Comments on: Berwick Street, and the rivals in love – Jessie Matthews and Evelyn Laye http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/ A blog about 20th Century London Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:22:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: nickelinthemachine http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-966 nickelinthemachine Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:03:44 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-966 Thank you so much for the long and considered response to my post. The comments are always appreciated - to say the least. I still stand by the description 'dated'. I love music and probably listen to different kinds of musical genres than most. However Al Bowlly is from the same era as Matthews and Laye and unlike them I can listen to him all day long. He has a more modern style I think because he adapted his voice to a microphone (and earlier, a megaphone). Saying that, I probably don't mean 'a more modern style', I mean a singing style (more intimate?) which I, and I suggest probably others of my, or a later generation, can understand. Whereas Laye and Matthews have a style that comes from singing on stage in an era before electronic microphones. I LOVE though (and I was thinking just this the other day as I found myself humming it over and over again) 'Over My Shoulder' by Jessie Matthews. In that particular song I think her 'peculiar magnetism' comes over and I think I should've posted it. The 'peculiar magnetism', and I think you shouldn't have beaten around the bush, was an incredible earthy sexuality and energetic, um, joie de vivre? Evelyn Laye had a very cool beauty that certainly lasts through the photography medium - but I know who I would have liked to have sat next to at the dinner table. Rob Thank you so much for the long and considered response to my post. The comments are always appreciated – to say the least.

I still stand by the description ‘dated’. I love music and probably listen to different kinds of musical genres than most. However Al Bowlly is from the same era as Matthews and Laye and unlike them I can listen to him all day long. He has a more modern style I think because he adapted his voice to a microphone (and earlier, a megaphone). Saying that, I probably don’t mean ‘a more modern style’, I mean a singing style (more intimate?) which I, and I suggest probably others of my, or a later generation, can understand. Whereas Laye and Matthews have a style that comes from singing on stage in an era before electronic microphones.

I LOVE though (and I was thinking just this the other day as I found myself humming it over and over again) ‘Over My Shoulder’ by Jessie Matthews. In that particular song I think her ‘peculiar magnetism’ comes over and I think I should’ve posted it. The ‘peculiar magnetism’, and I think you shouldn’t have beaten around the bush, was an incredible earthy sexuality and energetic, um, joie de vivre?

Evelyn Laye had a very cool beauty that certainly lasts through the photography medium – but I know who I would have liked to have sat next to at the dinner table.

Rob

]]> By: Philip http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-965 Philip Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:30:10 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-965 I also would have to disagree with the author's assessment about Matthews's recordings and voice, but I would argue that it's a matter of taste rather than a "dated" style. For many, as the other contributors have noted, her voice and style are appealing; assessing whether it is "listenable" or "unlistenable" is ultimately critically unrelated to period. There are many singers from the 1890s to the present day whose styles I find appealing and just as many I dislike, but I always try to understand why I like or dislike them, and often my opinions change upon further study and discussion. If the author personally dislikes Matthews's singing voice, say so or don't, but please use more thoughtful and informed critical terminology rather than the easy-way-out-word "dated". That would be more helpful! My own experience with both Laye's and Matthews's films is that Matthews had a peculiar magnetism which enticed audiences of her day regardless of class. Her advantages in film were that she had generally very good directors (until Sonnie Hale took over her later vehicles -- he was an appealing actor but an indifferent director) and well-funded productions; her disadvantages center on her films' distribution (a major problem of the 1930s British film industry), which was strongly Empire-based. Laye worked in Hollywood and got wider exposure (and perhaps more worldwide recognition at the time), but her elegant performing style was more calculated and perhaps not as obviously inviting as Matthews's -- at least to _me_ and me alone, I will admit. Personal taste again. I would say that the rest of this article is excellent and I enjoyed it very much indeed! I also would have to disagree with the author’s assessment about Matthews’s recordings and voice, but I would argue that it’s a matter of taste rather than a “dated” style. For many, as the other contributors have noted, her voice and style are appealing; assessing whether it is “listenable” or “unlistenable” is ultimately critically unrelated to period. There are many singers from the 1890s to the present day whose styles I find appealing and just as many I dislike, but I always try to understand why I like or dislike them, and often my opinions change upon further study and discussion. If the author personally dislikes Matthews’s singing voice, say so or don’t, but please use more thoughtful and informed critical terminology rather than the easy-way-out-word “dated”. That would be more helpful!

