Why Americans and Europeans Will Never Get Along. Everything is jealousy!
I had always thought Sophia’s disapproving look in this iconic photograph taken by Delmar Watson was a perfectly captured moment of female jealousy. Mansfield to me was the carefree blonde and Loren, the feisty brunette. But of course, most of us have only seen this moment from one angle. There were other photographs taken that night in 1957 that give a little more context to Sophia’s infamous sideways glare…
In April 1957, Hollywood was hosting a dinner party in honour of the Italian actress, Sophia Loren at the Romanoff’s. American actress, Jayne Mansfield had been invited and was sitting between Loren and Clifton Webb. At one point she leaned over the table, allowing her breasts to spill over her low neckline, exposing one nipple. From where Sophia was sitting, she had quite a view…
Alas, the slip was absolutely intentional and became the feature of a notorious publicity stunt intended to deflect attention from the Italian star. The press dubbed it, ‘the Battle of the Bulge’. But this wasn’t the first ‘nipple slip’ publicity stunt for the Hollywood star. Two years earlier she had posed for Playboy and her carefully staged public accidents became a rather expected occurrence. She had nevertheless, come a long way from the times when the prominence of her breasts led her to lose professional roles…
Oh Jayne…!
I love finding different versions of iconic photographs! Do you have any to share?
I'll ignore the American/European thing.
I don't think it was jealousy, it was just awkwardness. Do you really expect to sit at such an event, greet a person AND their nipples? And then every time you reach out for tea while looking at the cups (ugh… I mean, the beverage recipients), THERE they are again! I guess it was just that kind of feeling… Sophia Loren would have nothing to be jealous about – she didn't have too shabby a pair herself and that whoole party was Paramount's only for her. 😉
Totally agree ; )
moreover, those breasts look a little bit flabby, that way.
No surprise the image was simply perfect for a in-famous book cover… http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327942473l/70875.jpg
Sophia Loren is a class act!
JEALOUSY ? PLEASE NO WAY COULD SOPHIA BE JEALOUS OF ANY WOMAN ……….SHE WAS AND STILL IS A CLASS ACT ……..JANE WAS WAY BEFORE HER TIME WITH SHOWING WAY TOO MUCH. HER BREAST WAS NEARLY IN SOPHIAS' FACE REMEMBER THE TIME ERA