Conversations 2010 #19
In 2006, I was new to working at the Pond. On my lunch breaks, I'd go sit out at the tables in the lobby and turn on TCM on the giant TV. I'd get to watch 25 minutes of whatever was on.
One day, I caught the beginning of a silent film, The Red Mill. After watching for 30 minutes, I left the table long enough to go back into my room and let my co-worker know that I was taking an 80 minute lunch break this day. I had an instant crush on Marion Davies and was willing to risk losing my job to finish watching this film.
At the time, The Red Mill was completely unavailable and I still haven't seen it again since. I just learned tonight that it's now available via the WB Archive, but I'm being good about not buying DVDs and can't give in to this temptation.
Earlier this year, I finally caught up with Show People, which confirmed for me that Davies was one of the best (definitely among the funniest) actresses of the 20th century.
All of the above as context to link to a great post about Davies at Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule, evaluating Show People in the light of Citizen Kane and its unflattering (to put it mildly) portrait of a Davies type character (Davies was real-life mistress to Hearst, the character that Kane is so clearly based on).
Brandon,
Have fun on tour and let me know when you're back in town for good. It's a real crime that we still haven't been out to the cinema together.
Jason,
I haven't seen Shaun of the Dead. :(
I've saved Baghead from the rubbish box and will send it to you if you send me an email with your snail mail address.
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