The Norma Desmonds: what about Enrico?

Tecla: So where have you been hiding yourserlf?
Enrico: I'm sorry Tecla, I had to consider. About us, and the whole thing about the modeling agency. You see, I feel I really like this job, and Giovanna believes I've got talent as a model. Besides they are giving me these fancy clothes

Tecla: I think these clothes stinks, actually. They are simply awful.
Enrico: Your privilege, Tecla. I'm sure I want to give this new opportunity a try, they are paying me good money too.
Tecla: All right, I really don't bother. But remember I won't take you back when you'll come begging me after my new movie shall be released
Enrico: A new movie?
Tecla: Yes, and now it's time for you to go. Max! Accompany Mr. Enrico at the door.

Max: Yes Madam. Mr. Enrico, please come with me.
Enrico: Goodbye Tecla, and goodluck.
Tecla: I won't need luck, I'm a STAR!

Enrico is gone.

Tecla: Well Max, now that we're done with the beefcake, what's next on the agenda?
Max: You should call Mr Filippo at the atelier, Madame. To see if your new wardrobe is ready.
Tecla: I will do that right away. But before fix me some caviar and champagne

Tecla: Hallo Filippo

Filippo: Hallo Madame Tecla, how are you?

Tecla: Don't waste my time Filippo, how much it will take to that girl of yours to get my new wardrobe ready?
Filippo: The first two outfits are ready, Madame, the third is on her way. I'm sure you'll be very satisfied with Virginia's work. Everyting will be ready on schedule.

Tecla: I hope so, she didn't look really experienced for me. Anyway we shall see. Goodbye Filippo.
Filippo: Goodbye Madame Tecla.

Tecla hangs up

Max: Everything is all right, Madame?
Tecla: I think so. I think I should use another  drink Max. Fix me some more champagne. Then you can call that writer. What's his name, Nicola. I want to talk to him about the screenplay.
Max: I'll see to that Madame. Right away.

Later on

Max: Mr Nicola will be here later in the afternoon Madame.
Tecla: Very good, Max. I can always rely on you.
Max: You're too kind Madame.

In the afternoon

The trip to Dublin didn't help Nicola to get past his writer's cramp. He feels that writing a screenplay on specs might do the trick.

Tecla: I'm ready for my return, and I want you to help me with the script. It is going to be a movie about Salome
Nicola: Salome? Well there's been a new wave of historic blockbusters, doesn't sound a bad idea.
Tecla: It is a Great idea! and I'm going to play Salome
Nicola: Wow, I thought you were only going to be the producer....

Tecla: What do you mean by that? I'm going to be the executive producer, screenwriter and of course I'm going to star in it!!!
Nicola: Of course, how stupid of me. And you are going to direct it too?
Tecla: Max is going to direct it!
Max: Excuse me Madame, but I don't think is a good idea, this is going to be your return, you need a new director, acquainted with the new audiences. This is also the reason why you've asked  here Mr, Nicola.

Tecla: Oh yes, I almost forgot! Nicola, I would appreciate some suggestions for the director.
Nicola: In fact I have. And maybe also a cinematographer.
Tecla: Very good. I will see you all in a week's time from now. And I expect to get a ten pages treatment of the movie by that date.
Nicola: Well, is quite a short notice, but I'll manage.
Tecla: See you next week then. Goodbye Nicola.
Nicola: Goodbye Madame.

Tecla: Everything is going as expected, Max. Now I have to wait for my new wardrobe, get the ten pages treatment and go visit Luchino. He has to produce this one!
Max: He will Madame, he will.

In the meantime at the Mexican Bar

Corrado: Hi man, how did it go?
Enrico: I'm a free man! It all went smooth as silk. That lady is crazy, she's planning to do a movie
Corrado: Well man, looks like you missed the chance to star in it, don't you?

Happy New Year Norma - a photostory

Tecla invited Enrico to her New Years Eve party. He was dubious but I convinced him: I sew  him  a tuxedo with tails, so he obliged.....

It looks like there are no other guests.

Enrico: It looks like I'm a bit early. When are the other guests supposed to arrive?
Tecla: Which other guests?

Enrico: It's going to be a very long evening, I better get drunk soon!

Tecla: Da'aling, how would you like to dance?

Enrico: Uh, dance?!?!? OMG

Tecla: you dance awfully!
Enrico: I know......

Tecla: I think we better rest a bit

Enrico: Finally!

Tecla: We're having such a great time, aren't we?
Enrico: I hope you have a huge provision of martinis

Enrico: Well, it's 10 pm and Tecla just passed away....Happy New year!!!!!

Story: courtesy of Billy Wilder & Charles Brackett

Enrico is going to sneak off and drop at Odette&Carlo's place...coming next!

the fashions are of course inspired by Edit Head's Sunset Boulevard costumes

And if you want to try your hand at a tuxedo jacket, here's the pattern!

Happy new year !!!!! 

A sort of a Halloween post: Meet the Norma Desmonds

I wasn't planning a Halloween post, but given the subject I believe that the story of Sunset Blvd and her star Norma is creepy enough to be fitting!

A few weeks ago, I suddenly realized that Tecla (Daria in her James Bond incarnation) looks a LOT like a young Gloria Swanson

same (bitchy) blue eyes, pointy chin, the same "morsus inversus", and big teeth! LOL
Don't misunderstand me, I love Gloria Swanson, and the fact she became such a huge star and sex symbol in spite her being anything but perfect and barely 5 feet tall!!!
She had a magnetic presence on screen and she had a great sense of humor.
So, getting back to Lucrezia, I decided to dress her up as "the greatest of them all": Norma Desmond,
from Billy Wilder's maserpiece Sunset Blvd.

I tried to update a bit the outifit, as in the movie Norma wears in fact a day Pijama complete with a long Dressing Gown (by Edith Head), I made a shorter gown and added a pair of stretch pants. On ebay I found this leopard cotton fabric, which had these very small spots. Being cotton it wasn't easy to accomodate with the black jersey, but Disegual taught us that no fabric mixing is tecnically impossible, so here she is:

. You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!... All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.

There once was a time in this business when I had the eyes of the whole world! But that wasn't good enough for them, oh no! They had to have the ears of the whole world too. So they opened their big mouths and out came talk. Talk! TALK!

I'll be up there again, so help me!

But of course, Norma cannot exist (in my mind) without Joe, so Enrico got a new outfit, and he really looks the part. He looks it perfecty, as my doll came with a head constantly turned upward so he seems to be avoiding Norma on purpose.

I did my best to recreate the atmosphere of the movie, well the director of photography was a genius called John Seitz (the guy who "invented" the noir cinematography) ..... but I really did my best to recreate the darknes and grain of the picture

Joe: You're Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big.
Norma Desmond: I *am* big. It's the *pictures* that got small.

The stars are ageless, aren't they?

no male doll with the gorgeus Bill Holden's face?

Joe: There's nothing tragic about being fifty. Not unless you're trying to be twenty-five.

As you guessed Sunset Blvd is my all time favourite movie, and the Norma Desmonds are going to be a fixture around here, as soon as I have time to sew them some more appropriate fashions!

Kisses

Sunset Blvd: opening title sequence

shopgirl barbie doll dress

I loved this dress at first sight! Actually I like all the fashions Robert Best designed for silkstone Barbies so far, but I'm really not into silkstones (and presumably I won't ever be) but I admit they are a big source of inspiration.

And in fact the dress was such a success that all the "girls" wanted to try it, but I had to choose only some of them:

Livia

Maddalena

Tecla

Rebecca

Iolanda

Rachele

Maybe someday also the FR girls will try it on!!!