Millinery Movie Moments: The French Line (1953)

Ok, I admit it, I'm just reviewing random movies I found on late-night TV, not the ones with the best hats, necessarily. On the other hand, I think you'd have to look pretty hard to find a classic movie, or at least a classic romantic comedy, that doesn't have some fabulous hats. Even just watching the extras can be inspirational.

Well anyway, today we're talking "The French Line" from 1953, with Jane Russell as oil heiress Mary Carson. She has some stunning high fashion outfits, but I also really like her "Texas girl" look from the beginning.

She looks stylish in the bath too. I'm pretty sure that Jane Russell never looked anything but stylish in her life.

I had to share this number even though it is hatless. It's the most ridiculous thing but so lovely, flattering and sparkly and bold. I couldn't get a good full length shot but it's, well I guess it's a fitted strapless jumpsuit? With sparkly boobs. And a drapey chiffon robe.

This is her outfit to impress the fiance she hasn't seen in weeks, but it doesn't work. He bolts. He likes to wear the pants, he says. Mary assures him he would but he says "But I'd be afraid to spill something on them, because you'd be paying for them."

Black hats may be classic and stylish and versatile, but they are hard to see well, especially the details! But I like the way Mary's hat curls around her face with the little tails at the bottom.

This is her "old-fashioned" outfit before she gets her new wardrobe from her fashion designer friend. I love the way these movies incorporate as many models and performers as they can, to excuse fashions shows and musical numbers.

Or just a party full of young pretty ladies across the hall, who keep coming to the wrong door. That is relevant to the plot but it still makes me laugh.

This is a plain cap in shape, but the trim is all happening. Our suave Frenchman wears his hat pretty well too. Honestly, I'm not a sucker for the suave Frenchman deal. Is it just me?

I have mixed feelings about this movie in general, mainly because I've ended up watching it so many times while I got around to reviewing it, but it's a bit of fun, although quite weird. The millinery doesn't take centre stage (Jane Russell's sex appeal does), but there are some really lovely hats, and the dresses are even better. A decent laugh and pretty to look at.

Millinery Movie Moments: Mr Lucky

The classic movie in the spotlight today is Mr. Lucky (1943). I was struck very early in the film by this tall sculptural felt hat that we see Dorothy (Laraine Day) wearing in her first meeting with Joe (Cary Grant) and in future scenes too. Look at the size of those loops.

Unlike my previous movie reviews, The Bishop's Wife and Dark Victory, the hats have no particular significance in the plot of this one. They're just lovely. I mean, seriously. Look at that hat again. I'll admit that you really need to see it in motion to get the full effect. I might have to make one.

Also, you get to see Cary Grant being taught to knit.

Dorothy only wears a few different hats, and that first one is my favourite. Mind you, we don't get to see much detail of this one.

This next is elegant, but not that exciting to me. Joe doesn't care for it either, actually.

This is one of those movies that makes me want to shout "Stop! Wait! Zoom in on that extra!"

I'm quite taken by this turban, for example.

Of course, the men look pretty dapper in their hats too.
 

There's a lot of knitting.

Now this isn't a hat. But I know some of you like your brooches, and this is a display you have to see.

All in all, since I'm a total sucker for a romantic comedy, I rate it "Adorable if Implausible" and recommend it if you like slick witty dialogue and cute couples. And hats you could drive a truck through.

Millinery Movie Moments: Dark Victory

Today's movie is Dark Victory (1939). It centres around Judith Traherne (Bette Davis), her battle with a brain tumour, and her romance with her doctor (George Brent).

A headstrong and stubborn woman, Judith begins the movie well aware that she is struggling with some sort of illness, but refusing to tell her doctor, see a specialist, or change her lifestyle of late nights, partying and cigarettes (for which those who don't know better are blaming her headaches and dizzy spells).

This isn't a movie of jaw-dropping hats. There are only a small number to look at, and most are practical and simple. Like The Bishop's Wife, however, the hats are significant.

Bette Davis wears two styles of hat in this movie: dark tilt hats and lighter pixie hats.

When she first visits Dr Steele, she is wearing a simple but very elegant dark felt tilt hat.

I love the way the very plain hat is set off by the large frothy bow at the back.

After her operation, Judith has a cute little cap made specially to match her new outfit and cover the patch of cut hair.

Before the operation she is upset about having to lose some hair. Afterwards, she just rejoices in the hats that cover it, and in her returned health. And in her fondness for Dr Steele.

