alex
@nonmodernist.com
abolitionist in love with cinema // https://nonmodernist.com // https://herhollywoodstory.com
im now at the “receiving mean emails” phase of having published this article about being harassed by extremists
November 6, 2025 at 7:15 PM
im now at the “receiving mean emails” phase of having published this article about being harassed by extremists
left: UT, a public uni subject to the whims of the state; right: TCU, a private uni where they restructure our departments unilaterally on a friday afternoon
October 18, 2025 at 10:09 PM
left: UT, a public uni subject to the whims of the state; right: TCU, a private uni where they restructure our departments unilaterally on a friday afternoon
meanwhile 1.5 MILLION BIRDS migrated over gwinnett county, ga, last night dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-GA...
September 19, 2025 at 2:01 PM
meanwhile 1.5 MILLION BIRDS migrated over gwinnett county, ga, last night dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-GA...
happy wednesday to this queen only
September 17, 2025 at 7:07 PM
happy wednesday to this queen only
i hope your day is going better than this brown thrasher's
September 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
i hope your day is going better than this brown thrasher's
[vanessa carleton plays in the distance]
September 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
[vanessa carleton plays in the distance]
im obsessed with this dr. seuss ass butterfly
September 1, 2025 at 6:10 PM
im obsessed with this dr. seuss ass butterfly
the novel was also notable for being the first anti-nazi purchase by hollywood after some senators accused the film industry of trying to force the u.s. into wwii (according to the film daily on october 1, 1941) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_...
August 27, 2025 at 7:41 PM
the novel was also notable for being the first anti-nazi purchase by hollywood after some senators accused the film industry of trying to force the u.s. into wwii (according to the film daily on october 1, 1941) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_...
macinnes's novel seems to have been somewhat autobiographical, in that her husband was an MI6 agent and classics scholar. the novel also got the classic "women running from houses" gothic cover treatment from dell at some point...
August 27, 2025 at 7:25 PM
macinnes's novel seems to have been somewhat autobiographical, in that her husband was an MI6 agent and classics scholar. the novel also got the classic "women running from houses" gothic cover treatment from dell at some point...
one more mhdl find before i take a break: delmar wrote "pretty sadie mckee" specifically for crawford, at least according to this july 1932 issue of new movie magazine #tcmparty
August 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
one more mhdl find before i take a break: delmar wrote "pretty sadie mckee" specifically for crawford, at least according to this july 1932 issue of new movie magazine #tcmparty
the los angeles branch of the american association of university women did NOT care for the film, but several new york reviewers praised the two things that stand out beyond joan crawford: the directing and edward arnold's incredible performance #tcmparty
August 27, 2025 at 3:44 PM
the los angeles branch of the american association of university women did NOT care for the film, but several new york reviewers praised the two things that stand out beyond joan crawford: the directing and edward arnold's incredible performance #tcmparty
good morning #tcmparty! i got a bit of a late start on the joan crawford marathon, but i'm catching up on SADIE McKEE (1934), adapted from viña delmar's "pretty sadie mckee." the story was serialized in liberty magazine in 12 parts, starting in june 1933
August 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM
good morning #tcmparty! i got a bit of a late start on the joan crawford marathon, but i'm catching up on SADIE McKEE (1934), adapted from viña delmar's "pretty sadie mckee." the story was serialized in liberty magazine in 12 parts, starting in june 1933
does anybody know the term for this era/style of paperback art?
August 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
does anybody know the term for this era/style of paperback art?
Alexander and her painter husband were part of the artists colony in Woodstock, NY. She had her portrait painted by George Bellows in 1924. Maybe the experience inspired her story?
August 25, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Alexander and her painter husband were part of the artists colony in Woodstock, NY. She had her portrait painted by George Bellows in 1924. Maybe the experience inspired her story?
PS Alexander was herself married to a portrait painter, though he had the far less godly name of Norbert Heermann. I wonder if he blushed a lot?
August 25, 2025 at 5:39 PM
PS Alexander was herself married to a portrait painter, though he had the far less godly name of Norbert Heermann. I wonder if he blushed a lot?
In the film, Jason Robards plays Thorvald Ware. Exact same name. He's not exactly who I would cast as a big hunky Viking... but it's absolutely proof that TRIAL MARRIAGE is based on Elizabeth Alexander's story.
