High kicks
From EVERGREEN.
One of Jessie Matthews’ most striking dances. And costumes. This one offended the US censors because the flimsy material gives prominence to what Joey from Friends would doubtless call her “nipular areas”.
From EVERGREEN.
One of Jessie Matthews’ most striking dances. And costumes. This one offended the US censors because the flimsy material gives prominence to what Joey from Friends would doubtless call her “nipular areas”.
October 16, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Jesse is lovely in a pure 30′s non-Hollywood way. Many have claimed it was a shame she never danced with Astaire. But that never would have worked. Her translucent gossamer quality is the essence of her charm.
And I love that song.
October 16, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I’m not sure, Astaire was able to adapt to a number of partners. Ginger was certainly the most suited, but it’s hard for me to guess what the chemistry would have been like with Jessie, since we never got to see it.
October 16, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Remember “He gives her class, she gives him sex” (of Astaire and Rogers)?
Something tells me that, when Astaire danced with a partner, it was best when *he* was the ethereal one — or whatever the appropriate male version of “ethereal” might be — while his partner was the carnal/sensual/what-have-you one. That was certainly the case with Rita Hayworth and Cyd Charisse. Rogers too.
So perhaps Astaire wouldn’t have matched well with Matthews. Two dancers being whimsical at the same time might cancel each other out …
October 16, 2008 at 8:01 pm
It’s certainly possible. But I can’t actually picture them together, “I need to see it up on the screen,” as the producer (modelled on Arthur Freed) says in Singin’ in the Rain.
Of course, I don’t think Jessie ever had a carnal/sensual dance partner in British cinema. Who would they get???
October 16, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Ivor Novello?
October 16, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Heh. Not technically a dancer… In fact, despite being possibly the top songwriter of his day with hugely successful musicals, and Gosford Park to the contrary, he didn’t ever sing.
Carol Reed’s Climbing High pairs Jessie with Alistair Sim in most of their scenes. Carnal? Possibly. Sensual? Possibly not.