Essentially a shirt dress, this is a more
conservative look for 1969 as it eschews any sign of the trendy hippie
(flowery prints, crocheted outfits, soft organza fabrics, prairie style,
etc.) It's a dress for the 1969 gal who knows she'll stand out at a
party by not blending in with the latest fads. She may even be a
free-spirit taking a break from all of the freedom 1969 has afforded
her, opting for a look that recalls 1966 –– a sparklier time just before
all of the current 1969 madness. (Peggy, in Episode 706, recalls 1965
as being a very good year, while Don shares the same sentiment for
1955.) Trudy might wear this dress. Or someone like Bonnie –– who is far
from a dirty hippie; she was disgusted by how dirty her feet were
(literally) after shopping in her sandals in Manhattan all day. Much
like the girl on the cover of LIFE Magazine.
THE ANECDOTE ~
As someone who's managed to incorporate the 1960's into her significant
life experiences, thus far, this dress reminds me of the one I'd
originally planned to wear for my wedding –– years before I had plans to
be married. The dress I kept in mind to wear was a shimmery, light yellow-gold, long-sleeved number worn by Jean Shrimpton in
the 1967 film 'Privilege' (a film that's painfully under-seen
state-side.)
I couldn't find anything even remotely similar to that
dress when the time actually came to get married. With too little time,
and finances, I couldn't have a replica made. Then I found an
alternative look for my wedding, this one was based on another image of Jean Shrimpton (no surprise!) wearing Nina Ricci in 1966.
Like Shrimpton, Hardy was the type of gal who could go to a party in
1969 wearing something conservative and classic, unlike the most current
trends –– only to stand out because of her non-conformity. The dress
also recalls the type of beaded, buttoned-up (but fashion-forward) looks
Diana Rigg's character, Tracy –– the only Mrs. Bond –– wears in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' from 1969.
Tracy even wore a heavy-on-the-lace jumpsuit for her wedding to James
Bond (a wink to Rigg's memorable turn as perpetually jumpsuit-clad Mrs.
Emma Peel in the 'The Avengers'.) THE RECAP(S) ~ Episode 705 begins
with Stan discovering evidence to Lou's side ambition at the copy
machine. Plenty can be said about the hilarity that ensues over 'Scout's
Honor', as well as Lou's curmudgeonly grievances towards his
subordinates' lack of appreciation for his humor and talents. However,
I'd like to focus for a moment on what actor/comedian Allan Havey, who plays Lou Avery, said in a recent interview.
It is one of the funniest, simplest, and most accurate things I've ever
heard an actor say about his character: 'Lou has a love interest on the
show and it's Lou.' Meanwhile, Ginsberg shows signs of his upcoming
breakdown, the final result of which has become one of the most
memorable moments on 'Mad Men'.
Don gets a call from Stephanie
Horton, the 'niece' he inherited from his marriage to Anna Draper. She
tells him from an L.A. payphone near Capitol Records that she's pregnant
and that she could use his help. Don's immediate reaction is
heartwarming. He seems thrilled at the prospect of helping out this
'family member'. He enlists Megan, who is game and just as sweet as Don
about the idea of helping Stephanie out. Stephanie arrives at Megan's
place, friendly preliminaries give way to real conversation –– and
Megan's disposition sours when Stephanie innocently suggests the deep
bond she has with Don. Megan, grows more insecure by the day while
living as a struggling actress in L.A., and she takes most things far
too personally as of late. Don arrives the next day, Megan has a party.
The party is so incredibly different from the one Betty has for Henry at
their home in this episode. The two parties offset one another visually
in a wonderful way. The menage a trois at the end of the evening is not
much of a gain for reluctant Don; the information he gets from Harry
Crane during the course of the evening is far more valuable to his
livelihood.
The episode ends with two men taking charge of their
oppressive predicaments in very different ways, with very different
results. Poor Michael Ginsberg. Everyone realized too late how badly he
needed help. He was not being eccentric; mental illness was rapidly
taking over. And all the while, he blamed the giant computer. That
paranoia is probably what accelerated his condition. So he took
initiative and cut off 'the valve' so that he could release the pressure.
The valve being his nipple. 'The most talked about scene' of this
season (at least, if not several seasons) is a truly sad one. (Side
note: Pink Floyd's 'Brain Damage' from 1973 and its 'lunatic'
protagonist had been on my mind earlier the very day this episode aired;
I was deeply saddened to see that Ginsberg had actually become the
lunatic.) Don also takes charge of the pressure-cooker his place of
employment had become –– and he releases that pressure by crashing a
cigarette meeting with bold suggestions, subsequently positioning
himself back on steadier ground with adversaries Lou Avery and Jim
Cutler, whether they'd like to admit it or not. After quite an eventful
episode, Waylon Jennings sings us out triumphantly with 'Only Daddy
That'll Walk The Line'.
* * * * * * There is a lot to cover in Episode 706.
The episode begins with a hurried mother in a station wagon with her
kids in the parking lot of Burger Chef getting grilled by Peggy for
information and insight into why she chose get her family's dinner there
–– the big takeaway of the interaction turns out to be that she feels
guilty about feeding her family greasy fast food, and that she wants to
stop answering questions and get them home. This entire episode is about
longing –– and about how each individual has a different perception of
his or her own failings. Bonnie and Pete fly to New York together; we
discover that Bonnie is a divorcee. She makes it clear to Pete that
she'd like for him to get a divorce from Trudy so their relationship has
a chance to move forward, before she invites him to join her in
becoming a member of the mile-high club.
