BAD GIRLS CLUB: ANGIE DICKINSON IN ‘JESSICA’

 

I remember seeing Angie Dickinson for the very first time on TVs POLICE WOMAN back when I was a little one. It played in re-runs daily. I never caught an entire episode (crime dramas never were my cup of tea) but I do recall telling myself how sexy this woman was. Fast forward to a couple of years later and there she was again in the Jackie Collins’ HOLLYWOOD WIVES miniseries on ABC. As you can imagine, that one I watched many times over, so it’s probably safer to say I know her from that TV event more than anything else. Since then I have caught her here and there in interviews, TV movies, even in the Brian DePalma film DRESSED TO KILL (which I saw on opening day many many years ago). She is a 90 year old recluse today.

 

She certainly is a sight for sore eyes in 1962 JESSICA, a light romantic comedy set in Italy. In it she plays an American widowed midwife who unknowingly creates havoc amongst the jealous women townsfolk, one of whom being TVs BEWITCHED Agnes Moorehead. Indeed, they are so much green with envy that they end up forming a plan to get rid of her by depriving their men of any sexual favors—no candy no baby, so no midwife, get it? Of course it all goes awry. Some women resist, some don’t. One ends up with a shiner, as does her husband. But the best part is following sweet and angelic but oh-so sexy Jessica as she ultimately gets some revenge time. You should see her going at it as she shows her curves while skinny dipping or riding her Vestra motorbike across the Sicilian village (with one of the women’s husband in tow at one time). My, the evil eye she gets... Maurice Chevalier is also in this, playing the town priest, who sings a tune and tries his best to match-up Jessica with the recluse handsome marchese Gabriele Ferzetti. We all know that it will eventually happen but half the fun is watching them get there.

Based on the novel The Midwife of Pont Clery by Flora Sandstrom, JESSICA is not the greatest film adaptation (which, BTW, is directed by Jean Negulesco who also gave us the classic THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN and the similar Ann-Margret vehicle THE PLEASURE SEEKERS). It does tend to be too saccharinely-sweet despite the tawdry subject but Daniel F. Flapp’s cinematography of the Forza d’Agrò town (used also for 1974 THE GODFATHER) is quite impressive. And Miss Dickinson does try her best to make her character come alive which she does from time to time, but mostly she turns on the automatic pilot. All in all, JESSICA is mindless fun, a film that I would re-watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon while I’m doing the dishes or rearranging my drawers.

 

Until next post—Martin