A while back, I got to thinking about girdle scenes I've encountered in mainstream flicks. Readers responded enthusiastically to my musings.
From Virginian-
My favorite is the 1980s movie St. Elmo's Fire, in which Mare Winningham plays a shy young lady with a crush on hunky Rob Lowe. When she finally gets a chance to make out with him, he reaches up her skirt and finds a long-leg panty girdle. Exclaiming, "What the hell is this?" he grabs a cuff and snaps it against her thigh. She immediately gets up and orders him out of the house.
I'm fond of the scene for several reasons:
- the excellent close-up view of the garment in question;
- the idea that a mid-80's film would portray an attractive young woman in a girdle;
- the strength of character displayed by the young woman who does not allow a crush to overrule her sense of personal dignity. Right on!
I also thoroughly enjoyed The Two Jakes, where Jack Nicholson engages in a torrid sex scene with brunette Madeleine Stowe, who's turned out in a beautiful pink open-bottom. Turn the sound down so Jack's anti-girdle comment won't mar the mood.
Then there's...
- The Graduate, wherein Anne Bancroft wears a black control brief as she seduces the young Dustin Hoffman;
- Animal House, with a scene where John Belushi climbs a ladder to peer into a sorority house window to watch a bedroom pillow fight. Most of the girls wear garter belts and stockings, but one willowy brunette wears a white long-leg girdle. And if you're fond of corselettes, the dean's wife wears a nice black one as she goes to bed with one of the frat boys.
- Shag... another corselette scene as three 1950s girls dress for a date.
- Parents... a dark comedy in which a young 1950s boy discovers Mom and Dad are cannibals. At one point he spies them making love, and as his mother (Mary Beth Hurt) peels, she's wearing a very heavy-looking control brief.
- Firemens' Ball... a late 60s Czech comedy about, well, a firemens' ball in a rural town. There's a dance floor scene where you get a good glimpse of a young lady's girdle. The movie that brought director Milos Forman to Western attention; not easy to find, but worth seeing even if girdles are not your thing.
- And speaking of dance floor scenes, how about A League of Their Own? The reliable Madonna plays a female baseball player of the 1940's, and when she takes the floor to jitterbug, she has no qualms about showing off her white long-leg.
- Not nearly so appealing is a scene in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World where Ethel Merman falls on her butt, and as her legs splay, you see her white long-leg. Miss Merman has never done much for me, I'm afraid.
Has anyone seen the Brian DePalma cult flick, Greetings? I've seen a still from this late-Sixties anti-draft movie depicting what's described as a seduction scene. It looks as if there is a black long-leg peeking out below the hem of the young lady's mini-dress. Does anyone know if things get more interesting?
A recent Usenet post claims that the new (January '97) Rodney Dangerfield movie, Meet Wally Sparks, may have "the best view of girdled women ever!" The scene, we are told, features two women in panty girdles, tipsily cavorting with Rodney "for several seconds."
I don't know. It would take several very good seconds to make an hour-and-a-half of Rodney Dangerfield bearable. Can anyone report?
From Richard-
Here is another movie that you can add to your list. It is called Blaze, starring Paul Newman and Lolita Davidovich. Of course Paul is not the one wearing the garment. Lolita is wearing a black all-in-one, and she fills it out very nicely.
From Dreamer-
I have a couple more movies that, although definitely second-rate flicks, feature some excellent girdle footage:
Elvira- Mistress of the Dark - a movie poor in acting talent; but there is a good scene towards the end where a woman is dancing around at a picnic in her girdle.
Malibu Bikini Shop - another low-budget movie weak in talent and plot; but the final ten minutes or so features a rather attractive woman whose dress is ripped off to expose her wonderfully-girdled form. It's worth renting and suffering through just for that last bit, believe me.
From Deep-
Just wanted to let you know that my favorite girdle movie is not on your list: Caprice, a Doris Day movie (US 1966).
What set this movie apart from most others g-movies I remember, is that I find the woman in the girdle quite attractive. ;-)
From Luc-
I can remember now a delightful film. Its name in Spain was Operacion Pacifico -Pacific Operation- but I don't know its original title. The story was about an American submarine fighting in the Pacific during II World War and the actors were Tony Curtis and Cary Grant or Gregory Peck (sorry, I can't remember). The submarine transported five or six Army nurses from an island to a secure place. The submarine engine was an absolute ruin and lacked a return valve (or something similar), since the nurses' chief -a mature and energetic lady- took off her white open-bottom girdle and used it for a return valve. The image of a girdle stretching and contracting as the engine worked was more than the engine's chief could stand for.
