subscribeI have to lead this piece with Mary Astor. Her ability to be both benign and malevolent at the same time within the same character is rare. I believe her motives no matter which way they lead. I first fell for her as an innocent in Red Dust (leave that dufus husband and run off with Clark Gable already!), but her flawless portrayal of treachery in The Maltese Falcon was no less compelling. In Midnight wealth becomes her. She inhabits her aristocracy with a great sense of ease and cunning. The cornucopia of adornment that would be considered on most “laden” feels natural, polished, on Astor.
Simone, played by Elaine Barry is the great facilitator of Midnight. Without Simone there would be no hats to buy, advice follow, nor party guests. Her brooch is the most dauntless and bold of all brooches (see slide 6). This simple centipede seems to infect her like an assassin out of a 007 film. She is formidable and as such delivers one of the finest lines in Midnight:
“It always rains when Stephanie gives one of her dull parties; even Nature weeps.”
Please follow the highlights, commentary on a slide by slide basis when you launch the slideshow.
