

Bob Dylan's Sartorial Inspiration? posted Aug 26 2008 by danlevy

Today's New York Times reviewed some DVDs of Errol Flynn's western movies.
Take a look at the photo above of a scene from "Virginia City" (1940), with Flynn at right and Humphrey Bogart in the center. Read this quote from the review: "But who could accept Flynn, with his pencil moustache and rakish smile, as a humble cowpoke in a 10-gallon hat? Warner Brothers got around this issue mainly through costuming, dressing Flynn in long frock coats that set him apart from the bandannas and bluejeans of the supporting players. With their slimmer profile, these costumes evoked the tailored three-piece suits of the 1930s far more than the mail-order dry goods of the 1880s. Wide-brimmed, flat-topped hats completed the ensemble, adding an ineffable touch of urbanity (and even a hint of zoot suit flair). This look established Flynn as a man apart, an aristocrat passing through the West without necessarily being a part of it."
Remind you of anyone?