The entire film has a delightful sense of humour, but the girdle sequence is superb. I hope all girdle lovers could enjoy that sequence with a particular kind of sense of humour.
From Virginian-
Luc is right on target. The movie's title in English was Operation Petticoat, and it starred Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Funny flick!
There are several other movies where girdles are shown or discussed, without actually being seen on an actress. In the early sixties film A Summer Place, a girdle played a small part in an argument between husband and wife. I forget the actors involved, but they play the parents of sultry nymphet Tuesday Weld. They are cruising on a sailboat, and the father accidentally finds a high-waisted girdle in Tuesday's luggage. He castigates his wife for pressuring the daughter to "dress unnaturally," and tosses the girdle overboard. (What was the matter with him?)
My favorite example of this class, though, is the 1960s courtroom drama, Anatomy Of A Murder. In one scene, crusty lawyer Jimmy Stewart is advising the defendant's tarty wife (Lee Remick) how to play to the jury for sympathy.
"I want you to be the perfect little housewife for the duration of the trial. No more of these tight sweaters and short skirts. You-you-you're going to wear a nice dress, and and a hat, and and glasses, and and and one more thing, you're going to wear a girdle. That's the most important thing. A gir-girdle. Save your jiggles for your husband."
(Wasn't that a good Jimmy Stewart impression for a computer?)
Sure enough, she shows up all prim and proper for court, but at the end of the movie, after the verdict has been rendered, she greets Stewart outside the courtroom, back in her accustomed trashy look. With a wicked grin, she tells Stewart, "I have something for you," and hands him a white, open-bottomed girdle.
Stewart responds in disgust, "Keep it. You might need it someday."
I've also been told of a 1940's movie that made a reference to wartime girdle shortages. I don't know the name of the movie, or the actors invoved, but apparently it shows a suave Romeo trying to impress a girl with a nice present. He whispers slyly to her, "I have something for you."
She opens the delicately-wrapped box excitedly, then squeals with delight, "A rubber girdle!" Has anyone seen this flick?
From Chris-
I'd just like to mention that you mention in the Girdle Drawer section about Nick saying to Nora in a Thin Man movie that he's going to have to get her a bullet-proof girdle. That was actually in Song of the Thin Man. I know, because I saw it last night with my girlfriend (who, alas, will only go so far towards wearing a girdle -- she'll wear 50's style briefs but that's it. Oh well.)
From John-
Last fall, (an acquaintance) told me that A Walk In The Clouds (1995) included a prolonged girdle scene within the movie's first five minutes or so.
Well, not long afterwards I was able to record the flick off cable TV. There was no genuine chance I'd sit through such a reportedly soppy film if I could simply view the girdle scene right near the beginning of the picture, hence that's what I did as I played back my tape.
Okay then, without further ado, here's my review: The actress in question was indeed a stunning redhead, as my e-mail correspondent had advertised; she reminded me of a young Lucille Ball, only with a somewhat better body.
That's the good news. The bad news (for myself, at least) was the fact that her girdle was totally nondescript, in my opinion. It was so short it could probably have merely qualified as a garter girdle, at best, rather than a full-fledged open-bottom girdle. Even worse (for myself), perhaps, the garment's loud color scheme constantly suggested to me a pair of blue jean shorts (hot pants?) instead of a true girdle.
That's Hollywood for you, right?
From "P"-
As I recall, the girdle scene in Greetings involves the "secondary" male character, who works as a clerk at Bookmasters on 59th and Lex in NYC. A pretty young woman shoplifts a book and is caught by the store's security guard. The clerk puts his own money in the till, creates a receipt, and runs out in the street to give it to the damsel in distress. Profuse apologies, and he gets a date with the young lady. At some point he takes her back to her (his?) apartment and gets her to undress. (Not for sex, he want to film her in a "private moment"). To my surprise, she is wearing a girdle (details forgotten- maybe a panty brief?) under her dress/suit.
This is interesting because, so far as I know, it is the ONLY contemporary movie to show an ordinary woman undressing to a foundation garment.
