Happy Belated Birthday Virgina McMath & Ruby Stevens!

Or Ginger Rogers and Barbara Stanwyck! Everyone was talking about these girls' birthday (yesterday) so I'm going to make a random post about them.

Uhm, did you know that Barbara wrapped packages for a living at the age of 13? Or that she changed her original name, Ruby Stevens, because producer Willard Mack said that it sounded like a stripper? He selected Stanwyck after glancing at an old programme listing Jane Stanwyck.
Did you know that —according to screenwriter Allan Scott— when Ginger had difficulties playing a scene (because she had partied the previous night) she used to say "There's something terribly wrong in this scene"? (but he adds that she worked very, very hard).

Did you know that the most expensive costume designed and made specially for a film was Edith's Head mink and sequins dance costume for Ginger in Lady in the dark, which cost $35,000?

Well, I didn't remember these facts but I just read them in "The Guinness Book of Movie Facts and Feats" & "Backstory: Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age" :)

Now let's talk about their movies. I first heard about Ginger from my father, because he loves all the Astaire-Rogers films (well, not the films per sé, but the dance sequences). I met Barbara recently, like 3 years ago, because all the bloggers I followed talked about her. The first movie I saw starring her was "The furies". I watched it with my parents and when we read the opening credits they went: "Oh no, Barbara Stanwyck, that old woman! We hate her!" (or something less dramatic than that). They said she played a horrible character in a tv show that I'm not going to watch. But then they loved the movie and kind of forgave Barbara.

So, I think it's time for...my TOP-LUCKY NUMBER-movies starring Ginger and Barbara, in a table and with just adjectives:

My fave Ginger Movies	My fave Barbara Movies
1. Bachelor mother: Funny, fast paced, lovely.	1. Meet John Doe: Great chemistry, lovely, Cooper.
2. Vivacious Lady: Funny, magnetic, energetic.	2. Ball of fire: Great chemistry, funny, lovely, Cooper, Drum Bogie.
3. Stage Door: Witty, amazing casting, realistic.	3. Remember the night: Warm, lovely.
4. Kitty Foyle: Great script, great performance.	4. Christmas in Connecticut: Hilarious.
5. Shall we dance: Lovely music, awesome dance sequences.	5. Double Indemnity: Billy Wilder.
6. Follow the fleet: Lovely music, awesome dance sequences.	6. Stella Dallas: Dramatic, heart breaking, awesome performance [Ginger and Lombard were offered the role].
7. I'll be seeing you: Nice, dramatic but lovely.	7. The furies: Cool bread sharing.

Oh, just one more thing: I really hope you like my new blog design. I was tired of the old one and changed it yesterday. Have a great weekend.