Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Separated at birth


[Fredric March and Tobey Maguire.]

A recent pre-Code spree gave Elaine and me the chance to see a young Fredric March in Merrily We Go to Hell (dir. Dorothy Arzner, 1932). We agreed: March and Tobey Maguire were separated at birth. It’s the corners of the mouth that make the resemblance so striking.

Merrily We Go to Hell is a frank depiction of alcoholism and adultery in the pre-Code world. The film is available in a 3-DVD set, Universal’s Pre-Code Hollywood Collection. Thank you, library.

Also separated at birth
Nicholson Baker and Lawrence Ferlinghetti : Ted Berrigan and C. Everett Koop : John Davis Chandler and Steve Buscemi : Ray Collins and Mississippi John Hurt : Broderick Crawford and Vladimir Nabokov : Ted Cruz and Joe McCarthy : Jacques Derrida, Peter Falk, and William Hopper : Elaine Hansen (of Davey and Goliath) and Blanche Lincoln : Harriet Sansom Harris and Phoebe Nicholls : Ton Koopman and Oliver Sacks : Steve Lacy and Myron McCormick : Michael A. Monahan and William H. Macy

Other pre-Code posts
Baby Face : Lady Killer : The Little Giant : The Mystery of the Wax Museum : Other Men’s Women : Red-Headed Woman : Search for Beauty

[Photographs from the Internets. The photograph of March has no connection to Merrily We Go to Hell.]

comments: 4

The Crow said...

These are great comparisons!

Got to Steve Lacy then was lost in listening to B. C and L - musical versions of whiskey sour, rum, and fine, mellow scotch, respectively. Love how B makes that thing talk its sassy talk, sweet and tangy. C, I've loved since the first time I heard one of his albums, like sipping dark rum in a dimly lit, smoky club or bar...dreamy, seductive. Then there's L (new to me; thanks), smooth, goes down so easy, but makes you want to take it slow, to make it last. I'm off to have a few more "drinks".

(Never was a fan of G. Sounds like commercial background music. No nuance, it all sounds the same.)

Michael Leddy said...

Apologies for being dense, but who are B and C?

One of my favorite albums: Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron playing Ellington and Strayhorn. It was putting-my-daughter-to-sleep music when she was a wee pal.

The Crow said...

From your Thursday, December 19, 2013 post - B is Bechet, C is Coltrane.

Michael Leddy said...

D’oh! I didn’t reread that post — I’d forgotten about that.