Warning: topless pictures behind Walken, suggestive dance moves and well, he's a '30's pimp doing a strip-tease--you've got the picture, I think..
Fred Astaire had this to say about the film:
"I have never spent two more miserable hours in my life. Every scene was cheap and vulgar. They don't realise that the thirties were a very innocent age, and that should have been set in the eighties — it was just froth; it makes you cry it's so distasteful."
Personally, I don't think the '30's could've been all that innocent, just knowing the history of the period. However, when you compare the clip above to any of Astaire's films. Astaire's films in the 30's except were well, not squeaky clean, but comparitively so. And the films of the '30's, did actually delve into some deep subjects, especially before the Production Code. However, I think what he's really saying is that this is not the film Hollywood put out in the '30s, and although there were people like Steve Martin's character in the '30s.... well, I don't think everyone else was. Well, he was there, I wasn't, and well, the main character played by Steve Martin? Kinky, and not in a good way. This film is disturbing, and not in a thought provoking way. Astaire was there, I wasn't, and I agree with him. Except for striptease by Walken was something else. Here's a few of my fave clips from the Astaire/Roger's films:
Or this.
1 comment:
I tend to agree with you. I mean, the 30's came AFTER the Roaring 20's which was one of the most experimental, open, and progressive periods in our country history. In fact, during the 20's, most people don't know this, was when the Communist and Socialists were at their all time peak in this country and were even elected to serious positions in this country. It wasn't yet a "negative" to be socially progressive.
So even though The Depression was happening, still only about 10% were unemployed. That leaves 90% with jobs and making money. And when people are depressed and/or worried about the economy, social norms tend to lax b/c people want things to take their minds off real life. That is why alcohol companies are a recession proof and the best investment right now!
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