The Sheila Variations

A montage of lovelies - and some words on Martha Vickers

God, the outfits and hair ... not to mention the cars and radiators and pianos of days gone by. I just love all that stuff.

I was very much taken by the beautiful shot of Martha Vickers (who was so damn unforgettable and creepy as the sociopathic thumb-sucking nymphomaniac - how on earth did THAT get by the censors?? - in The Big Sleep).

Speaking of Martha Vickers - there's a really cute story about her and the filming of The Big Sleep - I came across it first, I think, Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood. (I think I also came across it in a couple of Bogart biographies - the story was told by multiple people - all of whom witnessed it, so I guess we can assume that something along these lines occurred). I just love everyone involved in the following anecdote:

Hawks had an idea for one of the scenes - where Marlowe (Bogart) comes into the house, and finds her sitting, all dressed up in the empty house - drugged out, sexed up - He can immediately tell that obviously some kind of porno photo shoot had been going on. And Marlowe comes upon her, she is high on drugs, and completely out of it. Anyway, Hawks had an idea for this scene (which ended up not making it into the movie - no wonder, with the censorship of the day!): He wanted Vickers to simulate an orgasm, as she sat there, looking up at Bogart.

He asked her to do so. He gave her this piece of direction in front of Bogart, Regis Toomey (who plays the DA - wonderful stolid character actor), and a couple of other people, members of the crew, etc.

Hawks said, "Sweetheart, what we want here is for you to simulate that you're having an orgasm."

Martha Vickers asked, "What's an orgasm?"

Nobody spoke. Nobody knew what to do. They all just stood there, awkward as hell, stunned to silence. These three men, Hawks, Bogart, and Toomey - standing there with a teenage actress - who was asking them (in all innocence) what an orgasm was. Dead silence. Hawks called a 10-minute break, I mean - what else could you do - and pulled Toomey aside. He asked Toomey to please go and explain to "Miss Vickers" what an orgasm was.

Toomey, who apparently was a good-natured fellow, and also the product of a strict Irish Catholic upbringing, gamely went over to Martha and calmly explained to her what an orgasm was. (Wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that one.)

Toomey said later to Bogart, "The girl didn't know anything. I asked, 'Are you a virgin?' 'Uh yes.' 'Do you know what an orgasm is? Mr. Hawks wants you to be having an orgasm here.' 'No, I don't know what it is.' 'You don't know what an orgasm is?' 'No.' And so, dammit, I explained to her what an orgasm was. And she got the idea all right. Howard liked the scene very much."

After that, it became a huge joke. Hawks would say to Toomey, "If I ever have to explain an orgasm again to anyone, I am calling on you." And Bogie would laugh and laugh like a madman.

Clip from The Big Sleep below. Seriously: this young actress who led a protected innocent life - gives a HELL of a performance.

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