And: Notice the music when Lana Turner’s character first appears!)

• 
  
  Or the first view of Barbara Stanwyck in DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) – we see her in this film wearing nothing but a towel and this is shot from downstairs and shortly after that she is going down the stairs - and we will see a close up of her feet, legs... ;")

And the introduction of an ugly bad woman who first was a beauty can be like the one of

• Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) in FREAKS (1932):

I love that you do not see her in her “disgrace” until the end of the film – the freakshow audience will be looking down on her and a woman screams... I am a friend of reaction shots which is here a “free space” to imagine your own horror picture of her.. ;”)

And we have my favourite introduction of a wicked woman:

• Virginia Mayo as Verna in WHITE HEAT (1949) who, when we meet her for the first time, lies in bed asleep – and: she snores!

According to Hollywood this is a sure sign that this dame is not your romantic heroine – can you imagine Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann in ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) or Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952) snoring - or chewing their bubblegum with mouth wide open?

And to close this entry we have actually a male view of a mean girl – who on first sight looked like she was an angel – our guest speaker is my dear, dear (oh so dear!) friend Mr. Elvis Presley telling you about the DEVIL IN DISGUISE:

~ At least a second video.. I am very disappointed that I am not able to show you each and every scene. Well, now you HAVE to watch the movies!! ;”) ~

Yours

Irene

(not snoring but sometimes whimpering in her sleep.. And speaking.. And walking.. but more often: whimpering.. )

BEWARE THESE WOMEN! - it's a question of tones..

So far Monty at ALL GOOD THINGS has posted about the very, very mean Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) and all about Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) of ALL ABOUT EVE (1950), while Dawn at NOIR AND CHICK FLICKS has made a post [inclouding her Top Ten Bad Girls] about LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) with very murderous leading lady Ellen (played by Gene Tierney) and a post about her favourite Bond girl Fiona Volpe of THUNDERBALL (1965).

So, what do these film characters have in common? Have you noticed? Hm? Hmmmm?

~ Okay – I am not that sure about the Lotte Lenya character and Fiona Volpe but I checked the other films just to be sure: ~

They do not sing! (I got to say that I have not seen each and every film in universe so there may be some films which disprove my theory - but I surely could find more examples than in this post.)

They may not be in the right mood – but it is also possible that “the thoroughly mean girl” is not able to sing beautifully – at least not when she is about to be known as the bad girl right from the beginning.

For example we have Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)– there is unfortunately no video that I could post here. :”( -

But I found these:

~ Maybe the Dutch version is the best - well, and the Japanese one, too.. I love it in every language!! :”) ~

Here is a little exercise for you:

In YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN (1950) the musician Rick (Kirk Douglas) meets two girls: sophisticated Amy (Lauren Bacall) and the singer Jo (Doris Day) – who do you think means trouble for young Rick?

- Yeah..

But: you cannot be sure that a girl who sings like an angel will still be the good girl when the “The End” writing appears on the screen. So: Be careful! Sometimes Hollywood wants to surprise you.. ;")

Another sign that you’re dealing with a wicked girl: This kind of film females dances a lot – especially to Jazz. And: she dances wildly – it seems like she is losing herself in the dance. Like Marylee (Dorothy Malone) in WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956)

or Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner) in IMITATION OF LIFE (1959) - hm.. Maybe it is a Douglas Sirk phenomenon?

(in the film she is kicking the poor lamb! And because I am the lovely dear darling girl who does not approve of cruelty towards animals I just post a picture - before the kicking. Look at me: I am Sandra Dee!! ;") )

And when her skin tone seems to be more greenish than anything else you can be sure she is not nice:

WARNING: Apparently this does not apply for male characters!

Yours (not so wicked but very) truly,

Irene

BEWARE THESE WOMEN! - even if they wear Disney colours!!

As you may remember: In my last post I showed you a picture of a horrified Mary Poppins – actually this could be counted as a hint: What makes a “good Disney character” flip out? Yes! A Disney villain! :”) So this is our “BEWARE THESE WOMEN!” -month – and I am going to show you my Top Ten Favourite Disney Villainesses:

# 10.An honorary mention of my sister’s favourite: Ursula of THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989)–who could resist a woman wiggling her hips like Ursula? She is more the curvaceous type – I like that. Next to her Arielle looks like a redheaded stick with a tail fin and carefully placed shells. ;”)

And Ursula's sidekicks have these wonderful picked names: Flotsam and Jetsam!

# 9.Yzma from THE EMPORER’S NEW GROOVE (2000)– I am not in love with that film. But: Yzma is great – she has her amazing under earth laboratory (hey, this women is interested in science!) and: she has a not-so-very-bright boy toy.

Let’s be honest: I think it would be great having a nice big guy doing things for me and protecting me.. yeah, I am just an old-fashioned girl – which leads to my main cause to love Yzma:

Her voice is delivered be another one of my heroines: Eartha Kitt

(Maybe you know my other blog Not sophisticated ( I am the sweet and simple kind) – this is actually a quote from Ms. Kitt’s Song “I am just an old fashioned girl”..)

The German voice of Yzma is Elke Sommer!! *yay* for that, too.

# 8.The Queen of Hearts of ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1951)– she has the cutest (and maybe smallest) husband. And: Off with their heads!! What more can I say?

# 7. The magnificent, marvellous mad Madam Mim of THE SWORD IN THE STONE (1963) She doesn’t play fair – or should I say she plays after her own rules? She is maybe one of the funniest villainesses in Disney universe.

