Mary Astor

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rudyfan
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Mary Astor

Post by rudyfan »

Since I mentioned in the "what are you reading" thread that I am currently reading both Mary Astor's My Story and A Life on Film, I thought she might be a pleasant point of discussion.

I have always liked her performances, a good reliable name in the cast, to me.

She was simply gorgeous, in particular in the 1930's, I'm thinking of the period between Red Dust and Hurricane (roughly 32-39). I love her in Prisoner of Zenda, as well, she almost never looked more beautiful.

I also love her in the Warner pics in the 40's. Since I consider Maltese Falcon almost a perfect film, she's great in it. She's also fun in the propagandic Across the Pacific, the rapport with Bogart is hysterical. Over the top and so stylish in The Great Lie.

I think she was adept at comedy, was a good dramatic performer and I can't think of a really bad performance. That wonderful throaty voice, she was just wonderful for the talkies.

A bit more of a cipher in some of the silent films, Beau Brummell really offered her little except being decoration for Barrymore. Don Juan was an unhappy experience for her since that was the end of her relationship with Barrymore and the begining of his with the luminous Dolores Costello. In her autobio, Mary quotes Barrymore as telling her at this point, using his pet name for her that I can't recall (goonie or something like that) that he was basically an SOB.

I need to see more of her silent films so as not to cut her short. Note to self, must research to see what is out there.

Anyone else out there enjoy Miss Astor as do I?
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knitwit45
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Post by knitwit45 »

Hi Donna. Count me in as one of the many fans of Mary Astor. My first encounter with her was the Maltese Falcon, and she left me cold. Couldn't stand her! Next I came across her in Meet Me In St. Louis. H'mm, was this the same woman? (I was 13 at the time, EVERYTHING was new to me). Then Marmee in Little Women. Better and better! A "cool" mother. Imagine my surprise the first time I saw Across the Pacific. She was FUNNY!!!! and then The Great Lie. She was NASTY!! And then, the icing on the cake for me: Dodsworth. She was all of the above, and beautiful, and loving. There are so many of her movies yet to see, and she has taught me to approach each with an open mind, for who knows what she'll be this time.

p.s. Just remembered something. Watching her rotten mother role in Peyton Place with an auditorium full of teenagers (we were DARING), after she'd pulled another rotten mother trick, someone in the audience yelled out "You bit**". That's how believable Ms. Astor is in all her performances, at least for me. And no, I wasn't the one who yelled, but I did cheer with the rest of them. :lol: :lol:
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rudyfan
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Post by rudyfan »

knitwit45 wrote:And then, the icing on the cake for me: Dodsworth. She was all of the above, and beautiful, and loving.
Oh Gah! You're right! I love LOVE her in Dodsworth.

The Peyton Place story has me ROTFL! :lol:

I'm glad Mary has some other advocates around here. I seriously need to do some homework.
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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

I always find her a pleasant surprise when I come across her in pictures. She's hardly ever first or second billed but has a great supporting role. Count me in as a fan too.

Rudyfan, have you come across the bit about her diaries. My first introduction to her was through Hollywood Babylon (was my mouth out) I'd never seen her on film. Then I got a book that had extracts of her book in. In it she describes what it was like to kiss Clark Gable, I loved her style, even if kissing Clark Gable wasn't at all romantic.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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MissGoddess
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Post by MissGoddess »

I like her dry sense of humor and thought she was wonderful in all the films mentioned. Even if the role was limited, she seemed to take it as seriously as if it was the lead and was never less than believable, such as in John Ford's The Hurricane.

Her comic timing was wonderful, too, such as in Sturges' The Palm Beach Story and Midnight (reuniting her with her old flame, Barrymore).
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

I don't think I payed much attention to Astor when I was younger -- like Nancy, my first exposure to Astor was in The Maltese Falcon, and that may have been her least impressive performance. If the local TV stations of my youth showed many films with Astor in them, I must have missed them. I thought of Astor as an actress I didn't much care for.

