From Marlene to
Marilyn:
Glamour and Desire
on the Silver Screen
Rachel Park, Bryn Mawr College ’10
History & Classical Studies
September 1, 2008
Overview: Summer 2008
Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center
My internship at the National Portrait
Gallery
 Resources
 Main concepts/themes
 Impact on contemporary culture
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Internship at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait
Gallery in Washington, D.C.
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Assisted Smithsonian cultural historian, Amy Henderson,
whose past exhibits include “Kate: One Life,” and “Red,
Hot & Blue”
Researched Hollywood glamour during the Golden Era
(1920s-1950s)
Studied the key actors during that time, the studio
system, the concept of glamour and its implications in
American culture
What I enjoyed
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Staff at NPG and the Smithsonian at large expressed
how much they appreciated and valued their interns
Truly felt that my work was making a meaningful
contribution
Hands-on experience
Experience pulled many of my interests together:
fashion, film, cultural history
Resources
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Books from the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art
Museum library (and through interlibrary loan)
Kobal Collection online
Films during that time period
Newsreels at the National Archives in College Park and the James
Madison building of the Library of Congress
 flatbed viewing machines
Resources
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In addition to newsreels, screened Paramount on Parade (1930),
The Voice of Hollywood, and Screen Snapshots
--> feature films/film magazines/“celebrity newsreels” that
featured popular stars
ProQuest database
 searches through the following historical newspapers: Atlanta
Constitution (1868-1939), Boston Globe (1872-1925), Chicago
Tribune (1849-1986), Christian Science Monitor (1908-1995),
Los Angeles Times (1881-1986), The New York Times (18512005), The Wall Street Journal (1889-1991), and The
Washington Post (1877-1992)
Life magazine (1940s)
Photoplay on microfilm (1912-1917)
Key actors and actresses:
Glamour
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Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)
“Legs”
 Sustained her image of glamour
throughout her lengthy career
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Greta Garbo (1905-1990)
“The Face,” “The Swedish Sphinx”
 Has continued to fascinate
audiences worldwide for her
reclusive, aloof nature

Glamour
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Gary Cooper (1901-1961)
 Primarily known for his role
in Westerns
 Was able to uphold public
interest due to his wide
range of films, including
Sergeant York, The Pride of
the Yankees, and High Noon
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Dolores del Rio (1905-1983)
 First Mexican actress to hit it
big in Hollywood
 Her natural beauty and her
“exoticism” were selling
points
Glamour
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Cary Grant (1904-1986)
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The quintessential dashing hero
Had excellent comedic timing
Fred Astaire (1899-1987)
and Ginger Rogers (1911-1995)
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The dynamic duo that brought
glamour back onto the screens of
Depression-era America
Represented love through the art of
song and dance
Glamour
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Humphrey Bogart
(1899-1957)
 The
definition of sexy
masculinity and moral
integrity
Desire
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Gloria Swanson (1897-1983)
The silent screen vamp
 Showcased glamour on and off
screen  the ultimate “clotheshorse”
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Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926)
First major male sex symbol of film
 Combination of sensitivity and virility –
duality of character was very appealing

Desire
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Clark Gable (1901-1960)
 “The King” of the box office
 Rugged and handsome: the
mustache was essential
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Jean Harlow (1911-1937)
 “The Platinum Blonde” – her
hair set a trend that millions of
women would follow
 Had a magnetic screen
presence, which many
attributed to her “honesty”
Desire
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Carole Lombard (1908-1942)
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The woman who could mix glitz
and humor
Joan Crawford (1906-1977)
 Started off as a flapper girl, but was
determined to be a star
Desire
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Veronica Lake (1919-1973)
Most well-known for her
“peekaboo” hairstyle, which
had a tremendous effect
on the hair industry
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Marlon Brando (1924-2004)
Was part of a new wave of
“method acting,” which was to
use real-life experiences and emotions
as inspiration for the film

