The great French filmmaker Robert Bresson died exactly 15 years ago today. But on a happier note, December 18 is also the day on which I get to say, Happy birthday, Betty Grable! Shed be 98 years-old if she were still alive. Shes one of my all-time favorite actresses. Of course, shes a favorite in a very different way than, say, Emmanuelle Riva, for example. Betty Grable wasnt a serious actress, and her acting talent isnt what you love her for. You love her for her personality, her spirit, her charm. She could sing wonderfully, she danced well, and she brought something magical to every film she played a role in. And I do think she could act better than she often got credit for. She was definitely underestimated as an actress, mostly by herself. She refused to take on serious roles, only starring in two dramas in her entire career (one of which, A Yank in the R.A.F. can barely be said to be a drama), because she didnt have faith in her abilities as a serious actress. Regardless, she was wonderful. And she was all over the place in terms of the studios she acted for. Back in those days you signed a contract with a certain studio (the big five were MGM, Warner Bros., Fox, RKO, and Paramount), and you couldnt act in any other studios films for the duration of the contract. Betty was with RKO for a little bit. In the Astaire and Rogers film, Follow the Fleet, you can catch an early glimpse of her as an extra. In one memorable shot she stands in front of a mirror with Harriet Hilliard and Lucille Ball, who would also be famous one day. Then she was with Paramount for awhile. She starred with Bob Hope and Martha Raye in Give Me a Sailor, one of my all-time favorite non-serious films. But shes best remembered for her time with Fox. A young Betty Grable has a smaller role in Pigskin Parade, and then later, after she was famous, she made a cameo in Four Jills in a Jeep, but her Technicolor musicals are the films that shell always be remembered for. Down Argentine Way and Moon Over Miami are gems (once again, in the world of non-serious cinema). Betty Grable puts a smile on my face every time I see her. Well, maybe not actually. But a mental smile, definitely. Shes adorable. And also, I have to point out that Robert Bresson was a master filmmaker. Even if I think a couple of his films are overrated, his technique and his mastery of the elements of form, mood, and tone were phenomenal. Find a French filmmaker who wasnt influenced by Bresson and Ill find you a pig that flies. Anyways, two very, very different figures in cinematic history, but both worthy of a heartfelt thank you from this humble movie-lover.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:47:56 +0000
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