Sunday 16 August 2015

Blonde Venus (1932 Joseph von Sternberg)

A real treat; not what I was expecting at all. Marlene is loving mother of Dickie Moore, married to Herbert Marshall who needs money for medical treatment necessitating her return to night club performances (memorably, as a gorilla), encountering a young Cary Grant (the earliest we've seen him - he was in Madame Butterfly the same year).

Bert Glennon is on camera but it's clear that the amazing visuals (light, textures) emanate from JVS as they're the same whoever's shooting it.

Written by Jules Furthman (The Big Sleep, To Have and Have Not, Rio Bravo) and SK Lauren.

Bizarrely (or not), Dietrich always looked the same age, however young or old she was. In fact she here was 31, for the record.

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