The background on the film ‘Angel Face’ is that Howard Hughes wanted director Otto Preminger to make Jean Simmons miserable for wanting out of her RKO contract. One way that Preminger was able to diminish Simmons, after Robert Mitchum refused to provide physical abuse, was by featuring Mona Freeman to maximum flattering effect. Mona’s modest start in show business was as one of the first Miss Subway girls in New York.
Preminger pushed the limit of what censors allowed on screen in 1953. Mona is completely comfortable with Mitchum seeing her in a slip and that obviously wasn’t the first time he zipped up her dress, despite the characters not being married. Something about Robert Mitchum I’ve long thought is that the way he talked sounded somewhat like Bing Crosby.
The third viewing was when it clicked completely for me.
yeah, i can see that. i am finishing up a 2nd viewing of”once…”, with amuch larger perceived image, and listening on my sennheiser phones, i liked it the first time, but this is so much better.