I saw The Millionairess on TV a few years back. It's not very good. Sophia Loren is a wealthy woman in London trying to seduce Peter Sellers as an idolistical Indian doctor. At one point she goes to his clinic and, waiting to be examined, strips to her black corselette, nylons, heels and picture hat. The image of her in this outfit, like Liz Taylor in that white slip in Butterfield 8 was splashed all over ads, billboards and so forth, for months.
And, speaking of corselettes, there's also Joan Collins in, I think, a white corselette in Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys (1958).
Last cinema note: the only reference I remember to a garter belt in a contemporary movie was in Rage (1966). The garment in question belongs to town tramp Stella Stevens, and I don't think you actually get to see her wear it. However a great deal is made, in the plot, of her hanging it, and her bra, stockings and panties, on recluse doctor Glen Ford's clothesline.
From D.S.-
Thought you might be interested to know that if you video the television version of Animal House you will find that the scene you describe is changed and all of the girls having the pillow fight are now in girdles. Guess two scenes were shot so that the movie could be shown without offending the puritanical morals of the great television audience. Not that I object to the revised scene since a spandex encased leg definitely beats a wisp of elastic garter any day.
A Published Comment-
"Marilyn Monroe's unforgettable walk in Niagara epitomizes the heels and girdle effect as it appears to an onlooker."
Beatrice Faust, in Women, Sex, and Pornography (1980)
From Percival-
1) This is to verify that while Meet Wally Sparks may be one of the most awful movies to come along in awhile, it does contain arguably the best women-in-girdles scene in recent film history. Although sitting through an hour of Rodney Dangerfield's hopelessly outmoded humor takes an act of Herculean perseverance, the four minutes of Cindy Williams and company dancing around in their underwear is certainly w.p.a. (worth the price of admission). Starting out as a parody of Tom Cruise's underwear dance in Risky Business, the familiar piano notes of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll" are played as two women slide out. One of them is in a full longleg panty girdle. Her dance is energetic and includes somersaults on the couch and lots of twisting. Cindy Williams (that's right... of Laverne and Shirley fame and looking middle-aged and overweight) is less spectacular a sight dancing around in a half slip and bra. At the end of the set piece, she rolls off the piano revealing a long leg panty girdle which literally fill the screen, albeit for a nanosecond. Worth renting; use the fast forward.
2) A must-see for all girdle enthusiasts: Cold Comfort Farm. While no women appear in girdles, one woman makes a hobby of collecting girdles (mostly open-bottom) which she displays on torso mannequins in her home. She describes to her butler in wonderful detail her joy in acquiring a triple-panel job. She runs her hand across the satin stomach panel as her voices belies her erotic pleasure in collecting girdles. Three cheers for the Brits!
3) Madonna: The Immaculate Collection. Buy the CD, open the booklet, turn to the center page: The Queen of Pop in a tight black open bottom corselette and fishnet stockings! Another cheap thrill...
From F.P.-
"P" refers to a girdled Liz Taylor in a white slip, appearing in Butterfield 8. That may be an accurate reference but I don't recall such a scene in that movie; then again, my memory isn't what it used to be. Be that as it may, it causes me to raise the question as to whether or not "P" isn't thinking about Liz Taylor's marvelous boudoir scene with Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in which she does indeed move about in a white slip, the drape of which can only be attributed to a well-fitted girdle underneath. Moreover, in the same scene, before she takes off her skirt and blouse, she removes nylons that have been smeared with ice cream by one of her "no neck monster" nephews-in-law, puts on another pair, and garters them obviously to garter clasps appended only to a girdle or panty girdle, not a garter belt. And before that, there is a scene where she ascends a staircase on her way to the boudoir, and the fit of her snug skirt clearly indicates the presence of a girdle beneath.
There is also a reference to a comment in a book by Beatrice Faust on Women, Sex, and Pornography about Marilyn Monroe's walk in the film Niagara as evidence of the effect of high heels and a girdle. If I were asked to pick one actress who probably never, ever wore a girdle, I would go with Marilyn. I never recall seeing her in a film in which I was ever inclined to think she was wearing a girdle. And I have always prided myself on my girdle-detecting prowess!
