DON'T YOU JUST HATE IT WHEN.......

Don't you just hate it when an artist's work is judged by the personal life of the artist? Doesn't it just irk you if someone declares their dislike based upon an artist's  love life, family life or political affiliation? Well, it really bugs me, and here are three of my pet peeves.

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford was a great star. These are not just words. From a career that started in 1925 and ended in 1970, this woman was the very definition of a Hollywood star and was loved by millions. True, her latter years were a bit hard to bear, but who doesn't struggle with aging? Joan Crawford carried on the tradition of the glamorous, goddess-like star of the silent era, never giving in to the "just like us" image that started in the 1930s.

While Joan did look a bit scary in her later years (it was the eyebrows and the lip-liner), "Mommie Dearest" destroyed her reputation. And now you just know that you can't discuss Joan Crawford and her 45-year career without someone mentioning wire hangers and stating that they will never watch her movies because she allegedly abused her children.

Don't fret, Joan, I am always on Team Crawford

I confess I read the sensational book when it was first published and I feel sorry for all of the tortured souls involved, but whether it is true or not, I will not be denied the great star power of Joan Crawford at the height of her powers. Her personal life does not diminish her art.

Charlie Chaplin

I am going to get all emotional here, because I practically worship this man as an artist. His accomplishments are legendary and his story larger than life. While his left-leaning political inclinations seem to have been forgiven and rarely held against him nowadays, there is always someone out there who will say "oh him - he was a pedophile, wasn't he?"

Ack! He did like young girls and it caused him a world of trouble, but this is the man who gave us "The Kid," "City Lights," 12 perfect Mutual short films, "The Gold Rush," "Modern Times" and the very courageous "The Great Dictator." He breaks and warms my heart and the same time and as long as he wasn't eating babies for breakfast, I really don't care what he was doing off of the screen.

Woody Allen

Woody Allen is a comedy god to me. While he may not be everyone's cup of tea, there is no denying that there is a funny, brilliant mind at work. His stand-up routines of old still bowl me over and his films rank among my favorites. Woody, like Chaplin, had lady trouble, frequently using his leading lady off-screen as his on-screen muse (chiefly Louise Lasser, Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow). And it was with Mia that all of the trouble began. Once the Woody-Soon Yi story broke, Woody was poison.

Now, admittedly, I might not want to have Woody for a son-in-law and the story is distasteful, but who cares? I love Woody for "Annie Hall," "Manhattan," "Take the Money and Run," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Midnight in Paris," and so many more. Cries of incest (Soon-Yi was not his daughter) and pedophile fall on my deaf ears.  I am so glad he has hung in there and still continues to make interesting films.

I don't care what they say, baby, just watch my films.

I don't or didn't know any of these artists personally. Maybe if I did, I would feel more qualified to judge them, but I feel only qualified to judge their works. And for me, Joan, Charlie & Woody rock.

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Scandal! Charlie Chaplin Part 2

Welcome to 2013 - a year of scandals at A Person in the Dark. Yes, I love movies, but I confess I am a sucker for those juicy Hollywood scandals of old.

April's Scandal: Charlie Chaplin Part 2: Charlie, Joan Barry & Uncle Sam

Once America's most beloved star,
Chaplin is fingerprinted like a common criminal in 1944

After the Lita Grey scandal (click HERE for a recap of that escapade), Charlie Chaplin's private life seemed to remain moderately private. He still loved the ladies (and they loved him), but he confined himself to discrete lovers and nabbed a tasty dish named Paulette Goddard (to whom he may or may not have been married). His relationship with Goddard was both productive (they made "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator" together) and sane. But, by 1940 they had called it quits. Paulette, that smart cookie, got a Mexican divorce in 1942 and a nice settlement from Charlie, even though it is not clear they were even legally married. 

Charlie & Paulette: So cute together

On the loose, Charlie met a voluptuous redhead named Joan Barry (born Mary Louis Gribble), a would-be actress whose latest role had been as John Paul Getty's mistress. Earlier roles were waitress and shoplifter. Chaplin saw something in the young woman and was impressed enough to sign her to a contract, have her teeth fixed and pay for acting lessons. Oh, and to go to bed with her, too. Like Edna Purviance, Georgia Hale and Lita Grey before her, Chaplin planned to take an unknown and mold her into a star.

