The Bonding Fire of the Vanities

Editing the egos… Image by Author, created in AI based on a film still of 1932’s “Red Dust”, featuring Clark Gable and Jean Harlow and lots of self-love. Clark, left: “Okay, are you ready to do this scene?” Jean, right: “I think so. But can I say that you really look a lot hotter here than you will in that Gone with the Wind mess you’ll make in a few years?” Clark: “Of course you can say that. I love myself. Why would I not want to hear about my hotness?” Jean: “I love myself, too! Isn’t it swell?” Clark: “It’s the greatest. I’m my own best friend.” Jean: “Well, peroxide is my best friend. But my ego is right behind it.” Victor Fleming: “Okay, folks. We’re trying to shoot a love scene here, not a session with your therapist. We get it. You both make Narcissus look like an amateur. Now, can we have a little whoopee?” Clark: “Is somebody else talking? I thought it was only you and I on the call list for today.” Jean, sighing: “It’s that wretched man standing over there. The one with the…