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Hollywood Studio Magazine, Then and Now September 1988 Sexual Hostility in the Movies: From Hepburn & Bogart to Sheppard (sic) & Willis
COVER STORY If looks could kill then those sullen glances Glenn Ford kept giving Rita Hayworth in "Gilda" would probably have silenced her early in the movie way before she got the chance to take off her gloves and sing "Put the Blame on Mame." Hayworth, likewise, did not seem pleased with Ford and their mutual distrust for one another was the underlying factor that made "Gilda" the screen success it was in the forties and still is today.
Claudette Colbert pretended all through "It Happened One Night" to think Clark Gable was a 'dud' when all the time we knew she could hardly wait to hop in the sack with him. Gable's Rhett and Leigh's Scarlett were constantly at odds throughout GWTW until Rhett drank too much and finally bedded Scarlett the way she desired. Hepburn's imperious Tracy Lord put down Cart Grant's playboy character in "The Philadelphia Story" until the final reels when they would up together. Perhaps Hepburn's most successful portrayal is as the frustrated old maid in "The African Queen," opposite Humphrey Bogart. From the moment the two appeared on the screen, the quiet hostility was obvious. The differences of opinion soon gave way to a mutual understanding and cooperation that eventually turned into sexual love. One of the most unforgettable scenes in history is the moment these two lead characters first dicover there is love between them. It is so quietly initiated through John Huston's direction and Hepburn and Bogart's acting that the audience believes the relationship even though it is played against totally unreal situations. Bogie and Baby Bacall were always somewhat antagonistic of each other in their screen outings. They played it 'cool' at a distance. Bergman and Cary Grant distrusted one another in "Notorious," and Bergman won one of her Oscars when leading man Charles Boyer psychologically tortured her in "Gaslight." On the lighter side, Betty Grable always had misgivings with her leading man toward the middle of her movies as did Alice Faye, but somehow they would resolve the differences by the end of the movie. Fred and Ginger fought throughout most of their dancing films. Grace Kelly was at odds with both leading men, Crosby and Holden, in "The Country Girl" and won an Oscar for her efforts. And who will ever forget James Cagney letting Mae Clark have it with the grapefruit in "Public Enemy?" "Moonlighting' is one of today's most successful TV shows and Cybill Sheppard (sic) and Bruce Willis seem far sexier when they're arguing then when they're in bed. The audience knows that there's something between them, but no one can foretell if that 'something' will ever work out. The chemistry becomes mystery and when they're on screen bickering it's sexually electrifying and brings back the good old days in movies when the leading lady and the man spent 85 minutes of screen time bickering and the last five minutes in utter ecstasy. Sheppard (sic) has come a long way since "The Last Picture Show" and has proved once and for all that dumb blondes can smarten up, but only after they've been kicked around some by the leading men in their lives. She's been able to outlive her relationship with Peter Bogdonovich (sic) to the extent that at this writing, they're even talking a sequel to "The Last Picture Show" with Bogdonovich (sic) directing his ex-lover Sheppard (sic). Movie moguls are dying to get Sheppard (sic) in a romantic comedy drama a la the old days of Carole Lombard. There's just a bit lacking in screen chemistry with the other top blondes Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Kathleen Turner. With the right part and the right leading man (Dream casting: Mel Gibson) Cybill could bring back old time glamour to the screen. Sexual Hostility would never look better! By Johnny Jason <<-- Back to section homepage E-Mail: webmaster@DavidandMaddie.com
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