About the closest association that I have ever seen between Marilyn Monroe and a girdle occurred in the movie How to Marry a Millionaire. I believe there was a scene in which Lauren Bacall, Marilyn, and a third actress arrive at a rather elegant estate as guests. They are greeted by their hostess who comments that they were "not at all what I was expecting, like someone out of a Laura Hobson (I think that was the name she used) novel, all girdled and bosomy." To which Lauren Bacall replies, "You're right about the girdle." I have always been prepared to assume that she was speaking only for herself and not her companions, and certainly not for Marilyn. Does anyone else have opinions on whether or not Marilyn Monroe was a girdle gal? I would like to be proven wrong.
This was not mentioned in the Girdle Drawer comments, but it came to mind as I was commenting above. In 1948, Jane Wyman (a former Mrs. Reagan) won the Best Actress Academy Award for her non-vocal acting in Johnny Belinda, definitely not a film in which she would have worn a girdle. After the awards ceremony, I recall reading a feature about her in which she spoke of her excitement when her name was read as the winner and what thoughts crossed her mind as she made her way to the stage to accept the award. I think I am correct in remembering that she said she kept wondering if she had remembered to wear her girdle. It must have been a very comfortable, well-fitted garment, perhaps of the kind that many years later would be the subject of the Playtex TV ads in which women would profess to a moment of doubt that they had remembered to wear their Playtex garments.
Back to the Drawer, Chris made reference to The Thin Man movies as William Powell's Nick Charles comment on getting Myrna Loy (Nora) a "bullet-proof girdle." I was never attracted to the Thin Man movies, but in 1957-58, or thereabouts, there was a two-year run of a half-hour TV show called The Thin Man, starring Peter Lawford as Nick, and Phyllis Kirk as Nora. If you enjoy seeing the "girdle effect" on an attractive woman and if this series gets into re-runs on Nickelodeon's Nick at Night or Take Me to TV Land programming, then set your VCRs to never miss an episode.
Of all the actresses who have ever pulled on a girdle to underpin their fashions in movies or TV, Phyllis Kirk is my favorite, bar none. For starters, she was a splendid actress whose elegant cheekbones and facial structure made of her one of the loveliest women I have ever seen. In the Thin Man series and in most of her feature films, she was given to slender, figure-defining dresses, skirts, and suits. Even the rankest beginner girdle watcher would have no trouble in determining that underneath these elegant clothes she always wore a girdle. In many instances, the girdle presence was indicated by the slight indentation on the thigh when a skirt's fabric is pulled taut over the bottom edge of a panty-girdle or an open-bottom girdle. In many other instances, the garter clasp outlines are clearly visible, always centered on the thigh at just the right place to be snugging her nylons. Rear views of her always confirmed the proper fit of her skirt over a proper foundation underneath, and in at least one episode where she wears an evening gown, the fit of the gown at her waist confirms the presence of her girdle.
Many years ago, through a friend at MGM studios, I acquired on indefinite loan a complete set of The Thin Man episodes on 16 mm film which I used frequently to demonstrate certain screen-writing techniques in a film seminar in which I was a participant. When I want to "return to the days of yesteryear" I do so not to be thrilled by a fiery horse, a masked man, and a hearty Hi-Yo Silver, but rather by a lovely young woman, beautifully dressed, exquisitely girdled.
While the Thin Man series may never come back in reruns or syndication, a girdled Phyllis Kirk can still be seen frequently on TV movie presentations in a film entitled Back From Eternity, starring Robert Ryan and Anita Ekberg in addition to Phyllis. In this film, Anita and Phyllis are among the passengers on an airplane that crash-lands in the jungle. There is a scene in which the two of them are washing clothes in a stream, both attired in blouses and snug-fitting straight skirts. Anita makes a remark about Phyllis's playing for the attention of one of the pilots. Phyllis responds by swatting Anita with wetwash, and then the both of them tumble into the water where they scuffle about in a wet catfight.
There is never a glimpse of Phyllis's girdle itself, but the garter welt of her stockings are flashingly visible and in one memorable moment, she spins in the water so that the garter clasp on her left thigh and the entire length of her stocking above the knee are briefly exposed. When the young man (whose name escapes me) who is the subject of the fight appears, the two of them "come to their senses", smile, more or less hug each other like school girls, and wade ashore, skirts clinging.
