PANDORA'S BOX (1929)
Louise Brooks once said, "A well dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty, can conquer the world." That could have been the motto of Lulu, the role that made her a fashion icon for the ages. Brooks had been wearing her famous Buster Brown haircut and dressing in the height of flapper fashion for years, as had many other actresses, but her sleek hairdo and half-naked beaded gowns were such a perfect match for the amoral charmer in PANDORA'S BOX they remain one of the screen's most enduring images. The look would prove just as lucky for Cyd Charisse and Melanie Griffith, who copied it for their star-making roles in "Singin' in the Rain" and "Something Wild," respectively. And in many countries the severe black bob that led critic Kenneth Tynan to call Brooks "The Girl in the Black Helmet" is still referred to as "the Lulu."
This is what the Mule had to say about Louise Brooks just this morning:
Brooks, please.
So one last time, Louise Brooks.
Tomorrow, a musical interlude followed this weekend by my pick for the best picture of 1929-30.
