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The Lady Acted

I saw her first in the film, “Baby Face”, where she played Chico to Barbara Stanwyck’s Lily. She was someone that Lily cared for and more than a servant, they were girlfriends who shared a hunger for the lavish lifestyle, secrets, and enjoyed each other’s company. Their chemistry produced a nice mix that I wanted to experience again- in a vehicle with an equal amount of room for them to play in together, like Lorelei and Dorothy in, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. 

The second time I saw her was in, “Out of the Past”, with Robert Mitchum. She was a source of information that he needed, but a bit cagey and particular about whether or not he should receive it. I noticed the contrast in characters and thought, this person wants viewers to know who she is, so I should find out, and I did.

Baby Face (1933)

Out of the Past (1947)

I came across only one personal quote, sourced from IMDB, that said, “I never felt the chance to rise above the role of maid in Hollywood movies. My color was against me. The fact that I was not, hot, stamped me as either an uppity Negress or relegated me to the eternal role of stooge or servant. I can sing, but so can hundreds of other girls. My ambitions are to be an actress. Hollywood had no parts for me.”

After reading this, I wanted also to hear Harris speak to me herself, so I watched and listened to her. The message left for her viewers throughout time was this… I’ve worked small parts in nearly one hundred films. In them, I acted and cared about my work. Though mostly comprised of maids and servants, I made maid Alma in “I Walked with a Zombie” educated, assertive and have an island accent, different from maid Clementine who has another kind of accent and nature in, “The Flame of New Orleans”. And when in “The Toy Wife,” servant Pick is designed to show a southern speaking girl without formal education, while the woman in “Banjo on my Knee” is well spoken, relates and communicates emotionally with Stanwyck’s character Pearl through song, showing my capability. 

Banjo on My Knee (1936)

This beautiful, connective scene was Theresa Harris’ second film with Barbara Stanwyck. The song that Harris is singing while Stanwyck is standing on the dock watching her, is St. Louis Blues. Harris also sings this same song in their first film together, “Baby Face”. I was very impressed by the different manner she chose to make both characters sing the song, proving her talent. And even though Harris doesn’t have a speaking role in her and Stanwyck’s third film together, “The File on Thelma Jordan”, she gave each moment everything she had to offer, as she does more vividly in, “Black Moon”- where she plays a girl who is set to be sacrificed in another non speaking role that exclaims, the lady acted!

Black Moon (1934)

The Toy Wife (1938)

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

The Flame of New Orleans (1941)

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The Irene Sharaff Costumes that Elizabeth Taylor wore best in Cleopatra.

Read my screenplay here: https://deliciousgloss.wordpress.com/2019/07/04/the-eyes-of-egypt/

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Joseph L. Mankiewicz’ Cleopatra

The inspiring scenes that led me to write, “The Eyes of Egypt”, a remnant of Cleopatra. 

Cleopatra: I feel that you need me now, but I can not help you.

Caesar: Then help me to live as I have always lived, always differently from the rest. The others, for whom life is merely an endless fear of dying.

Cleopatra: Your gods and mine go with you Caesar. The world expect for you is filled with little men.

Cleopatra: Use that Roman genius for destruction. Tear down pyramids, wipe out cities! How dare you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library. Play conqueror all you want mighty Caesar. Rape, murder, pillage thousands, millions of human beings. But neither you or any other barbarian has the right to destroy one human thought!

That’s enough. Leave me alone with her.

Cleopatra: This morning early, you paid a formal visit to the tomb of Alexander. You remained alone at his sarcophagus for some time.

Caesar: I’d very much like to know how you know that.

Cleopatra: Just staring down at him… and then you cried. Why did you cry Caesar? 

In Egypt, at Cleopatra’s Coronation...

Caesar: Isis herself would surrender her place in heaven to be as beautiful as you.

Cleopatra: You’re not supposed to look at me. No one is. You should be kneeling. (she kicks him a pillow and says…) You have such bony knees.

