Reviving the blog, resetting the focus, and let's "Pillow Talk"

Is this thing on? Wow, it's crazy to think that it's been 5 years since I've posted on here. If any of you are still here, hello! If you were around for "Classic Movie Moments", this is now the home of "The Old Hollywood Feminist"!

It appears that I attempted to write multiple drafts of posts more recently, but never published them. Turns out life as a self-employed musician is more than a full-time job! I love what I do, but I've really missed writing. I've missed having a creative outlet that isn't my work-- I love writing, because it's not something I feel judged about, or something I need to be perfect at (what's perfect, anyway)? And I love writing about movies-- movies bring so much joy and calm to my crazy life.

On an hour-long drive to a work meeting a few weeks ago, my brain finally had about an hour to think about things other than my job. And, a lightbulb went off. I realized: I'm a hardcore feminist, but I'm also a hardcore classic movie fan. Like, really hardcore-- like a DVD collection in the hundreds, a film book collection so large that my friends make fun of me for every time they help us move to a new house.

My immediate reaction was: I should write about this! Because when people first hear "feminist" and "classic film", they probably sound like drastically different terms. But, I'm here to say that isn't so. In an era where Hollywood was governed by a bunch of old white guys (hmm, sound familiar?), some of the most powerful and badass women were on the screen-- in starring roles, with top billing. (Who had top billing in "Easter Parade"? The answer isn't Fred Astaire). The "women's picture" was an entire genre unto itself-- were there problematic themes in the genre? Hell yes. Were the women portraying these characters smarter than the genre? Hell yes, again (hey Bette Davis!).

So, the long and the short of it is, I want to talk about how growing up with these films had a hand in shaping me into a feminist. I want to talk about the stars that defied the studio system, in front of and behind the camera. I want to talk about the actresses who made their characters into fully-fledged humans, even if the writing wasn't there. And, I want to talk about films that made me think: I want to be like her.

Badass, having none if it, Queen Jan Morrow

So, our first subject? An unlikely one, perhaps. A woman who never defined herself as a feminist. A woman who, on the surface, was "the girl next door", the "peppy blonde", the sometimes "tomboy", or, worst, "the eternal virgin". Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we're talking about Doris Day. Beloved, recently departed Doris Day. Even her name elicits images of sunshine and perkiness. But, I want to talk about how I first came to know her, and how, for 15-year old me, none of these above labels even entered my mind when I watched my first Doris Day movie.

As I said, I first sat down and watched a full Doris Day movie when I was 15. My mom told me I would love it, that it was charming, and adorable. The movie was "Pillow Talk" (1959). Here is how I read this movie, without knowing how this movie was defined by "film history". Doris' character? Jan Morrow. Single, lives alone in a super rad apartment, makes what seems to be a pretty damn successful living (according to her rad apartment and stunning wardrobe) as an interior decorator. Doesn't seem to be lacking for anything in her life. She's mature, likeable, and the only thorn in her side is playboy Brad Allen (gorgeous Rock Hudson) who happens to share her party line. For any youngins' who don't know what a party line is, Google it (15-year old me definitely needed a rundown on what that was). Jan is also funny-- cue some of the best facial expressions in the history of cinema whenever she listens in Brad's antics, while waiting to make her important work calls.  Anyhow, to me at 15, this woman is living the life! I want her apartment! She's living in New York City! She's making a living in New York City! She goes out on dates when she wants to! She's selective, and isn't about to settle down with the wrong man. Her life is fine as it is. She's living the dream!

When she falls for Rex Stetson (aka Brad Allen putting on a Texan accent to disguise his true identity-- just go with it, people), she doesn't hold back in her desire for intimacy (she actually asks him why he hasn't kissed her yet), and then when they go away together for the weekend, this woman is super down to go "all the way"-- in fact, I would say, this is not her first rodeo at all of this! She may be single, but she ain't a nun! The only thing that stops her is discovering Rex's true identity.

Bathtime and flirty times for Jan Morrow

So, why then, was "Pillow Talk" the film that crowned Doris Day with the term "eternal virgin"? And why is it still in the consciousness of people that "virgin" is what Doris Day's cinematic image was? Were we watching the same movie? Were we watching the same split-screen scene where Jan is in the bathtub (naked, gasp!) and flirting with Rex on the phone, who is also in a bathtub?! Jan Morrow is badass, she's not a prude! And, she's a sexy badass-- hello, I'd love to have Doris Day's body, please. It never even crossed my mind when I watched this movie as a 15 year old that Jan Morrow is in her 30s and has never had sex (which, by the way, would be fine too, but that's not how I read it). What, just because she focused on her career instead of marrying means that sex wasn't on the table, period? Come on, people. In my mind, "Pillow Talk" was ahead of its time, not behind.

For me, watching this as a teenager, of course I wanted Doris and Rock together. I mean, have you seen them together? Dream team. But what was far more resonant to me was the fact that I was pretty much in love with Jan Morrow's life. I idolized her. I wanted her wardrobe. I wanted her confidence. I wanted her flirtatiousness. She had it all. She was a modern woman wrapped up in a beautiful 1959 package, and in the early 2000s, I wanted to be her.

In short, watching this movie ignited a Doris Day obsession that continues to this day. And I've never understood the misconceptions about her screen image. Anyone who actually watches her movies should understand what she represented/represents. In "Pillow Talk", she's basically the coolest woman ever, and was living ahead of her time. End of story.

But, not the end of these blog posts! Who should I talk about next? Lemme know! Thanks for reading!