I have kind of a fascination with 1940s-era actresses.
The "NOIR!" series was kind of an outgrowth of that, and this piece continues that theme. There's just something about the movies of that era-- the barb-laden dialogue, the constant double crosses, the competent and complex female characters. It's a pretty stark contrast to the more action/sex-obsessed films of today. I digress.
The woman in this piece is Veronica Lake, and you might recognize her as the inspiration for
Jessica Rabbit. You know that iconic hair-over-one-eye look that actresses, models, and musicians have been using for years? Yeah, Veronica Lake
invented that. More importantly though, she was a highly versatile actress. Her first leading role was actually in a poignant comedy (
Sullivan's Travels), but she could play the femme fatale and a slew of other characters as well. Despite a rather turbulent personal life and a reputation for being temperamental, she was a reliably gifted actress who --in the words of director Rene Clair-- didn't believe she was gifted.
Also, fun fact: Veronica Lake was often cast next to actor Alan Ladd, but the pairing wasn't just about their on-screen chemistry. An underlying factor was that Ladd stood only 5'5", and the 4'11" Lake was one of the few actresses next to whom he looked tall.
So there you have it: Veronica Lake-- gifted actress, enduring icon, totally post-it worthy.
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