freelance creative Joey and name-dropping Harry discuss Peyton PlaceEpisode 4.8 "The Summer Man"
In yesterday's episode, Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) and Joan (Christina Hendricks) have a difficult showdown with Joey (Matt Long) the freelancer, another example of the show's study of sexism in the workplace. Joan turns on Peggy, despite Peggy's efforts to help. Joan is still in her downward spiral, less powerful in the office, helpless at home, and continually obsessing over Vietnam. Meanwhile, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) finally pulls himself out of his spiral. After last week's instant classic episode, which was very tightly focused, this was a rather uncharacteristic episode with prolonged narration from Don and a jumble of different scenes that felt like transitions away from old storylines.
<--- Mia Farrow and Ryan O'Neal in Peyton Place.There were several cultural references in this episode such as Margaret Mead, Aesop's Fables, Life Magazine, Ray Charles but the closest we came to movies were two properties that had been or were to become movies. Broadway sensation The Odd Couple was cited with the classic "Are you an Oscar or a Felix?" question, but it would be another few years before that comedy transferred to the big screen. In another scene Harry Crane (Rich Sommer) tried to convince troublesome Joey to audition for a role opposite Ryan O'Neal on "Peyton Place" (1964) because he was so small screen handsome. Joey, unbeknownst to Harry, misinterpreted this as a gay come on.
Ryan O'Neal is a familiar name to anyone who lived through the 1970s when his fame was at its peak but in 1965 he hadn't yet made the jump from small to big screen. Peyton Place had just made the opposite journey. The original film adaptation of the novel (my review) was a Best Picture nominee in 1957 -- one of Oscar's most honored losers actually with 9 nominations and 0 wins -- but it became a series in 1964 catapulting both Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow into A List movie stardom once they moved on.
Clip. Mia is heavily featured. Ryan shows up until the 2:36 mark.
Have you seen either version?
The only connection that cropped up in my head with the movie version of Peyton Place and this episode is that Constance McKenzie (Lana Turner) is one (enjoyably) frosty bitch and Mad Men loves that type... though Betty softened beautifully in this episode just as Joan pulled her icy armor closer.
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10 comments:
This is off topic, but will we be getting any kind of extended review for Easy A? I'm mostly interested in hearing what you thought of my beloved Amanda Bynes. Reviews that I've read range from gushing that she's a gem and a scene stealer to that she's Razzie worthy. What do you think, Nat?
What no links this week? I always look for your recommendations for other Mad Men obsessed sites.
The interplay between Joan and Peggy was fantastic this week. Each woman asserting her power diffrently yet they are at odds with each other.
The women on this show are so fascinating. Even the universally reviled Betty. People, she just doesn't know better. And she never takes the time to examine her life. Maybe Don should buy her a journal.
poor betty, she just can't get drunk without someone telling her to shut up.
I'm surprised more people don't find Betty fascinating. Lord knows everyone else on this show has issues. I know, I know, she's got a boatload but still ... it makes for one hell of a character study. Plus: January Jones is way underrated.
Peyton Place is sooo bad. I've only saw it because of Arthur Kennedy, my favorite character actor ever. To make a long story short: if you really have to see Lana Turner in a colorful and over the top melodrama, go see Imitation of Life, a masterpiece.
LOST is better than MAD MEN.
Also FAMILY GUY is better than MAD MEN.
Lost: Maybe if you're into that sort of thing.
Family Guy: The manatee gags make me want to gag.
Yikes, I didn't care for this episode. The heavy-handedness with the voiceover was so un-"Mad Men"-like, and the use of "Satisfaction" was just too on-the-nose.
Although it was a sad look at Joan. She doesn't understand that Peggy's way of handling the problem was dead-on: nip that shit in the bud. Joan would have used her feminine wiles to have one of the men fire Joey? Ugh.
Women's lib is coming, and I'm very sad to say that I think Joan is going to be left behind.
I like all the episode. My main idea at the end of this episode was: Wow, Betty actually learn something?
I like Peyton Place (movie version) - maybe not in Sirk's league, but gorgeous to look at and an undertone of acidic observation.
I'd heard of the TV series, but I had no idea: Mia Farrow as Dorothy Malone's daughter, flirting with Ryan O'Neal? Someone made my dream series and its forty years old...
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