Desire
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Elizabeth Taylor (1932)
 Has
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been called the last great star
James Dean (1931-1955)
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Was able to induce conflicted
feelings in the viewer with his
portrayal of morally ambivalent characters
Desire
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Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)
 “The
Blonde Bombshell” who transfixed the nation
with her unabashed sex appeal, but level of
vulnerability as well
Pinups During WWII
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Betty Grable (1916-1973)
 the ultimate pinup
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Rita Hayworth (1918-1987)
 in 1941 Life
Influence on American culture
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Lake’s hairstyle, Harlow’s hair, Dietrich’s pants
Hollywood glamour flourished during the
Depression, when people wanted to escape
their daily hardships and live variously through
the stars  followed every fad and trend
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Automobiles and dining out were outward
expressions of the stars’ refined lifestyles
Androgynous Appeal
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Dietrich in Morocco:
famous scene where
she sings dressed in a
tuxedo
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Dean in Rebel Without
a Cause: His “delicate”
features appealed to
both men and women
Transformation of Stars/Contradictions
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Rita Hayworth’s hairline was
raised via electrolysis and her
hair was dyed to look “less
Latin”; Gable’s ears were
surgically corrected because
they were too big
Aim for perfection, but allure
lays in imperfection: Monroe’s
signature look was the “justgot-out-of-bed” look, but even
this image was carefully
constructed (Fox, 86)
Stars were like divinities, but
attempt to humanize them
Idea of Beauty
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Picture from the 1937 film, A Star
Is Born, which shows two men
drawing on a woman’s face to
“reshape” her brows stars
began to look the same
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1920s flapper girl
1930s exotic, yet natural: In the
early 1930s, Crawford’s heavy eye
make-up was widely imitated, but
in the September 1933 issue of
Photoplay, natural beauty was
hailed.
1940s pinup
1950s sex symbol
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Harlow’s platinum blonde hair 
Rita Hayworth’s red hair  Hedy
Lamarr’s raven hair
Motifs
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Stars and Cars
Big cat
Furs and feathers
On the town – night clubs (El Morocco, Ciro’s) , restaurants (Romanoff’s,
The Brown Derby)
At play – Santa Anita races, poolside, informal “at-homes,” boats and trains,
tennis, skiing, golfing
Magic Makers
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Wardrobe, lighting, makeup, and cinematography
helped make the star
Max Factor’s idea of
beauty: “The beauty
calibrator”
Karl Struss

Swanson in Male and
Female (1919)
Magic Makers:
Fashion Designers
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Adrian – 1932 dress
worn by Crawford
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Travis Banton –
designed costumes
for Dietrich in The
Devil is a Woman
(1935)
Magic Makers: Photographers
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Dennis Stock: 1955
James Dean in Indiana
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George Hurrell: 1941
Veronica Lake
Impact on contemporary culture

