Jennchez mentioned Cary Grant in her last comment. Cary Grant has been an obsession of mine for years, decades, a lifetime (176 posts and counting.)
And so: Elvis opened in Vegas in the summer of 1969. I wrote a bit about his rehearsal process for that momentous show, as well as the cray-cray press conference the day after. These were his first live shows in over a decade. Extraordinary. It was an event of the highest order. Everyone came. Not just Elvis fans, but every celebrity in a 3,000 mile radius. There is brief footage of the mayhem backstage, of a gorgeous Elvis (when was he not? Even fat, he was gorgeous) greeting everyone, looking like a big happy and kind of shy kid. His sideburns have their own zip code. The footage is rough, but watch for Cary Grant’s entrance. (This footage is included in the 1970 doc Elvis: That’s The Way It Is.)
Cary Grant said, after seeing Elvis live: “He is the greatest live performer since Al Jolson.”
You can feel his enthusiasm in how he bursts into that crowded room. It’s a commotion, a Cary Grant COMMOTION. Sammy Davis Jr. is there, and is more of a cool cat, enthusiastic and happy, yes, but more like a fellow performer who knows the ropes and is psyched for Elvis on that score. Cary Grant, an old man by that point, is a gushing FAN bursting into the room. He had that freedom with himself.
There’s a great couple of seconds where the two of them are talking, and I find it fascinating to watch. Elvis Presley is the man of the hour. But here is Cary Grant. Elvis says, “You made it back?” (Meaning backstage, which is a bit charming in a naive way. He’s Cary Grant. Who is going to deny him access backstage? It’s sweet the way Elvis says it. Solicitous.)
But what I really love is: Watch how Cary just stares at him, smiling, totally attentive, totally supportive, his entire considerable energy force pouring out of him AT Elvis. He is COMPLETELY selfless in that moment. (That, my friends, is how you congratulate someone on a job well done. Don’t stand back with your arms crossed – as Kevin Costner hopefully learned eternally after watching his cringe-inducing awkward backstage moment with Madonna during her “Blond Ambition” tour documenary, don’t say, “It was really interesting what you were doing”, don’t try to be original, don’t try to be clever. Be all about that other person’s triumph. And that is what Cary Grant is doing in the way he looks at Elvis.)
I will analyze body language now. Since apparently I’m writing fanfic on my site, why not. The way Cary Grant bursts into the room and bombards Elvis Presley with love and excitement, seems to relax Elvis, almost instantaneously, and you can hear him say to Cary, “I was a little bit too nervous at first …” And Cary immediately leans forward and whispers something to him.
Two old pros, commiserating.
One of the biggest stars of his day, a valid leading man for the entirety of his career (unheard of – he only stopped being a leading man because he retired), whispering supportively in the ear of another man who had taken the world by surprise and storm at the age of 21, then went on to dominate Hollywood for a decade during its roughest toughest downturn, headlining in 30 movies in 10 years or whatever it was, and at this point is still only 35 years old, ready to start a new exciting chapter.
It’s thrilling footage, because it is so casual. Even with the star wattage in that room, it’s the same scene backstage at community theatre, a high school play, or an off-Broadway opening. Two men who came from poverty, who knew they were blessed, who created personae out of thin air – (and they chose the RIGHT personae, instinctively, they chose the personae that would most serve them, that would set them free the highest, that would last the longest – very few people are able to do that, very few people have that innate self-knowledge) – who were the biggest most glitteringest stars in the sky of the 20th century, whispering about being nervous during a performance.
I could watch them whisper all day.
Once upon a time I was telling my Cousin Mike about the jealous back-stabbing of some of my fellow grad school students, and he said to me, “You’ll find, Sheila, as you continue in this career, that the most talented people are usually the most generous. Talented people are rarely stingy or petty or jealous. Never forget that.”
That’s what I see here. On both sides of the exchange.
