Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Farewell, BBG
My favorite of her roles is the Alfred Hitchock Presents housewife who kills her husband with a frozen leg of lamb, buries him in the backyard, then cooks and serves lamb to the investigating officers. Close second is Midge, charmingly trying to help Jimmy Stewart steer clear of vertigo-inducing Kim Novak. It's hard to believe that the Catholic Church's Legion of Decency excoriated her for starring in The Moon Is Blue which spoke the word (cover your ears) virginity. It's too bad she made only a few films. But she starred with some yummy men (Stewart, Mitchum, James Mason, Henry Fonda, Widmark, Olivier). And, of course, there was Dallas. I wish I'd seen Deep Are the Roots, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Prince and the Showgirl. I wish some families appreciated each other better. I'm glad she got to spend so many years in Maine. Rest in peace, Miss Ellie, you deeply-rooted, Mama-remembering, children's-book-writing Cat.
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