movie inspiration: Mae West in pants

I'm No Angel (1933) - Mae West rocking some early flared spandex pants. Seriously what could these have been made of?

1883 insane hospital

One amongst the many bizarre little treasures I've collected -




I can't find any info about currency marked "insane hospital" online. Any numismatists out there can help me out? It's stamped the same on the reverse too.

movie inspiration: The Dark Corner (1946)

This is my all-time favorite film noir. My top three are The Dark Corner, Scarlet Street, and Kiss Me Deadly. Mark Stevens is a really lovable iteration of the gritty detective, and Lucille Ball is absolutely gorgeous and steals every scene she's in. She's 25 in this and had already been in 15 films. The story here too is good classic stuff - it hits all the the right notes and is a perfect example of the genre.










Love the formal teddybear hair on this lady








These needlepoint chairs are my favorite



That's Clifton Webb. If you are a big Twin Peaks fan you may recognize him as Waldo Lydecker from the film Laura. He was in tons of movies actually, and you can pretty much bet it'll be good if he's in it.










Oh and guys - this is where your waist is, in case you forgot.

movie inspiration: Pink Panther(s)

Of course right when I go to collect the last few stills I want to show you, suddenly all of the Pink Panther movies are unavailable to watch instantly. They were all just there a minute ago. Put them in your queue anyway. I'm only referring to the ones with Peter Sellers, 1963-1978.
You know I'm really into interiors these days. I mean Peter Sellers is great fun, sure, but so are the set designs. It's all candied art nouveau, which I guess is what a lot of the late 60s boils down to. His whole apartment is lovely.








I would love to find a fake one of these one day. Yeah I really would.

movie inspiration: Harlow

Harlow is the bio about jean Harlow made in 1965, so it's the 60s' idea of the 30s. Um yes please. Forever and ever. Carroll Baker is beautiful, and her costumes are divine, but it's her dressing room I'm really hung up on.





I am wallpapering the doors in my new house. I may just recreate this whole thing.





Did I forget to mention that La Lansbury is in it?


You know she's great in everything.

movie inspiration: Animal Kingdom (1932)

I have a huge folder of screencaps to share with you and I was having a heck of a time choosing what to show you next. Then I found the set from Animal Kingdom. Since I was 12, hands down my favorite movie star has been Leslie Howard - he was Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. I still have the biggest crush on him, and he is really good in this one. Myrna Loy is in it too, also lethally good and so very very pretty. The costumes are absolutely terrific. I know I am prone to hyperbole - cuz life is friggin awesome - but really this film is great all the way around.





He is the absolute end.



Both of these dresses are outstanding.



Mink bow. Perfection.




Diamante' spaghetti straps.


Bias-cut white satin. Please someone make this their wedding dress.



And my favorite dress - maybe ever? Have I made that pronouncement before? - this bias-cut velvet. Holy cow.



What color could it be? Rust? Olive? Her hair was reddish so I'm going with rust.




And here is what I mean when I say he's really good in this one - his wife has just said something remarkably stupid.





He absolutely slays me.

He was killed during WWII when the plane he was on was shot down by the Nazis. They'd had word, incorrectly, that Churchill was on board.