CineMaven

>"I'd love to read your take on the story." Well...for better or worse, Miss G. here is my take: THE LOST GIRL...SPOILED AND SPOILED AGAIN: DEFILEMENT & REDEMPTION. Things seem to go from bad to worse for young Thymian in "Diary of a Lost Girl.? Not only does her attacker make an appointment to rape in her diary, (one of the most devas-tating acts I've ever seen in films), but her family takes her baby away and puts her in a reform school. There won't even be any ?Maedchen in Uniform? tenderness there for poor Thymian. Thymian is played by Louise Brooks who I must say has dark stunning looks and her trademark page boy. As Thymian she seems to have NO say in her own life...no voice. Things are beyond her control and everyone around her uses her. Her one protector should have been her father. But he?s a poor excuse for a man. He feels he can?t help because he?s been guilty of the very same transgressions against young women. But what gets me is that everyone disapprovingly but implicitly condones what her father does. It?s even resulted in an unwanted pregnancy for a housekeeper, who has commited suicide. Yikes!!! Thymian winds up in a brothel, drugged and violated once again. (What's up with the narcoleptic fainting spells which give men free rein over her? Why wasn't she allowed to be awake and fight, I wonder? Why this passive submission to their desire). She does attempt to break away from her circumstances by putting an ad in the paper for dance lessons. But the kindly looking "Aunt Bee" Madam with the double chin and pearls, subverts the ad slightly, making it kind of read differently. Thymian gets a handle on the ropes of the brothel and becomes pretty popular. (What?s a girl to do?) Her father is at an event held by the brothel, in attendance with his wife (ex-housekeeper) and the father of his grandchild. When Papa Henning sees Thymian as the lottery prize for the men at this party he is crushed. (Uhmmmm, "Why, Pops?? Would be my question). When Dr. Vitalis proclaims: "Yes Thymian, you?re a lost girl now,? I ask again, how many of them have contributed to her downfall. And couldn?t Thymian have walked OUT of that House? Yes, she?s initially the victim, but still???? I liked the shot of Thymian coming to hear the reading of her father?s will, her back to the camera as she walks up the stairs. She looks out through rainsoaked window as her step-mother and kids leave in a little wagon pulled by a dog. (That was pitiful). But outside looked sunny. (Huh?) Meinert tries to make a move on Thymian, again in the lawyer's office. He wants another bite of the apple but is rejected by her and smacked by the barrister. Touche Herr Barrister! 'Bout time and not nearly enough!! When Thymian returns to the brothel, her brothelling sisters look for the $$$$, but she has given it to her stepmother. Osdorff Jr. bails out the window...good. I didn?t care for or about him. He was weak. And jumping took the easy way out. (Coward!) I didn?t see it coming, but I was glad it came. I liked that touch of one paper flying out in the air. It took one more obstacle out of Thymian?s way...out of her misguided sense of loyalty to someone, perhaps? I?m not crazy comfortable about movies where so much happens to the heroine...all these perils befalling our Tess Truheart. For me its just so much heaped on a person. Louise looks very lovely in her black widow?s weeds. Loved the seeing the beach used as a location. (There was a lech on the beach ready to make a move on Thymian...but she luckily, scampers away). I?m not quite sure why she can?t take care of herself; get a job. It?s 1929. Women are coming into their own. What?s the problem with T?? Back to the scene of the crime at the Reformatory with that tall bald-headed creep that she dealt with long before. I bet none of the girls ever had a decent night's sleep what with Baldy and their House-Mistress Eva Klemp. I?m hoping with her money Thymian can now do some good. And first on the agenda...kick out baldie!! I liked Pabst revisiting the soup, at the Reform School; ha! it's something she couldn't swallow before...and can not swallow now!!! (It?s funny how people don?t want you out of their clutches. They want to hold you down...hold you to them). The one man that didn?t want to take advantage of her is Uncle Count Osdorff and for that I am grateful though I held my breath waiting for him to make his "move." Pabst didn't easily give me anyone to trust for Thymian, now did he? I enjoyed "Diary of a Lost Girl." Now don't get me wrong, my Saccharine-O-Meter always goes a little haywire with preaching and sermonizing and the 'rise and fall' kind of plot; but I try to put myself in the mindset of 1929 and know that this is the storytelling of days of olde. But there?s nothing dated about Louise Brooks. When her coal black eyes look directly into the camera they are absolutely riveting as they burn a hole in me seventy-odd years later. I?ll check out my friend?s article and I?ll look at this documentary (which I vaguely remember when it aired): . She seems like a very direct, self-indulgent woman who for good or bad, lived life on her own terms. And apparently to many...what a life.

