We seem to be in obituary mode here at East Village Afternoon; in addition to losing J.D. Salinger this week, we also recently lost two Hollywood legends, Jennifer Jones and Jean Simmons.
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Jennifer Jones, 90, died on Dec. 17, 2009 and is best known as the Best Actress Oscar-winning star of 1943's "The Song of Bernadette". She was also Oscar nominated for "Since You Went Away", (1944), "Love Letters", (1945), "Duel in the Sun", (1946), and "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", (1955).
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Signed to a contract at Selznick Studios by producer David O. Selznick, Jones eventually fell in love with the "Gone With the Wind" producer and left her first husband, actor Robert Walker, to marry him. Jones only made 27 movies in her career, but her breathtaking beauty and often underrated acting ability left quite an impression..
(jones between her two husbands, robert walker and david o. selznick)
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Our favorite Jennifer Jones movie is 1949's "Madame Bovary". The social tone of the day prevented the filmmakers from exploring the sexual aspects of 
the famous novel, instead they focused on Emma Bovary's emotional discontent and fantasy-driven yearnings which fueled her acts of monstrous self-destruction. Jones' portrayal of the unsettled young wife who was drowning in her own fantasies was emotionally complex and layered with real pathos. It's one of those performances that wasn't recognized at the time, but in retrospect, is probably one of Jones' strongest performances..
In 1981, Jones bought the film rights to Larry McMurtry's novel "Terms of Endearment" so she could play the part of Aurora Greenway. However, director James Brooks told Jones she was too old for the role, later awarding it to Shirley Maclaine who won an Oscar for it.
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(jones in 1946's "duel in the sun")
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British beauty Jean Simmons died in Santa Monica, California on Jan. 22, 2010, one week shy of her 81st birthday. Simmons is best known for her roles in "Guys and Dolls", (1955), "The Big Country" (1958), and "Spartucus", (1960).
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While not considered as heavy-weight an actress as others of her era, Simmons nevertheless managed to receive two Oscar nominations, for 1948's "Hamlet" and 1969's "The Happy Ending". .
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Simmons was director William Wyler's first choice for Princess Ann in 1953's "Roman Holiday", but she was contract-bound to Howard Hughes who wouldn't lend her out for the role. The part went to Audrey Hepburn who won an Academy Award for the role.
(cast of "Guys and Dolls", Marlon Brando, Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivien Blaine)
Simmons was director William Wyler's first choice for Princess Ann in 1953's "Roman Holiday", but she was contract-bound to Howard Hughes who wouldn't lend her out for the role. The part went to Audrey Hepburn who won an Academy Award for the role.(cast of "Guys and Dolls", Marlon Brando, Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivien Blaine)
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