# 6. Aunt Sarah and her cats from LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) – well, Aunt Sarah is no real villainess – she does not know that Lady usually is treated like a family member – and her cats? Well, they behave like cats do – but because of Lady’s behavior of a lovely saint they and Aunt Sarah look like they were send from hell – or another place where mean old ladies use to live with two cats.. uhm.. I think it is my flat! Gee, I am going to be Aunt Sarah when I am grown!! ;”) But still my cats do not sing with the voice of Peggy Lee. But we listen to her a lot.. ;”)

# 5. Cruella De Ville of ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS (1961)– it’s in her name, daahhling! Every women who wants a coat made of puppies can’t be a nice lady – I mean: Animals are much nicer when they are alive – I would rather go nude than wear real fur.

Yeah: I am for Rather ink than mink! ~ Are you aware that this a quite political blog? [Pause for ashamed laughs] ;”) ~

She has her own song (How marvelous is that?)

And Cruella is also a more creative driver – like my

# 4. Madame Medusa of THE RESCUERS (1977) – she scared me deathly when she ripped off her lashes!! I grew up in a world of real lashes – to see Madame Medusa doing this was horrifying – and then she wiped her mouth off!!

See? SCARY!!

– My Daddy doesn’t like Make-Up at all, so I came to cosmetics rather late - which should explain why I sometimes look like Hatchet-face from CRY-BABY (1990):

(one of my favourite films – ha! Now I mentioned that one here, too..)

# 3. The wicked queen of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)- that one freaked me out as a kid (well, I still think the scene when she changes her looks into that old witch is creepy – have you noticed? Here we have another women with her own laboratory.).

She is a beautiful women ~ before changing – I am not that weird.. ~ and she is DEMANDING INNER ORGANS FROM HER STEPDAUGHTER!! What does she want to do with it? Sell it? Can you imagine that lady as a leader of an organ selling circle? I can - but not if it were musical organs.. (Wait!! Where are you going to? Why are you leaving this blog??)

Did you know that there are tutorials on youtube showing you how to recreate the evil queen make up!?! There actually is for almost every one of these women! That's amazing!

I lately had a discussion about the looks of the wicked queen with a friend of mine and she said: “The wicked queen could have been the perfect role for Joan Crawford: That lady had all Joan Crawford looks from 1930 – 1970. They just had not enough spare time to shoot that film in 40 years and so they decided to do it in a cartoon way.” (She made this sound very rude..)

As you know I am very, very witty – and so I answered:

“Oh, yeah? Go, kiss Tom Hanks and shut up.”

And after a short pause:

“And by the way: Joan Crawford would have done this amazingly – no matter what looks would have been required.”

Still, I am feeling like I have lost this battle for Joan..

# 2. Lady Tremaine of CINDERELLA (1950). Thoroughly a lady – very elegant from top to toe. Glowing green eyes ~ Does anyone want to guess the colour of my eyes? Mhm? Yes. ;") ~ and is extremely controlled. What could be scarier than a totally controlled women? ;”) She is accompanied by her lovely daughters Anastasia and Drizella.

And: She shares the voice of Eleanor Audley with my

# 1. Maleficent of SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959)! My heroine! I love her – she has a corvid and is very stylish (well, I don’t think that my face shape would be flattered by horns – but she can wear it.) I love her looks, I love her voice, I love everything concerning that woman. No further discussion. (I was also thinking about taking her picture as my avatar..)

Did you notice all the flames around her? This woman knows how to make an entrance for sure!!

King Stefan is an idiot not to invite her - she would have sat on her armchair, observed the party people and now and then laughed an evil laugh while fondling her corvid. ~ exactly what I do at parties.. ~

So, what do we learn from this?

You can be sure to watch a villainess when the woman is a mad driver with an interest for science or the like, two sidekicks or a dumb/powerless man next to her (who does what she says ) and: she does not care for rules.

– Do you think Miss Marple is one of them??

Yours (very wicked and) truly,

Irene

BEWARE THESE WOMEN! - A cross-over with Monty and Dawn

Monty from All Good Things , Dawn from Noir and Chick Flicks and Frl. Irene Palfy (that's me!! *yay*) from this humble blog are doing a cross-over about the dangerous women in films.

Or like Monty said it:

"The theme is women who, ... , are kind of difficult to deal with. The kind of women that may are scheming, cynical, jealous, manipulative, and just all around pain in the neck to be around. The kind of woman you definitely would not want to cross."

Please notice that this a cross-over about mean characters - it is not about: "Women are evil". There a plenty bad male characters, too - but April will be our "Invidious Women in Films Awareness Month". ;")

This will be so much fun and silliness - and I am showing you all the film-women who showed me how to be "bitchy".. :") *muhahaha*

I added a BEWARE THESE WOMEN blog list - so you can allways see what Monty and Dawn are doing. (And visit them!)

Monty made a very impressiv starter with a post about Eve Harrington of ALL ABOUT EVE.

But your first lesson about invidious film females is this:

They do not have to have a good reason to behave like that!

Joan Crawford is going to explain it to you:

Oh, I love Miss Crawford, too! ;") ..and Doris Day and Jack Carson.. well, yes Dennis Morgan.. - but I am more into "Team Jack".. ;")

And next time I am going to post ... nah! Won't tell now! ;") But it is going to be horrible!!

See? Mary Poppins is horrified, too!

*sigh* This is going to be an awesome month!!