Favourite Classic Movie Kisses: The Palm Beach Story (1942)Claudette Colbert & Joel McCreaDir. P
Favourite Classic Movie Kisses: The Palm Beach Story (1942)Claudette Colbert & Joel McCreaDir. Preston SturgesGerry: “I can’t open this blasted dress.”Tom: “Alright. Come over here to the light.”A slightly-pervy and completely pointless review by celluloidsnogs.tumblr.comContext: Gerry (Claudette Colbert) is divorcing penniless inventor Tom (Joel McCrea) in order to “snag” a millionaire husband and secure the money needed to fund Tom’s make-or-break airport project. He knows she is still madly in love with him and has tracked her down in order to try and win her back! After much lie-telling and kerfuffling they end up posing as brother and sister whilst staying in adjoining rooms in the house of a millionaire (Rudy Vallee). They’ve just returned from an evening out that featured much romantic kerfuffling. Gerry (whilst being serenaded by Rudy Vallee from the garden) discovers she can’t get out of her dress, and so reluctantly enlists Tom’s help. As you can probably tell, the sexual tension here is beyond comprehension. She ends up sat in between his legs for chrissakes! I challenge anybody, regardless of sexual preference, to sit in between the legs of 37-year-old-Joel-McCrea and not want to turn around and plant one on that ridiculous face of his.Aesthetic: Joel and Claudette were such beautiful-looking people, and they’re both “dressed to the nines” in this scene! They epitomise the image we all associate with the words “Classic Movie Kiss”: a handsome man in black-tie, a beautiful woman in an evening gown, and they’re in a swanky room surrounded by chic 1930s furnishings. Not to mention simultaneously being serenaded by none other than Rudy Vallee with his rendition of “Goodnight Sweetheart”! Get some!Direction: Timing is everything, and it’s spot on here. The tension gradually builds in each stage of the scene until it reaches its absolute peak. Then, and only then, do they “go for it”. Nice work, Preston. I can tell you were equally as obsessed with movie kisses as I am.Technique: I have many thoughts (positive ones) about Joel “Handsy” McCrea’s movie-kissing technique. He may even deserve his very own post in the future, just to showcase his fine contribution to classic movie kiss history. However you may feel about him as an actor or human being, there is no denying that he knew how to deliver a kiss that would explode all ovaries within a 5 mile radius. Claudette equally excels at acting the “bat-shit-crazy-head-swimmingly-in-love” initiator and recipient of said kiss. She had the ability to react to a kiss as well as deliver one; she just seemed to know and express exactly what any member of her audience would feel if in the same position. This kiss literally has it all: the swoop, the embrace, and the hands, and oh my!… I wasn’t planning on getting this vulgar but lbr – it’s just one of those kisses where you could feasibly assume that Joel would be “sporting a semi” (if-ya-know-what-I-meaaaaan…*wink*). And the fact that this kiss is encased within an extremely entertaining Preston Sturges screwball-comedy makes it even more enjoyable!“I hope you realise this is costing us millions!” (Gerry, post-kiss)I give it an official CelluloidSnogs™ rating of **Holy-sheeet!-This-kiss-is-so-good-it-makes-me-question-my-existence!**Build up: ♡♡♡♡♡Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡Chemistry: ♡♡♡♡♡Beauty: ♡♡♡♡♡Technique: ♡♡♡♡♡ -- source link
#claudette colbert#joel mccrea#preston sturges#movie kiss