L'Shanah Tovah, Don Draper!

I admit, I did not keep up with the episode schedule so last weekend I spent Sunday afternoon glued to my screen watching Don put Pete in his place, Ken get published, and watching Don feel out of place in Greenwich Village. When I got to the end of the sixth episode, "Babylon," after that women got through her ridiculous poem about making love with Fidel Castro, and the two men took the stage, I had a sudden feeling of déjà vu, or rather déjà ecouté. “We remember, we remember, we remember you Zion,” sounded so familiar and then suddenly I remembered. I had heard it no more than 24 hours ago at the Yom Kippur Shabbat service at Temple Israel.

For all of you goys out there, Yom Kippur is the holiest of holies. It is a day of atonement and repentance observed by fasting from sundown to sundown and going to prayer services. It’s believed that on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, God writes everyone’s fate for the year in the Book of Life and then “seals the deal” on Yom Kippur. During the eight days in between, the Days of Awe, Jews try to repent for any wrong they have done against God or another human being so God will bring them good tidings for the rest of the year. That’s why common Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur greetings are “shanah tovah” (for a good year) or “gmar chatima tova” (may you be inscribed in the Book of Life for Good). These greetings may sound more awkward than saying “Happy New Year!” or “Merry Christmas”, but it’s more appropriate than saying “Happy Yom Kippur!” because after all, it is a day of penance.

During the service I went to, people were encouraged to share their wrong doings with the temple so the temple could forgive them. Many people called out their sins such as not supporting a friend in need or giving up on a social cause. Would Don Draper speak up? (If he did, he’d probably something vague and open ended.)

In addition to fasting, Jews are not allowed to eat, drink (alcohol or nonalcoholic), wear leather shoes, bath or wash, use perfume, or have marital relations in order to cleanse themselves. From the soles of his shoes (most likely leather, possibly Italian leather) to his fingertips (which are almost always holding a drink), Don Draper would not be a good Jew, although without a doubt, he could find a way around no marital relations.

The song "Babylon," based on Psalm 137 ("Psalm 137") when the Jews were exiled from Babylon, (click here to see the original version sung by Don McLean), is a typically sung at Temple. Thought it wasn’t written for Mad Men, it seems to relate to Draper. Zion is a name for Jerusalem and the Biblical Land of Israel, but it also has become a metaphor for any Promised Land or wanted goal. It has even been used in a spiritual meaning, symbolizing the yearning by wanderers for a safe homeland ("Zion"). What a coincidence, since Don could not have seemed more out of place and exiled than he did in the last scene of Babylon when Midge and her obtuse friend dragged Don to a show in the middle of Bohemia in Greenwich Village (see Don looking sad and alone here!). Don Draper is a vagabond, constantly wandering in between the city and the suburbs, going from woman to woman without finding a true confidant or soul mate. Although recently, Don has been confiding bits of his past and his worries to Rachel Menken, could she be his Zion?

Links referenced:

"Psalm 137." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 15 Sept 2010. Web. 26 Sep 2010.
.

"Zion." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 11 Sept 2010. Web. 26 Sep 2010.
.

And You Might Consider Wearing a Scarf

The wardrobes of "Mad Men" are adored.  They’ve turned the phrase “Mad Men” in to an adjective used to describe any clothing deemed 60s chic.  Countless articles have been written about them.  They’ve even sparked clothing lines at Banana Republic (“Mad About Style”) and a Don Draper suit at Brooks Brothers.  The attention to detail evident in Wiener’s work is one of the many reasons why so many are drawn to his character’s clothes, fans and actors alike.

“The clothing is just amazing.  Her hats alone, you could write a book,” said Alison Brie in an interview with Nylon Magazine.  The interview went on to reveal that she couldn’t take anything from Trudy’s wardrobe because the show often repeats clothes characters have worn.  “I’ve tried to weasel out some gowns, but I haven’t stolen anything [because] if I’ve worn it, it stays in Trudy’s closet.  Which is something I love.’"

Mad Men recently auctioned off select set and wardrobe pieces for charity, including Joan’s dress which sold for $1,324 and Betty’s dress which went for $2,025.  The show’s fashions highlight the day to day dressing we’ve lost.  The public obsession with Mad Men has bled in to trying in some small way to relive it. We can’t go back in time, but at least we can dress like we did.

Links referenced: Lauren Ward, “Mad Men,” Nylon Magazine, August 2010, 202, Mad Men Joan Harris Dress, Ebay, Mad Men Betty Draper Dress, Ebay, David Colman, “Dressing for Success, Again,” New York Times, December 16, 2009.

Season Four on the Horizon! - July 25th

They say April comes in like a lamb, a lamb carrying a full plate of morsels about the upcoming season four premiere of Mad Men. According to TVGuide.com’s Michael Ausiello, an expert on upcoming television news and spoilers, AMC has titled the first episode of Season Four “Public Relations," and the cameras started rolling on April 12, 2010. Ausiello’s other tidbit was particularly juicy, an announcement that the show plans on bringing three new characters of varied size and importance to the series. Weiner described the newcomers as “… a handsome and creative male; a voluptuous, curvy, and cute brunette who is friendly but professional; and an affable guy who is a bit lacking in personality.”

