Dorothy Jeakins (1914–1995) was a multiple Oscar-award winning costume designer who created iconic looks in some of classic Hollywood movies. This includes more than a few costume dramas, and while the results may not hew strictly to a historical line, Jeakins illustrations show her strong historical research chops. She began her career studying fine art and working as an illustrator, only falling into costume design later. But she very quickly made an impact, and now her work is easily identifiable. Let’s give her some frock flicks love!
Joan of Arc (1948)
Samson and Delilah (1949)
The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1952)
Les Miserables (1952)
Stars and Stripes Forever (1952)
My Cousin Rachel (1952)
Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953)
Titanic (1953)
Friendly Persuasion (1956)
Annie Get Your Gun (1957)
The Music Man (1962)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Hawaii (1966)
The Fixer (1968)
The Molly Maguires (1970)
Little Big Man (1970)
The Way We Were (1973)
The Iceman Cometh (1973)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
The Hindenburg (1975)
The Dead (1987)
What’s your favorite historical costume movie or TV show with costumes designed by Dorothy Jeakins?
I think we need a full feature on The Music Man. The hats alone are worth the price of admission.
It’s on my ‘maybe’ list — I love musicals, but that one is not a fave. And yet, the costumes are really good! There’s a bunch of titles ahead of it, but it’s on my radar for someday…
Whether you like the movie/show or not (I happen to love it), the costumes deserve serious attention.
Yes please review the Music Man costumes. The hair…not so much.
Young Frankenstein, not just for the costumes, but for the casting and the Mel Brooks script.
And for using the sets from James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein.
So much to love in that movie.
The Music Man. Just live Hermione Gingold saying ‘Balzac’
What about a WCW for her? She portrayed several characters you kinda wanted to grow up to be. She is amazing in Little Night Music.
Oh, yes! And Gigi.
I love Gigi. Cecil Beaton’s costumes are fantastic, the acting first rate and the scenes where Gigi is getting courtesan lessons are humorous and telling. Yes, Hermione Gingold is a gem in it. Her and Isobel Gens scenes have the bite of the best Dowager Violet and Mrs Crawley scenes.
Before I started collecting and dealing in antique and vintage clothing ( 50+ years ago), I kinda swallowed the costumes in these and other films whole and without question. Yet there was occasionally something that bothered me like the anachronistic hairstyles (love your posts about these), as well as the wrong wrong wrong clothing. I love the Sound of Music, but even when it came out (I was 11), it was clear most of the costumes were WAY off. Revisiting some of them on this great post confirms this. Like that horrible dress Andrews is wearing along side Eleanor Parker’s weird ensemble.
You all just give me so many movies I need to watch lol! Very curious about the James Joyce one. It’s been ages since I saw Music Man but what I remember does seem pretty good.
Young Frankenstein for the best MOVIE, Music Man for best COSTUMES. Those hats!!
Seeing that picture of Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc made me smile today. I so wish you guys would do a MCM for him. But if you don’t that’s fine too.
But back to the subject. I love the Sound of Music and the Music Man but I think I really need to check out “The Dead.”
Another Young Frankenstein fan here. One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and it used the sets from the 1930s one. “No, FRONKensteen!” I love the take on Elsa Lanchester’s Bride’s costume that they used for the delectable Madeleine Kahn. https://nitehawkcinema.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/young-frankenstein-young-frankenstein-4190487-1024-768.jpg
Ha. The Fixer. I had to read that in school. (Early 1980s.) It’s by Bernard Malamud. It’s set in Russia. It’s about a guy who is jailed for murdering someone that he didn’t kill. Possibly pogroms and definitely anti-Jewish stuff. Don’t remember more than that and didn’t know there was a film of it!
I’ll be honest, based on pictures alone and never having seen it, I always assumed The Way We Were was set in the 1970’s. It’s the hair I think.
Everything about ‘The Way We Were’ looks ’70s, but Jeakins’ sketches do look more historical & the story is supposed to take place over several decades. I just remember it being THE big romance when I was a kid, w/that damn song!
That is a very white Hawaii.
I haven’t seen any movies on this list, so it’s hard to pick a favorite.
@Saraquill, the film is based on the novel by James Mitchener which takes place during the time when white American missionaries came to the Kingdom of Hawaii and the conflicts that took place. The costumer did have to dress native Hawaiian’s, which I found interesting. Not sure how historically accurate they are though…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(1966_film)
The black and white photo of the woman’s daywear for Stars and Stripes Forever seems period appropriate, except for the exposed forearms. Unless I don’t know better, women didn’t wear short sleeves.
Ooh, Little Big Man! It’s been decades since I watched it, so I don’t remember much about the costuming, but the story and the acting are superb!
The novel is even better.
Baroness Schrader’s red dress with the black beaded trim is one of my favorite dresses of all time. I’d make a duplicate and cram myself into a corset/girdle if I had a place to wear it!
Joyce describes the serious minded young woman in The Dead as not wearing a low neckline and pinning her blouse with a brooch sporting an Irish device and motto.
Possibly something inspired by the Tara Brooch. But the Shamrock is fine shorthand for those not familiar with Celtic Renaissabce imagery. She accuses Gabriel of being a West Briton…