When her dark mood descends again, she's back in a tilt hat, this time in opulent fur.

I don't think I've seen anyone look this stylish in a bowler hat.

The straightforward correlation between happiness and hats doesn't quite continue though, because she's back in a white sequined pixie hat while her wild mood continues. She is still wearing it when she returns to the arms of Dr Steele, so perhaps we can say that it still works!

There are some cute hats on the supporting cast and extras too, but they feature quite briefly. I'll leave them to you to enjoy if you ever catch this movie.

A final thought from Humphrey Bogart...

"Take your hat off when I'm talking to a lady."

Millinery Movie Moments: The Bishop's Wife

Many classic movies feature phenomenal examples of the milliner's craft, but despite being visual showstoppers, they are not often relevant to the plot. I love it when the hats are central to the action, and even have a deeper meaning.

The Bishop's Wife is my number one pick for classic movie moments that centre around a hat. Early in the movie we first see the incomparable Loretta Young as Mrs Julia Brougham gaze longingly through the store window at the coveted hat. It sits behind a frame, covered in folds of ribbon, a frivolous but beautiful confection.

Julia's other hats in the movie are simple by contrast, although of course she still looks stunning in them. It helps to have her face.

They are both plain felt hats with no trims beyond simple bands. The first is, in my opinion, the nicer of the two, with a cute short brim at the front and turn up at the back.

The other is even plainer, but she still makes it work!

Nevertheless, there is a big contrast between these reserved styles and the glorious bonnet in the millinery shop.

When Julia sees the hat being removed from the window, Dudley (Cary Grant) pushes her inside and convinces the woman trying it on that it doesn't suit her - against the best efforts of the salesperson.

"Not everyone could wear such a daring hat. But of course it was made for madame."

Julia consequently is able to immediately buy the hat for herself, and wear it in a scene that makes us all want to ice skate, no matter how uncoordinated we are in reality.

This hat is a symbol of one of the movie's messages, and the lessons that Julia and the Bishop are reminded of - living life to the fullest and feeling young again. Being a bit more free and enjoying the experiences of life. As the cab driver Sylvester puts it, "You know your destination, but you're in no hurry to get there."

In fact, the hat isn't the only accessory with meaning in this movie. There is the scarf that Matilda gave to the Bishop, that he never wears, so she encourages Dudley to wear it."I'm sure he'll appreciate it once he sees it one me." That line sums up the whole movie!

I also love how both Matilda and Mildred start wearing flowers in their hair once Dudley has arrived on the scene. I only just noticed that in this last viewing.

 

There are also hats in the background that are worth checking out. The women in the street scene at the start, the lunch crowd at Michel's, and even the formidable Mrs Hamilton have some appealing looks to be inspired by. Not to mention knitted caps on the skaters and beanies and hoods on the children in the snow battle.

Do you have any favourite hats from classic movies? Can you think of any others where the hats play a role in the action?

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season, whatever that means for you. And remember...

The only people who grow old were born old to begin with. You were born young. You'll remain that way.

Movie and TV Reviews for Sixties Fashion

Ever since I bothered to learn how to record TV shows on our hard-disk-drive-thing-dvd-player, I've mostly been checking the TV guide for noon and midnight - the classic movie hours. Lots of lots of recorded titles still await my perusal, but I made sure to watch the 1960s ones first, in the hope of some hat inspiration. Since I watched them, I thought I'd share my thoughts with you.

Marriage on the Rocks (1965)

This is just the kind of classic movie I love. Implausable but entertaining plot, unlikely but witty dialogue, and charming characters. Accidental divorces and marriages, demanding children and crazy parents form the core of the plot. I enjoyed it immensely, and I'd recommend it happily to anyone else who likes their classic romantic comedies.
 

"I don't want a glass of water, I want a divorce."

Isn't this an amazing hat? It's a style you see a lot in the 1950s actually, and that brings us to something that is heavily highlighted in this movie - the generation gap. Val (Deborah Kerr) wears gorgeous fashions and looks stunning in them, but they do reflect the clothes of the previous decade strongly. Meanwhile daughter Tracy (Nancy Sinatra) wears younger styles, and hair ribbons, bands and bows instead of hats.

The generation gap shows in more than fashion. Val and Ernie (Dean Martin) dance at a club, and look quite uncomfortable but do their best to keep up with youngsters around them while Dan (Frank Sinatra) gets his clapping-along corrected by another club patron.

"Does this look like an apron?"

