Some Funny Stuff About "Funny Face"

Turner Classic Movies screened 1957's "Funny Face" last night as part of its "Follow the Thread" study of fashion and movies. I've probably seen "Funny Face" more than any other film, but it's been a long time.

I'm happy (and more than a little relieved) to report not only does "Funny Face" remain charming and 100% watchable, it's such a tribute to everything that magazines were and in my opinion should be—informational, aspirational but still a bit fantastic, like a beautiful dream.

The opening credits, designed by photographer Richard Avedon, show off the high fashion style favored by Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. At the time he worked exclusively for Harper's Bazaar. Carmel Snow was Editor in Chief, though she left the next year. The last frames of the opening sequence thank Snow and Avedon for their contributions.

 

The movie revolves around a fictional magazine called Quality. It's mentioned in the same breath as Vogue and Bazaar, as if they were a trio. It's often said that Maggie Prescott, the editor-in-chief character, was based on Diana Vreeland. No doubt Kay Thompson styled some of her mannerisms on Diana, who was not editor-in-chief of anything then. She was Harper's Bazaar's fashion editor, working under Carmel Snow. They were very different women, but Carmel realized what Diana brought to fashion and let her do her thing (while attempting to rein her in when necessary).
 

Avedon (left) and Astaire

The photographer of the story, Dick Avery, played by Fred Astaire, is most definitely meant to be Richard Avedon. Not too far a stretch there, eh? They were similar in build, although Astaire was 58 at the time and Avedon 34. Something to be said for a life in dance! Another similarity of reel life to real life is the character of Quality's art director. He doesn't have much of a role, but he does have a marked European accent. Bazaar's brilliant art director under Carmel Snow was emigré Alexey Brodovitch. He left when she left. 

Many real top models of the era appear in the film. Dovima, a supermodel before the term was coined, is the only one with lines. She is a gorgeous creature posing for Astaire's photographer but more worried about picking up her Harold's laundry. She was obviously dubbed in wincingly painful Brooklynese so must have been a very good sport.

Carmel (left) with Diana

Carmel was forced out of Bazaar in 1958 at age 70. She did not suggest Diana for the top spot, and the job went to Carmel's niece, Nancy White. It's also been said that's why Diana Vreeland left Bazaar for Vogue That didn't actually happen until 1962, so Diana worked under Nancy for 5 years.

The opening number of "Funny Face" is "Think Pink", encouraging Quality's readers to wear nothing but. As EIC of Vogue, several years later Diana Vreeland once sent a memo to her editors, "Today let's think pig white! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have stockings that were pig white! The color of baby pigs, not quite white and not quite pink!" How bizarre is that? Especially since, as the story goes, Diana saw "Funny Face" once and said, "This will never be spoken of again."

Another thing that tickled me pink? When questioned why she herself is not wearing pink, Kay Thompson's Maggie Prescott says, "I wouldn't be caught dead." Nevertheless a few scenes later she's wearing, you guessed it.