A socialist I know nearly redeemed her politics by giving me a much desired item on my Amazon Christmas wishlist. The Kim Novak Collection is a MUST. All the films are restored and gorgeous!
The big hits included in the collection are PICNIC, BELL BOOK AND CANDLE and PAL JOEY. But the awesome surprise for me was JEANNE EAGELS a 1950's precurser to the 1960's "Show Biz is Hell" genre made famous by VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Kim Novak at her most beautiful plays 1920's Broadway and film star Jeanne Eagels- a woman "cursed with talent"- who's amazing acting ability and lust for fame lead her headstrong into booze, bad marriages, drugs and God knows what else! We see Jeanne rise from carney cooch dancer in Jeff Chandler's side show, to student of famous acting coach Agnes Moorhead, to arch foe to self-destructive pathetic former Broadway star Virginia Grey to inhumanly beautiful (and ruthlessly anti-union!) mega-star!
I'd never seen Jeff Chandler in anything other than the pulpy camp Joan Crawford classic FEMALE ON THE BEACH and I was thrilled to finally see what the fuss was about- Chandler is gorgeous here and you can see why Kim can't quite forget her old carnival flame!
Agnes Moorhead is wonderfully haughty and pretentious as the dram coach and Virginia Grey is haunting and pathetic.
Critics at the time did not like Novak in the lead but she is perfect here and her performance like the film itself has aged beautifully and comes across as modern and exciting. It's impossible for the viewer to take his or her eyes off her. I don't think I'd ever seen Novak more beautiful which is saying something!
What can I say? I'm a sucker for old-fashioned melodrama and stories about good girls who go to the dogs in the glittering and sometimes nightmarish world of show business! How great to live in a time where we have access to films like this that have gone forgotten for years. It will be interesting comparing JEANNE EAGELS to the similar "performer in peril" THE BLACK SWAN opening soon. Something tells me Kim Novak's stunning picture will last longer.
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