A Susan Hayward Hail To Hillary Clinton

On March 18, 2016November 10, 2016 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Changing the world, Now and then

make up Susan Hayward In the 1950s Susan Hayward made a film , ‘Ada’ 1961,with Dean Martin, believe it or not, in the role as governor. Susan Hayward played his First Lady. A First Lady with a past. A past which she makes no attempt to hide and this is why the newly elected governor marries her. He recognises her grit and determination and admires her for her courage. Turns out he was pretty clever in his choice of bride and she does indeed make a worthy power partner. In fact she is so good at being First Lady that the governor’s office become’s wary of her. After all the governor is just there to sign papers and do what he’s told. The last thing those working alongside him want is a man who thinks for himself and asks questions about the way the office is run. Let alone a First Lady who challenges the status quo at every turn and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. When she demands to be sworn in as Lieutenant Governor and there is an attempt on her husband’s life the gloves are off. Of course they try to tear her down by bringing up her past and exposing her in the media but even this she manages to rise above. She become’s acting governor while her husband recuperates in hospital, sacks the trouble making office staff, and maintains her dignity. Now we all know Hillary did not have a past that she needed to cover up. Her husband was the one in the naughty corner. On the contrary she should have been shouting about her achievements to the roof tops. Hillary is responsible for so many firsts that it beggers belief. She is a powerhouse for social justice, women’s rights, and better conditions for all in health and education. She even refused Bill Clinton more than once when he proposed marriage for fear she would lose her identity and therefore the ability to advocate for change. Yet she campaigned for him, finally married him and forgave him his indiscretions. Yes she is power hungry but it is power for the good. Come on women you should be applauding her merits and supporting her belief in your rights to be treated as equals. Maybe she is not perfect but who is?

Hillary Clinton is still a Winner.

10/11/2016

Hollywood Phone Call.

On March 10, 2016October 30, 2016 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Changing the world, Now and then

In old Hollywood films the phone was an essential form of communication just like it is now. It was , however, a little more glamorous. The pay phone was the favourite port of call for the gangster type because the calls could not be traced. The guy making the call usually kept wore a trench coat, looked around furtively before, during and after the call and spoke in a muffled voice. It was also convenient for the dedicated journalist ( Clark Gable ) rushing to get his story to the paper before the competition. Funny they also favoured trench coats. The car phone is not exactly a new idea either. In fact Bogie had lot’s of calls to make as he was always a very busy man no matter which side he was on. There were films that were all about the phone call too and it’s necessity as a life line to the outside world especially if one was in a scary situation like Barbara Stanwyck in ‘Sorry Wrong Number’. The phone was a real game changer then as now only no -one had a phone plan. Poor Stanwyck was the frantic bed bound woman who couldn’t walk being stalked by a killer. What about Mildred Pierce ( Joan Crawford ) on the verge of reporting her own daughter to the police for murder. What a dilemma? The daughter she has loved and spoiled and sacrificed everything for is having an affair with Mildred’s playboy hubby.There was also the dual phone conversation where people talked on the phone at the same time as having a conversation with each other. Oh look it’s Bogie again. This time with Cagney. In fact the stars were often on the phone in the movies but guess what? They had something to say. Not mindless verbal drivel for the sake of appearing to be popular , although the star always had to play the star, but still had real conversations. Phones were just as important then as they are now but face to face back then meant real communication with a real person. A phone was just a phone not a replacement for human contact. As such it was there for a reason and in the movies it had style. By 1956 they had even invented the T.V. phone where you could see the person on the other end. And you thought Skype was a revelation. Well guess what it’s all been done before.

‘The Past Tense Of Youth’ on ‘Blurb’

On January 19, 2016December 11, 2016 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Changing the world, Film Noir, Romantic interludes, stories of mystery and romance

Yes I have written a novel. What is it about? Well it is, of course, set in another era. The glamorous era of the 1930s to be exact. Dinner parties, glamorous gowns and glamorous locations.

The story begins in the courtyard of an ancient palace with a young bride being lured back in time by a mysterious song. then moves back to the Hydro Majestic Hotel in ‘Medlow Bath ‘Blue Mountains’ Australia where she first met the man she would marry.

A beautiful setting for two beautiful people from different cultural backgrounds to fall in love. The couple married on the grounds of the bride’s stately home in Cumbria England and are in the third week of their honeymoon in a distant land. The land where the groom was born. Istanbul Turkey.

The palace is ‘Topkapi Palace’ the seat of the Ottoman Empire and the young bride has just left a guided tour in order to explore the harem quarters which are off limits to tourists. It is here that the story begins to twist and turn as the reader is taken back to 1908 into the days of concubines and favourites in the last days of the Ottoman Empire and then involved in a scurrilous love affair between a gypsy and handsome soldier who looks remarkably like the groom who is still on a tour of Topkapi Palace. While he is trying to find his wife she is trying to find out why the gypsy has lured her back in time and why her husband does not recognise her. This is actually only the first half and if you would like to find out what happens you can purchase the novel from ‘Blurb Books’. Just google the title and you’ll find it. Apart from being a romance my novel is also a mystery. I have tried to evoke a film noir style of writing. Happy Reading.

Asta: Detective Dog

On January 15, 2016December 11, 2016 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Film Noir, Now and then, old movie magic

Asta appeared in the ‘Thin Man ‘ films with Robert Powell and Myrna Loy who played Mr and Mrs Charles. He was the child they never had and went everywhere with his human parents. They took him on trains, in taxis, on planes, cruise ships… even to restaurants.

In return Asta entertained and carried out important intelligence missions sussing out the bad guys. Often when Mr Charles was caught in a jam asta would know exactly what to do to get him out of it. Always on hand to chase a gangster up a tree, disarm a femme fatale with his winning smile or to distract an ex- con from carrying out yet another petty attempt at revenge.