August 25, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In the film, Jason Robards plays Thorvald Ware. Exact same name. He's not exactly who I would cast as a big hunky Viking... but it's absolutely proof that TRIAL MARRIAGE is based on Elizabeth Alexander's story.
There's a character named Constance Bannester in the story, and one named Constance Bannister in the film. That's pretty firm proof that the film is an adaptation of the story.
Oh, and then there's Thorvald Ware. Described as a big, blond Viking who blushes when women talk to him.
Oh, and then there's Thorvald Ware. Described as a big, blond Viking who blushes when women talk to him.
August 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
There's a character named Constance Bannester in the story, and one named Constance Bannister in the film. That's pretty firm proof that the film is an adaptation of the story.
Oh, and then there's Thorvald Ware. Described as a big, blond Viking who blushes when women talk to him.
Oh, and then there's Thorvald Ware. Described as a big, blond Viking who blushes when women talk to him.
At first I thought, maybe they took Alexander's title, threw out the rest of the story, and had Soyna Levien start from scratch.
But then I started reading the story as it appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1926... archive.org/details/sim_...
But then I started reading the story as it appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1926... archive.org/details/sim_...
August 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
At first I thought, maybe they took Alexander's title, threw out the rest of the story, and had Soyna Levien start from scratch.
But then I started reading the story as it appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1926... archive.org/details/sim_...
But then I started reading the story as it appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1926... archive.org/details/sim_...
But when the film TRIAL MARRIAGE came out in 1929, only screenwriter Sonya Levien got credit—for both story and screenplay.
What happened to Elizabeth Alexander?
What happened to Elizabeth Alexander?
August 25, 2025 at 5:17 PM
But when the film TRIAL MARRIAGE came out in 1929, only screenwriter Sonya Levien got credit—for both story and screenplay.
What happened to Elizabeth Alexander?
What happened to Elizabeth Alexander?
In 1928, Columbia Pictures ran ads boasting they'd bought "Trial Marriage," a Saturday Evening Post serial by Elizabeth Alexander, for their new sound films program.
August 25, 2025 at 5:09 PM
In 1928, Columbia Pictures ran ads boasting they'd bought "Trial Marriage," a Saturday Evening Post serial by Elizabeth Alexander, for their new sound films program.
I've been building a database documenting how ~500 American women writers shaped Hollywood from 1910-1963. The site just soft-launched with about 1130 films & some initial data analysis
Read more about Pickford's strategic use of women's literature:
herhollywoodstory.com/patterns/mary-pickford.html
Read more about Pickford's strategic use of women's literature:
herhollywoodstory.com/patterns/mary-pickford.html
August 22, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I've been building a database documenting how ~500 American women writers shaped Hollywood from 1910-1963. The site just soft-launched with about 1130 films & some initial data analysis
Read more about Pickford's strategic use of women's literature:
herhollywoodstory.com/patterns/mary-pickford.html
Read more about Pickford's strategic use of women's literature:
herhollywoodstory.com/patterns/mary-pickford.html
Fun detail: The book advertises other Grosset & Dunlap titles including "Tess of the Storm Country" - also starring Pickford! These editions created feedback loops between her films & their sources.
August 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Fun detail: The book advertises other Grosset & Dunlap titles including "Tess of the Storm Country" - also starring Pickford! These editions created feedback loops between her films & their sources.
There are at least 2 versions of this edition. An earlier printing has stunning photo endpapers (babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hv...). Mine's the later version without them, but otherwise identical.
The fact they did multiple printings shows how well these sold!
The fact they did multiple printings shows how well these sold!
August 22, 2025 at 5:20 PM
There are at least 2 versions of this edition. An earlier printing has stunning photo endpapers (babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hv...). Mine's the later version without them, but otherwise identical.
The fact they did multiple printings shows how well these sold!
The fact they did multiple printings shows how well these sold!
Inside: 6 production stills (including 2 double-spreads) are tipped into the text at dramatic moments. Pickford appears in every single image and is even given billing on the title page alongside the author, Anna Alice Chapin.
August 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Inside: 6 production stills (including 2 double-spreads) are tipped into the text at dramatic moments. Pickford appears in every single image and is even given billing on the title page alongside the author, Anna Alice Chapin.