Joan Barry's most famous moment: on the stand

Chaplin's relationship with Barry, never public, chugged along intermittently,  with Barry accommodating Chaplin with 2 abortions. Unfortunately, Joan Barry turned out to be a nut job. After a few stalkings, break-ins and gun waving incidents, Charlie attempted to disentangle himself from his volatile redhead. Besides, he had just met Oona O'Neill and was falling madly in love.

But Joan Barry would not be denied. Although it appears the affair with Chaplin had ended almost a year earlier, Barry once again broke into Chaplin's house in May of 1943 and announced that she was pregnant and that Charlie was the father. Chaplin denied it and had her arrested. Joan promptly filed a paternity suit and notified the press.

Vicious x 2

During this period Charlie Chaplin had attracted 2 powerful enemies: J. Edgar Hoover and Hedda Hopper. Hoover thought him a subversive and Hopper was just plain mad that he refused to speak to her. Hoover and Hopper joined forces and, with the Barry paternity suit in full swing, crucified Charlie in the press and in the halls of justice. Chaplin's speeches supporting Russia during the second world war, along with his leftist leanings and lack of desire to become an American citizen after all the wealth and fame this nation had offered him, caused Hoover to see Chaplin as a dangerous red threat.

Charlie testifies

Chaplin defends himself

Based upon Barry's charges, Charlie Chaplin was hit with a slew of indictments, including one for the Mann Act (charmingly known as "The White Salve Act"). Fortunately, he was acquitted on all counts, as Barry was clearly a willing participant. But the star's already tattered reputation was decimated. The paternity suit then went into full swing, with Chaplin coming off as an aging lecher who seduced innocent young women and then callously tossed them aside. After Barry's baby (a girl named Carol Ann) was born, Chaplin took a paternity test, but at that time the results of blood tests were inadmissible in court. At the second trial (the first resulted in a hung jury)  Chaplin was deemed to be the father of Carol Ann and was ordered to pay for her support until age 21. Thus, Chaplin was forced to take responsibility for a child that was not his own. While most people saw this as the ultimate railroading job, Lita Grey, who had a few axes to grind, asserted that Chaplin paid off the 2 labs that did the tests to fake the results and that Carol Ann was, indeed, his child. Unlikely. But Charlie had badly misjudged his once adoring public, who turned their backs on him for good. It had all been just too much. The public hated it when the Little Tramp acted like a little tramp.

Charlie and his Oona

At the time the paternity suit was filed, the 54-year old Chaplin married 18-year old Oona Chaplin. They immediately began to build their family that would eventually grow to 8 plus mom and dad. Eyebrows were raised and tongues wagged, and, ultimately, Charlie Chaplin felt forced to leave the USA, but did so with the woman who was the love of his life. And he did live happily ever after with Oona and his brood in Switzerland and eventually, and at long last, in 1972, all was forgiven when Chaplin was honored at the Academy Awards.

And what of Joan Barry? Not much is known of her life after the trial, but she did marry and some point and had a son, who thought highly of her. After an attempt to start a career as a singer, she was committed to a mental institution by her mother upon being found wandering the streets of Torrence, California barefoot, carrying a child's shoe and ring, and mumbling "this is magic." Carol Ann Barry was raised by a guardian and went on to live a very private life (presumably, she is still alive). Charlie's checks came on time every month until she turned age 21.

After being born in the spotlight, Carol Ann went on to live a very private life

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Scandal! Charlie Chaplin - Part 1

Welcome to 2013 - a year of scandals at A Person in the Dark. Yes, I love movies, but I confess I am a sucker for those juicy Hollywood scandals of old.

March's scandal: Charlie Chaplin & Lita Grey

Charlie and Lillita Louise MacMurray

In 1924 Charlie Chaplin was one of the world's most beloved stars. Having transformed his Little Tramp from a crude Keystone prankster into a lovable character of pathos and universal appeal, his artistry was admired, his celebrity almost without equal.

Besides being well-known as the Tramp, Charlie was also known as a ladies man. His many romances included Edna Purviance, Pola Negri and Marion Davies, as well as his recently divorced child-bride, Mildred Harris. His attraction to teen-age girls was known, but, as of yet, he had managed to skirt disaster.

