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The coolest one!

Evergreen Cary Grant

You can now explain words such as ‘debonair’, ‘suave’ and ‘sophistication’ with just one word — Cary Grant. At least, that’s the view of 4,000 British men who recently polled to vote for the ‘Greatest-ever Male Style Icon’.

No one who had watched Grant, who died in 1986 at age 81, on screen would disagree with the verdict. Be it earlier films such as Arsenic and the Old Lace and Philadelphia Story or later ones such as North by North West or To catch A Thief, Grant was style personified.

He dressed to perfection in the traditional manner, never changing his tailors in Hollywood or the U.K. Trousers and jackets ‘sat’ on him.

Jeeves would have loved to be this gentleman’s personal gentleman, so perfect was his grooming! Two-piece, three-piece, pinstripe or Harris Tweed, they all suited Grant.

Standing over six feet, and with a beautifully proportioned body, he would have made a great male model. In films such as Charade, Indiscreet or North by North West, Grant played the diplomat. No real life diplomat could have dressed better.

Stewart Granger played the male lead in MGM’s 1950’s Beau Brummel, the dandy who was the close friend of the British king.

I wonder if Grant could have been a better choice though he would have hesitated to shed his conventional style for the frilled shirts and tight trousers, then the fashion in London circles.

Of course, Grant continued to act in an era that saw the entry of stars such as Marlon Brando, Paul Newman and James Dean, but he would never have agreed to appear in torn jeans and T shirts.

Perhaps his dress sense rebelled against playing the Western hero (a role played by every other leading Hollywood actor including ‘King’ Gable) and we never saw him as a Western hero wearing jeans, checked shirt and cowboy boots.

Riding a horse and getting embroiled in gun fights would not be his style. But in a couple of movies, he did play the naval officer, and the uniform fitted him perfectly.

In one of them, Operation Petticoat, the uniform occasionally appeared uncreased and soiled. Mind you, he was the commander of a submarine where things got a bit crowded,but Grant carried on in style.

The one film where a ruffled uniform was justified was Stanley Kramer’s Pride and the Passion, where Grant, a British naval officer, helps the Spanish revolutionaries fight the French invaders by helping them cart a huge cannon through enemy territory.

Starring Frank Sinatra and the sultry Sophia Loren, the film did not portray Grant as the usual suave, immaculate diplomat, but then who cared. He won the battle and got the girl!

Grant scored as a style icon because he remained one even under trying circumstances.

Who else but Grant could remain immaculate after being chased by a helicopter over the hot plains in Hitchcock’s North by North West. Grant ran like hell from his assassin and into his hotel, where he handed over his trousers and jacket to be pressed.

In the next scene, immaculate as ever, he escorted his leading lady, Eva Marie Saint. No wonder women swooned over him.

Grant was married five times and I wonder how the wives felt being married to a style icon!

V. GANGADHAR

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