Dublin Core
Title
Hollywood Version of 1930s Makeup, or the Real Shitheels of the Great Depression
Description
Although I've stated in my primary description that I'm uninterested in viewing 1930s beauty through the lens of Hollywood, I realized about halfway through my process of compiling exhibit items that it might underscore my examination of beauty for average women even further by providing a point of contrast.
This video was produced for the Educational Films Corporation of America by famed producer Hal Roach. It showcases the alleged daily beauty routine of actress Constance Bennett, performed as she glides around her silk-covered bedrooms and is assisted by a uniformed house maid.
This wouldn't be so ridiculous if it was a scene from a movie, but the fact that it is supposed to be an attainable daily beauty routine which could guide normal women in establishing their own routines is what makes it so outrageous. Even during a prosperous time this type of routine would be very time consuming and probably be reserved for only the most enthusiastic users of skincare and cosmetic products, but during the Great Depression it's even more far-fetched.
This video, I believe, showcases what kind of woman Mae, the diner waitress from "Grapes of Wrath," would have classified as a "shitheel." Of course, Constance Bennett herself probably had very little to do with the content and production of this video, so it is the corporate higher-ups of Americas film companies who are truly to blame for coming up with such a ridiculous premise and such an impossibly detailed routine.
This video was produced for the Educational Films Corporation of America by famed producer Hal Roach. It showcases the alleged daily beauty routine of actress Constance Bennett, performed as she glides around her silk-covered bedrooms and is assisted by a uniformed house maid.
This wouldn't be so ridiculous if it was a scene from a movie, but the fact that it is supposed to be an attainable daily beauty routine which could guide normal women in establishing their own routines is what makes it so outrageous. Even during a prosperous time this type of routine would be very time consuming and probably be reserved for only the most enthusiastic users of skincare and cosmetic products, but during the Great Depression it's even more far-fetched.
This video, I believe, showcases what kind of woman Mae, the diner waitress from "Grapes of Wrath," would have classified as a "shitheel." Of course, Constance Bennett herself probably had very little to do with the content and production of this video, so it is the corporate higher-ups of Americas film companies who are truly to blame for coming up with such a ridiculous premise and such an impossibly detailed routine.