MovieChat Forums > Saratoga Trunk (1946) Discussion > Ingrid Bergman's Hair/Wig + 'French' Acc...

Ingrid Bergman's Hair/Wig + 'French' Accent

posted 11 years ago by amplexuslotus
4 replies | jump to latest

I'm surprised so many people rave about how "beautiful" Bergman is in this movie. While it's a given - she's beautiful no matter what but didn't anyone else notice how terrible her hair (or wig) was in this film? Especially in the scene where she meets with her enemy's lawyer. Her hair looks like a hairpiece more appropriate for a character in the Munsters. It looks as if they dyed Bergman's hair to black or very dark brown for later scenes and while it is much better (Bergman as a brunette is not very believable imo) it's still not good. In fact, it really surprises me that everyone is so down on Robson (ridiculous black face but excellent acting) yet no one criticizes the fact that Bergman does NOT look Creole and her accent is NOT French.

Not only are Robson's eyebrows frightening but take a good look at Bergman's - they're pretty scary too.

While it's a fun movie to watch, it has a lot of flaws. Some due to the time in which it was made. Other severe errors and missteps due to sloppy filmmaking/producing. Was anyone watching the rushes?

A note on Robson's make-up: While Perc Westmore's name is listed as "make-up" he was in fact the head of WB's make-up dept. This does not mean that he personally worked on every film. The make-up department would have had several artists. I believe that both Robson and Bergman had a variety of people working on hair and make-up which accounts for the lack of consistency from shot to shot. However, a good director and good producer should have immediately noticed these glaring mistakes. They either didn't care, or did not want to spend the money to re-shoot scenes so that hair and make-up would be consistent and more realistic.

Forget about McKinney or Harris or Dandridge or Horne playing the Creole servant, Angelique. McKinney or Harris or Dandridge or Horne should have been cast as Clio. How could anyone believe Ingrid Bergman was Creole?

[–] OnlyRocknRoll 11 years ago

Apparently you are not at all familiar with Creoles. Many are blonde or red haired with blue or green eyes. The actresses that you propose should have played Bergmans part show too much African ancestry to have been believable as an upper class Louisana Creole of the era portrayed. Not only that, but they would never have been allowed in a hotel in Saratoga at that time with those looks.

Bergman already had her own accent, Swedish, and I suppose it was difficult to overlay that with a fake French accent. The film certainly has its flaws but I doubt that the producer, director, or casting agent had much to work with either since early Hollywood reflected the racism of the times and there was hardly any actress who could have brought it off.

There have been hardly any attempts to portray Creoles accurately, in fact there seems to be a concerted and deliberate attempt to conflate "Creole" with "African-American". They are nothing alike. Two entirely different cultures.

_______________________________________
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!"

Maximus Decimus Meridius

[–] amplexuslotus 11 years ago

Plenty of Creoles are dark-skinned and brown eyed or with lighter eye coloring. Unless they (or you) are using the word "Creole" in the very old sense (pre-19th century) - Creoles are of mixed race also known as "Gens de couleur libres. That's the definition I am familiar with in regards to Louisiana Creoles. So Creoles (in its most current definition) have African American or Afro-Caribbean features (see images of Marie Laveau). Bergman is not suited for this role by any stretch of the imagination.

And as far as the accent, plenty of actors (now and then, although more now and better) with accents can feign the appropriate accent for their character. Lynn Redgrave (British) does a very good Swedish accent in Gods and Monsters. Guy Pearce (Australian) does a perfect American west coast accent in L.A. Confidential.

[–] OnlyRocknRoll 11 years ago

As I stated, none of the actresses that you propose would have been allowed to stay in a Saratoga hotel at that time except as a maid. Bergmans looks were suited to the time and to the characters background. As I stated, no actress at the time the film was made would have been any more suited to the role. Even if the film were re-made they would not be able to cast an Afro-American actress in the role because it would simply not be believable for the time and place.

I know many "dark-skinned and brown eyed" Creoles who don't look in the least African. They mostly get taken for Latin Americans, Native Americans, East Indians, or Middle Easterners. In its most "current" definition, Creole has been sold out to "black". If being black is so great and beautiful then they should feel no need to co-opt a different culture and constantly try to frog-march others into theirs.

_______________________________________
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!"

Maximus Decimus Meridius

[–] murphygobeau-07166 9 years ago

IMHO, this movie is very entertaining with Bergman and Cooper in the leading roles. I'm not in the least interested in historical accuracy or inaccuracy when I watch this film; only in being entertained. It's fabulous and rich, like it's actors, costumes and sets.