1935 – Miriam Hopkins
Becky Sharp
From what I have read, this movie had the distinction of being the first full length feature film to be filmed in Three-Strip Technicolor. The version I watched was the restored version, so all the colors looked vibrant and the picture was clear. It was a beautifully photographed picture. And Miriam Hopkins, though I didn’t always like her character, did a fantastic job. The character of Becky Sharp was an almost despicable person, and Hopkins did a great job bringing that across in her performance. The terrible duality of her personality was clear to see.
I’ve heard of Miriam Hopkins before, but I don’t recall ever seeing any of her other films. She had an interesting beauty about her. For me, it was about her jawline and her mouth. They were a facial feature that stood out to me, which made her beauty slightly unconventional, her visage alluring. She had a fresh and youthful face that was interesting to look at. And she was downright gorgeous in the party scenes where she was in fancy gowns, with her hair pulled to the back of her head.
The character of Becky Sharp was a rebellious girl, an unapologetic gold-digger. She is a liar who will pretty much be nice to those who can give her what she wants, then give them the finger after she gets it. The only time she really suffers from her own machinations is when her husband becomes wise to her constant deceptions and infidelities, and leaves her. Who knew she was actually in love with him. But even then, Hopkins made Becky’s motivations clear, her emotions raw.
But in the end, we find that she isn’t all bad. She sacrifices her own happiness and security so that her best friend can marry the man she adores. She puts aside her selfish nature to give her friend love. Fortunately, an old acquaintance shows up and gives her a little money. He also gives her a book as a gift. And being true to her nature, Becky waits till he is walking away before throwing the book at his head and laughing in his face for his kindness and his money. And the whole thing is almost played off as Becky being a scamp, a jolly rogue. And darn if Miriam Hopkins didn’t have me almost liking the character of Becky Sharp, simply because of her unapologetic wickedness. Well played, Miriam. Well played.