At Berlin's Deutsche Kinemathek Museum, you can view a letter that Dietrich wrote to Hitchcock's official biographer, John Russell Taylor, about the director. In her own words: "He frightened the daylights out of me. He knows all about motion picture technique - most directors don't know as much." According to William Cook of The Guardian, Hitchcock's experience in the Berlin film industry during the 1920s influenced his later work. You judge for yourself. The exhibition, The Casting a Shadow - Alfred Hitchcock & His Workshop, is open until May 10th.
I don't believe I ever saw Jigsaw, but I loved the promo pics of a bereted Dietrich. Now, we can speak in tongues and whirl like dervishes around a beret that once graced her head at the Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition, Hats: An Anthology, until May 31st. The V&A site has an informative interactive gallery.
To refer again to The Guardian, a blog on its site makes the argument that Hollywood perpetuates the supporting actress status of non-native English speaking stars, mentioning Penelope Cruz's Oscar win. The article, however, then mentions Hollywood's preferential treatment to Northern European foreign actresses such as Dietrich over the Lusophone Carmen Miranda. Thoughts?
Finally, who has a copy of Vanity Fair's imaginary interview between Dietrich and HRH Queen Marie of Romania?
I think it's racism from Hollywood combined with who's films make money.
ReplyDeleteI never saw Jigsaw either, but Marlene certainly had a way with a hat. What a shame no one seems to wear them anymore or when they do, less fashionable people make them feel uncomfortable.