First thing we have to do is clear up the fact that King Kong does not belong to the "cine verismo" or "film noir" genre. It' a fable, more akin to "Snow White" than to "Rome, Open City", or "The Bicycle Thief". Therefor the sordid slant you assign to Ann Darrow's happy acceptance "to go on an ocean voyage with an ALL male crew" is as out of place as morally condemning Snow White's sharing a cottage with 7 men (however small). In this venue, Ann's choice of a "slinky" dress was merely to emphasize the "Beauty and the Beast" theme, and not to wantonly trigger the crew's lustful cravings.
I've been silent for a while but have been keeping track avidly all the time. I'm currently stuck in Vancouver, Canada not that far from Wrayland (ironically) since September 11th, re-organising entry into the USA - This fair, blond Australian was apparently mistaken as an insurgent, and I wasn't even wearing my turban! But seriously, on the subject of DVD - The usual debate. I'd prefer they'd restore along the lines of the producers' original vision and allow us to see a perfected masterpiece - fix the fur rippling or something, use technology constructively. I'm afraid I'm a stickler for black & white AS black & white. The lighting, the chiaroscuro - everything is DESIGNED for monochrome. But I know we can't fight THAT supposed progress. If they have to colorise it again and the dress color is contentious, why doesn't somebody ask the Lady herself? Or have I missed something? I'd always seen it as a virginal cream or ivory following Cooper's "woo" theory. Do you really think he'd have opted for little girl pink? I mean, let's face it, he DIDN'T put bows in her hair as was originally planned. And Ann Darrow was the sort of girl who was happy to go on an ocean voyage with an ALL male crew and who picked THAT slinky beauty & the beast costume for a screen test in front of them all ("It's the prettiest!"). I'm sorry, but I don't see Ann in Pink. She'd have dressed for the tropics in shades of off-white and the buttons would have been brown (Remember,Jean Harlow had been considered just as she was coming into her seven-shades-of-white period, and over a decade later Lana Turner was clothed in white to temper her brooding sexuality in "The Postman Always Rings Twice" - both platinum blondes). Have I been opinionated enough yet? Does everyone else really think it was pink?
Bradford Jones
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Hey all, Does anyone out there 'Wrayland' have any idea what color Fay Wray's dress was in "King Kong?" -- I'm thinking of the one Kong peels off on Skull ...
Steven Bingen
sbingen@...
Nov 30, 2001 7:30 pm
Hey yourself, Steve- Fay Wray's dress was a virginal pink, of course (wasn't it?) Opinionatedly yours, Jose ... From: Steven Bingen To: faywray@yahoogroups.com...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Nov 30, 2001 8:38 pm
Dear Steve- I agree with Jose- light pink- except for the lacy collar which has to be white, and the buttons which are black. VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL- according...
Dear Robert, I hate to put a damper on your expectations, but I think there is little doubt that the much awaited King Kong DVD will, in effect, be colorized....
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 1, 2001 2:42 am
Ahoy all, Fear not, I am assured that the info regarding Fay's torn dress will not, repeat, will not be used to colorize the movie. I'm told that the DVD will...
Steven Bingen
sbingen@...
Dec 4, 2001 7:31 am
I've been silent for a while but have been keeping track avidly all the time. I'm currently stuck in Vancouver, Canada not that far from Wrayland (ironically)...
Brad Jones
insanebunyip@...
Dec 7, 2001 4:50 am
Hallelujah! My dismal fears are allayed! Fay (and Kong) reign supreme! Thanks, Steve, and kudos to Robert Nelson for his sharp sense of propriety! Jose ... ...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 4, 2001 5:25 pm
Hello Bradford, First thing we have to do is clear up the fact that King Kong does not belong to the "cine verismo" or "film noir" genre. It' a fable, more...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 7, 2001 3:40 pm
This is terrific. From our impassioned responses to Steve Bingen's query on the color of one dress, the profound impact of Fay Wray in general and of her most...
Somehow I have the uneasy feeling that "brucecabot" is, in reality, an impostor! Be that as it may, however, there is an important point that both he and his...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 8, 2001 6:36 am
Hi Steve, The debate over Fay Wray's dress is a lot of fun and all, but the plain fact is that it was white, of course! Why? Because the film, "hang it", is in...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 8, 2001 7:40 am
Steve here, (the brave soul who started all this pink-dress-white dress stuff!) Well, as interesting as all this is, I have to offer fair warning that as of...
Steven Bingen
sbingen@...
Dec 9, 2001 8:06 pm
OK guys. Yes, so far only males have ventured opinions. We know from Fay's autobiography that a nice lady in New York actually made and partly designed the...
Brad Jones
insanebunyip@...
Dec 15, 2001 5:52 am
Hello Steve, You're absolutely right! As a result, the Gala Broadway Opening is a day that shall live in infamy! Ann should have worn the B&B costume, and Jack...
jose gomez reguera
veritas8@...
Dec 9, 2001 11:41 pm
Brad, You make a some good points - and they are well taken. But I'm not sure where any of this leaves us, except in a pink (white?) haze. Maybe, (in a...
Steven Bingen
sbingen@...
Dec 15, 2001 9:30 pm
Hear! hear! Jose ... From: Steven Bingen To: faywray@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 3:34 PM Subject: Re: [FayWray] Fay Wray's dress Brad, ...
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