Question: Is Anita Ekberg wearing a girdle, too? I don't think so, for she doesn't appear to be wearing hose, but again, I would like to be proven wrong. Oh yes, just before they get into their argument and fight, while they are sitting "on their haunches" by the stream, Phyllis Kirk's skirt is draw tightly across her thighs and shows the unmistakable indentation of her girdle's bottom edge and the properly placed garter clasp.
From Richard S.-
In reply to the mention of a 1940's movie in which the Romeo presents the girl with a rubber girdle, the facts are as follows:
The movie is called Star Spangled Rhythm, made in 1942, and featuring many Paramount stars. The final sequence involves a show for servicemen, with Bob Hope (naturally) playing the master of ceremonies. One of the skits shows Susan Hayward looking exceptionally glamorous, but bored and tired of wartime shortages--shortages of young men in particular. Middle-aged suitor Ernest Truex is making advances, and reminds her of the diamonds, the car, the castle on the Hudson that he had presented to her. She's fed up, ignores the gift box in his hand, and orders him to leave. He replies, "Well if that's the way you want it, but what am I going to do with this rubber girdle?"
Immediately, her eyes light up. She snatches the girdle out of the box exclaiming, "Rubber gir....!" and without finishing her words, clasps his head to her grateful bosom.
A year earlier, in Paramount's Technicolor film of Louisiana Purchase, Bob Hope explains girdles to Victor Moore, who has just encountered his first one on his wedding night. Bob Hope demonstrates how to pull it on and how to walk in one. The scene ends with the two of them waddling around like penguins.
In 1932, Leo Carrillo gives a girdle to Lupe Velez in the movie Broken Wing, also from Paramount. He shows her how the garters/suspenders will put a spring in her step by pulling up on her legs as she walks.
All-American Coed, a Hal Roach featurette (about 1941), has Johnny Downs wrestling himself into a girdle in the upper berth of a train that is about to arrive at an all girls school.
Despite a lack of girdles, The Smiling Lieutenant (1931-Paramount), understands the principles of feminine attraction. The love triangle between Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, and Miriam Hopkins is resolved when Miss Colbert sings, "Jazz Up Your Lingerie" to unhappy bride Hopkins. Hopkins takes the advice, and the scene fades out as she and Maurice are headed toward the marriage bed.
From Dave K.-
There are several movie scenes (which I did not see in your list) that stick in my mind. The first is in a 50's sci-fi flick called It Came From Outer Space. There is a scene where two of the main characters are walking through a cave along side a pit of some sort and, of course the woman is in a straight skirt with high heels and stockings (dumb!). As she walks along, it is obvious from the lines/bulges on her thighs that she is wearing a panty girdle of some sort.
Another sci-fi flick from the 50's about a team exploring a planet where there is this giant spider-like monster... there is a woman on the team and in one series of scenes, she is shown traipsing about with the team out in the "jungle" of plants on this planet. Half the time she is obviously wearing a panty girdle under her slacks and the other half of the time she is obviously not. It's pretty distracting to think about how (and why) she might have changed into and out of a girdle whilst running along a jungle path, being chased by a man-eating plant/spider/thing!
The last is an episode of Twilight Zone- I don't recall the cast members, but the story line was about a troubled actor in a TV series that was about to be cancelled and the tag line is that when they strike the set, he is nowhere to be found because he has stayed in the "story line" which has a "life of its own". The scene that I recall, is early in the episode, when his "secretary" comes into the office. Her "panty lines" are unmistakably from a somewhat too-tight panty girdle. It is a fairly long scene, too.
From SYR-
There was also The Rabbit Test where the woman portraying the head of the Indian government undresses to her open-bottom girdle as she looks out the window.
From Nigel-
The Cat- a 1950s movie (French) set during the war. There are at least five long scenes where this lady spy has to pull up her skirt during the Gestapo questioning. These scenes are extremely erotic and they are done in B&W.
Uncle Antoine- a 1980's Canadian movie set in Québec in the 1950s. There is one electrifying scene in a general store. The rich lady of the village mail ordered a corsellette. She goes to a stock room to try it out and next door peering through a peep hole is a 14-year-old. She slowly undresses (no nudity-very discreet) then pulls on this black beauty with six garters and side zip.
From Terrie-
The Women-(1939) a great-looking blond models a step-in girdle for these very rich and sophisticated women.
