Here is Fay Wray in a scene from the 1931 movie Dirigible, directed by Frank Capra…
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…and here is Fay Wray in a scene from a 1932 movie, featured previously on DogRat.com, Doctor X., directed by Michael Curtiz.
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The contrast between the two men is very interesting. The first guy is stiff and overly macho in a classic 30’s movie sort of way, with a suit that shows off his manly build. The other goes out of his way to seem exactly the opposite. He’s wearing a robe on the beach, I’m assuming because he didn’t have much of a physique.
I’m surprised to say I think the Curtiz scene is directed better than Capra’s. I consider Capra to be one of the all-time great movie makers, while I think of Curtiz as having been a consummate studio system craftsman. Wray was later married to Capra’s longtime scripter, Robert Riskin.
Wray is a very common name around where I live in PA. I was blown away when I kept meeting people with the lovely Fay’s last name! No, none are close relations. Gosh, she was thin!