The intertitles in our silent picture show

[sovay]

I want to go back in time and steal this man's waistcoat. Or at least ask what he was reading:



(Francis George Packer, an actor I'd never heard of even under his stage name, Nigel De Brulier. He played the prophet Jokanaan in the 1923 avant-garde film of Oscar Wilde's Salomé, however, so I expect to see more of him soon. Discovered while looking for Conrad Veidt.)

nineweaving worries it would wear me, but I think the wolf hat could take it.

Comments

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

If you know any good seamstresses, you could have one made, although you'd have to guess at the colors. But I suppose there's an upside to that, as you'd be entirely justified in assuming that the colors were coincidentally those you find most attractive and flattering. :)
I had no idea that there was a film of Salome. I only know it from the R. Strauss opera.

[sovay]

But I suppose there's an upside to that, as you'd be entirely justified in assuming that the colors were coincidentally those you find most attractive and flattering.

I don't think that ever quite registered before. It's not that color film is lesser—no one's hair was ever redder than Moira Shearer's in The Red Shoes (1948). But black-and-white is like offscreen horror: what you cannot see is stronger than whatever you can be shown. The actor's hair is the color you'd like best, their clothes are the most complementary shades. If the sky is a summer idyll, it's Platonic blue. I wonder if that's why it's so strange still to see photographs from the '30's and '40's in color: we are accustomed to filling in the fantasy.

Thank you!

I had no idea that there was a film of Salome. I only know it from the R. Strauss opera.

I think I was vaguely aware of its existence, but not that the sets and costumes were designed after Beardsley's illustrations or that it's considered one of the first American art films. The internet indicates it may not be to everyone's tastes, but either way it's amazing.

[gwynnega]

What a wonderful photograph.

I'm pretty sure I saw that version of Salome many years ago, though the version I'm more familiar with is the Ken Russell film (over-the-top but worth seeing).

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Herbert Pocket?

Have you found the wolf hat trailing shreds of brocade? Have you named it yet? I'd be inclined to call it Throgmorton.

Nine

[sovay]

What a wonderful photograph.

It distracted me from Conrad Veidt. That takes some doing.

I'm pretty sure I saw that version of Salome many years ago, though the version I'm more familiar with is the Ken Russell film (over-the-top but worth seeing).

What's it like?

[sovay]

I'd be inclined to call it Throgmorton.

It's not a Throgmorton. I think it may need no more name than itself.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

...no more name than itself...

That's serious Hat.

Nine

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

Ensemble:

Wolf hat
Leather jacket
Francis George Packer's waistcoat
Fighting Trousers

But what would you wear on your feet? We need to sort this out before the Vanity Fair photoshoot.

[gwynnega]

It's garish and flamboyant, like much later Russell--but I love the translation of the play Russell's wife did for the film.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

My goodness - who is that naked sprinter over Herbert's right shoulder?

[sovay]

That's serious Hat.

You've seen the photographic evidence.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Fighting trousers a la Professor Elemental?

[schreibergasse.livejournal.com]

nineweaving worries it would wear me, but I think the wolf hat could take it.

Odearlord, now I'm imagining "Sartorial Smackdown: Wednesdays, 9/8c
This week: Sovay's boots take on de Brulier's Cravat!"

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Wolf hat versus waistcoat: are you really sure you want to be the cage for that fight?

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

He played the prophet Jokanaan in the 1923 avant-garde film of Oscar Wilde's Salomé ...

Like the others, I had no idea such a thing existed. Because Salomé is my favorite play, I shall seek to purchase a copy and add it to my library of silent Chaplin shorts.

My final year teaching, I attempted to stage a version of Salomé in which the role of the Young Syrian was played by a female - gay, as it happened, who had a history with the principal actress. (I had no idea at the time.) But our Method focus, combined with the interpersonal dynamic, made for some breath-taking rehearsals.

The play, like so much else of value I attempted my final year in the classroom, was undermined and eventually derailed by the administration.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

I have and I bow to it.

Nine

[rosefox]

I'm wearing a checked waistcoat today (the one barely visible in this userpic, if I've chosen the picture correctly) and it is definitely not wearing me. I'm certain you could carry it off.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

That is a nice waistcoat. I think you could carry it off, with or without the wolf hat.

I'd love to know what he was reading as well. It's a wonderful image, this, and I thank you for sharing it.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

My mom made my dad some pretty spectacular waistcoats, and it was always fun to see him wear them.

I like the ... embroidered pumpkin? behind him on the left. (I mean, okay, I guess it's a lantern, but it looks like it could be a pumpkin.)

