When Joel McCrea's character is first stumbling through the apt with Coburn's-hiding from Jean Arthur's Ms.Mulligan...Arthur is wearing a midriff baring top and skirt-that wouldn't look out of place on a woman today..Jean Arthur was also 43 at the time and she defiantly could've passed for 33-even a couple years younger.
Jean Arthur was "The Girl Next Door"-BEAUTIFUL
She is cute as a button in this movie, except toward the end where she goes on a very annoying crying jag.
shareJean Arthur's character is supposed to be 26, and much is made in the film about her fiance being much older at 42. In fact, Jean Arthur was 42 or 43 during the shooting of this movie and Richard Gaines, who plays her fiance, was actually nearly 3 years younger than Ms. Arthur.
I think Jean Arthur looks great in this movie and plays a 26 year old quite convincingly.
I think a very funny performance was turned in by Richard Gaines as Jean Arthur's priggish fiance, Charles J. Pendergast. Even though he doesn't get much screen time and was generally overshadowed by the great performances turned in by the three principal actors, he made me laugh - especially during his date when he gets sidetracked by the conniving Charles Coburn. And that toupee!
shareOops. Meant this as a new topic.
shareHer fiancé was a hilarious dolt..and convinces the audience that McCrea and Arthur belong together...for sure.
Off topic,but-my sister and I were talking about ROMCOMs today..they just follow the lead laid out by the originals like TMTM.
TMTM formula is a template for so many of today's ROMCOMs...Millenials should give these classics a chance-they might stumble across something very familiar and enjoy it.
Bare midriff?! You need to pay closer attention to the longer shots from the side. That black lace negligee has the same revealing panels from top to bottom on each side. It is INCREDIBLY sexy in any era, but it is surprising that it passed the code in a strictly enforced era.
BTW Jean Arthur always has been one of my very favorite actresses. I have probably seen most of her films. She is, indeed, girl-next-door beautiful, and I love her distinctive, squeaky voice. I never have had any questions about her age in any role. She is great and convincing in this role regardless of her actual age. However, having said that, the close-ups of her lying in bed the night that the FBI raids her apartment do reveal wrinkles below her eyes if you really want to look for tell-tale signs of her age.
It is a shame that her constitution caused her so much discomfort and difficulty in her career. Otherwise, she might have left us an even greater legacy.
John 3:16
I noticed that black nightgown as well with the sheer lace panels all the way up, all the way down, on both sides. WOW!! I was thinking the same thing, surprised that the censors were fine with this and the implication of no undies.
I did not know she was in her 40's in this movie and I think she totally pulled off the "much younger" fiancée. I'm not looking at her under a microscope. Her performance and mannerisms are completely believable. Not to mention, she's extremely fit and quite a knock-out!
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Sic vis pacem para bellum.
I would have replied until I ran into John 3:16. Best of everything to you.
shareI had to look twice - thought it was unusual for her wearing that top, but who knows
shareI too was surprised by the outfit. It seems a bit daring for the times. However, it isn't truly bare, if you look closely you can see there is sheer fabric connecting the top part of the dress to the skirt. It gives the illusion of a bare midriff and is still quite daring. She looked fantastic in it BTW!
shareI am watching this right now and I was shocked that Jean Arthur was 42 years old when they filmed this. She looks so young and it wasn't a bit of a stretch for her to play a 26 year old. She's so funny in this too. It was perfectly cast all around. She looks lovely in every scene. What a talented, beautiful actress she was.
shareJean Arthur - from what little I know of her - was great in everything she did. This isn't the JA thread, but she deserves all the love we can give her.
"Jean ! Jean ! Come back ! Come back ! Jean !" Her last movie, I believe, and still looked great, not meaning to look like a young femme fatale. I don't think she ever was a femme fatale.
I noticed that. At first I didn't think it was a bare midriff, but it was.
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