SOPHIA LOREN
Happy Birthday to Sophia Loren, born September 20th, 1934. A Spy Vibe favorite, Loren brought her elegance and earthy sensuality to many classic films, including Arabesque, Boccaccio '70, Marriage, Italian Style, Two Women, Operation Houseboat, Man of La Mancha, A Special Day, and Brass Target. One of her most indelible screen images is this scene from Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1963/De Sica), where she performed a strip tease for Marcello Mastroianni. The pair recreated the scene in Robert Altman's Ready to Wear in 1994. The fun starts at 1:00 below.
Sophia Loren met her husband, producer Carlo Ponti, in 1950 when she was 15 (he was 37). The pair married in 1957- then married again in 1966, after Ponti received an official annulment by the state from his first wife. They remained married until his death in 2007. Carlo Ponti was a major force behind many of my favorite films, including La Strada, Cleo From 5 to 7, Boccaccio '70, The 10th Victim, Blowup, Smashing Time, and A Special Day. Stills from the couple's Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow below from DVD Beaver.
Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, Japanese fashion model and spy! The creator of Spy Vibe has written a novel called Elevator Girl, inspired by his love of Ian Fleming and based on newly declassified intel from the Cold War. More info at Whiton's website here. Recent Spy Vibe posts: Peter Asher, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute, Ian Fleming memorial, Emma Peel Megaset returns
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address
