Wonderland Burlesque's Let's Go To The Movies: That Girl! Edition Part III

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Let's Go To The Movies

That Girl! Edition Part III

Who's that girl? Well, I'll tell you who...

This week's Let's All Go To The Movies continues to be all about 'that girl'. You know the one! 

The one whose essence can instantly be captured with one or two words before attaching the word 'girl'. Sure, she's a full-blooded woman (in most cases), but let's keep it young and vital and grant her 'girl' status anyway. 

What makes her tick? And what sells tickets? 

Well, we've got a lot of girls waiting in queue, so... 

Let's pop some corn, grab a seat on the aisle and take a peek at this week's selection of cinematic magic.

Bad Girl

(1931)

"A novel of New York life."

(She believes that every guy is on the make. He believes that women are only interested in money and having a good time. When they meet, its a match made in heaven. But then, one evening, he leaves her standing in the rain, so she tracks him down to his apartment where the two end up cuddling and cooing like lovebirds all night. When morning comes, reality intrudes. What will she tell her brother? He tells her to tell him she's getting married! And so she does... but will he show up for the big day?)

"You've read Viña Delmar's emotional expose'. Now see..."

(Adapted from the 1928 novel by Viña Delmar and the 1930 play by Delmar and Brian Marlowe.

This romantic drama was directed by Frank Borzage and stars Sally Eilers, James Dunn, and Minna Gombell.)

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(Getting this one past the Hays Office proved quite the task. A November 16, 1928, memo from the Hays Office put a damper on the whole production, stating: "Bad Girl might be produced as a sex hygiene picture called Motherhood. It is simply the story of girl who is 'bad' for one night, marries the boy the next day, and then has a baby." The memo described the novel as a "nauseating story of doctors, illnesses, etc." and as "cheap and shoddy writing about cheap and shoddy people.")

(That didn't stop the studios from lining up to take a shot at it. Pathé, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Columbia Pictures all threw their hats in the ring, but got scared off by the censors. Only Fox came up with a treatment that passed muster by avoiding the most scandalous aspects of the story.)

(Despite winning the war, Fox executives didn't think for a moment that the film possessed any commercial appeal. At first, Borzage refused to direct it. However, after pressuring him, Borzage begrudgingly accepted the assignment, figuring he had nothing to lose since his contract was about to expire and wasn't expected to be renewed.) 

(Borzage originally wanted Spencer Tracy to play the lead role, but Fox refused. They further tied his hands by giving him a skinny budget and a couple of unproven actors for the leads. But, rather than be discourage, Borzage seized it as an opportunity to do things his way. Dunn, an experienced stage actor, made his screen debut, while Eilers, who had previously appeared in Buster Keaton films as an ingénue and was known for using "the filthiest language in Hollywood," was cast as the titular girl.) 

(The end result? A surprise box office hit.)

(The film made stars out of the then-unknown Eilers and Dunn. It was also nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Frank Borzage became the first person to win a second Best Director Academy Award.)

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Small Town Girl 

(1936)

(A small town girl works at the family's grocery store and finds her life dull and repetitious. One night she meets a young, handsome, rich boy, who asks her for directions while drunk. Taking a liking to her, he proceeds to take her out for a night on the town. Having a great time, he then asks the girl to marry him - that very night! After hesitating, she thinks about her boring existence and consents. The next morning, now sober, the young man regrets what he's done and wants the marriage ended immediately. However, his parents, concerned about appearances, think differently and insist the young couple remain together for six months before divorcing. The rich boy comes to resent the small town girl for standing in the way of him and his fiancée Priscilla, but the small town girl prays that he'll have a change of heart and stay with her forever.)

(Based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams, this romantic comedy was directed by William A. Wellman and stars Janet Gaynor, Robert Taylor, and James Stewart - with a  supporting cast which includes Binnie Barnes, Andy Devine, Lewis Stone and Edgar Kennedy.

(MGM had originally slated this as a vehicle for Jean Harlow. However, Janet Gaynor, who had been 20th Century Fox's most important star during the late silent and early talkie periods, became available. You see, by 1936, Gaynor's status at Fox had been eclipsed by none other than Shirley Temple. So Gaynor and Fox executives were only too happy for her to take advantage of this opportunity to work at MGM in what was promised to be a first-class production, particularly since she would be cast opposite MGM's hottest young leading man, Robert Taylor.)