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it was still true at the time the photo was taken, but for a long time colours didn't register on plates with completely accurate tonal values - anything red or green came out a bit darker than in RL, and blue/yellow came out lighter*. I'd guess from the relatively deep shades of gray that the waistcoat in question was some sort of red/green checks.


* This remained a problem in the early days of cinema - anyone with blue eyes looked all creepy. Hence no blonde movie stars until much later.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

And whoa! Look ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-poWwCWnl3s

[irisbleufic.livejournal.com]

Such striking charisma, too...

[sovay]

Such striking charisma, too...

I figure I can't steal that; I can just appreciate it.

[sovay]

(the one barely visible in this userpic, if I've chosen the picture correctly)

It's very nice, even at a hundred pixels. I like the tie, too.

I'm certain you could carry it off.

Thank you! I'll report back with photographs if I do—I'd still need a waistcoat in the first place.

[irisbleufic.livejournal.com]

It'd be fun to try, however!

[sovay]

My mom made my dad some pretty spectacular waistcoats, and it was always fun to see him wear them.

Nice!

(I mean, okay, I guess it's a lantern, but it looks like it could be a pumpkin.)

I think it is a paper lantern. It looks like there's a thin human figure atop it, though, which there probably isn't.

[sovay]

That is a nice waistcoat. I think you could carry it off, with or without the wolf hat.

The vote of confidence is noted and appreciated.

[sovay]

My goodness - who is that naked sprinter over Herbert's right shoulder?

I thought it looked like a figure on the lantern, too!

[sovay]

But what would you wear on your feet? We need to sort this out before the Vanity Fair photoshoot.

I've got boots; they're good boots. I haven't got any other interesting shoes unless you want to count the high heels I had to buy to play a nun in Yale Opera's Suor Angelica (which I still consider the funniest reason for buying shoes ever) and I don't like high heels.

[sovay]

Odearlord, now I'm imagining "Sartorial Smackdown: Wednesdays, 9/8c
This week: Sovay's boots take on de Brulier's Cravat!"

I want to see Sydney Padua illustrate that!

[sovay]

Wolf hat versus waistcoat: are you really sure you want to be the cage for that fight?

I think the real danger of adding to this outfit is that I might spontaneously start wearing goggles or summon a dirigible.

[sovay]

Because Salomé is my favorite play, I shall seek to purchase a copy and add it to my library of silent Chaplin shorts.

It seems to be out of print, but it does exist on DVD.

But our Method focus, combined with the interpersonal dynamic, made for some breath-taking rehearsals.

Have you read Kelley Eskridge's "And Salome Danced?"

And whoa! Look ...

I shall kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan!

[sovay]

Fighting trousers a la Professor Elemental?

"I don't like your tweed, sir!"

[sovay]

I'd guess from the relatively deep shades of gray that the waistcoat in question was some sort of red/green checks.

It's probably not green, then, but I'll imagine it was.

This remained a problem in the early days of cinema - anyone with blue eyes looked all creepy. Hence no blonde movie stars until much later.

I didn't know that. Fascinating.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

Alas, I know but one dance, princess:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=JFyVPxel5_w&feature=endscreen

I shall kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan!

They say that love hath a bitter taste!

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

I shall kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan!

"I don't see why she couldn't run off with the head and live happily ever after." --small girl, having just watched Salome for the first time. (and I know it's true, because I heard it from a friend of a friend of mine.)

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

I ain't a-finding fault with your good boots. I was just hoping there was some item of footwear that you could use to complete the outfit (theme: things with mythic or lyric resonance). Right now, all I can think of is Brown Boots, from the music-hall song of the same name. And that just won't cut it. Hm. Boots of Spanish Leather?

the high heels I had to buy to play a nun

That's... *wipes away a tear*... wonderful.

[sovay]

Boots of Spanish Leather?

Unfortunately, they're L.L. Bean.

That's... *wipes away a tear*... wonderful.

I never had any problems with them, either. I'd expected all my life I would. I'm just not interested.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

I used to wear a riverboat-gambler-style waistcoat, the same green as that tie.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

It could have been light/dark green checks, I guess.


I've seen a still from a really early appearance by Stan Laurel where the director attempted to compensate by having Stan wear extra mascara. It just makes him look like a skinny raccoon.

[sovay]

(and I know it's true, because I heard it from a friend of a friend of mine.)

Why do all your happy endings have severed heads?

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

Possibly because I'm reverting to atavism and my headhunting Irish ancestors, or because I'm secretly a Templar who worships Baphomet. Or because I'm the fugitive Head Girl of St. Trinian's.