MissGreerGarson.com by Ed S.
Blossoms in the Dust (1941)
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Some of Ed's favourite moments
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Greer is in colour!
This was one of only a small handful of movies that MGM made in Technicolor in 1941. - In the first ten or fifteen minutes of the movie we see a very sweet courtship between Greer and Walter Pidgeon. Pidgeon is as delightful here as he will be in "Mrs. Miniver" a year later. Boy, he sure gets to kiss Greer an awful lot.
- Some nice early scenes with Marsha Hunt. Marsha, I'm still waiting for your autobiography!
- And Greer does another strip-tease.
- In the dancing sequence at the beginning, Greer starts out with a stand-in (I presume), and then dances with Walter Pidgeon bobbing up and down on a moving platform. Walter Pidgeon couldn't dance. This is all explained in the director's autobiography, "Take One", by Mervyn LeRoy. But nine years later he seems to be really dancing in "The Miniver Story".
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There are lots of tragic events in this movie, but Greer
survives them all and keeps smiling and looking
beautiful.
- When Greer is crying at the hearth (during her soirée), Walter gets to put his hand on her bare shoulder-blade.
- During Greer's big speech in the Senate ("There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents!") I have to admit that I got all choked up.
- Whoops. I got choked up at the end too. I liked this movie a lot.
- The second time I watched this movie I bawled twice as much.
- When it was discovered that Walter Pidgeon didn't know how to dance for the early scenes of "Blossoms in the Dust," I believe that he and Greer had this conversation:
GREER
What do you mean you don't dance? What will Mervyn say?
What do you mean you don't dance? What will Mervyn say?
WALTER
I'll just blame it on an old war wound.
I'll just blame it on an old war wound.
GREER
Maybe we need to rewrite your scenes.
Maybe we need to rewrite your scenes.
WALTER
Can't you just dance around me?
Can't you just dance around me?
GREER
Maybe they should find someone else to play Sam.
Maybe they should find someone else to play Sam.
WALTER
No, I don't really think you could get along without me, Duchess.
No, I don't really think you could get along without me, Duchess.
GREER
Well, maybe they can build a platform for us to stand on and someone can pull us around on it.
Well, maybe they can build a platform for us to stand on and someone can pull us around on it.
WALTER
Until I fall off and break a leg.
Until I fall off and break a leg.
GREER
Well, maybe I'll just play those scenes with your stand-in Bill. He's quite good-looking, you know.
Well, maybe I'll just play those scenes with your stand-in Bill. He's quite good-looking, you know.
WALTER
Well, he does look like me, doesn't he?
Well, he does look like me, doesn't he?
GREER
This could be his big break.
This could be his big break.
WALTER
No, Greer, I think those scenes really need someone with the smooth manner of a good old Maritime boy like me.
No, Greer, I think those scenes really need someone with the smooth manner of a good old Maritime boy like me.
GREER
And Bill doesn't slap my backside all the time.
And Bill doesn't slap my backside all the time.
WALTER
Well, he hasn't learned how to handle temperamental actresses yet.
Well, he hasn't learned how to handle temperamental actresses yet.
GREER
Maybe I should call up Louella and tell her how you handle actresses. She'll write up quite a column on you.
Maybe I should call up Louella and tell her how you handle actresses. She'll write up quite a column on you.
WALTER
Like they say, Duchess, there's no publicity like bad publicity.
Like they say, Duchess, there's no publicity like bad publicity.
GREER
And your wife will find out.
And your wife will find out.
WALTER
Ruth? Oh, she'll just tell you to slap my keister.
Ruth? Oh, she'll just tell you to slap my keister.