Western as "comfort food." Hmmmm...I guess I feel that way about monster/horror movies ("The Crawling Eye" "Tarantula" "Blood of Dracula"); though nothing heroic in that fare. It's just that I've read many of the posts in the Western forum here that you and others seems to get so much more meaning out of the genre that I miss. Much of the analysis is so profound...so much more than the white hat/black hat thing. Thanxxx so much for indulging my curiosity. Guess I can cool it on the word "So" huh? Thanx. Edited by: CineMaven on Nov 14, 2010 9:17 PM...thank you for the "Home From the Hill" recommendation as well.

Thanx for that info. Nope, I don't mind YouTube. After I finish watching Daniel Craig as James Bond in "Quantum of Solace" I'll go over there. When you and others have any extra time, my friend wrote an article about the great Louise. You can read it here when you have time: http://mubi.com/lists/15129

I get the distinct impression that The Western is your favorite genre. Would you tell me why?

Is it possible that just the mere skimming of such well-written material is enuf to send me to Barnes & Noble to see if they had this film? I left empty-handed (sold-out) but I'll go back during the week. In the meantime, as usual, you all have intrigued me. I love when the writing on this Board does that. Okay Pabst-y goes on my list of films to watch.

He's not appreciated over in this thread either: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=156611&tstart=0.

You certainly don't speak for me. Or is this just another drive-by post?

Compete with those beautiful French and Italian women? Geez, Bronxie. I dunno; don't know if my ego could stand it.

Hey Jackaaaaaay!!! Welcome to the 10K club. Love your ramblings...and I see you put together another fine thread using images and heartfelt post.

Ha... I have on the evil, dreaded AMC, where "TROY" on in the background. Yeah...yeah. But I love mythology and Brad looks good as the great Achilles.

You're right...I don't believe it, Bronxie. That means I'm 145. Ow!

It's so funny we doubt that (her being on a horse). Wasn't this redheaded gal born in Montana (Big Sky Country)??

:-)

George Raft + Jack LaRue = Miss G & Jack Favell...happy campers.

Yup, I'm making it doubly official now. Ava Gardner is my favorite brunette.

Okay Jackaaaaaay, I've made it official. Ava Gardner is my favorite brunette.

You're wicked! LOL!!! Edited by: CineMaven on Nov 12, 2010 1:52 AM...and may I add, RED is definitely her color.

Ma'am she is supernatural. Cukor is "loving" her with that camera. I've never found her more ravishing and she was gorgeous in "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman." And I'm happy to see Georgie handling big crowds like David Lean. Funny...the movie's been on over an hour, and Granger is such a cold fish to her. The British!

Wearing a sari, a bustle, a kimona, a potato sack...in a water barrel. Ava. Tortured in "Bhowani Junction" and "Barefoot Contessa." Ava. Boys, if you can't stand the heat.....

Oh wow!!! Granny's on the sewing machine.

Hey, is it my imagination but is Robert Ryan taken by Joan Bennett. He's so cute, sweet. It's only fifteen minutes into the film. He's so big and tall and brawny next to her petite-ness. Joan on the other hand is up to some brunette devilment. Love her in the slacks and curly hair.

I caught a few moments of "The People Against O'Hara" on my way to setting my vcr for your Robbie's "WOMAN ON THE BEACH." What separated Diana Lynn from glorious Gloria Grahame? I thought the resemblance was striking. Well...now for Robbie and Joanie.

Uhmmmmm, the other cliche??? Hmmm...let's try the --DVD-- check is in the mail. And if I'm a really bad girl...spank me with "Pandora & the Flying Dutchman" while you're stickin' pins in me. Thanks!

I. was. wrong. It takes a big person to admit that...to him(her)self. Take care, Grimesy.

"And yes, to make it more Hitchcockian and more noirish, post War trauma, Freudian psycho- analysis and dream imagery is thrown in. The whole shebang in one unassuming little picture no one talks about." WHEW!!! What a scintillating distillation of this movie. I blew it this morning. Not so much a Pat O'Brien fan as I am a Claire Trevor fan. I'm sorry I missed this film. "...his presence always reassures me because I know if there's a false alarm in the room he's going to suss him out and level him flat with those 'don't try to hand me that' baby blues." Oh bloody hell...you're about to turn me into a Pat O'Brien fan just with that one sentence. How'd you do that? Cut it out, will ya?!!