Film #5: Midnight in Paris

Disclaimer: I've seen this movie before.

The first time I saw "Midnight in Paris" I literally danced out of the movie theatre. The beautiful images of Paris and the emotive strains of Sidney Bechet's soprano saxophone on "Si Tu Vois Ma Mere" flooded my mind as I left. The film contained everything I have always loved and many things I never would have discovered otherwise. I never would've gotten interested in jazz or the lost generation if it weren't for "Midnight in Paris." Cole Porter would have just been a familiar sounding name, and forget about the exquisite Bechet!

In spite of the excellent soundtrack and cinematography, Midnight is not without its flaws. Rachel McAdams' character Inez is written as a very conventional two-dimensional evil fiancée.There is little depth to Inez and that bothers me. Mainly its because you can never understand what Gil Pender (played by Owen Wilson) ever saw in her.

I'm getting ahead of myself! The basic plot of "Midnight in Paris" is as follows: a newly engaged couple (Wilson and McAdams) and some family go to Paris. Everyone is uninterested in Paris and its beauty and history. Except the fiancé, a romantic minded screenwriter named Gil, who is currently on a novel. One night after a wine-tasting party, Gil walks back to the hotel by himself and is ushered into a twenties automobile. He finds himself at a party taking place in the glimmering literary scene of twenties Paris!

As I gushed earlier, the music and cinematography are excellent, but I didn't even mention the superb costumes. Honestly, they are the best I have ever seen for a film that is trying to do twenties clothing (some bad ones: "The Great Gatsby," "Ziegfeld Girl," "The Roaring 20s," any 40s does 20s movie). All of the shimmering beaded evening dresses and little bags are perfection. A particular favorite of mine was Marion Cotilliard's cream and coral nautical-inspired dress. Also all of the actors, especially Cory Stoll (Hemingway) and Adrien Brody (Dali) did spot on impersonations of their historical figures.

Paris has never been more beautiful or magical than when viewed through Woody Allen's lens. Although a lot of the initial movie magic has faded with repeated viewings, there is still some left, and how it shines!

Centralia on a rainy day

On the most popular shopping day of the year for Americans (at least), Black Friday it poured. The rain was as I said earlier today, like bullets. And my family and I were taking the road less taken, which is going to antique stores in Centralia, WA. I had hoped to finally photograph the completely wonderful historic part of Centralia but I unfortunately picked the wrong day for it. In our mad dash from antique store to antique store I managed to snap a few and here they are. Also isn't the velvet dress (30s!) the dreamiest? Sadly it was trop cher pour moi.

Cream puffs

Over the weekend a friend of mine from school came over and we made cream puffs. It was easier than I expected, but still very time consuming. The pastry dough was pretty easy to make. Our custard filling refused to set up until the next day, so I recommend to anyone who decides to try making cream puffs that they make the filling 4-5+ hours before they start. They turned out pretty well I think.

A few pictures:

Film #4: Baby Face

"Baby Face" is a pre-code drama starring the late and great Barbara Stanwyck. Babs (as I affectionately call her) plays a speakeasy owner's daughter, who on advice from a German cobbler moves to New York City after a raid on her father's gin joint. Baby Face finds gainful employment at a posh looking bank, sleeping her way up the corporate ladder. When Baby throws over one lover for the bank's V.P. (his future father-in-law) the results are disastrous ending in the deaths of both of the above mentioned. The bank then hires an amusingly named lothario as their new president, Courtland Trenholm (played by George Brent). He refuses to pay her for her silence and sends her to work at the bank's Paris branch. Under the glittering lights of gay Paris he too falls for her. When he proposes marriage she accepts. But when it comes time to chose in between him and money she's torn.

As I don't want to give anything away I'll stop there. Barbara Stanwyck is brilliant as always as the hard-boiled Baby Face. Baby Face's best friends are an immigrant cobbler and her African-American maid Chico, which makes her seem a little bit nicer than one initially would think. Both Stanwyck's portrayal and that fact make her seem more a victim than a villainess, in spite of the way she uses men like tissues. Speaking of tissues, toward the end I cried because I am a sap.

On a more superficial note, I enjoyed Babs' hair (which was beautiful like always) and the 1930s office wear and evening gowns she donned.

The overall verdict for this movie is Ugh Babs why are you so flawless?

Film #3: Out of the Past

"Out of the Past" is a 1947 film noir by RKO starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, two actors I have never seen in anything before. Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum), a P.I. who is in hiding in a small town, is found by a man working for an old client of his that he "failed." His mobster client (Kirk Douglas) needs his girlfriend and the $40,000 she absconded with located. When Bailey finds Kathie Moffat (the client's girl played by Jane Greer), instead of releasing her whereabouts to his client he falls in love with her, leading to a doomed romance and a murder by Kathie.
Now all this time later, Whit (Douglas) wants him to do another job for him, involving income tax evasion and Bailey has no choice because Kathie told Whit everything. Tragedy ensues.
Now comes everyone's least favorite part, reading my opinion. I found this one of the most confusing film noirs to understand and explain that I have ever seen. However all of the cast members turned out good performances and the movie held my attention the entire time. Also worth noting, it has forties clothing of varying degrees of beauty and in Kathie's last scene she wears an amusing hat that makes her look positively nun-like. 

University Bridge

Amelia and I went to the University Bridge and pretended we were in France while listening to Sidney Bechet. And then we took pictures et voila!

In the past few months

I have bought a 1940s skirt pattern from Maine and watched "The Shop Around the Corner" and "Love Finds Andy Hardy" (in addition to "16 Candles" and "Christmas in July"). I have bought a pair of boots that are too small and frolicked with Amelia on the University Bridge (more pictures from that later). I've also acquired at least three wool vintage dresses and some Glenn Miller 78s.

P.S. I have an Instagram. (@touslestemps)