Special Appearance

 The death of Shelly Duvall last week brought back a few memories. The initial one was standing in front of a shelf full of Faerie Tale Theater VHS tapes at the video store where I worked during college. Ms. Duvall produced twenty-five live action versions of fairy tales that weren't exactly for children, but over five years she starred in three of these and introduced each episode. The one I remember best was her take on Pinocchio, with Paul Reubens as the puppet who wanted to be a real boy, and Carl Reiner as Geppetto. Reubens was manic as ever, but Reiner had the best line: "You know how those boys are - especially the wooden ones." 

And wouldn't that be enough? But Shelly Duvall will forever be remembered by most sentient beings as the tormented wife of writer Jack Torrance. No? How about "Wendy in The Shining?" Better? Sadly, Shelly may be best remembered for her terrified shrieks and hand-wringing in this film rather than so much of the rest of her work. 

What am I talking about? Well, for my money when you're talking about actors who embodied the role for which they were chosen you have to start with Sean Connery as James Bond. Right after that comes Shelly Duvall as Olive Oyl. It was the other movie she made in 1980: Popeye. This was one of seven collaborations she made with director Robert Altman, starting with Brewster McCloud way back in 1970. She was also in Nashville, and McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and Buffalo Bill and the Indians. All of these are certainly noteworthy, but Shelly's turn as Olive was one of those rare moments when an actor simply became the character that was being portrayed. Back in 1980, I believed that Robin Williams could do no wrong, and I bought my ticket to see him. When I left the theater, I was singing along with Olive. 

It is interesting that one of my friends harbors a grudge against Shelly Duvall for playing Wendy in The Shining. He had read the novel before going to see the film, and was put off because author Stephen King describes Wendy as "blonde and very beautiful." Shelly was a lot of things, but she certainly wasn't blonde. As for her beauty, I can only say that it was uncommon. More often than not, she was "the other girl" as she was cast in Steve Martin's Roxanne. In 1987, who's going to remember the other female lead when Daryl Hannah is prancing around in a bathrobe? 

No matter. Shelly Duvall left her mark. She danced lightly across the Terra, but her path is easy enough to follow. She will be missed. Every time I think of Sweethaven.