The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing

Observations, reflections and musings:Evelyn Nesbit is here, plus in the film Ragtime. In Ragtime, she is played by a young Elizabeth McGovern (mama in Downton Abbey, anyone?

On 25th June 1906 Stanford White, one of America's most famous architects, was shot dead in Madison Square Gardens (a building he had designed himself) by a millionaire rail and coal tycoon named Harry Kendall Thaw. Thaw's motive was sexual jealousy he believed that White was having an affair with his beautiful young wife Evelyn.

The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is based on the real life scandal and murder of Stanford White, the outstanding architect of his time. Evelyn Nesbit was such a beauty that she graced the covers of many magazines, including being chosen for a Gibson Girl.

Here is the story of a girl who had the best of both worlds before it all came tumbling down in a murder.There was a very good performance by Joan Collins as Evelyn Nesbit.

I found this movie engrossing and worth seeing and having as a DVD. It is a lavish production, in glorious color and crystal clear image, the era is represented perfectly, with splendid costumes and superb settings.

Joan Collins is Evelyn Nesbit, the beautiful "Girl in the Red Velvet Swing" in this 1955 film also starring Ray Milland, Farley Granger, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Frances Fuller, and Glenda Farrell. The film purports to tell the story of the White-Nesbitt-Thaw triangle that ended with the murder of White, the arrest of Thaw, and the testimony of Nesbit.

This is a good example of an over-produced film, much too lengthy (109-min.) and gaudy for the slender material that doesn't engage until the last 10-minutes.

Set in New York in the early years of the 20th century, a stunning Joan Collins plays the title role, in which there are actually two scenes where she is the girl in the red velvet swing, both of which are fantastic. Both scenes give a lot of credit to the director, cinematographer, set designers, and art director.

Famous architect Stanford White (Ray Milland) was murdered atop the old Madison Square Garden on June 25, 1906. by Harry Kendall Thaw (Farley Granger) over the former's relationship with the latter's wife, Evelyn Nesbitt (Joan Collins).