My own experience with both Laye’s and Matthews’s films is that Matthews had a peculiar magnetism which enticed audiences of her day regardless of class. Her advantages in film were that she had generally very good directors (until Sonnie Hale took over her later vehicles — he was an appealing actor but an indifferent director) and well-funded productions; her disadvantages center on her films’ distribution (a major problem of the 1930s British film industry), which was strongly Empire-based. Laye worked in Hollywood and got wider exposure (and perhaps more worldwide recognition at the time), but her elegant performing style was more calculated and perhaps not as obviously inviting as Matthews’s — at least to _me_ and me alone, I will admit. Personal taste again.

I would say that the rest of this article is excellent and I enjoyed it very much indeed!

]]> By: Alan http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-731 Alan Thu, 28 May 2009 22:18:27 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-731 I would also like to express my gratitude for this posting- though I must respectfully disagree about Jessie's recordings. I love listening to her singing voice and find it remarkably touching. I have read both Ms. Matthews' autobiography and Mr. Thornton's book. I had heard that the latter was going to be reissued in an updated edition but have yet to have this confirmed. If anyone has information about this, I would be most grateful. Alan in NYC I would also like to express my gratitude for this posting- though I must respectfully disagree about Jessie’s recordings. I love listening to her singing voice and find it remarkably touching.
I have read both Ms. Matthews’ autobiography and Mr. Thornton’s book. I had heard that the latter was going to be reissued in an updated edition but have yet to have this confirmed.
If anyone has information about this, I would be most grateful. Alan in NYC

]]> By: nickelinthemachine http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-463 nickelinthemachine Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:49:36 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-463 I completely agree that she doesn't seem dated. Although I will stand by the opinion that her singing does, to the extent that I find a lot of her recordings almost unlistenable. I completely agree that she doesn’t seem dated. Although I will stand by the opinion that her singing does, to the extent that I find a lot of her recordings almost unlistenable.

]]> By: Dave http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-443 Dave Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:17:12 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-443 THANK YOU for the historical overview of the Matthews/Laye/Hale saga. I know it was a major scandal, but I had no idea of the detailsI just saw my first Jessie Matthews movie, Evergreen and thought she was terrific. Her dancing was amazing when she's signing "Over My Shoulder...goes one care." I didn't find Jessie dated, but rather I thought she was somewhat contemporary -- she has an "edge" ... Jessie is definitely NOT not a typical 1930s sacharine-type musical star. THANK YOU again...I appreciate learning a bit about the actors in the old films that I like. Dave in Victoria, British Columbia THANK YOU for the historical overview of the Matthews/Laye/Hale saga. I know it was a major scandal, but I had no idea of the detailsI just saw my first Jessie Matthews movie, Evergreen and thought she was terrific. Her dancing was amazing when she’s signing “Over My Shoulder…goes one care.” I didn’t find Jessie dated, but rather I thought she was somewhat contemporary — she has an “edge” … Jessie is definitely NOT not a typical 1930s sacharine-type musical star. THANK YOU again…I appreciate learning a bit about the actors in the old films that I like. Dave in Victoria, British Columbia

]]> By: Caroline http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/04/berwick-street-and-the-rivals-in-love-jessie-matthews-and-evelyn-laye/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Caroline Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:24:31 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=674#comment-382 Fascinating - and it's wonderful having all the photos, video and music to illustrate this. Fascinating – and it’s wonderful having all the photos, video and music to illustrate this.

]]>