Well, let's start at the beginning. My love for classic films began first with a love for classic tv. Then gradually into the movies after seeing Rear Window (1954). A few months later, I saw Swing Time. I first took notice of Ginger during the "Pick Yourself Up" dance. (I remember thinking "How can she dance like that in those shoes?!") Fastforward a couple months: I slowly start Googling, gathering information, buying movies, listening to recordings. And wham! Ginger love. I first started loving her because I felt we had a lot in common, shared a lot of the same interests and morals. I love her even more now because she was talented, she was beautiful, she was funny, she was by almost all accounts a warm, kind, generous, completely unpretentious lady.Ginger, for me, is pure joy. I have never connected with anyone on screen like I have with her. She always seemed so--I don't know, real? Genuine. Ginger just always seemed warm, she smiled and laughed on screen. And her performances just blew me away, but none so much as this one right here:
That dance is just so beautiful. Words cannot even describe how deeply it affects me.
If you read that whole thing, I commend you. I'd like to know your thoughts, and maybe other fans can write about how they became fans of Ginger at their blogs. ;)
...Very well, put, Jennifer! Great to see another VKM blog to hopefully educate the masses about the superb world of Ginger!
ReplyDeleteYour 'list' looks a lot like mine... it's pretty neat to try to 'collect' them all... hopefully those few 'lost' ones we all need will soon be found!
If you haven't yet, PLEASE read "Ginger: My Story", which is her autobiography...to me, it gives you a pretty good insight into her real 'personality'...she doesn't really 'trash' anyone in it, but does speak her mind about things...and she has a TON of cool stories to tell, including a 'overview' of pretty much every movie she did, good experience or bad (for example, she did not have much fun doing 'Lady in the Dark', although I REALLY like that one...) - just wish she would have written a few more books like this one!
P.S. - LOVE the 'main blog header' picture you have...color! is that a movie mag cover? There are some very nice ones out there...
Hi Jennifer, have just discovered your blog on the recommendation of JWalker, above. Last time I looked for Ginger bloggers was a year or two ago, and didn't find much out there - so this little blogspot network is a nice surprise! I just may have to start my own Ginger blog.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question about how others became Ginger fans - I was actually raised on these classic films (in the 1980's, that is). My parents are great lovers of Classic Hollywood, and the definitely instilled that in me! I grew up singing and dancing right along with Ginger & Fred, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland and the like right in my living room - and even got made fun of for it by other kids! I would hold my portable little tape recorder up to the tv and record the songs from the movies I loved, then walk around listening to my prized tapes in my Walkman - could never understand why I couldn't get the other kids to like "my" music, lol. Even in high school, one of my favorite things to do was fake sick to stay home from school, lay on the couch, and watch TCM all day. :)
Even though I grew up watching the classic films though, I didn't get this obsession with Ginger until sometime in my early 20's - and it wasn't via an Astaire/Rogers film either. I actually saw Bachelor Mother on TCM late one night, and was really struck by Ginger's acting ability in a movie which I was frankly quite surprised made it past the censors of the late 30's! I thought she was adorable and spunky, and I started watching Ginger whenever I'd see her movies on. Really focusing on her acting ability gave me an even greater appreciation for her movies with Astaire. Just read a quote from him the other day in which he mentioned that Ginger was the one who really made their movies/partnership successful - that was modest of him of course, because it was the magic & chemistry between them that was superb - but at the same time, I'm so glad he gave her props for her incredible talent and contribution to their pairing. There's just nothing like it. As you know. :)
Hey, thanks for providing this venue as a Ginger adoration outlet - Love It! ~Shanna
jwalker: Hi! Thank you for commenting! Yep- that's my goal. Just like all of the other Ginger bloggers on here. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope I can find them all! Though I think you, Lauren and Beth have passed me up already. lol.
I've read Ginger's autobiography 3 times already, actually. It's certainly the best autobiography I've read. I love how she mentions everything, rather good or bad, like you said. She was truly a first-class lady.
The main header is from the cover of a 1939 issue of Photoplay magazine.
Shanna: Thank you! (And thank you to jwalker for promoting my blog! :)
Aww, I loved reading your story! I can completely relate to my friends not knowing who Ginger is etc. They don't seem to care that I like classic movies and all that, they just never seem to know what I'm talking about! lol.
That's one of the many things I love about Fred and Ginger, that they had such great admiration and respect for each other and each other's talent.
Thank you for all the kind words! :)
Jen
Well, I guess I didn't really go over my "Gingerology Genesis", but I did more or less go over it on another blog - 'The Ginger List' (Lauren's Blog)... so I just copied it from there to below:
ReplyDeleteAs for my 'GingerQuest', I guess I REALLY started watching her stuff back in high school, on and off - did not really 'obtain' any of her movies, tho - just tried to catch her whenever TCM or AMC showed one...
I remember I was with some friends down in Florida, oh, in the late 90's, and we went to an 'outlet center' - and they had Ginger's biography for like, $5 or something - I got it, and they said, "Ginger WHO?" with that typical weird look of bewilderment...(you know what I mean...sad but true...)
Anyway, that's my 'background'... to make a long story even more so, I did not become 'totally sold out' until I decided to buy the Ginger/Fred box set last Christmas... my little girl takes dance, and I figured it would be neat for her to see the best in action! And, of course, as mentioned before, my ulterior motive was to get 're-aquainted' with VKM...so, of course we all enjoyed the box set so much, decided to start looking for other Ginger movies, and eight months later, here I am with stacks of burned DVDs all around me, eBay-ing and iOffer-ing to a disturbing point, and jumping into the 'Gorge' with reckless abandon!
----
Bottom line, IMHO, Ginger was one of the most beautiful ladies EVER, and had unlimited talent, style, wit and charm, and a unique sense of humor that I just love.
With all that, just can't figure why she is still not given more credit, honestly... hopefully we can get that straightened out!
P.S.
ReplyDeleteShanna, make sure you 'shout-out' when you get your blog going...feel free to post whatever info about it on 'G-ology'! And, nice 'post' about your background regarding Ginger!
Jennifer, good to hear you have read Ginger's bio... it's just really cool to me - I guess most bios read as if the person is 'conversing' with you, but hers really has a cool feel like that!
Very interesting, jwalker!
ReplyDeleteOh, your daughter dances? That's great! I want to take tap dancing lessons so bad! I had some all lined up too, until it got cancelled for not having enough people join the class. :( What a great way to get your daughter aquainted with dance, by showing her the greatest dancers in history. :)
What is "Gorge"? Is it like ebay? I've heard of ebay and ioffer, but I've never heard of that site before.
Agreed. She deserves more credit. I still cannot believe she was bot given an Honory Academy Award back in the '80s or '90s. Or at least an AFI Lifetime Achievment award. Just about every classic star got one of those. But at least she was awarded a Kennedy Center Honors Award.
I just love her book. I've read other autobiography's of classic stars, they were good, but didn't mention everything. I love how Ginger mentions every movie she was in, all her stage shows and tv appearences etc. Like she really cared about her fans and wanted them to know everything or something.