Lauren Bacall — Page 3

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#51

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:52pm

Well, see how thing differ for different people? I found her to be funny, charming, and completely captivating at dinner, in the recording studio, and on the phone. I suppose others have seen the other side of her, but that was not my experience at all. I adored her.

#52

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/17/12 at 4:26pm

I read in a biography of David Merrick (The Abominable Showman) that Lauren Bacall took the lead role in CACTUS FLOWER because she needed the money. Merrick signed her to a 2-year contract for less money than a star of her stature should have been paid. When the show opened, Bacall received unanimous raves for her performance and show became a must see hit. Her agent tried to renegotiate her contract for a higher salary but Merrick refused (no surprise there). Bacall had been paying for a car service to drive her to and from the theater every evening. Her agent then tried to get Merrick to pay for the car service (which at the time would have probably been about ten dollars per day). Again, he refused.

#53

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/17/12 at 7:10pm

bobs story is interesting because I'm wondering if bk had to make any decisions that cost Betty money? In my experience, that was the quickest way to see "the other side" of her.

The last interview with her that I read was done at the Russian Tea Room. According to the reporter, Bacall sat down to be interviewed, ordered a pot of hot water, a tea bag and a lemon. Then after taking up the table for a couple of hours, she berated the waiter publicly for not keeping the water hot enough.

#54

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/17/12 at 7:35pm

Since I never saw the other side of her I don't know the other side of her. I've heard stories, of course, but my experience with her was absolutely wonderful. In fact, of all the bigger stars I worked with I only ever saw the "other side" from one of them - and that was enough.

#55

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/17/12 at 8:25pm

To be fair, bk, I was out with her socially (in a group; again, Betty and I were not personal friends) a time or two after shows and she was charming, as you say. She was smart and tough and interesting, too.

#56

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 10:05am

#57

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 10:46am

I've read that Ms. Bacall wanted to reprise her role in a film version of Cactus Flower, but Columbia Pictures gave the part to Ingrid Bergman, thinking she would draw bigger audiences.
This is so surprising to me, sure Bergman was a multiple time Oscar winner and had a better film career, but she wasnt exactly a huge Daris Day-like box office draw and it was an ensemble film anyway. Was Bacalls career really at such low at that point?
Anyway, its great that she was able to resurrect her career as a musical star and character film actress and is now known as one of the icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

#58

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 8:17pm

Per IMDB, Bacall made 5 films in the 40s and 14 in the 50s, mostly in '55 and '56. She was a star, but not a superstar like Ingrid Bergman.

She has become an "icon of the Golden Age" because she started a little later (1940s rather than 30s) and outlived everybody. (I don't mean this to be snide. She was unforgettable in the film noir movies she made in the 1940s.)

#59

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 8:28pm

For some reason I had just assumed she was one of THE top female stars of the 50s--I guess mid 50s when she did Written on the Wind, etc.

#60

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 8:33pm

Eric, I was a child in the 50s, but I recognize only 2 of those 14 films: YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. Bacall was certainly a well-known star, but we're not talking Joan Crawford or Judy Garland (who had their own troubles in the 1950s, of course).

#61

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 8:46pm

Bacall's filmography is really not super impressive all by itself, aside from the obvious highlights. People like Marilyn Monroe and Goldie Hawn only have a few dozen credits in their filmographies, but they made most of them count. I'm sure being so devoted to Bogie from the start of her career until his death factored into all of that. I also bet that it was hard for Lauren to figure out where she fit in after the collapse of the studio system. Thus, the stage called to her.

"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter

Updated On: 9/18/12 at 08:46 PM

#62

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 8:47pm

You don't recognize WRITTEN ON THE WIND? Although Bacall and Hudson were eaten alive by Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone, each getting awards attention including an Oscar for Malone, Bacall had an important part in a very influential Douglas Sirk soap.

#63

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 9:12pm

I also bet that it was hard for Lauren to figure out where she fit in after the collapse of the studio system.

That may well be true. She was also married to Jason Robards and had a child in there, too. There may be all sorts of reasons why she didn't make more films.

***

Sorry, strummergirl. I'm forced to admit I'm still catching up on Douglas Sirk films. I do recognize the title but couldn't have told you who else was in the film.

