Iris Barry, c. 1940. Photograph by George Platt Lynes (Courtesy of MoMA)
Those of you who enjoyed my post in February about film critic and curator Iris Barry may be interested in attending a Barry-themed film series taking place right now at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Iris Barry: Re-View features films Barry chose for a program at Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum in 1933 that would gauge public interest in film as an art form. The program paved the way for MoMA’s film library, which Barry went on to curate.
The series also includes the Mae West classic She Done Him Wrong (showing tonight!).
If I had time, I’d make you a Mae West recipe. I promise to figure out a way to include one on these pages soon. In the meantime, I hope New York-area readers will try to make it to some of the films this weekend.
Tags: Iris Barry, Musem of Modern Art
Not unlike having the cook announce that tonight’s dinner will include some favorite dish we’ve not see at table for ages, it was a pleasure to see Iris Barry resurface – and news of a film program recreating one she herself had presented more than 75 years ago. Thank you Tinky! A very quick and unorthodox pre-dawn polling of your blog’s regular readers produced a unanimous agreement that you be given our full dispensation from other writing obligations in order to pursue that tantalizing Mae West recipe you’ve promised: we cannot imagine what it might be, and are refraining from imagining edible lifejackets. But for Iris Barry’s championing West, surely there is a fabulous dessert out there waiting to commemorate Barry’s prescience? We’re imagining something about which West might have said, “I generally avoid temptation unless I can’t resist it.”
Wish Iris would be there. Musta been some woman.
I’ve been away from the Internet except for work for what seems like forever. I’ve caught up on all the posts I’ve missed. Happy Birthday to Michael!!! He and I almost share a birthday. His is on the 13th? Mine is the 12th but I celebrate the 13th as well because that was the day of my First Holy Communion (in 1955). Great looking cakes, Michael! I plan on making the pizza too. That sounds delish. Love to see what you’ll come up for a Mae West recipe! Turkey breast?
Thanks, all. Grad, I like the breast, but I have a feeling Miss West would NOT like being associated with a turkey!
How times change – then it was elegant to pose with cigarette in hand!!
So true! I do think she looks wonderfully glamorous, cigarette or no cigarette……