Of the three, the most intriguing may be the third description provided by Weiner, if only because ‘an affable guy lacking in personality’ seems the most boring on the surface. If we’ve learned anything from serialized television over the years, it’s that a nice, quiet character ALWAYS has a big secret to hide. A handsome and creative male? Could easily be competition for Don, who has never seemed to meet anyone close to his equal in terms of creative prowess in his department. The voluptuous but professional brunette? Perhaps the honeymoon’s over already for Roger and Jane, and he’s ready for even fresher meat. On the other end of the spectrum, perhaps we’re overemphasizing the “voluptuous” when we should be the “professional," and we have here a Peggy 2.0 to further emphasize the feminization of executive spots as the sixties progresses.

Still, many of the burning questions about season four have yet to be answered. Of course, we don’t really want any of season three’s specific cliffhangers spoiled before the premiere, but many are anticipating hearing if there will again be a fast-forward in years between seasons. The biggest question of all might be the one decided not by the writers and directors of our favorite show, but by the executives of AMC: When in the summer can we expect to have our Mad Men back? All we can say is stay tuned for July 25th!

Link referenced: The Ausiello Files

In an interview, Matthew Weiner acknowledged that Don Draper was partly inspired by the real Draper Daniels, the creative head of Leo Burnett in Chicago, in the 1950's. Recently, Daniels’ wife Myra Janco wrote an article about being married to a "Mad Man" for ChicagoMag.com. So what do Don Draper and Draper Daniels have in common? And what don’t they?

They definitely look alike don’t they?

They also both lead a decadent lifestyle and are pretty damn good at what they do. But sadly, the similarities end there.

According to Myra, Draper was a romantic. The article is full of adorable moments that would make Don cringe. Draper seems to genuinely adore his wife, and he became a one-woman man after he got married. He also quit drinking when his wife told him to.

In an excerpt from the article:

“I was cleaning out his old highboy chest and I found two rolls of nickels in a drawer…I thought
immediately of Vivian Hill [who] would often…say things like, 'I’ll bet you two rolls of nickels that Procter & Gamble is going to move from this agency to that agency'…I rang her up and said, 'Vivian, the strangest thing happened. I opened up the drawer to Dan’s old highboy and I found two rolls of nickels, like the kind I would sometimes win from you.' And she started laughing.

I said, 'Why are you laughing?'

'Didn’t he ever tell you?'

'Tell me what?'

So Vivian told me…The morning after I had met Dan in 1965—the night we talked for five hours, then went out for hamburgers at the Wrigley Building—he had gone to visit Vivian and said that he wanted to buy the company. I knew that part, but I didn’t know the rest of it. He also told her, 'Vivian, just for your information, within two years that woman is going to be Mrs. Daniels.' She bet him two rolls of nickels that he was wrong. The day after we were married, in 1967, she paid off the bet.

Dan kept the nickels.”

It’s interesting to note that Don’s ‘secret drawer’ is full of lies while Draper’s contained a token of his love for his wife.

And Draper worked for the Kennedy administration…go figure.

Links referenced: Chicagomag.com and Styles I Love.

Don Draper is an island. He has always isolated himself ever since he was a little boy. Like any true escapist, he leaves when he lands in hot water. In episode twelve of season one we find that Pete’s been snooping around to find the perfect angle to receive the promotion he has been looking for. When he reveals that he knows Don’s true identity, Don begins to jump ship.

Don’s flashbacks are always in great clarity. Natural light illuminates the space. This often happens when Don saves another client presentation with his great last minute ideas. It almost makes it seem as if he is divine, unscathed by flaws or failure. The opposite is true when he wants to escape his life and his thoughts are muddled.

The scene between Rachel and Don, when he is trying to convince her to leave with him is a particularly low-lit scene. The dark shadow that almost always dominates Don is ever present. Rachel tends to weave in and out of the rays that burst through the window. When they are seeing eye to eye, they stand in Isolation, but when she is refusing his offer she stands apart.

The light creates the mis-en-scene by physically depicting hostility. This is the end of his second escape. The lights give an air of ambivalence that characterizes Don’s hasty plan.

There is a need for the writers and directors to single out Don. This is not just because his tragic heroism drives the story but also to reveal his complexity.

It is also interesting that there is never more than three-quarters of their bodies shown at all times. Each shot often cuts to them in their own frame. The back and forth is conveyed by a shot reverse shot technique. This type of focus formulates the importance of their words as the space becomes smaller. They have limited space the more they grow apart as if the space mimics the relationship’s movement and lighting changes.

This is not the first time Rachel is put in a similar point of view as she often leads and commands every conversation she has. Her words are what are always important even more so as their relationship fights its previous mold.

