Pin-Up of the Day: Pamela Green

Thanks to David Ehrenstein for this rare image. Pamela Green reports that she did indeed appear topless in PEEPING TOM, and that the scene was still in the film at the premiere, where the marquee billed her as a new star of the British cinema. Sadly, as is well documented, PEEPING TOM was regarded as a disgrace by the British press and Green returned to soft-porn nudie films. And the topless shot vanished, presumably into the hands of the thieving Nazi who’s got Arletty’s vanished shower scene from LE JOUR SE LEVE. I hope he goes blind.

It’s perhaps worth protesting that Powell’s British career was ALREADY in a mess before this failure — HONEYMOON, a fascinating but genuinely messed-up movie had disappointed those who had been interested in what Powell would do without Pressburger. Since the later P&P films had, in many cases not done so well, the failure of this films was of huge significance. And Anglo-Amalgamated, the studio produced PEEPING TOM, was a low-rent bottom-of-the-barrel exploitation outfit: Powell’s agreeing to work there sent a message to the industry that he was washed up.

Over at Pamela Green’s charming website, you can read the true story of Powell’s attempt to blind her, and admire some more “views” in this style:

You won’t be doing the crossword tonight!

Pam could not only show skin, she could show it in a variety of shades! Possibly a still from NAKED AND BLACKED-UP AS NATURE INTENDED.

?

Clara Bow.

Precode Bathtime

A revealing moment of Claudette Colbert in DeMille’s SIGN OF THE CROSS. Costume and production designer (and later director) Mitchell Leisen measured C.C. from toe to nipple so that the sunken bath could be filled with milk to exactly the level dictated by decency. But who knew she’d bounce around so much?

Tom Sutpen has kindly gone to the work of finding the EXACT FRAME of revelation.

The milk soon became unpleasant under the studio lights, and had to be regularly replaced. Then some studio execs visited, and one of them stepped right onto the surface of the milk, which had set into a cheese-like formation and resembled a smooth marble floor. He sank up to his nipples in it at once, of course. Something about the expensive executive buisiness suit coated with soft, malodorous cheese makes a for a pleasing image.

But not as pleasing perhaps as Myrna Loy in THE BARBARIAN, a 30s knock-off of THE SHEIK starring Ramon Novarro.

Anita Loos scripted this kinky fantasy, which offends some people on the IMDb by indulging in the movie equivalent of s&m roleplay. Myrna is abducted by Novarro and learns to like it. I’m sure Anita Loos didn’t take this seriously as a political statement about male-female relations. It’s all meant as good clean dirty fun. It may not be a great film, but Myrna’s frontal nudity, which is even more revealing when you add the movement of the water, is impressively both explicit and yet not quite clear. Is she wearing some kind of modesty garment? It’s hard to be sure.

Hopefully someone will also mention Sybil Seely in Buster Keaton’s ONE WEEK.