A Gay/campy chronicling of daily life in NYC,with individual kernels of human truth. copyright 2011 by The Raving Queen
Sunday, September 27, 2015
A Masterwork Of Bitch Literature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As far as I am concerned, darlings, Hollywood never officially became "Hollywood," until that famous sign in the hills was erected. From that point on, there has been no shortage of bitches, nor will there ever be. Everyone has their idea who the biggest Hollywood Bitch Of All Time is, and for my money it can only be one person.
Merle Oberon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When "Wuthering Heights" was being cast, William Wyler did not want Merle for Cathy Earnshaw, feeling she was only a great beauty, and not much of an actress. He was right; although her forehead always made me uncomfortable. It was a clue to unmasking her secret, which, if it had been openly known, would not have enabled Merle to work in Hollywood.
But back to "Wuthering Heights" a moment. Merle's iciness actually worked in her behalf for the role of Cathy, a cold, distant, and mysterious woman who obsessively ensnared the lower class Heathcliff.
The irony of it all is that Merle's actual origins were not that much different from Heathcliff's.. She was born the daughter of a tramp in the back streets of Bombay, India. No one would allow a half caste to appear on the screen then, so do you know what Merle did? She kept her mother by her side--but passed her off as her maid!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it???????????????? And the mother went along with it! What a bitch of a daughter!
Now, Vincent Korda, the designer brother of filmmaker Alexander, had a son named Michael, who became a bigwig at Simon And Schuster!!!!!!!!!! Michael's aunt just happened to be Merle Oberon, and he spilled the beans on her, in his novel, "Queenie," which spectacularly portrays its title character as Bitch Supreme. Imagine if Merle had had access to today's technology. She would have been an even bigger bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Queenie" was all the rage when it was first published, thirty years ago, back in 1985. You simply could not be seen in civilized society, darlings, if you had not read it! You better believe I gobbled it up! That Merle! I always knew she was a rotten bitch! Now, the world knew!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not sure if "Queenie" is still in print; I no longer have my copy. But, if available, you should latch on to it, girls, for one of the best bitch roller coaster rides of your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It deservedly skewers Merle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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