Jayne Mansfield: The Lady in Waiting

[ClassyCo]

Was a different Jayne Mansfield acting in the 50s and 60s?

Dumpy? Slatternly/ Rotund?
Denigrating observations about Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe and figure?
I don't understand

Go look at pictures of Jayne (i.e. type on Google Images, "Jayne Mansfield 1956" and compare it to when you search "Jayne Mansfield 1964"), and you can see how much her look changed over her thirteen years in Hollywood. There was once a collage of "Jayne through the years" on a website, and I might take the time to hunt it down in the next day or two.

In the mid-to-late-50s, she was quite beautiful. Her face and body were quite good then, but .....

Jayne was a bit heavier in the 60s -- she had been repeatedly pregnant after all -- but it was far more to do with her fashions. Her hair, makeup and wardrobe in the mid to late 60s was very unflattering to a woman of her shape.

Her "repeated pregnancies" (as one writer words it) contributed to her fluctuating weight and, by extension, the deterioration of contract with Fox, who gradually stopped viewing her as star material.

Jayne's wardrobe choices in the 1960s weren't terribly flattering to her. Her daughter, Jayne Marie, said she'd sent her to the stores to pick out all the clothes she'd wear so she could wear them. In short, the '60s fashion trends just didn't lend themselves too well to Mansfield's body type.

She often looked slatternly; Diana Dors too, but she leaned into it and became a character actress.

I wish Jayne had the foresight or the intention to move into character parts as Dors did. Jayne really should have done so as early as the late-50s when the leading roles for her began to dry up. It might've sustained her and made her more serviceable at Fox, who could've used her in sexy supporting roles.

The issue was Mansfield had sandwiched herself into a specific image, and her desperation for stardom would have been her pride before her fall.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Was a different Jayne Mansfield acting in the 50s and 60s?

Dumpy? Slatternly/ Rotund?
Denigrating observations about Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe and figure?
I don't understand

 

[ClassyCo]

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1956



Jayne Mansfield, circa 1961



Jayne Mansfield, circa 1963



Jayne Mansfield, circa 1966



Here's four different pictures of Jayne Mansfield, each 3-4 years a part from one another. A casual fan might have difficulty recognizing all these pictures as being of the same individual.

Her looks changed drastically.

 

[ClassyCo]

Mansfield & Dors show off each other's pooches..... Sometime around 1967, I'd say, so just months before Jayne's death.

 

[Crimson]

I wish Jayne had the foresight or the intention to move into character parts as Dors did. Jayne really should have done so as early as the late-50s when the leading roles for her began to dry up.

She might outdone Shelley Winters. She was always basically a character actress anyway, she just never evolved beyond that too-specific characterization. As beautiful as she was in the 50s, I don't think she could have been a movie star or leading lady even if she hadn't developed her Marilyn caricature. Jayne was just ... too much. Her features and body were too out-sized. What roles of the 50s could she possibly have been appropriate for as a leading lady -- VERTIGO? CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF? I'LL CRY TOMORROW? The mind boggles. But as a character actress, both comedic and even dramatic, I think she could have found less disreputable success.

 

[ClassyCo]

She might outdone Shelley Winters

Strangely enough, I don't think I've seen anything that Shelley Winters is in other than her early-70s turn at "grande dame guignol" and her guest stint on HERE'S LUCY, where she has a whole turkey leg to gnaw on.

She was always basically a character actress anyway, she just never evolved beyond that too-specific characterization.

Well, in the sense, that she always played the same "character", as in the over-the-top take on the ever-present "dumb blonde" troupe so popular during the 1950s.

I don't think she could have been a movie star or leading lady even if she hadn't developed her Marilyn caricature. Jayne was just ... too much. Her features and body were too out-sized.

Had Fox not saw Jayne as "another Monroe", she wouldn't have taken off like she did, but that may have served her better in terms of her longevity in Hollywood.

Fox allegedly marketed Mansfield as "Marilyn Monroe King-Size", a tag indicating that everything was bigger.

Her exaggerations of the era were just too defined and too limiting.

What roles of the 50s could she possibly have been appropriate for as a leading lady -- VERTIGO? CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF? I'LL CRY TOMORROW? The mind boggles. But as a character actress, both comedic and even dramatic, I think she could have found less disreputable success.