 (Director William Wellman came on board late in the game. He had made a career doing both  comedies and action films, but his comedy style proved too rough-and-tumble for Gaynor, and the two clashed repeatedly during filming. In fact, Wellman was so unhappy he asked to be removed from the picture; a request MGM denied.)

 (Later that same year, Wellman went to work for David O. Selznick on a pet project of his, A Star Is Born. Selznick thought Gaynor would be perfect for the lead, and Wellman? Well, despite his earlier issues working with Gaynor, he agreed wholeheartedly with Selznick's choice and their second collaboration turned out to be a  much happier experience for both star and director.)

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Jungle Girl

(1941)

(Driven from civilization by the criminal activities of his twin brother, a doctor, with his infant daughter in tow, settles in the African jungle. But the Masamba tribes owns vast diamond mines attracting the attention of crooks the world over.)

(Based on the 1932 novel Jungle Girl by Edgar Rice Burroughs, this 15-chapter Republic serial was directed by William Witney and John English and stars Frances Gifford.)

(Though officially based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' Jungle Girl, the serial bore almost no resemblance to the novel, which is about an Asian princess, not a white woman. Even the lead character, Nyoka, was an invention of the studio.)

(This was the first sound serial to have a female lead.)

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Pin Up Girl

(1944)

 (A local girl is the toast of  the Missouri military canteen and has become 'engaged' to just about every serviceman she's signed her  photo for. But now she's leaving her home state behind, off to join the USO. Once in New York, she meets the man of her dreams; a real naval hero. Soon her musical ambitions invite all sorts of hilarious complications, begging the question... will true love win out?)

(Based on a short story titled Imagine Us! by Libbie Block, this Technicolor musical romantic comedy was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and stars Betty Grable, John Harvey, Martha Raye, and Joe E. Brown.)

(Originally designed as a vehicle for Linda Darnell and Don Ameche, it was decided that the movie would be more popular made as a musical, thereby making it a natural fit for  Betty Grable. The film was then written to capitalized on Grable's iconic pin-up status during World War II, going so far as to use her most popular pin-up photo, which had been of value to GI morale during the war, in the movie.)

(Betty Grable was seven months pregnant when this musical was completed. That famous picture of Betty in a swimsuit taken from the back with her looking over her shoulder was posed that way because her pregnancy, which was well-advanced and showed. The powers that be felt that a pregnant Grable? Not much of a pinup.)

(As part of the finale, Grable leads a WAC drill team in some intricate maneuvers. The producers decided to use a real WAC drill team, rather than actresses for this sequence since they were already familiar with the routines.)

Betty Grable

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Small Town Girl

(1953)

(A judge's daughter is duty bound to keep an eye on a dashing playboy after he's sentenced to 30 days in jail for speeding through a small town. Turns out the playboy is head over heels in love with a big Broadway star. He manages to persuades the judge's daughter to let him go to New York City for one night, so that he can visit the star on her birthday. Once he returns to finish out his sentence, he then goes on the town with the judge's daughter and she falls in love with him. However, the local doctor wants his son to marry the judge's daughter, setting in motion all sorts of colorful hijinks.)

(This MGM musical was directed by László Kardos and stars Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller. The legendary Busby Berkeley choreographed several of the dance numbers and features song performances by Nat King Cole. One of its tunes, My Flaming Heart, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.)

(Ricardo Montalban, Van Johnson, Peter Lawford, and Dean Miller were at one time considered for the lead in this film. Jane Powell was actually pregnant throughout the shoot. She later recalled, "I was sick all the time and don't remember much about it." Contry singer Hank Williams was set to make his acting debut in this film, playing the part of a small-town sheriff. However, he died shortly before filming began.)

(The film contains one of Ann Miller's most memorable musical numbers from the MGM era, I've Gotta Hear That Beat. The brainchild of master showman Busby Berkeley, the highly inventive sequence placed Miller amidst a sea of disembodied musical instruments that appear to be playing themselves through cut-outs in the floor. While the number has long been considered a feast for the eyes, few are aware that Berkeley complemented the visual experience in audio terms too, as every time Miller passes a new section of the orchestra, that particular instrument takes the lead on the song.)

(For the reprise of Take Me to Broadway, Bobby Van performs an extended dance sequence in which he jumps continuously for nearly five minutes. At first glance, it appears that he accomplishes the entire routine in one take. However, the dance was so tiring that it was cut into five segments, so that he could rest. The cuts are covered by changes in camera angles and placement. In Bobby Van's hopping/dance sequence, he jumps a whopping 460 times!)

