I was first introduced to Hayley Mills, when "The Prent Trap" came out. It was advertised so much, and "Let's Get Together" was a top ten tune on the air waves, plus I had the 45RPM, that I knew Hayley this way. I remember seeing advertisements for "Pollyanna," but either something did not click with me at the time, or my parents avoided taking me, as it was specifically a girl's story.
My Aunt Martha gave me this recording either on one of my birthdays, or hospital sojourns, and, when I looked at the cast list, I realized for the first time that Hayley played Pollyanna, and that she had made this movie before "The Parent Trap."
This record taught me a lot. I learned about missionaries, the British West Indies, how to act like a snob, through Jane Wyman's performance as Aunt Polly, and I learned dramatic acting, when I began parroting Jane's line. "Oh, what kind of a merciful God could allow a thing like this to happen to a child? And, if he were merciful, why did he let her come to this town! Oh, this town!!!!!!!!!!"
As for Hayley, she captivated me. There was something very moving between she and Karl Malden in the field, when she delivers a message to Reverend Ford--as I later saw, when I eventually saw the movie--and, while I was familiar with the story of Pollyanna, I had never gone near the book, because I thought it too cloying. Even for me, dolls! But I liked that Hayley played it with some spine and edge, which is why she received the Juvenile Oscar that year for "an outstanding performance by a child actress."
I also discovered Agnes Moorehead through this recording--central to gay development--and this was well before she played Endora!!!!!!!!!!!
Walt Disney was reputedly anti-Semitic and homophobic, among other, unsavory things! Yet, look what he wrought! He set in motion, if not icons, a number of figures who have been pedestals over the years, for the Gay Community!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hayley, you are still loved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment