Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1945)

ADVERTISEMENI ceited jackass and the less society expected of him the better. However, I’ve often thought that John, saying this, deliberately put aside deeper truths for the sake of being amusing. As he did occasionally. Acting is much more than posing. It is the art of creating a character and playing upon an audience’s emotions. There can be no doubt, however, that the stars enjoy exhibiting and, unhampered by any sense of inferiority, appear to splendid advantage when they are on display. Also, the stars, generally speaking, are men and women so preoccupied with themselves that they do not resent spending hours every day in front of a mirror while hairdressers and make-up men and tailors and dressmakers work over them. I personally gave up any wish to be a movie star — which was just as well no doubt — the day the late Jean Harlow told me her platinum tresses required her to spend from one to two hours every day of her life in a hairdressing chair! Often enough, however, stars are erroneously accused of having gone high-hat and of being insufferably conceited whbn they’re merely watching their professional interests. I remember . ,C^4tiette Colbert, ■ when she was just fedmg h'fer. starry stride, refusing with a true Frenchwoman’s vehemence, as well as realism, to permit a prize milk -giving cow to be named after her. "Can you imagine the jokes that would inspire?” she demanded, truly horrified at her publicity department’s inability to see beyond their nose for news. “Can you see the photographs of me the newspapers would use — and the photographs of the cow!” ivi There’s no doubt Claudette was entirely m right. But the personnel of the publicity department went about complaining she had gone high-hat. “Threw away thou sands of dollars worth of newspaper space, they said. “Some people just can’t stand success!” Are the stars conceited? Not on the grounds upon which they’re damned as such usually! WHEN I’m asked about the best-dressed women and the best-dressed men in pictures I really have fun. My list always seems to surprise my friends. The ten best-dressed women in my book — in the order of their distinction — are: Constance Bennett, Claudette Colbert, Rita Hayworth, Irene Dunne, Gene Tierney, Greer Garson, Ingrid Bergman, Carole Landis, Jime Allyson, Maria Montez. To be truly well dressed a woman must have sophistication. Which accounts for the fact that only June Allyson of the very young set makes my list. Judy Garland, for instance, who is truly charming and one of Hollywood’s first actresses and whom I adore, doesn’t belong in any such list. Since Judy looks well enough in almost anything she has not yet given her clothes the thought clothes need if they are to be distinctive and individual. ;We Americans have a great habit of copying each other. Walk along any fashionable thoroughfare and practically every woman you see will be well dressed. Only the few, however, will have distinction and individuality. The Hollywood women named above never look like anyone else but they stand out in any gathering although there is never anything glaring or outre about them. Maria Montez in that group is perfectly dressed always for her type. It’s only recently Greer belongs there; only since she overcame the original English dowdiness, which marked her first years in America, and learned stream lining. Ingrid Bergman’s inclusion is, of course, surprising. Scandinavians usually do not have Ingrid’s flair for the simple smart look. And here are my ten best-dressed men, in the order of their distinction: Ronald Colman, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Clifton Webb, Bob Montgomery, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Taylor, Clark Gable, Bob Hutton. Again we find the youngsters, with the exception of Bob Hutton, conspicuous by their absence. Turhan Bey and Van Johnson, for instance, have no place on such a list. Neither have Alan Ladd and Gregory Peck. Among other things, the kids are likely to be too conscious of their clothes. A truly well-dressed man appears not to be aware of what he is wearing; the assumption being, of course, that he has worn proper attractive habiliments all his life. Which explains, incidentally, my omission of Adolphe Menjou’s name, even though Adolphe has made more lists of welldressed gents than I can count. The Menjou grooming is meticulous, I grant, but far too deliberate and studied for my taste. In a lesser degree this was previously true of Robert Taylor. Lately, however. Bob is increasingly at ease whatever he is wearing. Hollywood, you see, has changed completely. Nowadays it is comprised of the greatest artists from all fields of endeavor. Consequently, it takes quite a bit of being and doing to really rank there. It isn’t remotely the place it used to be when stars were born overnight because of clothes hanger shoulders or bedroom eyes. And beggars in pink limousines behaved no better than the old-fashioned beggars on horseback. The End. 88