Creating Glamour in an Age of Anxiety: Adrian Greenberg and Hollywood Personas

Rodriguez, Grace

Thesis (B.F.A.) -- Art History

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Art History

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"Since the early twentieth century, the personas of the Hollywood movie stars were captured in their dress both on and off the screen. Focusing on the film stars of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during the 1930s, this thesis will examine how the work of costume designer, Gilbert Adrian Greenburg, formed the actresses' identities. While predominantly focusing on the major personas from Joan Crawford's working girl to the glamorous Jean Harlow, this thesis will use a contextual and feminist approach to discuss how Adrian's garments affected the transformation of the actresses to the American public. Against the onset of the Great Depression, these films exemplified an escapism for the public from the social turmoil through their broad shoulders, exaggerated silhouettes, and extravagant fabrics. From 1928 (A Woman of Affairs) to 1952 (Lovely to Look At), Adrian represented the everyday American woman that the public craved throughout his career. Juxtaposing the French fashions and the unattainable, Adrian sought to make his characters and these women a part of American life. Through examining the costumes and their impact on society such as through fan magazines and the films themselves, I will address how Adrian formed identities through the gaze of the screen. As the Depression and growing tensions in Europe clouded the social sphere, the glittery fabrics and excess of Adrian's work transformed the screen into a dream. This thesis will focus on the transformative aspects of dress as well as how the psyche plays into the identity of clothes. Using Eugenia Paulicelli's construction of self and identity within the structure of film, the underlying cultural impact of Adrian's costumes affects the gaze of American society. Using the films of Queen Christiana (1933, dir. by Rouben Mamoulian), Letty Lynton (1932, dir. by Clarence Brown), and Dinner at Eight (1934, dir. by George Cukor), this essay will explore how Adrian's transformation through personas on stage create personas off-screen. Focusing on the lead actresses of Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, and Joan Crawford, this thesis will address how their media immortalized their character whether it was the glamour of Jean Harlow or the empowered Joan Crawford and the impact of the illusion on society. When considering how this period was shaped by the Golden Age of Hollywood, the contextual aspect of this thesis will require an understanding of the social turmoil as well as the background of Adrian and his actresses to study their lasting personas." -- Abstract

Savannah, Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design

2022-05

1 online resource: 1 PDF (Thesis, 66 pages, color illustrations)