After the triumph of his first feature, "The Kid," he began work on his next feature, "The Gold Rush." His former leading lady, Edna Purviance, was deemed too old at 29, and Charlie was on the look-out for a new leading lady. But, it turned out he had already met her.

The Flirting Angel

The angel tempts charlie with sin

in 1921, a 12-year old Lillita MacMurray accompanied her friend, Myrna Kennedy, to the Chaplin lot looking for work. The dark-eyed almost-teen caught Charlie's eye and he cast her as his flirting angel in "The Kid."

Charlie and his angel

Charlie was taken with his little angel, but he was in the midst of a contentious divorce from Mildred Harris. And so, she finished her part (as well as another part in the Chaplin short "The Idle class") and went back to school.

The Gold Rush

Chaplin directs Lita Grey in "The Gold Rush"

When Chaplin began work on "The Gold Rush," his mind turned again to his flirting angel, who was now 15 years old. He tested her, renamed her Lita Grey, and signed her to a contract (against the advice and opinions of wiser and cooler heads). Chaplin told the press she was 19 years old. The stage was set for disaster.

Chaplin was serious about his film by day, but was equally in serious pursuit of Lita by night. All those concerned had their own side of the story to tell, but the fact remains that, shortly after filming began, the now 16-year old Lita was pregnant and her 35-year old seducer and director was the father. Chaplin reportedly wanted Lita to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused. Her family smelled a payday and Lita was counselled by them to hang tough.

Facing a charge of statutory rape and unthinkably bad publicity, Chaplin agreed to marry Lita. In an almost surreal series of events, the couple slipped into Mexico and were married in November 1924. When their son, Charles, Jr., was born in May 1925, the news was withheld from the press. Mother and child emerged a month later and little Charlie's birth date was changed to June.

Charlie, Lita & Charlie, Jr.

Despite the birth of a second son, Sydney, in 1926, the marriage was never a happy one. Lita was miserable and Charlie was unfaithful.

Divorce

Lita's Complaint: published for all the world to see

In 1927, Lita had had enough and filed for divorce. If Chaplin thought the marriage was a misery, he had no idea what was in store for him with the divorce. "Lita's Complaint," a blow by blow vivisection of Chaplin's reputation was published and the scandal made the headlines for months. Apparently, Lita's greatest complaints were that Chaplin demanded oral sex, was cheap, cheated on her and generally abandoned her and her sons. A restraining order was placed on Chaplin's considerable assets. For the first time, the public turned on Charlie who, claimed Lita, barely gave her enough money to by milk for the babies.

Lita testifies

The Chaplin divorce makes the headlines

All of this took a tremendous toll of Chaplin, who suffered a nervous breakdown. When Lita threatened to name the women with whom Charlie had slept with during their marriage (among them friend Myrna Kennedy, Georgia Hale, Edna Purviance and Marion Davies - which must have raised the wrath of W.R. Hearst), Chaplin caved. In August 1927 Lita received her divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty. Her $825,000 settlement was the largest to date.

Aftermath

Was Lita a gold-digger? While it seems her family clearly had their eye on the bank account, it is doubtful that a 15-year old star struck girl could have been so calculating. And, even if she was, Charlie should have known better. But,  it appears he could not help himself. Some say this story was Nabokov's inspiration for "Lolita."

After the divorce, Charlie Chaplin got his first taste of public disapproval. But, "The Gold Rush" was a roaring success and Chaplin quickly regained the affection of the public. For his part, Charlie pretty much went back to his old ways. But the love affair was tainted and couldn't stand much more scandal.

To Be Continued....

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The Kid: Correcting Life Through Art

This is my entry in The Kid in the Front Row's global challenge to bloggers to watch the same movie at the same time and then blog about it today. Since he is the Kid in the Front Row, he has requested that the film we watch and write about be Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid."

Do you believe in the mystic powers of the universe? Do you believe that a force must make itself be head at all costs? Do you believe that the notes from a song, an image, an email from afar or a dream could all be part of the message that must be acknowledged?