Updated On: 9/18/12 at 09:12 PM

#64

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 9:15pm

Out of curiousity, is that Tony Award performance from Woman of the Year parodied in 9 to 5 by "One of the Boys?" It's interesting that both songs were written for women who weren't known for their singing.

I'm sorry you're not getting your question answered, TH. I don't know 9 TO 5 and can't say.

#65

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 9:19pm

#66

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/18/12 at 11:35pm

I share in Strummer's shock, Gaveston, that you haven't seen Written on the Wind. Aside from Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows and of course the massive Imitation of Life, it was Sirk's biggest box office hit, and also caused a scandal (it was also the only of those not produced by Ross Hunter--of Lost Horizon fame--and has a much more pronounced sexuality, especially for the time). You should get on that--it's probably my Sirk fave partly just because it is so gonzo. (I've never heard of Young Man with a Horn, though it sounds like an early 70s William Higgins gay porn film title).

Here's a great scene between Bacall and Robert Stack early on in the film (you'll have to save the film's truly best scene--Dorothy Malone's crazy jazz mambo dance of sexual frustration for when you watch the film itself :P ) Bacall really does look amazing here--and plays a fairly sophisticated businesswoman for the time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxe_dw2EBlI

#67

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 9:44am

Tonight on TCM:

8:00 PM
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE (1953)
Three models pool their resources to rent a posh penthouse in hopes of snaring rich husbands.
Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast: Betty Grable , Marilyn Monroe , Lauren Bacall .
C-96 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format

9:45 PM
COBWEB, THE (1955)
Inmates and staff at a posh asylum clash over love and lunacy.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Richard Widmark , Lauren Bacall , Charles Boyer .
C-124 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

12:00 AM
BLOOD ALLEY (1955)
An American sailor breaks out of a Chinese jail and dodges Communist agents on the road to Hong Kong.
Dir: William A. Wellman Cast: John Wayne , Lauren Bacall , Paul Fix .
C-115 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format

2:00 AM
WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956)
A young woman marries into a corrupt oil family then falls for her husband's best friend.
Dir: Douglas Sirk Cast: Rock Hudson , Lauren Bacall , Robert Stack .
C-99 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

3:45 AM
DESIGNING WOMAN (1957)
A sportswriter and a fashion designer have a lot of adjusting to do when they marry in haste.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Gregory Peck , Lauren Bacall , Dolores Gray .
C-118 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format

#68

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 12:34pm

DESIGNING WOMAN sounds a lot like the plot of WOMAN OF THE YEAR.

#69

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 1:18pm

A bit, but with Vincente Minnelli's usual attention to decor, fashion, and detail.
Designing Woman trailer

#70

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 1:30pm

Ha, good timing, now Gaveston has no excuse to at least not record it (unless he doesn't get TCM...)

I've always wanted to see The Cobweb--admittedly partly because I've heard it doesn't really succeed, I'll have to catch it. Actually maybe I'll just record them all--I've not seen Designing Woman in a long time but I remember it being VERY stylish.

#71

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 1:40pm

Bacall is TCM's Star of the Month this September, right?

#72

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 2:09pm

The Sweet Bird of Youth thread made me wonder if anyone here saw her in the London premier of the play, in the mid 80s, and how she was. The production was directed by Harold Pinter, and she played opposite Michael Beck (yes, Sonny from Xanadu--granted he had a pretty good theatre career). Bacall would have been about 25 years older than Page was when she played the originally--but Page was much younger than the role was written (and always seemed to register as older...)

#73

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 4:03pm

Ha, good timing, now Gaveston has no excuse to at least not record it (unless he doesn't get TCM...)

I guess I wasn't clear: Betty Bacall gave me PTSD and the sight of her triggers flashbacks!

(Just kidding. I've got the DVR set to record WRITTEN ON THE WIND. Thanks to all.)

#74

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 7:11pm

Good man.

#75

Lauren Bacall

Posted: 9/19/12 at 7:37pm

Gregory Peck is incredibly handsome in DW, like Kevin Costner in No Way Out or Ed Harris or Jon Hamm in..anything.

Bacall and Peck were close friends from the time they made the movie until his death. She appears in the documentary A Conversation with Gregory Peck, which is on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEotCS6PNvI

Designing Women posters

Updated On: 9/19/12 at 07:37 PM

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