Thursday, March 12, 2009

Cinematically Cinched...at the Waist

The Women (1939)
Directed by George Cukor
Costumes by Adrian

Comedies don't come sharper or with more acerbic wit than The Women. But were it a different time and were Diane English not completely horrible, it would be called The Bitches. The claws are out and they're jungle red, kids! Really, it kind of set back the women's movement a good ten years, portraying the fairer sex as petty, sharp-tongued, jealous, cunty divas. In short, as gay men. But who cares, right? I mean, Rosalind Russell's wearing a sweater with eyeballs on it.
Who takes this stuff seriously anyway? It's all good fun and an excuse for legendary costume designer Adrian to basically blow his wad all over the place. One word: OPULENCE.

Girl loves to incorporate hats.

Oh hi, it's Joan Crawford at her square-jawed, bone-thin, bitchy best. I want that arm on that feather statue now look as if you've just seen Tina purging her lunch. Perfect!

And just for kicks, there's a six minute fashion show shot in color in the middle of the film.



Why aren't fashion shows like this anymore? Save the skeletons stomping down a runway and put little monkeys in hats and gowns.

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