I have loved Charlie Chaplin for a very long time now, but as with many of my obsessions, my passion waxes and wanes. It had been a bit on the waning side of late, owing to other pressing issues (like Cary Grant), but something has been stirring. First, a new show opened on Broadway called “Chaplin: The Musical.” I saw it twice in three weeks. I simply couldn't resist. While at the show, I picked up a book (Chaplin: A Life) written by psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Weissman and have immersed myself in the psychology of Mr. C, particularly how his childhood shaped his work. Meanwhile, Charlie has been creeping more and more into my blog. He is a persistent fellow.

Being immersed in this story, I did a Google on the word “Chaplinesque” and wrote a blog about it. The poet, Hart Crane, coined the word in his poem after seeing  “The Kid.” So, I felt it appropriate to help define the word in Charlie’s own words about that film ("a smile - and perhaps, a tear").

Right after I posted the article (and I do mean right after), I received an email regarding the challenge and the chosen film. Okay universe, I am listening.

So now, what can I say, Charlie, except that besides being a genius, an artist, and a poet, you are a mystical wizard who reaches across the decades and pulls us towards you again and again and again. As with your dream of angels and love in the film, so does your Little Tramp continue to pull at our heartstrings, haunt our dreams and invade our subconscious.

If you have seen "The Kid," I do not have to tell you how funny and heartbreaking and beautiful this film is. If you haven't seen it, I hope my enthusiasm for it will inspire you to seek it out. The story, created by Chaplin shortly after the death of his infant son, is a story of abandonment, poverty and homelessness that parallels Chaplin's own Dickensian London childhood. But, because the artist has control of the story, art does not have to imitate life. In film, the child is loved and ultimately reunited with a loving mother.

Charlie is not sure he wants to take on this responsibility!

In addition to the beautiful balm that Chaplin puts on his poverty-stricken childhood, "The Kid" offers many other wonders. A few of my favorites:

The magical Jackie Coogan: As a pint-sized Charlie, he is second to none in adorableness and skill. When  he cries for his papa it is impossible not to be moved. When he smiles, you heart can not help but melt. He may have been totally coached by Charlie, but Jackie proved to be Chaplin's most worthy co-star and is a total scene-stealer.

The beautiful Edna Purviance in her only feature length film with Chaplin: Edna was nearing the end of her on-screen relationship with Charlie, but here she is presented as a beautiful woman and loving mother and she is lovely and moving. She deserves every loving close-up he gives her.

Some awfully funny Chaplin gags: his initial ambivilence about caring for the baby, his makeshift nursery, and his crooked glazier business are all side splitting, but the one that gets me every time is Charlie's outrageous flirtation with the woman whose window Jackie has broken.

A peek into the mean streets of Chaplin's London boyhood: although filmed in Los Angeles, the feel is Oliver Twist and we feel Chaplin knows this landscape.

 So, thank you, Kid in the Front Row, for creating a global bow and tip of the hat to that most universal master of film. Not into silents? Think of this film as a concert for the eyes. Set to Chaplin's own 1971 musical score, every move tells a story, and every gesture gives us a precious glimpse into the heart of a true artist of the cinema: our beloved Little Tramp, our Lion, Charlie Chaplin.

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Chaplinesque

Being in a totally besotted Charlie Chaplin mood these days, I came across the origin of the word "Chaplinesque." While the dictionaries define it as relating to the films or character of Chaplin, somehow it means more than that.

After seeing Chaplin's "The Kid," American poet Hart Crane knew he had seen a fellow poet on the screen and was inspired to write about what it means to have the soul of a poet in this world:

Chaplinesque
by Hart Crane

We make our meek adjustments,

Contented with such random consolations

As the wind deposits

In slithered and too ample pockets.

For we can still love the world, who find

A famished kitten on the step, and know

Recesses for it from the fury of the street,

Or warm torn elbow coverts.

We will sidestep, and to the final smirk

Dally the doom of that inevitable thumb

That slowly chafes its puckered index toward us,

Facing the dull squint with what innocence

And what surprise!

And yet these fine collapses are not lies

More than the pirouettes of any pliant cane;

Our obsequies are, in a way, no enterprise.

We can evade you, and all else but the heart:

What blame to us if the heart live on.

The game enforces smirks; but we have seen

The moon in lonely alleys make

A grail of laughter of an empty ash can,

And through all sound of gaiety and quest

Have heard a kitten in the wilderness.

