THIRST AID KIT | S2E04 | THE GOLDEN BAES OF HOLLYWOOD
If you’re anything like us — and we think you might be — you’ll remember watching black-and-white movies and feeling *things* for the handsome leads without even understanding *why*. Well, we’re here to help, using a quartet of stars from Hollywood’s golden age: Paul Newman, Cary Grant, Gene Kelly, and Gregory Peck. Wit, charm, and grace for days!
Like, look at Paul Newman, FFS.
WE’VE BEEN ATTACKED. 💦
These golden baes paved the way for many of today’s movie stars. For example, there is arguably no George Clooney without Cary Grant:
No Lee Pace without Gregory Peck…
…and arguably no Patrick Swayze (and then no Channing Tatum!) without Gene Kelly.
In speaking about these four hotties, we walked very purposefully into another conversation: what about the stars who weren’t so fair? The film industry still has miles and miles to go when it comes to inclusive representation. Like, how can he be “tall, dark and handsome” if he ain’t actually dark?! So we spoke about the respectability politics and stereotypes that kept men of color off the romantic radar in the early years of Hollywood (and beyond) and we draw the lines that connect that with the famous dudes many of us fancy today. It sounds heavy (and it is, a little), but it’s also very illuminating and fun. Promise!
Listen to the entire episode HERE. (more links to listen are listed below)
Other stuff for you to watch and read:
That clip from Paris Blues where Paul Newman and Diahann Carroll conjure up some swoon-worthy chemistry (starts around 10:32, but you should watch the whole movie anyway).
Here is Gene Kelly dancing with Cyd Charisse in a classic, incredibly fucking sexy number from Singin’ In The Rain.
There’s also that incredible sequence with Leslie Caron in An American In Paris, Mein Gott!
Here’s that clip of Brick (Paul Newman) instructing Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor) to “come on up here” and her breathless “yes, sir!” from Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. HOT DAMN.
You should watch Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn fight for eyebrow supremacy in this clip from Roman Holiday.
Cary Grant had a long, long career, and there are so many clips to pick from but here is one of him with Eva Marie Saint in Hitchcock’s North By Northwest. It’s been picked because, well… just watch it.
NOW, THEN. Did you notice the faceless man who brings Eve and Roger their dinner? He was a black man, and the only feature of his we see in this scene are his hands. His hands! This movie was released in 1959. Which is a canny segue into talking about race, representation, inclusion and desire onscreen. You can read more about this wherever you get your film criticism and studies, but here. are. some. links. Suffice to say, shit’s still pretty bad. Sorry to be a downer.
But here — feel better by looking at this gif of Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte in Carmen Jones.
Blimey, that’s hot.
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Housekeeping! We’re on Twitter at @thirstaidkit. And you can find us individually at @tnwhiskeywoman and @bimadew. Send us your (short!) drabbles at [email protected] and your Thirst Sommelier requests at 765-884-4778 aka 7658-THIRST (international listeners: send us a short recorded message via email, please).
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🥤👅 Stay thirsty, chums. It’s your goddamn right.
