(LOVE the shoes. I need to make little medallions like this to add to my shoes)Ladies and gentlemen, I've finally seen this movie and oh boy did I enjoy it! I'm not a fan of musicals, but I absolutely adore them from the 30s. They knew how to do movies right. The big surprise for me is that Dick Powell is the lead male role in this film. I knew he had a singing past, but I know him more as the private eye Richard Diamond from the radio show he did during the 40s. There is oodles of eye candy for this post, so I'll talk about the movie next to the respective image
First, fashion items of note...
I do not smoke, but if I did, I would be on the hunt for something like this.
I loved all of Joan Blondell's undergarments in this film! I need to get myself some good 30s lingerie patterns and sew some up for myself. I am also a fan of her modest dressing table. I'm currently considering paring down my current vanity to make room for other necessary items in the bedroom, like a bookshelf. One options is having a corner vanity like I had in my old apartment.
Another shot of her awesome unmentionables. Love the fanned knife pleats on the knicker half. On a related note, Guy Kibbee (pictured here) is the best dirty old man.
Now for some scenery notes...
The major reason to see this film is for Busby Berkeley's freaking amazing choreography. Some really insane shots and set design for lovely ladies to dance in. The scene will start off small and realistic for a stage, move on to just a little kooky and then just escalate into other worldly. Lets have some girls playing violins, oh, lets put some neon on the violins and have them twirl around. While we are at it, how about we have those glowing dancing girls with the violins form a violin? Crazy eye candy.
With all the fluff and screwballness of this film, the finale is absolutely amazing and poignant. "Remember my Forgotten Man" is an amazing piece regarding WWI soldiers as forgotten and left behind in the dust of the depression. The set design for the different scenes are a great effect to the emotion of the lyrics, as you can see from the image above. I considered embedding the clip of the finale to this post, but I think it is such a key piece to this movie that I wouldn't want to ruin the progression the film for those who have yet to see it. I am not ashamed to say that I cried during this part of the movie. I constantly question how individuals had the strength to go through and come out of the great depression in one piece.
Here are some more images for your pleasure. Click to view them larger.
If you want to find out more about "the Forgotten Man" I would suggest watching Landslide: Herbert Hoover from PBS or reading a transcript of FDR's speech on April 7, 1932 that coined the phrase. There is also a good interview of Amity Shlaes, author of The Forgotten Man, that has a nice explanation of the subject. There is also a small post on squatter towns and one about Hooverville in Central Park, both from Ephemeral New York.