The poet must tell truths for all society's outcasts. The poet, he of sensitive heart, will rescue one even more downtrodden. There is always  more than the cane and the swift kick in the pants. Chaplin, despite the great fame and wealth he achieved, never could shake his early years of poverty and deprivation. In his films, he never stopped remembering how society rejects the disadvantaged. With gaiety and pathos, he never forgot the common man. And he never stopped trying to rescue the kitten in the wilderness or the damsel in distress. Chaplinesque: something with a smile and, perhaps, a tear.

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CHAPLIN: THE MUSICAL

Today, I was fortunate to see "Chaplin: The Musical" on Broadway. I can only write my review of this show as one who truly, madly, deeply loves Chaplin the artist and the man. If you want objectivity, sorry, I can't oblige.

First things first: the show (book by Thomas Meehan and Christopher Curtis; music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis) is neither a biography nor an examination of his work, although both are included. Instead, it is a musical portrait of a time and a colossus of the era. America at the dawn of the twentieth century was a place where dreams could be lived and the past could be obliterated. Like Gatsby, those with a shady, painful, uneducated - you fill in the blank - past could reinvent the present and no place provided a better opportunity for all of life's refugees to start anew than Hollywood, California, USA. All you needed was determination and a dream.

The early Hollywood scenes were especially well done. True, Mack Sennett is reduced to a rather bombastic bully, Mabel Normand is barely mentioned and Edna Purviance is totally omitted (I was sad about that), but, as I said, this is not a biography. The freewheeling, frenetic pace of the early movie-making era is joyfully presented and the audience loved it. The entire production is done in shades of black, white, sepia and gray. Only one special occasions do we see red, usually in the form of a rose, as a symbol of love.

Chaplin's personal story is well known. The show focuses on his adoration of and traumatic separation from his mentally ill mother, Hannah. The complicated relationship Chaplin had with her as a child and as an adult are beautifully portrayed. His pain, sadness and shame in her and himself are the thread that was woven over and over again into his work his entire life. In a film, order can be restored. In a film, a mother's love can triumph. In a film, a little boy is safe.

The women, the marriages and divorces, the political damage - all are touched upon, as are many of the great films. The music is fine and touching and blends well with the story. We know that exile is coming, but we also know that he will find the love of his life, Oona O'Neill. Their courtship and love affair are charmingly portrayed, culminating in his 1972 appearance at the Academy Awards.

No matter how wonderful all of the above is, however, there would be no show without Rob McClure. He is magical as Chaplin, never a caricature, always a whole human being. He moves like him, looks like him, and for those of us who love Charlie, this is about as close as we will ever get.

Ultimately, this is the story of a great man, a genius, whose fame is immortal. Almost 100 years after his first film, his image is still vital. There are many stars of bygone eras whose photos would draw a blank if you asked a young person to identify them. But Chaplin never draws a blank stare. They might not know his work, but they know the image. The Little Tramp is forever because he touched that innocent, undamaged yearning in our hearts. It was a creation of genius. Once you open your heart to him, he will never leave.

And now, I am going to watch a Chaplin DVD (preferably one with Edna Purviance) because I just love that man!

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AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING, BABY

Only the public can make a star. It's the studios who make a system out of it.                  Marilyn Monroe                                        

                                                                                             
Some stars are made by the public and some are the creations of, as Norma Desmond called them, "the masterminds." The Hollywood moguls of old liked to think that they had the power to create a star. Like Professor Henry Higgins, they imagined they could take the most improbable subject and transform him or her into someone the public would embrace.

By George, I really did it!

Once they hit upon a winning formula, their instinct was to mass-produce like a factory. It usually didn't work. Copycat stars rarely step out of the shadows of the originals, but once in a while, one is individual enough to stake a claim of their very own.

Here a just a few of the originals and their imitators:

The Original: Charlie Chaplin

Chaplin's enormous popularity spawned quite a few imitators, including:

The Copies: Billy West

West's greatest fame lied in his uncanny impersonations of Charlie.  Other than that, the rest of his career is merely a footnote.

Harold Lloyd

Yes, even the great Harold Lloyd started out as a copycat as "Lonesome Luke", a clear Chaplin rip-off. This always made Lloyd uncomfortable, and it wasn't until he hit upon his "glasses" character that his own genius was allowed to flourish (thank goodness!).