Another dovetail, that comment about choosing the right personae, and generosity, sheds light on why that Ingrid Bergman and Sidney Lumet anecdote pleases me so much. That he would have the warmth and generosity to offer her the part of the grand White Russian in exile and she would have the canny self knowledge to go “Nope, the homely maid is my part” and that he again would trust her instinct. There’s a glimmer of that in how Grant and Presley interact with each other in that clip, two professionals trusting and openly communicating with each other and not trying to dominate each other.
That Sidney Lumet/Ingrid Bergman thing shows the brilliance of her – and also Lumet’s brilliance in accepting her choice. “I wanted Ingrid Bergman. She got the Oscar.” They both got what they wanted. BRILLIANT.
As Cary Grant said in that link I posted – it is hard, even in real life, to “play oneself”. Those who make a living at it – successfully – have my deepest admiration. Elvis was one of a kind in that respect – but there’s a lot of similarity with Cary Grant – who had a similar singular kind of career. Totally improbable – based on sheer self-belief. And ambition, of course. Neither of these men lacked a competitive instinct. But without self-belief, no one would care today. Ambitious actors and performers are a dime a dozen – but those who know themselves are rare as precious gems.
Cary knows what’s happening WHEN it is happening: “you started a river that never stopped…”
I love your comment, Kent. How many people MISS important moments AS they are happening, and only later realize: “Wow, this was a life-changer …” You can see the lit-up thrill on Grant’s face – he has no desire to hide it, play it cool, or throw his own considerable weight around with the young whipper-snapper with the sideburns. He’s AGOG. Bless him!
First, thank you Sheila!!
Second, OMG!!!!!! Did you hear their laughs mingled together talk about music, wow!! Even at that age his vibrance was amazing, from the way he walked, talked and it was easy to see he had no problem being the fan. You could tell that he was having the time of his life!! I love Elvis’s shy expression at first, here is this living legend praising you and Elvis kinda looks down with a “ah shucks it was nothin'” look. I would love to know what they were whispering about, oh to be a fly on the wall :)
Have you seen the movie Roustabout, its a movie with Elvis and Barbara Stanwyck. Its totally cheesy but if you ever get the chance its a fun movie. Just watching their interactions together priceless!
Isn’t it just wonderful to see the two of them together? Cary Grant is just lit up, unselfconscious, totally a big KID in his joy at what he just saw.
I love Roustabout. Stanwyck is great – it’s great to see her scenes with Presley – when paired with someone good, he always rose to the occasion!
Boy, Cousin Mike was right on. I’ve noticed that when some fellow performer is carping about Elvis (can’t really sing!, etc.) or Marilyn or Audrey (can’t really act!, etc.) or any other legend, it’s almost always someone from the middle of the pack or lower….i.e. someone who rightly fears we’ll be paying attention to these legends long after “middle-of-the-pack” person has been replaced by the next generation of similarly small minds and cramped spirits…who will doubtless be carping about the same things! This is some priceless footage!
Although we in America love that American dream, we want to remind those who burst free from the pack that they shouldn’t get too big for their britches. It is the ultimate dilemma. Those who are “special” (Elvis, Monroe, and others) had to deal with that kind of jealousy and pettiness their entire lives. “Who are you to think you are special?” But they WERE, are. These arguments continue on long after their deaths – they STILL are on pedestals, and there is nothing we love more than knocking people off their pedestals.
Those who are talented, who are ahead of the pack already, know the truth. These people are special. They should be treated accordingly. Be generous, be kind, be supportive, don’t hold back, you have nothing to lose by being happy for someone else.
I just wrote a couple of posts about Oscar Wilde on my site, and he said something great about all of this:
“Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend’s success.”
The great footage, post and comments remind me that it’s high time for me to watch one of my favorite actors again – Cary Grant. Just love the guy. One of my all time favorites is North by Northwest.
Patricia – favorite quote from that movie: “How does a girl like you get to be a girl like you?”
He is the BEST. My favorite actor.
For me too. Will watch North by Northwest next weekend. There is nothing more relaxing than watching one of these great old movies with him, more so when it’s really getting rainy and cold outside. Just love it.
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