I haven't drawn as much attention to Francoise Hardy and her music on this blog as my heart may have intended –– because she has been so omnipresent (residing over everything) from its conception. In a monk-like way, I felt like my silence was the best way to express the deep respect and admiration I have for her and her work. I love certain people and things more that I can even express, so silence speaks louder for me on those occasions.
Francoise Hardy, Alone
I wasn't conscious about Francoise Hardy's presence while growing up here in the U.S. in the 80's/90's. I'd seen her brief appearance in 'What's New, Pussycat' on TV, but didn't know about her at the time.
Francoise Hardy's brief appearance in 'What's New Pussycat'
Later, near the turn of the millennium, I found her on my own when I came across a photo of her in a book in an NYC bookstore. Until then, I had imagined a person like her only in my mind, but did not realize someone like Francoise Hardy truly existed. So I was in a little bit of shock when I actually saw her. Her style was the elevated version of my late 60's preference –– if I could have had any wardrobe of my choice. With my bangs and coloring, her simple hairstyle was what I wanted mine to be once I grew it out much longer. If I wore eye makeup, by that time, I'd already discovered that the only way I could wear liner was on my eyelids, 60's-style, for it to look good. (Lucky for me, the makeup style that works best on me has always been my favorite look, too.) And she had that same look from top to bottom. Right away, I felt a spiritual connection with Francoise Hardy because she was also how I pictured my 'higher self'. If you're spiritual, in the same way that I am, you may know what I mean. And since I'm generally a very mellow, calm, sensitive, idealistic, lone wolf sort of person, her demeanor was also in prefect cahoots with mine.
Francoise Hardy – someone once thought this was a photo of me, so flattering
Her music became my soundtrack for the next few years. This was before internet dominance and Google searches. She had become such an important presence in my life, that I consequently introduced her to those immediately around me. If they actually processed who this French 60's singer was I was referring to, that is –– since the music people were generally exposed to at that time could not have been more different. As much as her presence is everywhere these days, it was exactly the opposite at that time. Even when I'd mention how much I loved her to anyone French, they seemed surprised (while nodding their approval) that an American from my generation could even care about her. Discovering Francoise Hardy was very special, and in many ways life-changing, for me. A couple of years after I became enamored of her, someone I was dating at the time who was British brought back some original Francoise Hardy album singles for me from his parents' collection, when he went home for a visit, which was a very nice thing to do.
One of the original Francoise Hardy albums given to me
I played them over and over and still have them. My favorite song was the very chill 'C'est A L'Amour Au Quel Je Pense', because with its relaxed surf guitar it always made me feel like I was at a beach campfire after a long day of catching waves.
Incidentally, before I met my husband, I was enchanted by how Francoise Hardy is a Capricorn. Because I loved her energy, I decided I might want to become romantically involved with a Capricorn. Sure enough, the next person I became involved with was my now husband, a Capricorn. In fact, their birthdays are only two days apart. Even more amazingly, my being incredibly interested and influenced by astrology is itself yet another connection to Francoise Hardy, herself. Because aside from being one of my favorite musicians, by trade, Francoise Hardy also happens to be –– an avid astrologer. Later when I met my husband, who's German, it turned out that his mother was a fan of Francoise Hardy's in the 1960's –– and back then, people also thought she strongly resembled her. So when I first met his mom, now my mother-in-law, she and I talked about Francoise Hardy within the limits of our language barrier.
Francoise Hardy, musician and astrologer
Returning to the actual sequence of events, in terms of her music... I started buying her CD's and soon I knew every one of her songs from her earliest until those she recorded by end of the 1960's. Some of my favorites, at that point, were 'La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi' from 1966, the incredible 'Voila' from 1967, 'Comment Te Dire Adieu' from 1968, 'Ou Va La Chance' also from 1968, and 'Soleil' from 1970. 'Comment Te Dire Adieu', the entire album, became my favorite and it was on constant rotation. I also loved the unique 'Comment Te Dire Adieu' album cover, and still do.
Francoise Hardy, Voila
Francoise Hardy's Comment Te Dire Adieu album cover
Francoise Hardy, Soleil
I'd play her songs in my room in Brooklyn and sing along, realizing... in addition to all the Francoise Hardy wonders I'd unveiled for myself, even my 'pure soprano' vocal ability (as it was once dubbed by a singing instructor) fit with her own singing style. To add to it all, listening to her songs allowed all of my years of French study to become more solidified and I found myself communicating the language better than before. So Francoise Hardy gave me a lot to be thankful for. She became my dearest friend during a time that otherwise could have felt lonelier. The following videos are of 'La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi', 'Comment Te Dire Adieu', and 'Soleil'. 'Voila' had some beautiful promo videos I'd have shared, but they aren't available on YouTube at this time.