The Original: Rudolph Valentino

Valentino's popularity spawned a slew of exotic lovers, but none could touch the original.

The Copies: Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo (born Jacob Krantz) was totally manufactured star who managed to survive the Valentino craze and go on to have a respectable career in films before ditching them for a lucrative career on Wall Street.

Antonio Moreno

Best remembered as having "it" alongside Clara Bow, Moreno had a long, if unspectacular career. 

Ramon Novarro

A copy with real staying power and star quality, Novarro inherited the mantel of "Latin Lover" after the death of Valentino. He had a long career and a legion of fans.

The Original: Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford was the most popular woman in the world during the peak of her stardom. While many tried to copy her, no one could come close.

The Copy: Mary Miles Minter

Mary Miles Minter gave Pickford a run for her money for a short while, but a lack of fire, real talent and her role in the William Desmond Taylor murder mystery put an end to her career.

The Original: Pola Negri

Pola was the original foreign exotic.

The Copy: Greta Garbo

Although Garbo was originally placed in Pola-like roles, she proved to be too much of an original. Before long, stars and studios were emulating Garbo, but by then she had established herself as beyond duplication.

The Original: Marlene Dietrich

They should have known better - you don't copy this!

The Copy: Anna Sten

Known as "Goldwyn's Folly," the beautiful Miss Sten was brought by Goldwyn to Hollywood as his studio version of the foreign exotic. Unfortunately for both, Miss Sten did not click with the public.

The Original: Ronald Colman

The perfect, cultured and romantic Englishman. This was such a popular "type" that many were needed to fill the role!

The Copy: Brian Aherne

Brian Aherne was a very respectable "second choice" Colman (he was awarded the starring role in "A Tale of Two Cities," but it was taken away from him when his friend Colman became available). 

The Original: Errol Flynn

Looks alone did not define his appeal. Although others tried, Flynn's looks, talent, charisma and charm were a hard package to duplicate.

The Copy: Patric Knowles

Signed because of his resemblance to Errol, Patric never made it into the leading man category. Really, a passing resemblance, at best.

The Original: Freddie Bartholomew

This precocious little British boy was a huge star for a time.

The Copy: Roddy McDowell

Another case where the copy had more staying power than the original. While Freddie was usually an upper-crust kind of  kid, Roddy was blue collar. And when Freddie grew up and went on to other things, Roddy stayed with us forever.

The Originals: Hope & Crosby

This stellar crooner and comic combination was a hit with the public. 

The Copies: Morgan & Carson

Warner Bothers tried to duplicate the success of the "Road" pictures with the "Two Guys" series featuring crooner Morgan and comic Carson ("Two Guys From Texas," "Two Guys From Milwaukee," - you get the picture), but the chemistry between Bob and Bing could not be manufactured.

The Original: Marilyn Monroe

The one, the only. To this day, she is copied endlessly, but never duplicated.

The Copies: Jayne Mansfield

Mamie Van Doren

Sheree North

All three ladies were blonde, beautiful and talented. Some were more successful than others, but none came close to MM.

The Original: Grace Kelly

Cool, blonde, beautiful, talented, but with a warmth that set her apart.

The Copies: Dina Merrill

Talented and beautiful, for sure, but so cool she was chilly.

Tippi Hedren

Cool and lovely, but no Grace (sorry, Hitch).

The Original: Sophia Loren

This Italian sex-goddess inspired many copies, but Sophia had more than sexy going for her.

The Copy: Gina Lollobrigida

Turns out, Gina had more to offer than the Italian sex-bomb roles she was offered and turned to photojournalism for a second and rewarding career.

The Original: Robert Redford

This male blonde beauty look was all the rage in the '60s, but try as they might, Redford had that certain something that could not be duplicated.

The Copy: Nick Nolte

Hard to believe now, isn't it?

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then these originals should be blushing! As for those "masterminds" who think you can mass-produce a star - back to the drawing board. 






For more fun movie facts and fantasy, check out "Flesh and Fantasy" by Penny Stallings and Howard Mandelbaum (I confess to being a bit of a copycat myself!). It's a very fun book!

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