Elizabeth Ashley


I've seen this movies numerous times over the years...always liked it. Aren't we all envious of a guy who doesn't take any crap from anyone? But I've always been conflicted about Elizabeth Ashley's performance. Her character is pathetic, but her breathy (like Brenda Vaccaro) voice seemed interesting. But I'm watching it again, and I think I finally decided: Elizabeth Ashley is terrible!
On the other hand Bob Cummings turns in another classic performance as a smarmy, unprincipled louse...I loved hating him.

Ciao e buon auguri

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i just saw for first time and expected her to really be dynamic, but i found her characterization annoying. i think she is a terrific actress generally speaking, but i found her lacking in this film.

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I thought she was great and did exactly what the role required.

Professional Jayne Mansfield fanatic/lover™ since 1980.

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I don't mean to impugne your credibility hilljayne, but I wouldn't think being a Jayne Mansfield fan would be a good credential to be a critic of acting.

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What a rude, and ultimately asinine, thing to say. I am free to post my opinions on this website regardless of who or what I am a fan of. Besides, shouldn't a person of your, um, MATURITY, be looking into other things...like medicare?

Professional Jayne Mansfield fanatic/lover™ since 1980.

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hilljayne,

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I just couldn't resist. No I'm not quite ready for medicare...yet. But I do remember Jayne Mansfield when she was alive. Your fan-ness goes back to 1980? Hell, she'd been dead for over 20 years by then.
By the way, do grammar teachers no longer teach that it's wrong to end a sentence with a preposition?

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See, 1980 wasn't very long after I was born. Let's see, you were probably pushing your mid 30s by then, huh? Oh and as far as an error with a preposition...how about your spelling error? You should tell the nursing home staff to get better dictionaries, the word is impugn not impugne, there is no E, so before you start using the big boy words to insult someone gramps or call out a preposition error, you might want to get your own facts right. BTW, Jayne had an I.Q. of 163, what's yours? Probably all smoked up form the 60s huh?





Professional Jayne Mansfield fanatic/lover™ since 1980.

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touchee,...did I spell that correctly?

158...what's yours?

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High enough to know when to capitalize!

Professional Jayne Mansfield fanatic/lover™ since 1980.

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That's good. And no, I don't have a problem with sentence fragments.

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Jeff, I'm disappointed. I think you waited too long to post your last reply; your adversary(?) had by then, apparently, lost interest in the sword fight.
Now where will I look for a fun fight?
;)
I enjoy disputes focusing on grammar; there's so much material from which to choose for an attack where the internet is involved, don't you agree?
BTW, I thought it interesting that your opponent resorted to an ad hominem attack ... but fair is fair: you DID go after her credentials, which were not relevant to the heart of the matter, which WAS merely opinion-based.
Nonetheless, I appreciated your "I had to go for it" mentality; I didn't feel it was (and I'm hoping it wasn't) intended to be nasty, just ... such a target!
;)

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Thanx lit. I guess I am just an old fart...of a generation whose schooling included tiresome corrections of poor grammar by little old English teachers with glasses and hair buns. Not to mention my parents, who wouldn't let me out the door when I said "me and Johnny are going..." until I corrected my grammar.

And you are right...I started it with a gratuitous shot to the Jayne Mansfield fan..."it was there, I had to use it" (to quote Robin Williams). I'm sorry she took offense. I'd have much preferred a clever retort and an intelligent joust.

The internet is a marvelous thing, but I do chafe at the tendency to employ, and create, shorthand..."internet speak" I call it. I cringe everytime someone says LOL. Aaarrgghh!!, gag me with an acronym!

Jeff,
Ciao, e buon auguri

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IQ is no reflection of acting ability.

Carpe Noctem

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Be careful how you spell "form the 60s" it should be "from the 60's" KL

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Tut-tut - Jayne Mansfield was one of the reasons widescreen was invented.

"I don't use a pen: I write with a goose quill dipped in venom!"---W. Lydecker

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Indeed. Actually that might be TWO of the reasons...

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HeeHee!
Thats some funny sh*t right there!

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Meanwhile, long before the current argument: I most certainly didn't think Elizabeth Ashley sucked, nor sounded anything remotely like Brenda Vaccaro! I found her character quite sympathetic, and her performance quite convincing as The Girl who married The Cad.

Certainly a little exaggerated, but come on!! This was Soap City, and I loved every minute of it...

(Of course, next to Caroll Baker, no actress could compare! Yowzaa!!! Hot stuff, man...)

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With all the slick posturing that most of the others do, Ashley stands out to me as the one "honest" performance in the film. Her anguish and tears in the last scene put it over and help a lumbering movie pull out a "happy" ending. As for her low, breathy voice...hey, it helped make her a star.

No offense to Caroll Bakers fans, she's a fine actress but Kim Novak would have been so much hotter in the Rina role.

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She was the only one who was also self made and didn't need him. She could get by on her own. That was huge for those times.
she was raised privileged like him and the only reason she took all his crap was she loved him and was aware of his weaknesses/pathos from his mentally ill brother through Jebadiah.
She made a place for herself without him-rising to be a big wig in the magazine world.

He had a hang up for people who "needed" him (or his $$$). Remember the tit for tat that went on between his stepmother and himself. He said something like I know you need it and that's exactly the greatest punishment I can think of to-to not let you have it.


As a renaissance chick, I paint, write, and sing loudly off-key.
Conceive Deceive or Leave

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SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW!

My opinion is the script is flawed, specifically the ending, and that Elizabeth Ashley's character is pretty impossible to portray. After the fight and heart to heart with Nevada Smith, Jonas does a 180, sells all his stuff, and want to settle down!?! Yeah, right. "Happy ending" is too forced and Elizabeth Ashley's character has no believable reality to respond to. I love the movie but the ending waaaay too tidy.

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I thought she was very attractive and interesting in this. And obviously George Peppard thought so too because he married her.

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