Peggy explains the pitch
she's been piecing together to the team. Her position is that mothers
feel guilty, so their job will be to give them permission to feed their
families with Burger Chef. Lou jumps in and says, 'Well, who gives moms
permission? Dads.' (Oh, Lou...) She runs through the proposed ad, her
idea is adequate, and everyone is satisfied. But her ad's cookie-cutter
family appeal gnaws at Peggy's own sensibilities, the idea that times
have changed and the family she was depicting no longer exists. In Lou's
office, Pete asks Peggy to let Don pitch to Burger Chef. He has more
confidence in Don's ability to win the account, which bothers Peggy
deeply, but she concedes. Her unraveling begins to show, but it had
started before this account ordeal –– she later reveals to Don that she
recently reached a milestone birthday, 30, without telling anyone.
She'd kept her birthday a secret. Despite her level of success, she is
still treated as a woman on the job and she's given limits at every
turn, and she feels unfulfilled in her private life.
Bob Benson
returns to the office with their clients from Detroit; Clara, Cosgrove's
secretary is suddenly very pregnant. There's some small talk between
the Detroit guys and Ken, with his eye patch a reminder of the harm they
caused him. He's asked about his little boy, and Ken wins with this
line: 'Are you kidding? He's crawling all over the place. You really
gotta keep an eye on him.' Joan and Bob are clearly very happy to see
each other again. Megan stops by to visit Don at the office and Peggy is
the first to welcome her. One of the newer secretaries tells Megan she
didn't know Don was married –- which shouldn't matter, considering the
lack of communication at that office, and the fact that Don had been
M.I.A. for quite a while –– but Megan takes it badly, as evidenced by
the sudden discoloring of her face. She, too, is unraveling; she is
filled with angst, longing, worry. This is not the Megan from 1965 or
1966 who breezed through life and had everything good happen to her so
naturally.
After rescuing the closeted Detroit client from a
late-night arrest, Bob gets word that Buick will be hiring him, which
means he would have the leave the agency. He whips up a plan to propose
to Joan so that he can have a ready-made family and create an
appropriate front for himself. Joan lets Bob know that she knows he
isn't into women; he adjusts his proposal to ask whether she'd still
consider the fact that, as a single working mother, she is not likely to
find another husband. She refuses his not-so-great offer, again. Now
their friendship is forever tainted. Pete shows up to see his little
girl –– and Trudy. But Trudy stays out for the entire time he visits.
When she finally comes home, his relaxed, giddy, southern California
demeanor is nowhere to be found, replaced by bitter, angry Pete who
reminds her that they're still married. Trudy holds her own, as she
always, always, always does. Trudy is one cool woman, truth be told. She
is quite possibly the most perfect individual on 'Mad Men'. She's whip
smart, she has progressive and open-minded views, she's accepting, she's
pretty, she's fun, she's a great daughter, wife and mother. A true
lady. We don't see her very much, but she is always respectable, sweet,
and lovely. It's no wonder Pete does not want to divorce her –– the idea
that she could become a divorcee, with mile-high club potential for
another man, is suddenly too much for Pete.
Don wakes up to see
Megan on the terrace and the happy expression on his face, as he looks
at her without her knowledge, speaks volumes. He loves Megan. He loves
having her near him. He puts his arms around her and says: 'Tell me you
didn't miss this.' Megan, surprised by his good mood and not entirely
comfortable with the idea of being back in New York says: 'I missed you.'
Don offers to take her shopping, she agrees, and the little bit of joy
that's in her heart shows in her face. Meanwhile, Peggy stews as she
works in the office while others are enjoying the weekend. She doesn't
trust her strategy and she doesn't trust her abilities. She calls Stan,
then Don, and complains and barks at them both. Megan's packing and the
search for her fondue pot the next day is indeed a tell-tale sign. Don
says he thought she just needed summer clothes to take back to L.A. and
she replies, sheepishly: 'I miss my things.' Don tells her he sleeps
better when she's there, in New York. (Awww...) Don offers to take some
things back with him when he visits at the end of July, and Megan
suggests they meet somewhere next time that's not New York, and not L.A.
Bonnie returns after a day of shopping to find Pete having ordered and
eaten room service. Disappointed, she shows him her dirty feet from
wearing sandals in the city. 'I look like a hobo,' she says. She also
tells Pete she doesn't like him in New York, since he's been so
preoccupied with work and Trudy, etc. while the trip was meant to be her
vacation. Mainly, she's jealous of Trudy –– and senses a distance has
come between her and Pete.
Don visits Peggy at the office, who's
still working on a Sunday. She is snippy from the get-go, but he takes
it all in stride. When Don jokes that he's 'still scandalized' from
seeing 'I Am Curious (Yellow)' that afternoon, Peggy grumbles, 'Of
course Megan would want to see a dirty movie.' Don mentions the pros of
the work: it's almost done; it's good; the account man is overjoyed; and
the client is on board. Peggy quips that he knows those are the cons.
(Clever bit, that one.) And so the thawing of an old friendship finally
begins. Don tells her: 'Well, when I'm really unsure about an idea ––
first, I abuse the people whose help I need.' To which they both smile.
'And then I take a nap.' And Peggy says: 'Done.' So they get to work.
They reminisce about earlier years –– Don says 1955 was a good year, and
Peggy says she loved 1965, to which Don says: 'I got married.'
When
Peggy suggests the ad could be about a working mom, instead, Don tells
her the idea is too sad for an ad. The realization that keeps coming
back to Peggy is that the family unit that existed back in 1955, or even
in 1965, has become obsolete. If families are still together, they
watch TV while they eat. With Don's kindness and support, Peggy manages
to find the idea she was looking for: that family can be whomever you're
sitting with, across from the dinner table. The episode ends with the
work 'family' of Don, Peggy, and Pete –– sitting together around a
Burger Chef table to eat fast food and discuss the new strategy.
This is where my retro active outlook runs amok. I have the deepest concern for all non-human animals living in this cruel world. Respect for all species.
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