TMS Muse of the Week: Jean Arthur

(Bert Anderson)

Coming from an era, the 1930s-40s, where the term ‘relatable queen’ didn’t exist, silver screen star Jean Arthur would retrospectively fit right in the modern world of social media. Jean isn’t a household name anymore, but old Hollywood fans know who she is. While Greta Garbo became a timeless icon for her stoic reclusiveness, Jean was doing the same thing, but only off camera. Garbo’s cool, European essence made her independence have a sophisticated class reflected in her movies as well as her public image. But Jean was an American woman portraying charismatic and endearing leads in romcoms and screwball comedies. What her fans didn’t realize at the time was how off screen, she was twice as neurotic and private as her characters. Looking back, it’s easy to see Jean paved the way for actresses like Diane Keaton, Winona Ryder and Zooey Deschanel—all who have been open about dealing with anxiety alongside stardom.

Unlike similar Hollywood peers like Norma Shearer, Carole Lombard and Marion Davies, it took Jean a decade to break through as a movie star. Originally a shy, natural brunette silent film studios didn’t know what to do with in the 1920s; the mid-1930s would be when the world was properly introduced to blonde Jean Arthur at the height of screwball comedy. Legendary filmmaker Frank Capra considered her his favorite actress to work with, and it’s no wonder with all three of their screen collaborations—Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)—still viewed and acknowledged as classics. From 1932 to 1949, Jean was wife and muse to writer-producer Frank Ross, whom she made two hits with: Sam Wood’s The Devil & Miss Jones (1941) and George Stevens’ The More the Merrier (1943). Even more impressive was how Jean was actually already in her mid-30s when she became popular, in an era where ageism was more prominent.

(Columbia Pictures)

How and why did Jean gain such an impressive, successful and very famous career if she wasn’t interested in playing the Hollywood game? She didn’t settle for playing mothers and wives once she hit 30; wasn’t interested in mingling at parties and showbiz events; rarely participated in interviews and probably saw her psychiatrist more than anyone else in her personal life. It wasn’t a surprise to people who knew her when she only made two more pictures—Billy Wilder’s A Foreign Affair (1948) and George Stevens’ Shane (1953)—after her contract with Columbia Pictures ended in 1944. There was a failed attempt at a self-titled sitcom in 1966 and a brief stint on Broadway starring in a revival of JM Barrie’s ‘Peter Pan’ in 1950, but she essentially kept to herself during the last half of life. So the answer to my question on how she succeeded is…I actually have no idea. My guess is pure luck or fate.

Maybe Jean managed to dodge the aging problem by taking care of her skin/health and looking amazing for two whole decades. Maybe heavyweights like Capra and Stevens looked past her quirks and aloofness because of her talent and presence. She didn’t have the most wholesome reputation professionally. During production of Mr. Smith, Jean famously pooh-poohed male lead Jimmy Stewart for replacing Gary Cooper in what was originally supposed to be a Mr. Deeds sequel. [To her credit, she did admit in a rare late 1970s interview that she was probably too hard on Jimmy and he actually gave a fine performance in the film.] Why she seemed to admire Gary so much, yet give Jimmy a hard time for being a ‘pretty boy’ is also a bit of a mystery, as both men had similar appeals and followings. After officially retiring from acting in 1970, Jean spent her final twenty years completely to herself until her death in 1990, with her film legacy now keeping her memory alive.

Jean Arthur. One of my all-time favorite actresses and I wish I could see what was going through her mind.