''Baby Doll'', 1956 - art by Georges Allard
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Baby Doll'', 1956 - art by Georges Allard
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Digital Art
Description
Vintage French movie poster reproduction for ''Baby Doll'', a 1956 American black comedy film directed by Elia Kazan and based on the Tennessee Williams play "27 Wagons Full of Cotton." The film stars Carroll Baker as Baby Doll Meighan, a young woman in a troubled marriage, and Eli Wallach as her manipulative and older husband. "Baby Doll" is known for its provocative themes, dark humor, and its impact on film censorship.
Here are some key elements and notable aspects of "Baby Doll" (1956):
Carroll Baker as Baby Doll: Carroll Baker delivers a standout performance as Baby Doll Meighan, a childlike and innocent young woman who becomes the object of desire for two men. Her portrayal captures the vulnerability and complexity of the character.
Eli Wallach as Archie Lee Meighan: Eli Wallach plays Archie Lee Meighan, Baby Doll's husband, who is obsessed with consummating their marriage and is willing to go to great lengths to achieve his desires. Wallach's performance as the scheming and morally ambiguous character is memorable.
Dark Comedy: "Baby Doll" is a dark comedy that explores themes of lust, manipulation, and power dynamics within a dysfunctional marriage. The film uses humor to delve into the characters' morally questionable actions.
Southern Setting: The film is set in the American South, specifically in the Mississippi Delta region, which adds to the film's atmosphere and provides a backdrop for the characters' interactions.
Controversy and Censorship: "Baby Doll" faced censorship and controversy upon its release due to its provocative themes and suggestive content. It was considered scandalous for its time and faced opposition from various groups.
Director Elia Kazan: Elia Kazan, known for his work in theater and film, directed "Baby Doll." He skillfully navigated the challenges of adapting a Tennessee Williams play for the screen and brought a unique vision to the film.
Cinematography: The film's cinematography, by Boris Kaufman, captures the Southern landscape and adds visual depth to the storytelling.
Legacy: "Baby Doll" remains a significant film in the context of film censorship and the portrayal of controversial themes in cinema. It is considered a classic example of mid-20th century American cinema that pushed boundaries.
Critical Reception: Despite its initial controversies, "Baby Doll" received critical acclaim for its performances and screenplay. Carroll Baker earned an Academy Award nomination for her role.
Influence: "Baby Doll" had a lasting impact on the depiction of sexuality and relationships in cinema. It is remembered for its audacious approach to storytelling and its exploration of taboo subjects.
In summary, "Baby Doll" (1956) is a provocative dark comedy that explores themes of lust, manipulation, and power dynamics within a troubled marriage. The film features standout performances by Carroll Baker and Eli Wallach and remains notable for its impact on film censorship and its place in the history of American cinema.
About the artist:
Gilbert ("Georges") Allard (Oct. 15, 1916, Rouvray-Saint-Croix, France—Dec. 7, 2002, Saint-Evertin, France) was a leading French postwar and contemporary poster artist, active from the end of the 1940s through the 1960s.
He painted and signed more than eighty posters for films distributed in France. The French advertising agency Jacques Fourastié produced the majority of his posters.
He often differed from other French poster artists who used graphic elements since he preferred traditional painting techniques. As a result, he used fine brushwork to paint intricate, unexaggerated facial details while adding more dynamic features to the background images, which blended expertly with the key image. In combination, his poster art produced images of the film's essential theme.
An example of those style qualities can be seen in his poster for "Contempt" (aka "Le Mepris," (1963) with Brigitte Bardot, along with other posters, as in "Red River" (1948), "Baby Doll" (1956), and "Doctor Zhivago" (1965).
Search for "Allard" to see some of his other art.
Uploaded
February 10th, 2021
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