Richard Schickel (I had thought it was Pauline Kael – but I was WRONG WRONG WRONG) wrote this about Cary Grant, and I have always loved it:
Cary Grant, when playing his most famous characters, isn’t playing hard to get. He is hard to get.
I have thought about this so much when watching Grant’s films over and over. Think about not just movie stars – but people in real life – who play hard to get – because either they’re afraid of commitment, or they like messing with you, or they’re just flat out dishonest. But then there are those who really are hard to get. And those people? Please. They’re the ones you never forget. I won’t comment on that further cause I’ll incriminate myself and most of my ex-boyfriends.
But I think that Schickel quote could also be used to describe Dean Martin.
You’d have to PAY that guy to “play hard to get”. Please. He just was hard to get. Not because it was a GAME, but because that was just the way he WAS. Who knows why, and who CARES why.
This is why his appeal is so long-lasting. Because there’s a mystery at the heart of it. Watch him perform, how intimate he is with his audience, how he uses his voice, how smooth he is, what good humor … but still … there is a sense, somehow, in the same way there was with Grant, that you can never have all of him. Whatever is deepest within him was his – and his alone.
But how wonderful it is – to keep watching him – to keep NOT having all of him – to keep trying to get close to that mystery, close to what it seems like he knows.
Hey Sheila, thanks for your posts about Dean Martin. I had forgotten how much I liked his work when I was younger. i haven’t seen anything of his in such a long time, he sort of fell off the scope. I think I’ll go get some old Martin and Lewis movies for the weekend and re-acquaint myself. Thanks again!
Rude – it’s good to have you “back”. :) I was watching some of the Martin & Lewis Colgate Comedy Hour stuff on YouTube last night – and it really holds up. I was laughing out loud. And I don’t know – Jerry was pretty funny in those days – but I think Dean was funnier. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.
Thanks Sheila, Its good to be back! :)
I agree with you about who was funnier; Lewis was often too silly, over the top at times and even embarassingly silly (sort of like the real Office Space) and hard to watch. But Dean, he was always so cool and quietly funny. Im with you 100%!
Interesting comments. I was referred to your post by shot in the dark info. If you haven’t heard them; get recordings of Dino and Rat Pack live, some are in Las Vegas, others at theatres in NJ and Chicago. They’re all over Limewire and similar. I go to Las Vegas a lot for my job, and have read and studied much about Las Vegas. Even the most cynical anti-show biz types like Penn Gillette (Penn and Teller) hold Dean Martin at the pinnacle of cool. He was absolutely funny as hell; far more so than his pal Sinatra et al. And as many bios point out, his holding back, his being hard to get, drove Frank Sinatra nuts. Dean gave the impression he could take or leave the whole scene. Frank was much more insecure and wanted to be like Dean Martin, which Sinatra would be loath to admit.
Dino’s late sixties faux country music was not his best stuff; but his TV show did convey his winking, sardonic sense of humor. Fascinating guy whose cool holds up far better than virtually anyone since. Would love to read a book by his ex-wife Jeannie, but I doubt it will happen.
Jim – yeah, from what I’ve read – after their shows the Rat Pack would stay out all night, partying, gambling, except for Dino. Because he liked to play golf first thing in the morning. He was a true individual – in the midst of that group dynamic.
People’s comments on Dino are so well done. Here’s a couple thoughts:
Per Dino Crocetti, ; an insight into his depth is his relationship with his 2nd wife Jeannie. You’ve read that story? If you’ve read qoutes from Jeannie, seen pictures, read about their friendship after he divorced wife #3, Cathy Hawn, you see a real love and understanding of each other. She is clearly intelligent, articulate, humorous, and sophisticated. A Hollywood bimbo she was not. Dean appreciated that and returned to her authenticity and brains when he was divorced. They nearly reconciled, but I think his unwillingness to stay dry dis-allowed it for Jeannie. However, she remained very close with him right until he died. A woman with her looks (and 1/2 his fortune) could have been with anyone. She obviously saw intelligence, depth, of course a sense of humor, and a passing attempt at fatherhood, that she appreciated early and late in their relationship.
This is not very well articulated, but to summarize, Dean Martin was smart, deep, and kind. A very desirable woman, Jeannie appreciated that and stayed very, very close to him even after thier divorce. There’s a lot to read into that.