No black frock for Frances
SO THERE they were, a veritable cluster of crows at the Baftas, looming up the red carpet in funereal black. On reflection it was a miracle the carpet remained ruby red. The crushing pressure to squeeze every ounce of colour from the occasion could have resulted in the world’s first ever raven-black carpet.
By now we all knew the score. Stars must be seen to identify with past wrongs inflicted on Hollywood’s women and maligned women the world over.
The sombre ebony hue of their designer garb was supposed to signify seriousness. Indeed, several of the nominees and presenters schlepped in tame “activists”, clamped firmly under their hairless armpits, a la Golden Globes.
An activist in place of a date denotes – just in case you haven’t noticed – extreme commitment to the cause. Somewhere along the way the memo banishing elaborate embellishment, sequins, lace, fake fur, feathers, froufrou, split skirts, towering stilettos and a minimum of seven hours in hair and make-up must have gone awry. Suddenly shimmering into the gloom like a shining meteor zoomed the irresistible Frances McDormand.
The star of the multiple awardwinning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri seemed not to have received the memo. She veritably sparkled in a gorgeous gown of many colours. Purple featured. Shocking pink made an appearance. Even scarlet glinted eye-catchingly. Good grief! What were we to think of such offmessage conduct?
Was McDormand condoning sexual assault? Was she publicly saying she did not give a **** for her suffering sisters in showbiz?
McDormand, on stepping up to the podium to claim her richly deserved Best Actress award, explained her decision thus: “I have a problem with compliance.” In other words, she isn’t a sheep. She is capable of thinking for herself, expressing her beliefs in the ways she sees fit and avoiding a boring bandwagon.
NATURALLY McDormand could not be the lone representative of Joseph’s Technicolor dreamcoat without having to make her position clear. “I want you to know that I stand in full solidarity with my sisters tonight in black. I also want to say I appreciate a wellorganised act of civil disobedience.”
Too right she does. That is why she could not bear to equate wearing frilly flounces of billowing black satin with such an act. She does not go in for self-aggrandising any more than she tolerates being desperate to be seen to espouse a cause without doing a damn thing to promote it other than choose one frock over another.
Congratulations to Ms McDormand for a cracking performance both on and off screen.