It was so fun to dig into the career of the wonderfully complex Dorothy Malone for Film Comment. Having a career that spans from The Big Sleep to Basic Instinct is nothing to sneeze at.
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Sheila!
I love her!
So many times I would be watching a movie, wait a minute, who is that?! Looking it up. Dorothy Malone! Man of a Thousand Faces, The Big Sleep, (That scene!!) The Last Voyage, Dorothy Malone, and Yes!, Basic Instinct, Oh, it’s God damn Dorothy Malone again! There she is, easily stealing scenes. And Yes for I wish she worked after that!
I have to see Tip on a Dead Jockey (great title!)
And I have to see Written on the Wind again, it’s been quite a while and I don’t remember a lot. The way you describe a scene at her standing in the middle of a party alone with couples all around and with those long black gloves. “It takes nerves of steel to give a performance like that.”
A quick stupid aside. I was waitressing a New Years Eve only a few years back. I hate New Years Eve so I work it a lot, might as well make some money! But one I was standing in the middle of the room when midnight struck and I got caught. I actually had on those stupid glasses with the year on, 2007! and someone snapped my picture with the most depressed look on my face with party goers kissing and going on all around me. I get hysterical every time I see it.
I loved her in Too Much too Soon!
Malone’s looks reminds me of a pre Edie Sedgwick. With that big head and wide spread eyes, making them both very photogenic. You just want to look at those somehow more then gorgeous faces. There is a big sadness in both of them.
Then Malone knocks us out with her originality, deep emotions and such grace.
All hail Dorothy Malone! One of the greats!
Regina –
// I actually had on those stupid glasses with the year on, 2007! and someone snapped my picture with the most depressed look on my face with party goers kissing and going on all around me. I get hysterical every time I see it. //
Oh my God!!
// Then Malone knocks us out with her originality, deep emotions and such grace. //
She really does. Sitting down and watching a bunch of her stuff in chronological order for this piece was so illuminating. It also gives you a sense that maybe … the powers that be in Hollywood didn’t quite know what to do with her. Douglas Sirk did though!!