An Excellent Lake View and Hollywood Story

What were you doing at age 19?  Veronica Lake, at age 19, was starring in Sullivan's Travels.  Her co-star and romantic interest, Joel McCrea, was almost twice her age.  No matter, it works! Perhaps it works so well because it is almost impossible to make Lake look like a teenager.  Even pigtails would probably not make you think "teenager."  Veronica Lake, she of the "peek-a-boo" hairstyle, had that special "thing" that Hollywood movie producers and directors desired in a leading lady.  Something more than beauty.  The something that Lake delivered on screen is best described as "sultry."  The dictionary definition of the word "sultry" is "extremely hot."  That just about says it all!   However, Sullivan's Travels is much more than Veronica Lake.  It is a delightful satire of Hollywood.  The film was released in December of 1941.  Surely, it offered movie patrons a welcome respite from America's violent entry into World War II on December 7.  More than seventy years later, Sullivan's Travels is still a good trip!          John Greanias, Copyright 2013.