Doll-A-Day 2023 #5: Bedazzled Paper Dolls

   Today's dolls are some I got for Christmas. They're a set of paper dolls based on one of my favourite movies, "Bedazzled". 

Actually, they're described on the sales page as paper doll or art cards. Obviously they don't expect you to cut them out and dress them...but I'm very tempted to glue them to magnet sheets and do just that! Emma got them for me from an Etsy seller called Hey Kids! Rock 'n' Roll. Their page has some cute, and funny stuff, like a Bob Dylan Subterranean Homesick Blues style Post It pad, and felt Kate Bush ornaments. Some very clever ideas there. You can see their page HERE.

   The movie "Bedazzled" is the original version of the 2000 remake starring Brendan Frasier and Elizabeth Hurley, and was released in 1967.  (I don't like the remake.) It was written by, and starred Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. (Yes, Oscar nominated and Golden Globe winning Dudley Moore, from "10" and "Arthur".) Moore also wrote the score, and the songs that were sung in the film. (There are only two, as part of the plot.) Peter Cook was considered a comedy genius, who began writing successful plays while still at university, opened the popular London night club The Establishment in 1961, and in 1962 purchased the British satirical magazine Private Eye, which is still going strong, and is now Britain's most popular satirical and currant affairs magazine. Cook and Moore were known for being part of the cast of the groundbreaking early 1960's stage show "Beyond the Fringe", and for several other TV series, comedy records, movies, and stage shows as a team.

The plot concerns a depressed man named Stanley Moon, (Moore). Stanley is trying to hang himself when he is suddenly approached by a man in a cape. The strange fellow walks into Stanley's flat as Stanley is trying to plug the pipe that broke when he tried to hang himself from it. The mysterious man knows everything about Stanley, "...where my socks are and who my grandfather was, and everything..." Eventually he tells Stanley that he could make him happy by giving him everything he's ever wanted because he is...The Devil. "Let me give you my card."

I think they pudged Peter Cook up a bit.

Stanley doesn't believe him at first, but once he's convinced, George Spiggot, (That's the Devil's name...), takes him to his office, full of irritating 'sins', such as a very conceited Vanity, a perpetually angry 'Anger', and a jealous Envy, who wants to know why he can't be called 'Vanity' instead, and has Stanley sign over his soul in exchange for 7 wishes.  "...in accordance with the mystic laws of life: 7 days of the week, 7 deadly sins, 7 seas, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers."

  The dolls are around 4 inches (Stanley) and 6 inches (George) tall.

  The third paper doll included in the set, is Stanley's main impetus for signing his soul away in the first place: a waitress at the Wimpy Burger where Stanley is a cook, named Margaret Spencer.

Stanley loves her from afar, (Who knows why, because she's not very bright.), but Margaret is oblivious to him. 

  Margaret was played by Eleanor Bron, known at the time for being a part of the early 60's University based comedy movement, as were Cook and Moore. Two years before "Bedazzled" she costarred with The Beatles in "Help!", and the year after that she appeared in "Alfie" with Michael Caine. More recent audiences will have seen her as Miss Minchin in the 1995 version of "The Little Princess". Her name became the inspiration for the character's name in the Beatles song "Eleanor Rigby".

  I won't give away the ending to the movie, because you can actually watch the whole movie, (with commercials), HERE. (Just as a warning, there are jokes that are inappropriate for children, and there is a scene with nudity.) I will say though, that Stanley gets cheated at every turn, because The Devil keeps finding loopholes in Stanley's wishes. But does Stanley win out in the end? Does The Devil get his due? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.