Marion Davies is the quintessential example of Victorian beauty and eloquence. While her talents weren’t quite suited for the William Randolph Hearst-inspired costume dramas, she certainly looked beautiful in her classic wardrobe. She was a stunner. For years she was given the cold shoulder from Hollywood, and often thought of as the trampy plaything of William Randolph Hearst. But the launching of Turner Classic Movies in 1994 helped Marion’s image make a huge turn around for the better. TCM relaunched films of Marion’s, and many other stars, which hadn’t been viewed since their initial releases. Bravo to Turner Classic Movies to reviving another star who had drifted into oblivion.

However, Marion Davies also helped herself. Her posthumously released autobiography not only allowed the public to get a sense of how Marion’s mind really worked, but that she really wasn’t guilty of anything. For years Hollywood historians condemned Marion for her affair with W.R. when in reality they were just two people who really loved each other. As Marion noted in her autobiography, there were a number of times when they could have been officially married, but she always decided against it. Probably a wise decision.

But to babble on about her and Hearst is not only redundant, it’s also ridiculous. Marion Davies had comedic talent to match that of Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton, but she rarely got the chance to show off her true talents. But don’t use that as an excuse to undermine her films; Blondie of the Follies (1932), Going Hollywood (1933), and Page Miss Glory (1935) are highly entertaining efforts from the talented icon. Some of her infamous costume dramas can be just as enjoyable. That’s what makes a true star, and the fact that many of her movies remain just as entertaining only proves that Marion Davies was indeed a star in her own right.