Lana Turner has always been one of MY role models, darlings!!!!!!!! Ever since my grandmother told me the famous story of her discovery at Schwab's, when I was around eight, I was determined. I donned my best pastel cardigan sweater, walked down to the Third Avenue Sweet Shop in Highland Park, circa 1963, and seated myself at one of the fountain stools. By my fourth black-and-white milkshake--my favorite, still!!!!!!!!--the proprietor asked me what was I doing, trying to make myself sick? I explained, with all seriousness, that I was trying to get discovered, like Lana Turner! He dropped his jaw incredulously, burst out laughing, then sent me home, saying not to get sick, and that the shakes were on him. I went home, and got sick. Third Avenue was not Schwab's. And I was not Lana. Besides, I was flat chested; something Lana definitely was not.
Alas, what did I know....back then?????????????
Now, I had never seen any version of "The Postman Always Rings Twice," nor had I read the James M. Cain novel. When it comes to Cain, I always go with Ann and Joan in "Mildred Pierce."
But, girls, I am telling you, when that lipstick drops, rolling slowly across the floor, and the camera pans upward, staking out a pair of the most gorgeous legs ever seen, till it reveals Lana standing in all her glory, in the doorway, I realized I was not only seeing the best moment of the entire film, I knew I had to learn this trick, to command a presence at future parties and social engagements.
First, her walk down the street, in "They Won't Forget," back in 1937, and now this! No one knew how to work it, like Lana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a cozy evening we had this past Saturday night, watching this classic!!!!!!!!! And what an education from Lana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You had to feel sorry for John Garfield. Great actor, but up against Lana, he did not stand a chance!
That Cora Smith was some piece of work! And I just LOVED her!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The book is a great, fast read for those inclined toward hard-boiled fiction: 120 pages of distilled, grim fun. Such lurid prose has as much pride of a place on my bookshelf as Jane Austen: good stories come in many forms.
ReplyDeleteLana's movie captures the essence of the novel extremely well, aside from liberties taken with the ending to satisfy the ridiculous Hays Code. The novel ending is better.
ReplyDeleteThe only Cain I have read, of course, is "Mildred Pierce." Vastly
different from the Joan movie, and if you grew up with that, not as
satisfying. But, after seeing 'Postman,' I decided I am going to
read it at some point.