Not a single one of these movies could I see Jayne in. She wouldn't have "fit" into any of them.

However, I could see her in BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE, as a barefoot Bohemian-like witch, or in RALLY, ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS, as the man-hungry nextdoor neighbor trying to seduce Paul Newman from Joanne Woodward. She might've also been good in KISS ME, STUPID, and maybe -- just maybe -- may have worked as a replacement for Marilyn in SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. She might've made the latter too sleezy, though.

But as a character actress, both comedic and even dramatic, I think she could have found less disreputable success.

One of Jayne's best performances came in DOG EAT DOG, a little-seen German heist movie she did in 1964. It didn't make it to the U.S. until 1966. Her hair is terribly "platinum" in the movie, but she isn't a ditz by any means in the story. THE WAYWARD BUS is also good, and she gave some strong performances on episodic shows in the early-60s, like "The Dumbest Blonde" episode of FOLLOW THE SUN.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

So what, it is one picture, and she looks like an attractive woman

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1956

View attachment 53609

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1961

View attachment 53612

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1963

View attachment 53610

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1966

View attachment 53611

Here's four different pictures of Jayne Mansfield, each 3-4 years a part from one another. A casual fan might have difficulty recognizing all these pictures as being of the same individual.

Her looks changed drastically.

People do change over time, I just thought the comments seemed a bit too extreme

 

[ClassyCo]

So what, it is one picture, and she looks like an attractive woman

It's one picture, yes, but one picture of a larger picture.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

She might outdone Shelley Winters. She was always basically a character actress anyway, she just never evolved beyond that too-specific characterization. As beautiful as she was in the 50s, I don't think she could have been a movie star or leading lady even if she hadn't developed her Marilyn caricature. Jayne was just ... too much. Her features and body were too out-sized. What roles of the 50s could she possibly have been appropriate for as a leading lady -- VERTIGO? CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF? I'LL CRY TOMORROW? The mind boggles. But as a character actress, both comedic and even dramatic, I think she could have found less disreputable success.

Strangely enough, I don't think I've seen anything that Shelley Winters is in other than her early-70s turn at "grande dame guignol" and her guest stint on HERE'S LUCY, where she has a whole turkey leg to gnaw on.



Well, in the sense, that she always played the same "character", as in the over-the-top take on the ever-present "dumb blonde" troupe so popular during the 1950s.


Had Fox not saw Jayne as "another Monroe", she wouldn't have taken off like she did, but that may have served her better in terms of her longevity in Hollywood.

Fox allegedly marketed Mansfield as "Marilyn Monroe King-Size", a tag indicating that everything was bigger.

Her exaggerations of the era were just too defined and too limiting.


Not a single one of these movies could I see Jayne in. She wouldn't have "fit" into any of them.

However, I could see her in BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE, as a barefoot Bohemian-like witch, or in RALLY, ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS, as the man-hungry nextdoor neighbor trying to seduce Paul Newman from Joanne Woodward. She might've also been good in KISS ME, STUPID, and maybe -- just maybe -- may have worked as a replacement for Marilyn in SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. She might've made the latter too sleezy, though.


One of Jayne's best performances came in DOG EAT DOG, a little-seen German heist movie she did in 1964. It didn't make it to the U.S. until 1966. Her hair is terribly "platinum" in the movie, but she isn't a ditz by any means in the story. THE WAYWARD BUS is also good, and she gave some strong performances on episodic shows in the early-60s, like "The Dumbest Blonde" episode of FOLLOW THE SUN.

In her youth, Winters looked remarkably like Lucy.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Strangely enough, I don't think I've seen anything that Shelley Winters is in other than her early-70s turn at "grande dame guignol" and her guest stint on HERE'S LUCY, where she has a whole turkey leg to gnaw on.



Well, in the sense, that she always played the same "character", as in the over-the-top take on the ever-present "dumb blonde" troupe so popular during the 1950s.


Had Fox not saw Jayne as "another Monroe", she wouldn't have taken off like she did, but that may have served her better in terms of her longevity in Hollywood.

Fox allegedly marketed Mansfield as "Marilyn Monroe King-Size", a tag indicating that everything was bigger.

Her exaggerations of the era were just too defined and too limiting.


Not a single one of these movies could I see Jayne in. She wouldn't have "fit" into any of them.