Model Wife- (1940's) I may be wrong on this one, or may have it confused with another movie but as I recall Joan Blondell looks great while she models a 1940's girdle.
The Rose Tattoo- Anna Magnani tries and fails to squeeze into a step-in girdle and girdle corset.
The Happy Ending- A boring movie about marriage, while these women lament on just what lengths a woman has to go through to keep the men in their life happy, an overweight woman changes into a panty girdle in the background you really have to look closely.
Cyndy Lauper in Paris- Concert Video. Just think... Madonna takes off her robe at the Cannes Film Festival in the early 90's revealing a panty girdle and causes a fashion and media sensation. Poor Cyndy Lauper rips off her skirt during a concert video in the early 80's revealing a step-in girdle and barely makes a wave. I guess timing is everything.
From Dave K-
There are several movie scenes (which I did not see in your list) that stick in my mind.
The first is in a 50's sci-fi flick called It Came From Outer Space There is a scene where two of the main characters are walking thru a cave along side a pit of some sort and, of course the woman is in a straight skirt with hi-heels and stockings (dumb!). As she walks along, it is ovbious from the lines/bulges on her thighs that she is wearing a panty-girdle of some sort.
Another sci-fi flick from the 50's about a team exploring a planet where there is this giant spider-like monster... there is a woman on the team and in one series of scenes, she is shown traipsing about with the team out in the "jungle" of plants on this planet. Half the time she is obviously wearing a panty girdle under her slacks and the other half of the time she is obviously NOT. It's pretty distracting to think about how (and WHY) she might have changed into and out of a girdle whist running along a jungle path, being chased by a man-eating plant/spider/thing!
The last is an episode of Twilight Zone - I don't recall the cast members, but the story line was about a troubled actor in a TV series that was about to be cancelled and the tag line is that when they strike the set, he is nowhere to be found because he has stayed in the "story line" which has a "life of its own". The scene that I recall, is early in the episode, when his "secretary" comes into the office. Her "panty lines" are unmistakably from a somewhat too-tight panty girdle. It is a fairly long scene, too.
From Jake-
I enjoyed reading the section on movies, and would admit that I obtain great pleasure from viewing the actresses of the 50's and early 60s.
Of all the truly classy girdle wearers of that era, I would have to say that the stars of Hitchcock's great films from the late 50's early 60s particularly stand out. Hitchcock had a keen eye for the effect a girdle had on a woman and the stars of that era (Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Tippy Hedrin, and Janet Leigh) all portrayed women whose elegance and refinement were extreme to the point of perceived frigidity. Nevertheless, the roles these actresses played in movies such as "Marnie", "Vertigo", "The Birds", "Psycho" and the like represented in most cases the zenith of their careers, largely, I would think, due to Hitchcock's mastery.
I noticed that the 1969? film Greetings was mentioned. This was, of course, Robert De Niro's first feature and had many scenes containing young women only clad in their underwear. The most notable was when De Niro went on a blind date with a Bronx secretary. He met her at her apartment, he in baggy jeans and a sweater, her in a tight sequined dress. She started in on him asking where his car was so that he could drive her to El Morocco for dinner and dancing, for which he of course just shrugged. She then described in detail the expense she took to prepare for the date, stating the cost and brand of her bra, girdle, stockings, dress, shoes, etc., finishing with "and what did you do…throw on a sweater? Needless to say the next scene had them making out, she in her bra and "Technique" girdle.
The most recent example of how underwear changes behavior was in the recent film Big Night. Minnie Driver, when appearing for the final dinner was absolutely breathtaking. When dressed in authentic 50's styles, including the appropriate underwear (revealed in a memorable later beach scene) she took on a sophistication and grace not seen previously in the film, and certainly not apparent in her less glamorous roles in prior films.
The other extreme of girdles in the movies is seen in many of the John Waters films from the late 60s and 70's such as Pink Flamingoes, where a girdle on Divine epitomized the absurdity and poor taste typifying these films.
As discussed, girdles were a part of the sitcoms and dramas of the 50s and 60s. The best example of a girdle-focused television series was the old BBC comedy starring a Mrs. Slocum, a stout woman of a certain age. The tension developed (excuse the pun) in the series generally centered around the anticipation of what mishap Mrs. Slocum would befall in her continuing but unsuccessful quest to tame her ample curves with a tight girdle.
