9. Ginger Rodgers vs Frances Mercer, Vivacious Lady
People usually remember Ginger Rodgers for her partnership with Fred Astaire, which is disappointing because she was a very fine, Oscar award-winning actress in her own right. With wonderful roles in films like Kitty Foyle, Tom, Dick and Harry, Stage Door, and The Major and the Minor it's no wonder that she was a top box-office draw and public favorite for most of the 30's and 40's during the Golden Age of Hollywood. You'd be surprised to know that her talents ran far beyond tap dancing and singing; Ginger could also throw a mean left hook. In George Stevens' wonderful 1938 film Vivacious Lady, Ginger portrays Francey, a beautiful and bewitching night club singer who thoroughly bewitches James Stewart, who plays uptight and privileged Peter Morgan Jr. They are quickly married, but all is not well; Peter's family, friends, and fiancée all think very little of the girl that Peter has brought back to the college where he teaches. Only Helen, the jilted fiancée (Frances mercer) is stupid enough to actually confront Francey. This scene must have been a shock to audiences in the 30's who probably weren't used to women throwing down on screen like this, and sure, it's not as violent as it could have been considering the climate of the time and censorship, but what they couldn't show on screen they expressed in tone quite well. Even before the fight begins, the barbs these women throw back and forth at each other feel like punches. Plus, the way Ginger says "Put em up" just melts me. I'll take this over the WWE divas any day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-2r3zzZYgA
Raymond Keith Woods
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Raymond Woods is too busy watching movies to give you a decent bio. If he wasn't too busy watching movies and reading books about movies and listening to podcasts about movies, this is what he'd tell you. "I know more about film than you. Accept this as a fact and we might be able to talk."
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