On my first viewing of Today We Live (1933) I am struck by a unique outfit Joan Crawford wears. During my usual research, I found the following comments on IMDb:
"Although the story takes place in England, during the World War I period (1916), 'Joan Crawford''s hairstyles and clothes are all strictly contemporary, including some very striking Adrian creations that were the very trademark of the time and place when it was being filmed (Hollywood, 1933.)"
"And Joan Crawford's teatime attire by Adrian, breathtaking as it is, is also uncomfortably out of place."I go on to Wikipedia Humoresque the next movie on my TCM schedule, also starring Joan--its her birthday. I read...
Costumes for Humoresque were designed by Adrian and Bernard Newman.Hmmm, who is this Adrian? I'm now embarrassed to admit I wasn't aware of this prolific designer.
Adrian Adolph Greenberg (3 March 1903 – 13 September 1959) most widely known as Adrian, was an American costume designer whose most famous costumes were for The Wizard of Oz and other Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films of the 1930s and 1940s. During his career, he designed costumes for over 250 films and his screen credits usually read as "Gowns by Adrian".Turns out Adrian had dressed Joan again--actually again and again. Besides Today We Live (1933) Adrian and Joan also share credits for Grand Hotel (1932), The Gorgeous Hussy (1936), both Possessed (1931) and Possessed (1947), The Women (1939), Humoresque (1946)
Humoresque
Possessed(1947)
The Women
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Adrian also did the a lot of the gowns for Jean Harlow. Dinner at Eight is an excellent showcase of how his designs were made to fit the actresses themselves & not made for the masses. He was the GIVENCHY to many of the Golden Age Starlets. He is my favorite for being an evening gown designer. Edith Head did good work, but she excelled more in doing the "Working Girl" Outifts, Orry Kelley was good but seemed to dress the actors with a little more attention to detail than the actresses, Irene had a very good eye & a gift for colors & contrasts, but she still couldn't seem to match Adrians Flair for elegance.
ReplyDeleteAll in all though these costume designers added much to the Golden Age of Hollywood than they seem to be given credit for. I'm happy you found Adrian through watching some of Joan Crawford's films, He really knew how to dress the ladies...
If you would like to know & see more of his work there was book of his MGM gowns done a few years ago ~ http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi812778265/
Can You tell me if ADRIAN's Son Robin Greenberg is still alive and if so what does he do for a living! Did ADRIAN father any other children?
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