In one episode, for example, she tries to squeeze into a dress about three sizes to small and finally triumphantly closes the zipper, only to turn around to reveal the front of the dress torn apart in a wide gash.
It helps to appreciate the droll British humor, but, in any case, this would be appreciated my many of the "Girdle Zone" followers (and is available on VHS from many PBS stations and outlets.)
From Gary-
Cyd Charisse dances in a girdle to classical music in the MGM musical Silk Stockings. She starts by undressing for a stern straight dress and as her slip shows she starts a fantastic dance sequence.
From Raymond-
I was looking on your web site and saw a section that talked about scenes in movies that featured women wearing girdles. So I thought I would send in some info about movies that have been omitted.
Straight Talk - This is a movie which came out in the late 1980's and stars Dolly Parton. Early into the movie, she is walking along a bridge in Chicago and holding up the last dollar to her name when a gust of wind blows it out of her hand and onto an outer ledge on the bridge. So she climbs up over the rail to get her dollar back, another gust of wind comes along, blows her dress up and gives us a view of her backside. She is wearing a pink panty girdle with short legs and white lace trim. Also there are some excellent camera shots of her legs and of her wearing stilletto heels.
Sullivan's Travels - This is a movie which came out back in 1941 and stars Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. There is a scene where Joel McCrea is a movie director and trying to do research for a film by pretending to be a homeless panhandler. But a bus/motor home loaded down with studio executives is following him. In order to try and lose them, he hitches a ride from a 12-year old kid driving a home made hot rod called a "Whip It Tanker". As the car takes off like a jack rabbbit, the bus tries to follow. The sudden movement causes a secretary onboard to all of a sudden fall backwards from her seat. Her legs go straight up and we get a view of her long leg panty girdle and seamed nylons. The scenes inside of the bus with everybody falling over are hilarious!
From Van-
I would encourage readers to rent Wally Sparks because even though it is a terrible movie, the girdle scenes are better than in most of the other references. In order to fully appreciate this picture however, you need to watch it on a VCR that has 4 heads and the ability to go in slow or freeze motion.
During the dance scene , it is very obvious that Cindy Williams is wearing a girdle but it does not really show under her slip. The fun part is that when they show her spinning on the piano, the slip lifts up and her long leg girdle is exposed. It is then shown 2 more times before the scene ends. With the slow motion feature, you can pause and appreciate every frame since each is an excellent "girdle glimpse" for those who enjoy these.
Although I only rented this movie, I would consider buying it if I ever find it on sale because I enjoyed the girdle scene in it so much.
For those who do not have the type of VCR I mentioned, they are an excellent investment for those of you movie buffs who are into the details of motion pictures.
In the 1990 television film Donor, starring Melissa Gilbert, the climactic scene depicts Melissa Gilbert's character strapped to a gurney and about to be injected with some sort of poison by a doctor played by the Australian actress Wendy Hughes.
Melissa manages to free herself and turn the needle on the doctor; Wendy Hughes falls back against a wall and collapses on the floor. When she does so, you can see that she is wearing a white longleg panty girdle, visible for several seconds.
The first time I saw this movie I noticed this but thought she must be wearing tights. I've seen it several times, since, however, and taped it; and it's clear that Wendy Hughes is indeed wearing a girdle. You can even see the garter tabs.
I wonder if she normally wears one or if she felt that it was something her character would wear.
From Don-
The Berlei brand of girdle (and bras, etc) is often thought of by many to be of English origin. Berlei, was, however, an Australian company. Fred Burley started the company in the 1920s in Australia. He used his own name, but changed the spelling. A feature film on Fred, his company and the early girdles produced and sold by the company was made a few years ago in Australia. (perhaps about 8 years ago).
I think the film was titled Undercover. It was shown in regular theatres in Australia and is probably available on video.
From Stef-
How could you have missed a Forties movie called, The Women?
See it, hear it (the worst, bitchy dialogue since I don't know when). But...there's a marvelous scene toward the end when one of the main characters displays herself, full body, in long-line bra and open-bottom, satin, white you-know what's.
Also, the scene is happy, even ecstatic! She loves her appearance, as do the audience.
Check it out.
Have we exhausted the list of mainstream movies containing girdle scenes? No? Then send your favorites to Virginian.
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Last updated February 2, 1998