Vacation and randomness

Righto. Well. I'm now on vacation, and as I'm away from the work computer that usually supplies my images on my curiously legally required breaks, I'll be indulging in a bit of randomness for the next two weeks, talking about some of my favorite other moments of screen, and generally spreading my holiday relaxation and cheer to this venue.

The above picture is a personal favorite of mine of Cary Grant. Early in his career, in the film Sylvia Scarlett, where he is a con man who understands the necessity of fine clothes to his job. He also has a darn fine overcoat, a smashing hat to top it, white cuffs poking out of his immaculate sleeves, and the smashing dimensions we all wish were our own. Though this is truly a moment of great film elegance, it is a moment, I think, so few of us are blessed with the physical stature to achieve, hence my eternally mixed feelings about Cary Grant as a paragon of men's style.

CK5: Our Hero

It is interesting to place the two previous posts - the villain, and the teacher - in contrast to this. The formality of everyone surrounding him is obvious, and he is more formal than ever elsewhere in the film. Interesting to note is the number of three-piece double breasted suits visible - of three suits, two of them are this character, today considered an oddity. Perhaps in this day, of air conditioned offices, &c.

But those are not the focus - it is an interesting point of this shot that, though the image is crowded, though there are many faces, McQueen's immediately leaps to the forefront, atop his low-contrast outfit, led directly to by his dark silk knit tie. If this shot proves anything sartorially, it is the ability of the silk knit tie to exist in any situation - here it is used casually, but it is as easily imaginable in any other case - and one will notice that no one else in the room is wearing a black tie - in anything else but silk knit, it would be too formal. For a man who, like McQueen's character in this film, can afford few clothes, there can be no better choice.
Also notice the softness of his jacket, and the leather-covered buttons. Just details of sartorial history, but the blood of clothes is the details, and the life is in the blood.

CK4: The teacher/opponent

Edward G Robinson occupies the position in the Cincinnati Kid which would usually label him the villain. Robinson's character is decidedly not villainous, however. He both opposes McQueen in the game, and teaches him valuable lessons about life. He is everywhere cast as aged, knowledgeable and respectable. It is perhaps an interesting comment on culture and teaching that the opposition is the teacher - see my other blog (kingdomofinformation) for a comment on that.

Anyway, down to his clothes. It is likewise interesting that of anyone in the film, Robinson is dressed most like the villain. His gold tie pin, his three-piece, and his immaculate cuffs all speak to a care, even a fastidiousness. His materials are quite rich - silks, fine wools, pure white shirting, gold tie pin. He does seem to break the rule of unbuttoning one's bottom button - but that is in like with his character. His pocket square is plain, white and flat, not puffed. He is a man of distinction, in every way. And he has a wonderful odd vest.

CK3: The Villain

One of the interesting things about the Cincinnati Kid is that (unlike so many competition-themed films) the main opponent is not the Villain, and this is played extremely well. This is the Cincinnati Kid's villain - and while it is by no means difficult to believe that he is evil. Unfortunately, this is not the place to discuss the load-bearing particularities of his villainy, as they are interesting.

Of course, as always, his suit is also interesting. The size of lapel, the fit of sleeve, the softness and vague nature of the chalk stripes on flannel, the high-buttoned vest, the pin, all speak to a careful, considered nature, a particular, fastidious personality. While one, in such a suit, skirts looking untrustworthy, certain details may be fitting for those whose work requires a strong sense of accuracy.

For those of us who are not accountants, a few points may still be safely lifted. The placement of the tie-pin is interesting (most of the tie pins in CK fall higher than I've seen today) and the color of the tie is quite interesting.

The Cincinnati Kid 2: McQueen

While almost everyone in the Cincinnati Kid is undoubtedly stylish, and there will be more on that later, McQueen's star shines with a smooth and blinding modernism.

First, McQueen sets himself entirely apart from the period - only in one scene does he wear a tie, and that unconventional (more on that later). If memory serves, he never wears a hat, nor a vest, unlike almost everyone else in the movie. Yet one could imagine someone, even someone whose trust one could give without fear, wearing this or any of McQueen's other outfits, in any time. This is in contrast to the film's "villain," who is dressed impeccably (again, more later).

Details to notice:

Length of the sweater
Cut of the sleeve
Open-ness of the jacket front (It's not just unbuttoned, it's an open cut)
pocket flaps.
General softness of the look.
Also note the classic pairing of gray and navy.

One thing I especially am interested to notice is that in much of this film, there is a subltle affirmation of one of my pet theories. I have always thought that an unbuttoned jacket looked best over a sweater or vest - as these are not as visually complex and distracting as shirt-tie-buttons, etc. When wearing shirt and tie, no sweater, and standing, it is my opinion that at least one button on the jacket is safest done up - otherwise there is just too much flapping, and gentlemen do not flap.

Natty Cincinnati Kid

I just watched the Cincinnati kid. Though it is by no means a perfect movie, it is a generally exceptionally good movie, and there are plenty of good outfits, which I plan to spend the rest of the week ranting about here. Steve McQueen is at the top of his form, Edward G Robinson makes the best aging great ever, the direction and music are quite good, and the clothes are absolutely top-notch.

Take the above image. Both men are wearing three-piece suits, one of them with an odd vest. The shirt cuffs are perfect, and the older man dresses himself with more formality and is a bit more dapper, as is his due. His gray colors match well with the graying hair. Though he is shorter, the height of his collar and the tilt of his hat both make him seem to be looking at the taller man eye to eye. The green silk scarf is a wonderful accessory, as is the small, but slightly off-center tie pin.

And that's the image without McQueen.