Ridiculous glamour - Dietrich in Seven Sinners, 1940

I believe the portraits, here, are the work of John Engstead.

With John Wayne.

Between takes. Miss Dietrich uses a leaning board, Hollywood's device for allowing an actor to rest while not unduly creasing the costume.

With Broderick Crawford.

With John Wayne.

With John Wayne.

***

Spanish language publicity for the picture; the new title translates to "From Island to Island".

***

One last image, clearly from the same sessions but, with her hair loose and brushed out, quite uncharacteristically free for our Miss Dietrich.

Randomly Dietrich

  Photographed by William Walling Jr., 1934.

In transit, circa mid-1930s.

Indulging reporters on the deck of the Île-de-France, 1934 (?).

Circa 1940.

With Melvyn Douglas, publicity for "Angel", 1937.

Circa early1940s.

Circa 1935. Her eyebrows - then at their zenith - look even more unnatural in the bright sunlight.

Publicity for "Knight Without Armour", 1937. This is one of my favorite Dietrich films, though not well known.

Publicity for "Knight Without Armour", 1937.

In "Desire", 1936. The way she says "pearls" is inimitable.

Beaded by Irene, early 1940s.

Beaded by Jean Louis, publicity for her Las Vegas shows, mid-1950's

Publicity for "Stage Fright", 1950, another of my favorite Dietrich films.

In "Stage Fright", 1950.

Photographed by William Walling Jr. (?), circa 1934.

Circa early 1930s.

Voodoo - Marlene vs. Shirley

Dietrich in costume for the famous/infamous "Hot Voodoo" number from her fourth American film, 1932's "Blonde Venus", directed by von Sternberg. Her character in the film, Helen Faraday, is working in a nightclub and first appears in the scene in a gorilla costume, surrounded by "savage" chorines. After slowly - and in very gorilla-like posture - traversing the room, she makes her way back to the stage and proceeds to dismantle herself, removing her gorilla hands, gorilla head and, after the addition of a large, arrow-pierced white frightwig, reveals herself to be some sort of very blonde savage, herself. 

In this publicity shot the bodice of her costume is different than that used in the film; was it felt that this version was just too suggestive?

***

The following year, Shirley Temple got in on the act when she spoofed the great German diva in the Baby Burlesk short, “Kid N Hollywood.”

Apparently, there were no hard feelings.