It is no surprise however, that in this scene the effervescent relationship begins to fizzle out. She is not an escapist, but like Midge she sees the need for change, as any modern women should. She stands firmly in the bright warm light that Midge often stood in too. There is a shallow focus on the two subjects as Rachel pulls farther away. She realizes that Don is not the man she thought he would be. She is the most knowledgeable about Don’s past, but this does not salvage the relationship.

Joan and Peggy: The Student Becomes the Master

A subplot during the first season of Mad Men is the fascinating power-play between Joan Holloway and Peggy Olson. The first episode is Peggy’s first day on the job, Joan Holloway instructs her on both professional and personal matters. Joan makes it clear that she is comfortable with the traditional view of women and tells Peggy to start taking birth control and show more skin – a firm believer in exploiting her physical charms. Peggy is nervous and meek throughout the episode, getting the birth control prescription and being overly modest. The show highlights their differences through many techniques, not limited to costumes, camera angles and lighting.

A perfect example of their dynamic occurs in Episode 5 where Peggy is forced to entertain Betty Draper and her children while Don is away from the office. She is almost certain that he is with his mistress and is at a loss on how to deal with the situation. She begins to panic and seeks the help of the all-knowing Joan Holloway. Peggy is flustered and anxious compared to the calm demeanor of Joan. The implications are obvious; Joan is the master, and Peggy is her disciple. Peggy blurts out a panicked few sentences, wrought with insecurities regarding her ability to deal with the situation, while Joan looks on with almost quiet amusement.

The non-verbal elements play a definitive role in this scene. They are standing close together, and the physical contrast is significant. Joan stands nearly a foot taller than Peggy; her posture is upright, confident and relaxed. She is dressed in a stylish, formfitting dress with large earrings that shine in the dull light, topped off with her hair pulled up almost like a crown. On the other hand, Peggy is dressed in a very simple fashion, none of which plays to her advantage. Her blouse is buttoned to the neck, she wears no earrings and her hair is set in a simple ponytail.

The camera position alternates between Joan and Peggy’s shoulders. From Joan’s perspective, she is looking down at Peggy whose eyes nervously flicker back and forth, never making eye contact as she stands against a dull background, blending in to her surroundings. Whereas, Peggy is looking up to Joan, who looks on intently as a light in the background shines just above her fiery red hair. Joan forces Peggy to reveal Don's secret affair; using it as an opportunity to teach Peggy one of the faux paux of a secretary.

This scene epitomizes the influence that Joan had on Peggy’s life initially. As the season progresses, Peggy distinguished herself as being creative and original. She is asked to write ‘copy’ on subsequent products, with great success. Finally, in the last episode of the Season, Don Draper promotes her to the position of a junior copywriter, effectively giving her a position above Joan.

While there is no true animosity, it is an engaging evolution by which Peggy first learns to survive through Joan’s help and then comes to outrank her as she becomes more confident in her abilities.

It's All About the Look

If you're like us, your fascination with Mad Men is not based only upon characters and story-lines. Sure, we all love the office-sex dynamic, Don's mysterious past, and that what's-going-to-
happen-next feeling every time Sal's homosexuality is insinuated. But, what we really love to see
is what they’re all wearing. The women wear form-fitting (yet classy) dresses with heels and are
always impeccable. Even Betty looks like the perfect wife after a long day of taking care of the
kids or spending a morning riding at the stables. Plenty of choices are offered for the women
who want to style themselves after the 1960’s. However, it has always been my opinion that one
can never have too much access to information (or shopping!) at their fingertips. So, in honor of
the costume designers of Mad Men, my blog post is dedicated to where to find the best 1960’s styled clothing. My favorite pieces have always been available at ModCloth.com and JCrew.
ModCloth sells a variety of retro clothing though their dresses are the most notable. JCrew has
also been offering Jackie cardigans (as in Jackie O) and Minnie pants, which are reminiscent of
Audrey Hepburn. Here, at a fellow Mad Men blog, women can find more that will remind them
of our favorite women on television. For more on women’s fashion, also click here to
check out Elle’s take on Mad Men with Janie Bryant, Mad Men’s costume designer.

Now, let us not forget the men, for what would the 1960s be without the dashing debonair men
that make up Sterling Cooper’s agency. Like their female counterparts, the men always appear
pristine in their tailored suits. And, who doesn’t adore the beloved hats that were once a sign of a
well-groomed, chivalrous man? Unfortunately, ladies, we can only strive to mimic the style of
the 1960s. Men, on the other hand, are finally able to dress like their television heroes. As Dave
Itzkoff advertised in The New York Times, men can finally “be as Dapper as Draper.” The suit,
sold here by Brooks Brothers, is styled after the tailoring of the 1960s as seen on Don Draper and
Roger Sterling. The suit was also designed by Janie Bryant, the show’s creator. The suit debuted
last fall but is still available online. I will warn you, it comes at a hefty price.

Sources Cited: Itzkoff, Dave. “Be as Dapper as Draper in Your Own ‘Mad Men’ Suit.” The New York Times. 14 Oct. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2010.