Yesterday, I received an email from a longtime internet friend, Mark Armstrong-Roper. He's lives in Australia, and like me, is a Louise Brooks devotee. We've never met, but have exchanged emails on and off for well more than a decade.
Yesterday, Mark wrote to say he was enjoying my new book, Louise Brooks, the Persistent Star (which he bought through amazon Australia). Mark added that he was reading my piece on the possible photograph of Louise Brooks seen in the original Maltese Falcon (1931), starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. Ultimately, I couldn't decide if it is Brooks or not, though it sure looks like her.
Mark went on to say that my piece reminded him of another possible appearance of a Louise Brooks photograph in a film, Alfred Hitchcock's 1950 British thriller Stage Fright, starring Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, and Alastair Sim.
The film, which was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, was shot in England. The story centers on an aspiring actress, with some scenes shots at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The art direction was by Terence Verity, an architect (from a family of accomplished architects) and one of the foremost art directors of early post-war Britain. Despite the considerable talent and familiar story line, Stage Fright received mixed reviews. Today, it is among Hitchcock's lesser known works.
Louise Brooks' first appearance in Stage Fright takes place about 91 minutes into the film. Hanging on the wall near the door of a backstage changing room are two photographs, the lower one is this well known portrait of Brooks, taken circa 1928.
Here is a (poor resolution) screen capture of the Brooks' portrait hanging on the wall in the "quick change" room, followed by another with a close-up view. I have ordered a copy of the film from which I hope to gather a better, high resolution screen capture.
And here is another screen capture from a few minutes later in the film of Marlene Dietrich standing next to the image while speaking to Jane Wyman. Dietrich, as is well known, was considered for the role of Lulu in Pandora's Box (1929). I wonder if she recognized Brooks' portrait.
What in the world is that image doing in this film? Do an Hitchcock experts have an explanation?
Stage Fright has been released on DVD, and can also be found as part of the Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection box set. The film, with Portuguese subtitles, can be viewed online HERE via archive.org
Yesterday, Mark wrote to say he was enjoying my new book, Louise Brooks, the Persistent Star (which he bought through amazon Australia). Mark added that he was reading my piece on the possible photograph of Louise Brooks seen in the original Maltese Falcon (1931), starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. Ultimately, I couldn't decide if it is Brooks or not, though it sure looks like her.
Mark went on to say that my piece reminded him of another possible appearance of a Louise Brooks photograph in a film, Alfred Hitchcock's 1950 British thriller Stage Fright, starring Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, and Alastair Sim.
The film, which was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, was shot in England. The story centers on an aspiring actress, with some scenes shots at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The art direction was by Terence Verity, an architect (from a family of accomplished architects) and one of the foremost art directors of early post-war Britain. Despite the considerable talent and familiar story line, Stage Fright received mixed reviews. Today, it is among Hitchcock's lesser known works.
Louise Brooks' first appearance in Stage Fright takes place about 91 minutes into the film. Hanging on the wall near the door of a backstage changing room are two photographs, the lower one is this well known portrait of Brooks, taken circa 1928.
Here is a (poor resolution) screen capture of the Brooks' portrait hanging on the wall in the "quick change" room, followed by another with a close-up view. I have ordered a copy of the film from which I hope to gather a better, high resolution screen capture.
And here is another screen capture from a few minutes later in the film of Marlene Dietrich standing next to the image while speaking to Jane Wyman. Dietrich, as is well known, was considered for the role of Lulu in Pandora's Box (1929). I wonder if she recognized Brooks' portrait.
What in the world is that image doing in this film? Do an Hitchcock experts have an explanation?
Stage Fright has been released on DVD, and can also be found as part of the Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection box set. The film, with Portuguese subtitles, can be viewed online HERE via archive.org
2 comments:
I'm quite certain it is not Louise in the Maltese Falcon. I did see an episode once of Midsomer Murders where there was a picture of Louise Brooks on the wall, the famous necklace-photograph as I remember it. You have probably dealt with that already. Wonderful blog.
I think you are probably right about the Maltese Falcon image.
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