RIP Carrie Fisher

I have no words left. I certainly can't add any new words to the zillions the internet has written about Carrie's demise. I promise I am not going to talk about the damn gold bikini.

I am not a Star Wars fanatic. I like the first one (and I mean the first one made, I can't care enough to get into naming conventions) well enough. But anyone with a passing interest in the Star Wars films can see that Princess Leia is what makes it zing. Carrie's performance is punchy and fun and she has proper chemistry with the gorgeous Harrison Ford (and now we know why, eh Carrie?)

The thing about Carrie Fisher is she made everything better. When Harry Met Sally would still have been a great film regardless but Carrie makes it wonderful. When she is on the screen, you don't watch anyone else. She was so funny, she was a feminist, she will be missed deeply by anyone who appreciates honest and hilarious women. My heart is heavy.

Then in news that they couldn't make up, Debbie Reynolds followed her up to showbiz heaven two days later.

At 84, she was going to go sooner rather than later but really? REALLY 2016? I've only seen Debbie in one film but what a film it is. Singin' In The Rain is the blueprint of all Hollywood musicals and never fails to cheer me up. Debbie is a ray of sunshine in it.

Farewell to two dames we'll never see the likes of again. Bye bye 2016, don't let the door hit you on your way out you bastard.

Hollywood costumes

I've been musing about films with memorable costumes over the past few weeks. My dad came to stay and said he recently rewatched Rear Window and couldn't take his eyes off Grace Kelly. Totally understandable as she is gorgeous however what makes her even more gorgeous in Rear Window is her wardrobe. This outfit is timeless:

And this is so elegant:

And this just makes me so envious of her, her style and composure:

I can't think of another actress as elegant as Grace Kelly. She is a proper movie star, you can't take your eyes off her. My all-time favourite Grace Kelly film for clothes is High Society. I love this blue dress and matching shoes:

And this dress is possibly my favourite dress in any movie:

The colour, the sleeves, the way she looks in it. Utterly gorgeous.

Also:

I don't know about you but my pool-side attire is very similar.

Grace's costumes were as much a part of the script as what she said. The same is true of course of Gone With The Wind. I could do a very long post simply about GWTW costumes (and one day I might) but for now, let's feast our eyes on this:

The best thing about this is the hat. I adore that hat and the green velvet bow.  Green is the main colour for Scarlett and this boudoir outfit is perfection:

And of course, we must mention the curtains dress! Which, by the way, I saw at the V&A exhibition recently and it's tiny. I don't think even half of me would fit in it.

I am currently inspired by Annie Hall. I love how modern Diane Keaton looks.

A look that inspire a whole generation of women. 

I shall be posting more about costumes as I think of more films that make them such a feature. 

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind was a key part of my childhood. My mother took me and my sister to see this at the cinema when I was about nine or so. All I could fixate on were the dresses - so flouncy and pretty! The scene where Scarlett is getting ready for the barbecue is just perfect and look at the dress she wears.

It's divine. I don't really know any little girl who wouldn't have been entranced. And I love this scene:

In the book it explains that Scarlett sits there and not at a table as you can only have two sides at a table and she wants the men to be all around her! Genius.

It took a little longer for me to appreciate everything else about GWTW. The very definition of an epic movie, it's as watchable today as it was 70 years ago. If you've only ever seen the film, you could be excused for being puzzled as to why Scarlett is so in love with Ashley Wilkes. I have nothing against Leslie Howard but he is not right as Ashley. In the book, Ashley is much more attractive and dashing and crucially, younger. I am rereading the book now. I don't know how many times I have read it but I never grow weary of it. I am reading it on my Kindle which is a revelation as the book is rather heavy. Despite having read it numerous times, I am still hooked. Margaret Mitchell has a beautiful writing style and the story zips by. In one chapter Scarlett gets married, widowed and has a baby! Talk about a pacey read. If you've not read it and you have any interest at all in the civil war, American history generally and like a good love story then give it a go. It's a very easy read. But be warned, it's tragic. Much more so than the film.

Back to the film. They had to cut so much from the book - Scarlett actually has three children. There is a scene they change from the book inexplicably and it has always annoyed me. It is when Melanie gives her wedding ring first to The Cause in Atlanta. In the book, Scarlett gives her first because she doesn't care as she never loved Charles. Melanie moved by her generosity then gives hers. Of course Rhett can see straight through it all. Why do they change this in the film? I don't like it when films change the book for no reason whatsoever. That aside, it's a great movie and forms part of my family's in-jokes. My sister and I pull each other's hair like Scarlett does to Sue-ellen at the beginning of the film: "oh hush up!" We will say to each other "Scoot up the stairs!" as Scarlett does to Mammy. As I've said before, we're hilarious.

I have many favourite scenes in GWTW. There is the entire barbecue scene which depicts such a gloriously decadent way of life. There is the scene where Rhett proposes to Scarlett" "I can't wait my whole life waiting to catch you between husbands!" There is the scene where Scarlett decides to make (well Mammy makes it) the dress from the curtains. I have always loved this and look how clever they are:

If I had to pick one scene above all, it would be this one. The look on Scarlett's face when Rhett bids for her is priceless.

The story of GWTW is of course the story of Rhett and Scarlett. Why can't she see he is in love with her from day one? Why does she pine for wet Ashley? Why can't they talk to each other when they lose Bonnie? It's a tragedy to be sure. In the book the description of the kiss when he says goodbye to her and goes to join the war is unbelievably hot. The film can never quite capture it although it has a good go.

Vivien and Clark - perfect casting for a perfect film.