By: debbie lynn elias
As comes as no surprise, my two favorite Annes – Jeffreys and Rutherford – took to the red carpet at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Resplendent in red, “to match the rug” according to Jeffreys, these ladies are some of the last bastions of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Rutherford now age 91 and one of the last surviving principal cast members of GONE WITH THE WIND (Olivia De Havilland being the other) as well as long time player with Mickey Rooney in the Andy Hardy movies, and Jeffreys, age 87, long time studio contract player who later found a home in television and most notably, the ABC soap “General Hospital”, always add a touch of elegance, glamour and grace to the festivities. In what has long been her trademark, Jeffreys wowed not only in red carpet red, but also with stunning very large glistening diamond earrings. “You know, the bigger the better.”
Always a joint carpet entry with Jeffreys the more talkative of the pair, I had a chance to briefly speak with them in a 1:1 on the carpet talking “classic” movies, as well as garnering a surprise invitation from Anne Jeffreys to join her inside for the Opening Night screening of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
Do you find the resurgence and interest in classic films surprising?
AJ: I hope so. You can’t improve on perfection and if you do get away from perfection, what have you got? A lot of no good things that don’t teach anything good. See, I get on my morals here.
Oh, feel free to get on your morals! I totally agree with you.
AJ: I do. I think we’re teaching our young people the wrong thing. I think it’s a shame. We’ve both said that we’re glad that we were around in the days that we were.
And the two of you came up in the studio system as well.
AJ: Yes.
Do you think that is something that Hollywood could benefit from now?
AJ: Oh yes. Oh yes. Because you were trained and you were watched and you were told what to do and what not to do. It was a family thing. I loved being under contract. So did she [Rutherford]!
AR: Yes. Definitely.
Would you go back and do a film now, even a small cameo?
AJ: I just did one. I just got back a couple of days ago. It was wonderful!
And what is the name of the film?
AJ: I have no idea because it’s in Italian. [Laughing]
I love foreign films. I will make sure I find out about it and see it.
AJ: It has Danny Glover in it. And Steve Bauer.
And you are the important part. The rose amongst the thorns in that mix!
AJ: [laughing] Well, I don’t know about that.
Have a lovely evening tonite ladies with the gala and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
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