Express newspaper in Washington D.C., 7/2/08 issue: Discussed
Armani fall-winter 2008-2009 collection, and cited the influence of
Hollywood decadence  “Shades of earlier Hollywood heroines like
Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich ran through his collection of
tailored jackets with razor-sharp shoulders and goddess gowns
glistening with beads” (p. 31).
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NY Times audio feature published on 7/27/08: “On the Street: The
Appeal of the Heel,” by Bill Cunningham  revival of high heels with
short skirts or shorts, reminiscent of Betty Grable, “no one could care
less” attitude in the City
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“Women In Film” video (Google Docs) on the transformation of women
in film
Sources
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Hayworth on cover slide:
http://www.tcf.ua.edu/Classes/Jbutler/T577
/Students/RitaFace.jpg (8/14/08)
Sources
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Dietrich: http://www.humanesocietyny.org/auction/images/index-photo07.jpg (8/5/08)
Garbo: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/75/171481871_7467da1339.jpg?v=0 (8/5/08)
Del Rio: http://bp1.blogger.com/_CLu8_jFPNZ4/Rf83bUN_w3I/AAAAAAAAAIA/rHcrcJ9LjY/s1600-h/Delores+Del+Rio12.jpg (8/5/08)
Cooper: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/steichen/steichen_gary_cooper_b.jpg
(8/5/08)
Grant:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/screendreams/images/postcards_grant_450.jpg
(8/5/008)
Fred and Ginger:
http://bp0.blogger.com/_VkZbqqaJEtQ/RkPYhbmW0oI/AAAAAAAAAtA/FquX8TPbnQ/s1600-h/fred.bmp (8/5/08)
Bogie: http://www.filmsquish.com/guts/files/images/Annex%20%20Bogart,%20Humphrey%20(Maltese%20Falcon,%20The)_02.jpg (8/5/08)
Swanson: http://jasonlandry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/steichen.jpg (8/5/08)
Valentino: http://www.altfg.com/Stars/actorsv/valentino-rudolph-1.jpg (8/5/08)
Harlow:
http://www.allaboutshoes.ca/images/common/heights_of_fashion/fantasies_big_screen/1.jp
g (8/5/08)
Gable: http://www.theothersideofkim.com/images/uploads/2007files/clark_gable18.jpg
(8/5/08)
Sources
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Lombard:
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd164/iamericamag/1920s%20sirens/carole_lombard_
1313.jpg (8/5/08)
Crawford:
http://images.scripting.com/archiveScriptingCom/2006/02/27/youngCrawfordBig.jpg
(8/5/08)
Lake: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1192/1383365761_3a4f4e66ab.jpg?v=0 (8/5/08)
Brando: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039_4032~Marlon-BrandoPosters.jpg (8/5/08)
Taylor: http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Elizabeth-Taylor-Photograph-C12145909.jpeg
(8/5/08)
Dean: http://www.cinematical.com/images/2005/09/james%20dean2.jpg (8/5/08)
Monroe:
http://www.gallerym.com/images/work/big/associated%20press_marilyn_monroe_seven_yr
_itch_L.jpg (8/5/08)
Hayworth: http://www.tcf.ua.edu/Classes/Jbutler/T577/Students/RitaPinup.jpg (8/14/08)
Grable: http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/images2/1943.jpg (8/5/08)
Lamour: http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/images2/lamour1.jpg (8/5/08)
Turner:
http://www.seraphicpress.com/images/Lana%20Turner,%20They%20Won't%20Forget.jpg
(8/12/08)
Sheridan: http://www.ipacific.com/shop/photography/hurrell/08AnnSheridan.jpg (8/5/08)
Sources
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“Androgynous appeal”
 Dietrich:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z297/GreenAmbassador/Green%20Ambass
ador%20Weed/Canna%20Embassy%20art/marlene_dietrich1.jpg (8/11/08)
 Dean: http://www.vafilm.com/images/FilmFest07/rebel.JPG (8/14/08)
“Transformation of Stars/Contradictions”
 Rita Hayworth: Basinger, Jeanine. The Star Machine. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,
2007. 42
 Fox, Patty. Star Style: Hollywood Legends as Fashion Icons. Santa Monica:
Angel City Press, Inc., 1995. 86.
 Cary Grant cooking from Kobal Collection online: photo ref. XGR004ML (8/14/08)
“Idea of Beauty”
 A Star Is Born: Basinger, The Star Machine, p. 40
“Motifs”
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Jean Harlow from Kobal collection online: photo ref. CA002FF
Santa Anita races from Kobal collection online: photo ref. XDE027CA
Sources
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“Magic Makers”
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“The Beauty Calibrator”:
http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3065333.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=3
2F168F2F013CA9AFFA45C14C2D93F44A55A1E4F32AD3138 (8/11/08)
Swanson in Male and Female: Kobal, John. The Art of the Great Hollywood
Portrait Photographers: 1925-1940. New York: Harrison House, 1987. 74.
(8/14/08)
Adrian: http://static.flickr.com/47/179512788_e9296c2c95.jpg (8/11/08)
Travis Banton: http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/thehollywoodcollection/md643.jpg
(8/11/08)
Stock, Dennis. James Dean: Fifty Years Ago. New York: Harry N. Abrams,
Inc. 2005. 43.
George Hurrell:
http://www.ipacific.com/shop/photography/hurrell/06VeronicaLake.jpg
(8/11/08)
“Impact on contemporary culture”
“The Appeal of the Heel” feature:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/27/fashion/street-multimedia3/index.html (2:15 mins - 2:07 mins)
“Women In Film” video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEc4YWICeXk