"I've heard of platonic love, but I didn't know there was such a thing as platonic jewelery."
I think today should be declared a National Film Holiday.... TCM is playing Norma films 24 hours straight... and I have to be at work :( No worries! The DVR is getting a work out... I am especially excited that they are showing some of her rare silent films!
I don't have a long history with Shearer. I read a book called Complicated Women (the doc. by the same name airs today as well) and I was intrigued by the way the author described her. I went down to my now dearly departed Video Rental heaven and stocked up on her films. I was an instant fan... and am am still an avid one to this day. Any woman whoever contemplates a career in acting should consider Norma a founding mother! She is brilliant.
My favorite movie of hers is The Divorcee. She really defined this new kind of woman that was emerging in the 30s. Sexually liberated and free to live her life as a man does. Poor Chester
Morris didn't know what he was doing when he got smashed and cheated on his doting wife (Norma). She goes out after discovering the affair and has one of her own (with Bob Montgomery no less... who wouldn't want to have an affair with that man?!) The movie is a pre-code MUST. They were never even able to re-release it (in the 50s) because of the raciness of the content. Thank goodness because some of those releases gutted amazing pre-codes (I will save that rant for another day) So... If you are new to the dazzling world of Norma Shearer.... I envy you. You have an amazing film journey ahead of you!
I too love Norma. "Private Lives" is one of my favorites. They are showing "Riptide" today. I've never seen it and can't wait to get home and watch it. Norma had great taste in leading men. Of course my favorite is, who else, Robert Montgomery. They had a special chemistry and were friends offscreen as well. She and Thalburg, Montgomery and his wife Betty and Gable and his then wife Rhea, spent many evenings out together.
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