(The film did poorly at the box office, resulting in a loss of $287,000 for MGM according to studio records.)

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College Girl
(1960)

(In India, girls from the moment of their birth are viewed as a liability by their parents. And if your father is a judge who is both illiterate and orthodox, you are expected to honor the status quo. But not so for one young woman; she refuses to bow down and wishes to take her rightful place in society; she has dreams of becoming a doctor. When her father stands in her way, she turns to a close friend of his who just happens to be a doctor. With the man's help, she overcomes her father's objections and makes her way through a number of difficult situations which would discourage a lesser light - but not this young woman.)

 

(This black-and-white family drama was directed by T. Prakash Rao and stars Shammi Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, Om Prakash, Tabassum, Nana Palsikar, Raj Mehra, Purnima, Randhir, Achala Sachdev, Leela Mishra, and Mohan Choti.)

(Actress Vyjayanthimala, who played the titular role, recalled, in conjunction with a tribute to actor Shammi Kapoor, that "whilst working in College Girl, he adopted a peculiar way of walking on his toes, which he effectively created himself.")

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Black Girl

(1966)

AKA: La noire de

 

(Searching for a better life, a young Senegalese woman takes a job as a governess for a French family, but soon finds her duties reduced to those of a maid. Mistreated and made constantly aware of her race by her employers, she finds herself  increasingly disillusioned, isolated and given to fits of despair.)

(This French-Senegalese drama was written and directed by Ousmane Sembène and stars Mbissine Thérèse Diop. Its original French title is La noire de. It is believed to be the first feature film made by a black African in sub-Saharan Africa.)

(Critics in the US and Europe did not initially recognize Black Girl's lasting power, dismissing it as melodramatic. However, once critics revisited the film after its restoration in 2016, they acknowledged it's cultural significance and found more to praise.)

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Gypsy Girl

(1966)

AKA: Sky West And Crooked

"Haley Mills - as lovable as in Tiger Bay, as vivacious as in Parent Trap, unforgettable now as a young girl who falls desperately in love for the first time..."

(After the death of a childhood friend ten years earlier and much to the consternation of the locals, a traumatized, lonely, emotionally-challenged teen girl finds solace in burying dead animals found on the side of the road or in the woods. Her alcoholic mother continues to make things worse by treating her as a child even though she stands on the brink of womanhood. When the girl convinces the local children to follow her lead and the town's graveyard fills with tiny tombstones, the townsfolk demand that something be done, demanding that the girl be institutionalized. But the local Reverend understands the girl's motivation and tries to calm the locals, declaring her harmless. Ultimately, the girl finds herself in real danger - and that is when a young man, a member of a nearby gypsy encampment, comes to her rescue.)

"There is a wonderful moment in every girl's life when she takes her first step as a woman."

(This romantic drama which stars Hayley Mills, was directed by her father, Sir John Mills, and was co-written by her mother, Mary Hayley Bell. It is the only film John Mills ever directed.)

(Released as Sky West And Crooked in the UK, the title is derived from a West Country term for someone who is 'not quite right in the head'.)

(This movie was made under the working title, Bats with Baby Faces, based on a line from a T.S. Eliot poem. However,  Mills was persuaded to change it in order to prevent people from thinking it was a Hammer horror movie about vampires. Many critics found the new title, Sky West And Crooked, incomprehensible, even though it was explained in the film.)

(In her memoir, Hayley Mills revealed that she was struggling with bulimia throughout the production of this film.)

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College Girl

(1978)

(A man  who works at a jewelry shop lives happily with his wife and their two daughters, both whom attend college. It is their father's wish that they receive a good education. One of the daughters has fallen in love with one of her colleagues, while the other runs with a group wealthy girls at the college, enjoying the thrill of their fast-paced, wild lifestyle. When a man comes into the jewelry shop trying to sell fake jewels, the father reports him to the police. This makes the man very angry and he decides to get his revenge, making the father a target. First the man seduces and molests the daughter who is living the high life. He then frames the father for theft, which renders the family homeless. As the other daughter struggles to keep the family afloat, her boyfriend, not understanding where all her time is being spent, accuses her of being unfaithful - which is how they discover that her sister is now involved with a gang of smugglers.)

