The Silver Screen Oasis

Feaito, I agree with you regarding the ageless Miss Arthur. I watched Talk Of The Town a few nights ago and was astounded to find out she was 41. She looked 30. As you say women seemed to age quicker in those days. She must have had good genes

Nice picture Classic Redhead

I always liked "Talk of The Town" as it had three of the most wonderful, distinct voices in film.

(It must be me but I'm not seeing the pictures. Anyone else having trouble?)

Here are some more:

and yet some more :

Wow, were do you get all your pictures from Classic Redhead?

Yes Jean Arthur was crippled by stage fright and seemed to hate acting which makes it all the more remarkable that her career went on for as long as it did. My favourite Jean Arthur film is "Foreign Affair". I think she gives an excellent contrast to the sultry Marlene Dietrich as the mousy Congresswoman. I also enjoyed her in "The Devil And Miss Jones" and "The Talk Of The Town".
She was so miserable under contract to the domineering Harry Cohn at Columbia that the day her contract expired she went whooping around the lot in excitement. She appears to have been a very eccentric lady in real life. I like her acting enormously -it's original and like most of the other female stars she is unique and individual.

Yes indeed, Miss Arthur is one of my all time favorite screwball comediennes! She has a great gift of physicality and a quirkiness that are very endearing! She shares these qualities with Marion Davies and Carole Lombard. You can never get enough of the funny girls!

charliechaplinfan wrote: Wow, were do you get all your pictures from Classic Redhead?

from all over the web LOL, I'm always searching for new websites where I can find pics I've never seen. I'm glad you like them I'll be posting some more soon. I love Jean Arthur she was adorable and a wonderful actress!

Count me as another fan of Jean Arthur! I think she is a marvellous comic actress, completely unique and quirky (and quirkiness I generally find hard to take, since so often it seems forced, a deliberate attempt to be adorable).

I watched The More the Merrier again the other week, and really think it's one of the best romantic comedies ever made. Her chemistry with Joel McCrea is wonderful. I like the sitting on the steps scene too, but the bit that always makes me laugh is after she has criticized McCrea for having messy hair, and to retaliate he and Charles Coburn start making fun of her uptight fiancee, Mr Pendergast, and how neat his hair must always look. She turns at the door, and says furiously, 'Mr Pendergast has no hair!' and they burst out laughing. (And later of course, we see that he wears a toupee.)

I agree about Arizona. It is disappointing when she surrenders her independence near the end. However, it does give her the opportunity for a superb bit of acting. She is in her wedding dress; William Holden has gone outside to see off the villain; and we see her face in a long close-up, registering the sound of gun shots and not knowing whether Holden is alive or dead.

I particularly like her in Mr Deeds Goes to Town with Gary Cooper. Again she has brilliant chemistry with him, and her character is so forthright and appealing, despite the dishonest beginning to their relationship.

Can't wait to get Easy Living on DVD. Anyone in the UK might be interested to know that The Devil and Miss Jones is showing late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning next week on Channel 4 (i.e.: April 2nd/3rd).

Really here in the UK, wow, I'm surprised, I must remember to record it

Sorry, got the day wrong. It's in the early hours of Friday morning, i.e.: the 4th April.

As we were talking about scenes of Jean two come to mind that haven't already been mentioned.

In "Easy Living" Jean is about to open her piggy bank. She can't bear to break it so she closes her eyes and as she brings her shoe down she completely misses it and makes a mark on her dresser. She then drapes a blindfold over the "pig" so he won't see his demise coming.

Her cold cream face meeting with McCrea in "The More The Merrier." Love at first sight.

Her cold cream face meeting with McCrea in "The More The Merrier." Love at first sight.

Aw, Chris, you are such a sucker for a pretty face

As a Dietrich fan, my first exposure to Jean Arthur was A Foreign Affair. She was wonderful. Her shock and horror seeing all the American servicemen with frauliens as she's on the grand tour of Berlin, then later getting herself picked up by two of the most reprehensible miscreants in Berlin! And I think the Paul Revere scene in the file room is one of the funniest love scenes ever made.

She has since become one of my favorite comedic actresses. She just seems made for comedy--those big eyes, elastic expressions and that voice! I'd like to see some of her silents--are any available? Anyone know?

Tracey:

The only one I know right off is Keaton's "Seven Chances." It's only a bit part so it you are no Keaton fan it wouldn't be worth it.