Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Evelyn, Norma, and Missy

Been running through my DVR backlog, and I'm just about done now.  Caught "The Mating Call", with Thomas Meighan, Evelyn Brent, and a surprisingly charming Renee Adoree.


Cute picture, a bit slow in spots, but I enjoyed it. Without spoiling it for folks who haven't seen it: does anyone else think it really scary and bizarre how Meighan gets a wife?  I was horrified thinking of how many men might've done just that!

Also watched "Kiki", with Norma Talmadge, and I can't recommend that one highly enough.  How much fun is this movie?


A shout out to the LoC, Greta de Groat and all the other wonderful people whose hard work made this just-about-complete print possible.   Norma plays Kiki, a spunky girl who desperately wants to be in show biz; then, one fateful day, she gets her chance -- and changes not only her life, but the lives of everyone she touches (or bumps into, as the case may be).
I can't believe how great a job Norma did at comedy -- why didn't she play against type more often?  She comes across as a loveably klutzy Clara Bow type, fluffing her hair and putting up her dukes and generally being hyper-adorable.  Near the end she performs an extended physical bit that is marvelous in its execution -- and hysterical to boot.   Thanks to "Kiki" I'm now on a Talmadge kick!  I must have more!

Still working on the poem for Barbara Stanwyck.  I keep on getting great ideas (usually at 3 in the morning). Thank goodness for the notebook near my bed!


Don't worry, Missy, I'm not giving up on you!







2 comments:

FlickChick said...

I loved Kiki! I also caught Constance Talmadge in "Her Sister From Paris" at the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre. Love those Talmadge girls! They are giving me something to want to write about. So nice to see you back.

Flapper Flickers + Silent Stanzas said...

Thanks so much! Please write about them!