"You turned off the fight!"
"You won't miss it. There's going to be a doozy right here."

This polkadot turban is divine! It's on my mental to-do list. I was hoping to make it (or something similar) as part of the 1960s month, but other things took priority, and I knew I could visit turbans in a range of earlier eras.

Have a look at the original trailer on the TCM website and keep an eye out for this one.


Made in Paris (1966)

I had high hopes for a movie about a young fashion buyer on a trip to Paris for the couture shows. And as far as fashion goes, it doesn't disappoint. Beyond that, I can't say a lot in its favour. It had its moments, but at other times I was just rolling my eyes. I found the main character pretty unsympathetic, and there was one out-of-the-blue song, and a couple of almost-as-out-of-place dance numbers, I think inserted because the actress could sing and dance, rather than for any benefit to the movie.

So let's just talk about the fashion. This movie unquestionably focuses on the higher end of the fashion spectrum, and everyone in the movie dresses extremely well.

 
My favourite outfit by far is the pale grey wool ensemble worn by Maggie Scott (Ann-Margret) when she arrives at the company apartment in Paris. A tall grey helmet-hat with strap, and a grey coat with fur collar. Underneath is a grey sheath dress with fur trim at the hem.

The fictional fashion designer Marc Fontaine (Louis Jourdan) is central to the plot, but we only see a few outfits from one fashion showing. There was a lot to enjoy in these scenes though. Marc's comments to Maggie as the show is in progress are revealing and entertaining.  

"Don't buy it, it's only for the fashion magazines. It'll photograph beautifully, but it won't sell."

"The average buyer will be foolish enough to order it in colour. They give the women credit for very little taste."

Not just the models but the audience wear some lovely hats in the fashion show scene too. While you don't get a close look at most of them, you do often get a 360 degree view, and it's a fun source for little sparks of inspiration.

If this movie turns up on your TV screen one day, it's worth a watch, but I won't tell you to go chase it down. You can watch the trailer at the TCM website, and they also have a promo video with actor Richard Crenna that includes some of the fashion show, costume designer Helen Rose talking about the clothes and showing some of her sketches, and footage of Ann-Margret's wardrobe tests.

Love Child (2014)

Airing on Australian TV at the moment is the drama series Love Child. Set in Kings Cross in Sydney in 1969, it follows the struggles facing the unmarried pregnant teenagers staying at 'Stanton House' until they have and give up their babies and try to return to their former lives. Naturally it's not that simple.

I watched this show without high hopes, because anything seriously hyped by one of the commercial channels usually disappoints, but I've been enjoying it a lot.

Not from a hat standpoint, I must admit. The only (non-uniform) hat I've noticed is on Patty's old-fashioned mother when she comes to visit, be racist, and leave again.

The fashions, makeup and hairstyles are fun though. They are young, bright, and casual, really representing the other end of the spectrum from the above movies. Most of the characters are teenagers from middle-class backgrounds, there's a lot of bold colours and patterns and mini dresses.

I don't know what the future of the show will be, but I think it's worth a watch if you're in Australia. You can still catch some of the episodes online too, not sure if you have to be in Australia to do so (probably).

One of the things that has fascinated and frustrated me in my vintage hat research has been the variance between different sources. Finding images and having to work out where it fits into my schema of the fashions of the time. This fashion magazine image - would anyone normal really have worn it? This everyday photo - is this person actually on-trend and up-to-date or are they wearing something old-fashioned? This couture piece - was this even ever meant to be worn by a regular woman? And if so, who would have worn it? Celebrity? Middle class? Mature? Young? Sophisticated European lady? Country NSW famer's wife?

These movies and shows were great at showing fashions, but in very different ways. Love child shows mostly younger, cheaper, more casual clothes from a city far from the centres of fashion (but it's also a modern interpretation, so even then, I'm trusting their costume designer). Marriage on the Rocks show mature and young fashions, but still a high-end Hollywood version. And Made in Paris is all high-fashion, no mucking around with the everyday woman, whatever her age.

I'm going to be making a change to my original plans for the Hats of the Past blog series. These things always develop differently to the way you expect. I'm removing the arbitrary restriction of one month for an era. The 1960s will either finish next week or go on for one or two posts more (depending on what I make), and the 1950s is definitely going to take longer than one month. This will not only give me time to cover all the styles and stories I want to, but also make me feel I can fit in time to do a few other posts and projects when I want. The 1950s is not far off though, the research is going swimmingly, and I even have some family stories to share.