Cutting edge maybe in 1972, but in a way, odd then. A really nitpicky observation: Why would this B'way star's hairdresser not want to go to the biggest night of HIS own life, the opening of Margo's show? He'd be invited, of course. Instead, he has a date to go to a disco, the type of thing he could do any other night in NYC. Margo comes along, and dances on a jukebox. Whenever I glimpse the CBS special version, that scene, literalized, is just weird. Field gave Bacall a lot of post "Lucy and Jesse" moves, mostly arms in that post-60s a go go style that was designed to make people over 40 looks hip on the dance floor. Bacall wore a dreamcycle orange dress with fringe and big pumps with straps over her ankles. It doesn't look like anything any star would wear at any time, let alone her opening night. I said, nitpicky.
If it made sense to turn Birdie into Duane, the result isn't nearly as interesting as we expect. Duane has nothing interesting to say or do, save drag Margo to the Village. (Why does a hairdresser hang out at Joe Allen's with dancers?) Birdie is briefer, but more compelling by half. And threatened by Eve, albeit subtly.
I'd rather see the show set in 1950, like the original film. The 70s are not exactly vintage for styles or pop cultural artifact preservation. Just looking at the stills from "Applause" is a reminder. |
