Mae West

After reading the books it seemed like a plan to watch the films, especially after I found a very reasonably priced box set in HMV. Reading about Mae West here was an education in itself. She would be years ahead of her time now never mind 80 years ago. 

I've watched a couple of the films - She Done Him Wrong and Belle of the Nineties which has a lot in common with 'The Constant Sinner' though in a considerably cleaned up way. Mae was 38 when she made her Hollywood debut, the collection I have will take her well into her 40's - she looks damn good but she also looks mature, she's not skinny, and her clothes cover her from neck to floor - though figure hugging hardly begins to describe it, and everybody is wild about her.

I can't imagine an actress being allowed to pull that off today but in Mae's films the men are falling over themselves to get to her - and rightly so. She's glamorous, intelligent, ruthless, independent, knows what she wants, and is exceptionally confidant, nobody's taking advantage of her (when someone tries it in Belle of the Nineties one ends up dead another in prison). Again - you just don't get heroines like that these days. 

It looks like there are a few wet afternoons and cold dark nights around the corner, time could be much worse spent than in watching these films or reading her books.