In the prime of her career, and even today as people around the world have begun to discover her through various media outlets (and it's taken this long for a contemporary filmmaker like Wes Anderson to include a little of her and her music in his 60's-centric 'Moonrise Kingdom'), Francoise Hardy tends to be associated primarily with her iconic style and incredible beauty, as well as with her being tagged as one of the original ye-ye girls. I personally think of her as an incredibly talented singer, songwriter and musician, first and foremost. And then as one of the greatest beauties and style icons of all time. Then I think about her stint as an actress in movies like 'Grand Prix' (1966).
Francoise Hardy, circa 'Grand Prix'
Only after that, I might think about her beginning as a ye-ye girl, since in the span of her entire career, I don't think of that being an especially significant thing. And I wouldn't expect she herself does, either. Yet somehow, what people tend to focus on with Francoise Hardy are her style and her earlier music in that limited way.
Francoise Hardy, another great photo from the La Question album
Which leads me to her amazing album 'La Question' from 1971. This album was a true revelation. My thought when I heard the first bars of the first song on the album, 'Viens', was: "Who produced this?" You know a song or album is exceptional when you wonder who was involved in creating that particular sound. It still stuns me.
In the case of 'La Question', that sound is beautifully sparse –– and at times incredibly lush with strings –– simple and powerful. Francoise Hardy, who at the point when (at least in Europe) could have recorded anything and worked with anyone, teamed up with obscure Brazilian artist Tuca to create most of the songs on the album. The arrangements are elegant and they moved my soul the first time I listened to the album, and still do. Because of the album 'La Question', I consider Francoise Hardy to be one of the most gifted musicians in the world.
The inner lining of Francoise Hardy's La Question album
In summary, Francoise Hardy is one of the most astounding musicians I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. I'm continually amazed by 'La Question' and do believe it to be the most beautiful album I've heard. I should also post a photo of our sweet kitty, Francoise Johan Micoud, who was named after Francoise Hardy. She also has a very calm and thoughtful demeanor, like her namesake.
Francoise Hardy was, and still is, an absolutely brilliant musician. That is why her presence, even in my respectful silence, has always been here on my blog.
Seldom do we see celebrity couples in Hollywood who can withstand years (let alone decades) of commitment along with the pressures of their respective careers. Often cited as having succeeded in that challenging arena of their lives have been couples like Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. I recently noted the well-sustained marriage of Sam Elliot and Katharine Ross here on Retro Active Critiques.
The Golden Couple
Meanwhile, Katharine Ross' costar in the fabulous original version of 'The Stepford Wives', the enormously talented actress with a knack for playing goofy ladies, Paula Prentiss -- whose finely-tuned comedic timing I've loved in 'What's New Pussycat', 'The World of Henry Orient' and her numerous other film roles -- has had an even longer marriage to equally talented actor-director Richard Benjamin, who starred in two of my favorite films (both featured here) 'Goodbye Columbus' and 'The Last Of Sheila'. As individuals, they've both been significant to me in terms of their films. Together, they have appeared in at least three of my all-time favorites.
Richard Benjamin with Ali MacGraw in the wonderful 'Goodbye Columbus'
Richard Benjamin in the fabulous 'The Last Of Sheila'
Paula Prentiss with Katharine Ross in the equally fabulous 'The Stepford Wives'
The Stepford Wives' sad conclusion as they convene at the grocery store
Paula Prentiss with Peter Sellers in 'The World Of Henry Orient'
I have also recently ordered a very rare DVD copy (of a video copy) of a short-lived but groundbreaking TV show they starred in together called 'He And She', which has also had a mention here. I'm excited to watch it and will report back on that later!
Two decades into their marriage, in 1980, the funny couple even hosted Saturday Night Live together. There have been many couples who've appeared on SNL together, but I hadn't heard of a couple who shared hosting duties on that stage, equally.
Sharing hosting duties on Saturday Night Live
What I discovered in looking deeper into this magnificently lengthy marriage is there are aspects to their commitment to one another I couldn't have imagined. It's an incredible story, a saga of sorts, that really shook and surprised me.
Prentiss and Benjamin met at Northwestern University in 1958 before either of them had started acting professionally, before they became famous. This had to have helped in their longevity, since they were able to evolve with their relationship and fame and see one another from a perspective beyond their romantically-challenged profession(s). Prentiss, born Ragusa, was from San Antonio, Texas and it's been said that she wanted to become a doctor. Richard Benjamin was from New York City (born and raised) and had always wanted to be an actor. They both studied acting at school.
Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss in the early days
I found a People magazine article from 1976 that speaks volumes –– and opens up this story to new interpretation (not to mention my noticing how much more politically correct even writers who write for entertainment publications are today than they were back in 1976.) Here is one excerpt I'd like to share from the article that chronicled their life together until that point, having already been together for 15 years (they were married in 1961) because only this piece in its own time can capture the real graveness of how Hollywood can be a frightening place to exist. Or even coexist, as in their case (from People Magazine, 1976):
Their present plateau of success and serenity would have seemed unforeseeable just a decade ago when Paula experienced her harrowing mental breakdown. At the time she was in Paris filming What's New, Pussycat? while Dick was touring with Barefoot in the Park in Cincinnati. "One day during shooting," she recalls, "I just climbed up the ropes to the catwalk and started walking the beams. Very loudly and clearly I called down to everyone on the set, 'I'm going to jump.' A French technician grabbed me, and there I was, hanging by one arm."
Paula Prentiss in 'What's New Pussycat'
She came to in a Paris hospital and later transferred to the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic in New York. "It was horrendous. You're crazy because they say you're crazy," she says. "It was especially horrible because I couldn't figure out how to do what they wanted me to so I could get out." Dick took her to lunch once a month but usually found her so drugged up that "she wasn't Paula. I'd make believe everything was all right, but it was like taking a carrot out to lunch. What did I know about psychiatry? I was a Jewish boy, and in our house, if someone had a headache, no one worried about brain tumors or neurosis. It just meant you hadn't eaten enough."
Paula's crisis may have had some of its roots in the celebrity shock she sustained during her first years out of Northwestern University's drama school. She and Dick met there while studying under noted acting teacher Alvina Krause. Prentiss was born Paula Ragusa, an Italian from San Antonio who at a reedy 5'9" loomed over her classmates like a stork. Dick, a sardonic New York kid whose parents struggled in the rag trade, wowed Paula because she claimed on an earlier occasion he was the first New York Jew she'd ever seen. They started housekeeping together "before the pill," notes Dick, "when things were dangerous."
New York meets Texas
An MGM talent scout auditioned them but, ignoring Dick, signed Paula to a seven-year contract in 1960. "It was a life I hadn't picked," she says. "It was terrifying. I just allowed myself to be driven along." In less than a year, Paula cranked out three dizzy frivolities, beginning with Where the Boys Are. "I was such an idiot," Benjamin groans. "I accepted it all to be with the girl I wanted to be with." Even their marriage was arranged by the studio: Paula had to make a promotion junket, and in 1961 an unwed traveling companion was considered a no-no. They were forced to delay the ceremony before a New York judge for one hour so that the bride could log publicity mileage about the wedding with long-distance calls to Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons. "The only thing that woke us up," she reflects now, "was that crash landing in Paris."
She dropped out of films and into analysis, while Dick began his breakthrough as Ali McGraw's schlemiel in Goodbye, Columbus. Along the way, Paula found her best therapy was co-starring with him in a 1967 CBS series called He and She that approached an almost Lear-like level of sophistication before its time. It died after a single season. Still, Paula believes, "It was worth it after what we'd been through. By working together we learned to live with each other again."
These two go way back
Despite situations that would have been too much for most couples endure, they seem to have always persevered. I can only speak for myself here, but I find the idea of Prentiss having been signed to a seven-year contract with MGM –– at the start of the 60's, before so many social mores and messages in life (and subsequently, films) were about to change –– then being forced into marriage (ironically) to the man she loved to keep up appearances in terms of publicity, and where society still stood, and then being trapped in a mental institution because of a supposed 'breakdown' on set (I'm hesitant to believe she actually had one since she may have been temporarily immersed, as actors can be, in her role as a kooky, suicidal chick in the film 'What's New Pussycat'.) It's altogether terrifying. Seems like they managed to keep their heads, while keeping their feet planted on that shaky ground, to get past those heady times together and not fall apart. There are very few couples who made it through the multitude of changes happening in the 60's, 70's & all the way back until today. Let alone film stars.
Jack and Paula and Dick
Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss may not be considered 'stars' today. They may never be featured in People magazine again. I, for one, have gone from enjoying their work individually to having the utmost respect and admiration for them as an unsinkable pair who've navigated this world (and Hollywood) together, despite whatever they may have faced. It is now 2011, so they have been together for exactly half a century! Apart from their list of professional accomplishments and their marriage milestone, they have two grown children: Ross and Prentiss.
Happy golden anniversary to Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, an inspirational Hollywood couple if there ever was one.
The golden couple. Still solid, still smiling.
And an update: here is the opening for the absolutely wonderful 'He & She'. I've received the series (not the best quality, but okay) and I've been watching it with fervor. I am really excited to report back on this fabulously sophisticated 'one season wonder' in an upcoming post. Stay tuned...!
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.