Caesar: Not only bony, but unaccustomed to this sort of thing. (He kneels, it angers Aggripa, and she smiles at Caesar’s respect towards her.

(And when in Rome, she shows her respect towards him...)

Antony: How many legions do we have left?

Rufio: It’s hard to tell. So many desertions. They haven’t been paid in months. We must find the gold to pay them, wheat to feed them, supplies, ships, armor.

Antony: And where do you suggest we look for all these? I forbid you to mention her!

Rufio: I didn’t

Antony: I will not crawl to her with a hand held out like a beggar! Why hasn’t she offered assistance?

Rufio: perhaps she doesn’t know.

Antony: of course she knows. She knows everything. If only out of gratitude of what I’ve done for her.

Rufio: Perhaps she’ll express it in person.

Antony: Then let her come to me. Am I so much less than Caesar?

Rufio: Nor is she less than Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.

Antony: Queens. Strip them naked as any other woman, they’re no longer queens.

Rufio: It is also difficult to tell the rank of a naked general. And general’s without armies are naked indeed.

Antony: Alright, I’ll meet her halfway. I’ll send you to her. You order her to come to me.

Rufio: If I’m to order her, I need not journey.

Antony: Then Summon her. Whatever you want, but see to it that she comes to me.

Cleopatra: I do not intend to join that long list of queens who have quivered so happily to be summoned by Lord Antony.

Rufio: But surely I didn’t say summon.

Cleopatra: You said “invite”, “he meant summon”. In any case, I am the queen of Egypt and I chose to stay on Egyptian soil. I will meet with Lord Antony, but only on Egyptian soil.

Cleopatra: With so much left unsaid within you, it must be a relief to tear and break things.

Antony: Stronger than the strongest, still no Caesar. Do what you will, Caesar’s done it first and done it better. Ruled better, loved better, fought better. Run where you will, you can’t get out. There’s no way out. The shadow of Caesar will cover you and cover the universe for all of time. (She sits up and really looks at him. She sees Antony’s love)

Antony: For so long you have filled my life… like a great noise I hear everywhere in my heart. I want to be free of you… of wanting you… of being afraid.

Cleopatra: Caesar would not permit it.

(He pulls the Caesar made necklace from her neck and kisses her. He tells her...)

Antony: Now I will never be free of you.

I wanted my character Julius to have mind and strength like Caesar, but to love like Antony.

Cleopatra is told of Antony... He understood quite clearly what was at stake, what he would lose, but said that he would not leave you. (She goes to see Antony)

Cleopatra: When you go, must it be for very long?

Antony: I must take some of these with me. They don’t have them. At least they didn’t when I was last… in Rome. (She walks away telling him...)

Cleopatra: While they were building the foundation of my tomb, the workers found an old wall. Someone scratched on it. Hundreds of years ago. “You were not here last night and I could not sleep. Will you be here tonight?” Do you suppose they ever met again? (He holds her.)

Antony: Will you come tonight so that I can sleep... the dark sleep. They did meet after all... The lovers. (He said, referring to the story of the lovers that she told him.) 

Cleopatra: They will always meet.

Caesarion: I’m afraid. I know I shouldn’t be.

Cleopatra: Who told you that? All kings and especially queens are afraid. They just manage not to show it- something ordinary people can not do.

As Apollodorus pushed Cleopatra to escape Octavian’s invade of Egypt, the concentrated hopelessness that dripped from her answer to her faithful servant stayed with me…

Apollodorus: Your majesty, please consider… there are two of euphranor’s ships, very fast, in the east harbor.

Cleopatra: And would you roll me on board in a carpet? No.

There are no more Caesars to go to, at least not for me.

I understood the heaviness in the character’s heart from losing her great Caesar that she admired so much, her true love Antony and the will to fight back she might’ve held on to if there had been another Caesar. This was the moment that inspired my remnant of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s wonderfully written screenplay. The scene begged for a continuation to me. Yes, Octavian wasn’t able to bring Cleopatra back to Rome to show off his conquest and diminish her elaborate first entrance to Rome, because she took back her control with suicide, but there had to be MORE. I wanted to show that even in death, Cleopatra, Caesar and Antony still defeated Octavian and his wrongdoings would come back to him. That was the focus of my remnant. 