However, I could see her in BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE, as a barefoot Bohemian-like witch, or in RALLY, ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS, as the man-hungry nextdoor neighbor trying to seduce Paul Newman from Joanne Woodward. She might've also been good in KISS ME, STUPID, and maybe -- just maybe -- may have worked as a replacement for Marilyn in SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. She might've made the latter too sleezy, though.


One of Jayne's best performances came in DOG EAT DOG, a little-seen German heist movie she did in 1964. It didn't make it to the U.S. until 1966. Her hair is terribly "platinum" in the movie, but she isn't a ditz by any means in the story. THE WAYWARD BUS is also good, and she gave some strong performances on episodic shows in the early-60s, like "The Dumbest Blonde" episode of FOLLOW THE SUN.

Some interesting insights. Maybe she would have been better with different people directing her career

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

It's one picture, yes, but one picture of a larger picture.

Clever wording!

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1956

View attachment 53609

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1961

View attachment 53612

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1963

View attachment 53610

Jayne Mansfield, circa 1966

View attachment 53611

Here's four different pictures of Jayne Mansfield, each 3-4 years a part from one another. A casual fan might have difficulty recognizing all these pictures as being of the same individual.

Her looks changed drastically.

Her 1963-64 pictures would be of particular interest, because she was going to be cast as Ginger on "Gilligan's Island", according to wiki

Ginger Grant - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ClassyCo]

People do change over time, I just thought the comments seemed a bit too extreme

Fair enough. I can definitely see your perspective on this.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Fair enough. I can definitely see your perspective on this.

Thanks. You are one of the best people on this forum

 

[DallasFanForever]

People do change over time

Her looks changed drastically.

She does look quite different as she evolved but regardless of all the multiple looks she had I always found her to be quite stunning regardless.

 

[Seaviewer]

Which is probably why the Beatles were, by their own admission, mean to her in the press.

But they did include her prominently as one of their icons on the Sgt Pepper cover - there she is on the right.
.

 

[ClassyCo]

But they did include her prominently as one of their icons on the Sgt Pepper cover - there she is on the right.
.View attachment 53651

Are you sure?

 

[ClassyCo]

Thanks. You are one of the best people on this forum

Thank you for the kind words

 

[ClassyCo]

I started watching THE SHERIFF OF FRACTURED JAW (1958) yesterday during my lunch break, and I finished it later on in the day. Having watched it, I was reminded that I've never finished this movie before now.

I stand corrected -- the movie is actually pretty good. It has some solid and well-earned laughs. Kenneth More and Jayne Mansfield work well together (critics in 1958 applauded the "mismatched" pairing), even if their on-screen chemistry doesn't always gel. The story spins a different take on the traditional Western, while still serving up some familiarities we'd all recognize from other films. Jonathan Tibbs (More) is a British guy whose family are wealthy from selling guns. He gets the bright idea to leave England and go to the America West, where he's heard stories about the people there making good use of guns. Jonathan thinks that, in the West, he'll help the family business explode in profitability. He ends up in the lawless town of Fractured Jaw, and through a series of circumstances, becomes their new sheriff.

Jayne plays Miss Kate, a blonde bombshell hotel owner and salon singer. She's beautiful, but "it ain't smart to play her for a sucker". Her tough exterior hides a warm heart. She "sings" three songs in the film -- "Strolling Down the Lane with Billy", "If the San Francisco Hills Could Talk", and "The Valley of Love", the latter which plays over the opening credits. The songs themselves are catchy and fit well into the plot, but what's distracting about them is the obvious dubbing of Jayne's voice with singer Connie Francis. I was so irritated with the dubbing that by the time she sings "The Valley of Love" to Kenneth More while riding the carriage, I fast forwarded through it. What's more, some of Jayne's lines appear to be dubbed, too. I can't tell if they've been re-dubbed by Jayne in post-production, or by another actress mimicking a "Western" dialect.

THE SHERIFF OF FRACTURED JAW is really a British product masquerading as an American CinemaScope spectacle. The colors are beautiful, the sets sturdy and nice, and the script pretty strong, too. It was popular in England in 1958, becoming the tenth-biggest-box office hit that year. When it was released in America in early 1959, it failed to perform as successfully with U.S. audiences. Critics, for the most, were kind in England and America.

It's online right now, so go watch it and then come tell me what you think.