"The Best of Everything" (1959) alert!

Cafe Society
1

One of my *favorite *sudsy Women’s Films is on TCM this coming Sat. (Feb. 11) at 5:30 p.m., East Coast time. One of the best “ambitious young career girls in the big city” sagas.

The Best of Everything is one of those good/bad movies, like The Bad Seed; equal dollops of unintentional camp and genuine wonderfulness. Plus “gowns by Jean Louis!” No woman can really suffer beautifully unless she is sporting the floaty chiffons and tailored suits of the future Mr. Loretta Young. And one of the most lush, melodic soundtracks of the era, by the great Alfred Newman; it is one of the most-played on my iPod, raising me to a Babe Paley-caliber sense of elegance as I go about my errands.

*And *one of Joan Crawford’s best performances, as the Mean Boss (there is no way Meryl Streep did not study her frame by frame for The Devil Wears Prada).

2

thanks for the tip. Just told Tivo to record.

3

“You college girls all think it’s so easy–you’ll breeze in and become editors overnight!”

4

I remembered this one the second you quoted the line! Doesn’t it follow a scene where Joan Crawford is deliberately putting her unfortunate new admin through the wringer by issuing impossible requests? I’m a secretary and have had frequent situations just like this. Poor thing!

5

“Haven’t you forgotten something [her steno pad]? Or were you planning to beat it out on a native drum?” Joannie was *great *in this movie.

6

Well, I did. Of course, I was editing obituaries. And Jean Louis never showed up. I did wear jeans though . . . does that count?