This Hindi romantic crime thriller is a remake of 1976's Lipstick which starred Margauxl Hemingway, Chris Sarandon and Anne Bancroft. Directed by S. D. Narang, it stars Sachin, Bindiya Goswami, Rita Bhaduri, Bhagwan, Paintal, and Shreeram Lagoo.

(The soundtrack features a number of 'borrowed' tunes. The song Everybody Dance With Me contains samples from In Da Gada Vida by Iron Butterfly and The Troggs' s Wild Thing, while the song I Love You contains a prelude and vocals lifted from Donna Summer's 1977 hit, I Feel Love.)

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Working Girl

(1988)

A secretary comes up with a great idea which is stolen by her boss, who takes full credit. When her boss breaks her leg while on a ski trip, the secretary teams up with an investment broker in order to advance her career. However things grow complicated once her boss returns to the office. 

(This romantic comedy-drama was directed by Mike Nichols and stars Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, and Melanie Griffith. It was nominated for six Academy Awards in 1989, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Griffith, with both Weaver and Joan Cusack winning nominations for Best Supporting Actress. It also won four Golden Globe Awards that year, including Best Motion Picture/Musical or Comedy, Best Actress/Musical or Comedy for Griffith, and Best Supporting Actress for Weaver.)

(Demi Moore was linked to the project in its early stages, while Michelle Pfeiffer and Meryl Streep were considered for the roles eventually played by Griffith and Weaver, respectively. Brooke Shields fiercely lobbied to play Griffith's role and Diane Lane and Sara Jessica Parker were also in talks to play the part. Kathleen Turner, Cher, Geena Davis, Debra Winger, and especially Shelley Long were under consideration for Weaver's role. In her memoir, Lorraine Bracco recalled that she gave a first-rate audition for the role Griffith would win and was devastated when she was not chosen.)

(Though Griffith is unquestionably the lead character, she received third billing, after Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver. While Griffith had received critical acclaim for her performances in 1984's Body Double and 1986's Something Wild, those films didn't have much impact at the box office and her work remained largely unknown. 20th Century Fox wanted a big name to play the titular role, but Mike Nichols wanted only Griffith and dug in until the studio gave in.)

(Another casting issue occurred when Harrison Ford was cast as the investment banker. According to casting director Juliet Taylor, "Mike and I had already kind of fallen for Alec Baldwin and wanted him to play Jack, but the studio was catatonic about that. They did not want two unknowns in the leads." Producer Douglas Wick recalls "So, Mike had to call Alec and say, 'Look, I'm really sorry. The circumstances have changed. Would you do this other part?' Alec understood and was so lovely about it. He came in and really nailed that character. It was an awkward adjustment.")

(In subsequent interviews, Griffith has been straightforward about her struggles with drugs and alcohol during the making of this film. In one interview, she recalled how she and fellow actor Alec Baldwin were partying in Manhattan late one night, before showing up late and visibly intoxicated the next day.  Nichols and produce Wick were so upset, they decided to implement drastic measures, fining Griffith around $80,000 for the lost production time. They then employed a nurse on the set to test Griffith's sobriety for the remainder of the shoot.)

  ("There were a lot of things that happened on Working Girl that I did that were not right," Griffith recalled in 2019. "It was the late ‘80s. There was a lot going on party-wise in New York. There was a lot of cocaine. There was a lot of temptation. Mike got so mad at me, he wouldn't talk to me. Mike Haley, the first [assistant director], just came up and said, 'We're shutting down. Go home', and I knew I was in so much trouble. The next morning he took me to breakfast and said, 'Here's what's going to happen. You're going to pay for last night out of your pocket. We're not going to report you to the studio, but you have to pay for what it cost', and it was $80,000. They wanted to get my attention and they really did. It was a very humbling, embarrassing experience, but I learned a lot from it.")

(Three weeks after filming had been completed, Griffith entered the Hazelden Foundation, a rehab center in Minnesota. Ironically, according to a biographer Mark Harris, Nichols was battling a cocaine addiction of his own around that same time.)

 (In order to prepare for their roles, Weaver and Griffith followed several female executives and secretaries on their hectic daily schedules in New York City and sat in during meetings to get a better idea of how industry worked from a female perspective.)

(The film's lobby scenes were shot in the lobby of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.)

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And that's all for now.

Tune in next week...

Same time, same channel!

Let The River Run - Carly Simon

from the motion picture Working Girl