Pick of the Week

Iconista does have a soft, romantic side; like Bacall in her prime, it's slim, but it's choice. That's why she was rather taken by these Victorian snaps by Lady Clementina Hawarden, c1860.

Glamour Daze did shoes this month. What's not to love?

While Sheila, bless her, pieced together a gazillion quotes on Mr Smith GTW. Ms O'Malley must have very little else to do. Simply read Capra's comment on darling, darling Jean Arthur. It'll do you for the day and leave you time to attend to the rest of your diary.

How could Iconista possibly ignore any post from Garters, especially on Jean Harlow? Iconista grows fonder of Harlow by the year.

Hollywood Heyday has published a sweet little study from 1932 on Jackie Cooper. Read it all if you wish. If not, Iconista will save you the trouble: here's the nub:

"He is a real boy with the normal interests of a real boy. If you can get the subject around to football, baseball or aviation, you have a chance of getting some responses."

Sounds like every man Iconista ever met.

If you're looking for something a little more clever-clever, Film Forno takes the time to dissect the classic Orphée. Iconista suspects she may have met her match in Cocteau's vision of Death.

Meanwhile, Parker, adorable as ever, is giving cooking lessons.

Iconista never cooks.

So far there's been no need.

(Kisses to Parker incidentally for the mention.)

Gunslinger posted this fine dinner in their Men of the West series.

Yippee-ei-o, darlings. Iconista is packing her lasso and heading out there immediately.

Lauren Bacall

I'm reading her autobiography.

Jeez, I found her tedious in the first part of the book.

She goes on and on about how fresh and funny and gauche she was as a young woman. Perhaps she was, but there's no sense of that in her tedious ramblings about the first part of her career.

Then she meets Bogie, but sadly she seemed to have loved and respected the man so much she wasn't giving any juicy secrets away. Bless.

But now, half way through, it's starting to get interesting. Bogie's just died after a harrowing illness and we're beginning to see the real Bacall. I'm beginning to like her, feel less disappointed by her. She's becoming more three-dimensional; something more than the femme fatale wallowing in her own gorgeousness. Now she's a mother, grief-stricken, and facing life outside the magic bubble she existed in as Mrs Bogart.

I'm still not sure I like her. Or dislike her. I'll let you know if she ever develops into a woman of substance. At this rate I'll have finished the book in 4 months (v. slow reader).

Enough witter, her pictures are far more compelling than her prose.

The Tiny Details of Film-Making

Parker's post inspired this one.

The studios spent a lot of time testing hairstyles for their new star Betty Bacall before they started filming To Have and Have Not.







Aren't you glad they decided to have her wear her hair down?













Dear God, if I could find a man to light my cigarette with that intensity, I'd take up smoking again. In fact, if I could find a man who'd make love to me with that kind of intensity, I'd take up sex again. When did we all get so bored?