I hope all admirers of this work find my continuation of this story pleasing and appreciate my efforts to create a main character with Caesar and Cleopatra’s likeness. I used this scene as my framework to develop the character…

Visiting the tomb of Alexander, standing beside his sarcophagus, Cleopatra asked Caesar, “That first time when you stood here alone, why did you cry? Will you tell me now?”

“Because I had lost something.”

“What?”

“ A lifetime… mine.”

“Non-sense.”

“Having conquered the world he died at 32. I am 52. My remaining ambition is to keep the world from conquering me.”

Catullus’ poetry is recited to Cleopatra... Caesar enters and enjoys the way it’s recited... (So do I. My character Caesaria recites a line of poetry in a like manner.)

Ah, then let us live and love without one thought for the gossip of virgins now grown old and stale.

Suns go down and may return

but once put out our own brief light

we sleep through one eternal night.

Read “The Eyes of Egypt” here: https://deliciousgloss.wordpress.com/2019/07/04/the-eyes-of-egypt/

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Hometown Glory

Growing up in New Jersey I often came across many New York logo designs and almost never saw anything with my hometown logo on it. So I told myself, eventually I’d design a line of clothing for New Jersey... then I thought better.

There are plenty of other girls who cherishes their hometown, fashion and feels just like me! This inspired my collection of logo designs for my hometown and theirs. Hope you enjoy! 💋

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Delicious Designs

If Delicious had a clothing line, some of the styles would look like this.

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Marlena’s Best Style Moments

by Delicious

A look back at some of Marlena’s best style moments through the years… did your favorites make the cut?

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Marlena Evans Hair Escapade

by Delicious

When Deidre Hall took on the role of Marlena Evans, she also took on the task of exhibiting fabulous hair. Take a look at the collection of hairstyles she’s worn throughout the years.

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A Poem For Aaliyah

by Delicious

Whether she was dancing in a music video, starring in a movie, wearing her tomboy baggy clothes or something sassy and chic... Aaliyah WAS FASHION and BEAUTY. Recently, I came across a quote that reminded me of her and it made me remember a poem I wrote about her years back.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” ~Coco Chanel

She was one of those people you didn’t have to meet or speak to, to know, because she possessed a certain quality… a luminous personality.

Her style couldn’t be imitated if she had a twin, because she was like no other, and walked in uniqueness.

She was radiant in every sense of the word

and looked as though she could light up the darkest of rooms.

Her movement described elegance

and her smile would shame any flower’s bloom.

A portrait couldn’t capture her essence, nor her face drawn in a constellation of stars in the sky.

She was art in motion… a natural beauty that could blind everyone’s eyes, with a strong personality that could make a blind person see.

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Today & Yesterday

Maybe it’s just me and my Stefano’s daughter complex, since I only stalk the streets of Salem for Marlena and John, or maybe you’ve noticed too? That a touch of the past has come to present in Marlena’s closet. See the best looks she wears on the streets of Salem, today and yesterday!

                                           White Out

                                                              From the 80′s

                   The star earrings, jeweled bow tie and that sweater.

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The Best Styles From Lady Castle Worn By Yoon Eun Hye

by Delicious

The haircut that complimented each outfit.

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Epic Hair, With Character

View the most epic hair, and the best styles they rocked in character mode! 

Wonderfully wild Carrie hair, rocked by Sarah Jessica Parker.

The chicest cut, rocked by Yoon Eun Hye as Kang Hye Na.

For the benefit of both, short and long hair, the top half is cut all way across, while the bottom is long. She balls up the longer length and tucks it under the short cut to rock her epic style.

Posh and I’m not talking Spice. Jennifer Garner, rocking Jenna Rink and Sydney Bristow.

Mari Marrow’s Red, as Amber, Katrina and Nyla.

The Raven Queen Rena Sofer as Quinn Fuller.

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