I have heard lots of pop culture references to her, but I finally watched a few of her movies over my semester break. And I LOVE her.
I don't agree with most of her viewpoints, but I love how she is so completely who she is, and remained that way for her entire life. She plays a vamp in almost all of her movies / plays, and all of the men (including a young, very hot, Cary Grant in two of his earliest roles) would do virtually anything for just a slice of her attention. But she is not thin, and by the time she started to do movies, she was almost 40. Yet, she is seen collecting diamonds from men who profess their undying love for her, while she is friendly but aloof.
Whether I weigh 250 or 150 or 99 pounds, my goal is to be done waiting for (insert weight or other achievement) to feel as confident and deserving of admiration as she did!
Fortune Teller: I see a man in your future.
Mae West: What? Only one?
I have always adored her, too. She's my favorite character to play for Halloween -- and I'm told I do her proud, which is high praise in my book, indeed!! Who can ever forget one of her most memorable lines: "I used to be as pure as the driven snow... but I drifted." LOVE that lady!!!
Rae (West)
Well, see. Now I'm going to have to go rent some Mae West movies. I always liked what I've seen of her but you've piqued my curiosity and I want to know more. What movies should I start with?
My two most favorite Mae West quotes...
Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.
Mae West
Cultivate your curves - they may be dangerous but they won't be avoided.
Mae West
Loved her attitude!!!
I actually just watched them on YouTube. Not the best visual-wise, but the easiest. The two on Youtube that I watched (both with Cary Grant!)
I'm No Angel (blamed for the stricter enforcement of the Hays Code, resulting in several decades of movies when the bad guys got what was comin' to 'em & married people slept in separate beds)
She Done Him Wrong
Plots aren't very exciting, but they are a great forum for Mae's character, complete with the priceless dialogue that she wrote.
When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad, I'm better. Mae West
