Bitch Virtuosity

[kalquessa]

So I've been on an old movie kick lately, and I watched "All About Eve" for the first time a few days ago. Or rather, I should say, I finished watching it a few days ago because my life does not lend itself well to seeing an entire movie all in one go without interruption. But anyway. The movie was awesome and I looked it up on Wikipedia to see

Comments

[jd3000]

So, your post made me mentally truncate that to "Bitchuosity." THEN, it made me mentally rewrite THIS song bouncing around my neurons to feature this concept.

THEN, I realized this new song needs to be fully written, sung and danced on film.

THEN, I realized that I am definitely insane.

Thank you for helping me reach this epiphany.

-JD

[kalquessa]

I shall now die of giggling. Thank you.

[some_day_soling]

OMG! I love that song and I still think you've probably improved it! Awesome! Brain now off and running.

[thothmes]

It has been a loooong time since I watched it, but Bette Davis in Jezebel comes to mind. This being the '40's, I'm pretty sure there was some kind of smackdown for her behavior at the end, but like I said, it's been a loooong time, and I don't really remember.

Bette Davis had bitch virtuosity in most of her roles, and I gather that it may have been equally true in life.

[kalquessa]

She had it in Eve for sure, though not in the scary self-serving way that the Eve character did. Davis's character is catty and abrasive but ultimately played for sympathy. I'll have to track down more of her roles, she was fun to watch.

[ubiquitous_a]

"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

LOVE that movie.

As far as other examples, there were certainly a couple of good ones in Shakespeare's plays....specifically The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing. Also, I'd say Cybil Shepherd in Moonlighting. :)

[kalquessa]

I was so pleased to finally know where that line came from. Plus, I just loved every single one of Bette Davis's lines.

[futuremrizh]

Double Indemnity - movie or novella (maybe more of a femme fatale than virtuosic bitch, I suppose, but still worth your time).

Mildred Pierce - movie or novel. Two virtuosos for the price of one!

And I offer more as a question to the peanut gallery - Anna Karenina?

[kalquessa]

Sam-I-Am rec'd Mildred Pierce, too! *makes note*

I'm not sure I'm up for Anna Karinina. I find Russian epics very daunting. So many characters, with five different names apiece! Though I'm informed that I will have to read Crime and Punishment at some point because according to more than one friend, I will love it.

[jaxomsride]

Does Cruella de Vil in 101 dalmatians count?

There is of course Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada

[kalquessa]

Miranda Priestly defines bitch virtuosity.