But the first time I saw Palm Beach Story, I changed my opinion: she was wonderful, and funny, and racy and so -- modern. Just how did Joel McCrea ever resist her? Colbert and Astor -- that was an even match. ["Nitz, Toto, nitz," as Astor kept telling her Euro-giggolo. One of my favorite lines from classic films.]

Now I try to see anything that has her name in the cast, and I'm always impressed. I was really blown away by her performance in The Great Lie, which I saw recently for the first time. There was so much more to her reading of the character than simple self-absorption. Across the Pacific is a case study in how to say so much, most of it really naughty, using so few words. And yes, what a cinematic b*** she could be. Her resume is long, varied and almost all terrific.

Astor's distinctively throaty voice served her very well: she could put so much anger and hurt into her voice, or sound so mature, wise and strong. Yet in comedies the voice always seemed to have such amusement behind it, a great sense of the absurdity of the situation, as though she were going to burst out laughing at any moment. I want to laugh along with her.
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knitwit45
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Post by knitwit45 »

Judith, what's your take on her role in Dodsworth? That, and her role in The Great Lie, are (so far) my favorites. When she looks at Mrs Dodsworth, and simply says, "Don't"...you know she's speaking from the heart and from experience. Wow.
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rudyfan
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Post by rudyfan »

jdb1 wrote: Astor's distinctively throaty voice served her very well: she could put so much anger and hurt into her voice, or sound so mature, wise and strong. Yet in comedies the voice always seemed to have such amusement behind it, a great sense of the absurdity of the situation, as though she were going to burst out laughing at any moment. I want to laugh along with her.
I'd describe it, if I had to use one word, in comedic dialogue, just a lilt in her voice. A real smile in her voice.

Ya see? I love her in Maltese Falcon. She's arch, she's dangerous, she's conniving, and only vulnerable when she's desperate at the end. So much with the arch of a brow, and vocal inflection.
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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

The Palm Beach Story is here waiting to be watched, as is Midnight. I love Claudette Colbert and the two of them sound a great combination.

I love Dodsworth, it's a film I want to revisit a few times.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
feaito

Post by feaito »

Mary Astor is one of the most interesting actresses of the Golden Era and both "Dodsworth" and "Midnight" are in my top 10 List.
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

knitwit45 wrote:Judith, what's your take on her role in Dodsworth? That, and her role in The Great Lie, are (so far) my favorites. When she looks at Mrs Dodsworth, and simply says, "Don't"...you know she's speaking from the heart and from experience. Wow.
Nancy, I think she is wonderful in Dodsworth, in a role that might have been just a throwaway with an actress of lesser talent and presence. Astor does the reverse image of her usual "worldly other woman" here. She is something you didn't see much of in Classic Hollywood, a decidedly mature woman who is both sexually attractive and sympathetic.

Why isn't Dodsworth better known? Surely in among our generation of Baby Boomers, this film would have particular relevance. And no -- please -- don't even think "remake" (she said, as she began casting the film in her mind).
feaito

Post by feaito »

Dodsworth is simply one of the finest films ever made. So adult and mature in the approach of its subject matter and with such honest, true-to-life performances. Mary Astor gives one of her best performances ever in a totally un-stereotyped role of a beautiful woman with whom any man would like to share his whole life with. Her interpretation is so subtle, multi-layered and sincere. She glows!
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knitwit45
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Post by knitwit45 »

at the very end, when she's waving at the incoming boat, your heart just leaps!

Guess we are bona-fide Mary Astor fans!!!!
drednm

Post by drednm »

Mary Astor never gave a bad performance. My faves of hers are certainly the b**** in THE GREAT LIE, the devious woman in THE MALTESE FALCON, and her wondrously warm performance in DODSWORTH.

She was also very funny in the Marion Davies film PAGE MISS GLORY.
drednm

Post by drednm »

I also just got a 1924 film called THE FIGHTING COWARD with 18-year-old Mary Astor in a starring role, along with Cullen Landis, Ernest Torrence, and Noah Beery.....
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