MovieChat Forums > Across the Pacific (1942) Discussion > Worst 'do of '42?

Worst 'do of '42?

posted 19 years ago by vaneyck
25 replies | jump to latest

When I saw the Maltese Falcon again recently it struck me that Mary Astor had probably the frumpiest, least becoming hairdo of any female lead in any movie. (Well, maybe Elsa Lanchester in Bride of Frankenstein comes close.) Now I've just seen Across the Pacific, and she has her hair done in a very similar manner, with a couple of twists and curlicues to make it even more repulsive.

Mary Astor was no great beauty anyway. I notice in each movie the Bogart character raves about how beautiful she is: the filmmakers quite rightly wouldn't trust us to come to that conclusion ourselves, I guess. How did she ever get these roles?

[–] maria6419 10 years ago

I read she had her hair cut for THE GREAT LIE to shorten hair & makeup time and it started a big trend. Google images of her she is a real sultry beauty perhaps not best shone off by phase of styling she was in for a year or two. Look for images from her dozens of silents. Her eyes are mesmetising.And though it is easier& quicker I too have curly hair and am not as photogenic with short or pulled back hair. She possessed more lasting qualities of personality & talent that drew people to her. Beauty is more the physical alone By itself beauty is meaningless. Now lets discuss Bogart and his looks can we? He is not an attractive man if judged by looks alone & likely smelled like ciggaretts. If he was a regular guy on the street most of those so called beauties probably wouldn't even give him the time of day.

[–] skrall-991-949327 9 years ago

Ah.. I see some people want a stereotypical "beauty" in their movies. Instead of a REAL person. Hmm...like our politics...I guess we get what we ask for- AND IT SHOWS! Cookie cutter BS.

[–] liscarkat (16926) 6 years ago

Astor's beauty comes mostly from her charisma, personality, and talent. However, that hairdo was egregious.