Clara Bow, the First "It" Girl, Having Fun at a 1920's Amusement Park

This is Clara Bow in the 1927 movie that made her most famous - "It". This is the movie which made people call her the "It" girl. Not only did we appreciate her gorgeous expressions, which are perfect for silent film, but we were also very amused by the 20's amusement park scenes.

The "Social Mixer" ride remined me of a giant cotton candy machine at first (since cotton candy is something we all see at carnivals). Although, instead of swirling a cone of paper around to scoop up cotton candy, people are spinning around until they fall off.

I suppose it is more like a giant record player with people in clothing that's finer than today's version of "Sunday best" spinning around and around until they slide off. I am surprised that women in skirts rode on this ride (and especially the tumbling cylinder!), since riding on these rides could be very revealing and people were certainly more conservative eighty years ago.

Today rides like these would all be shut down in lawsuits. It's a pity because I would love to try them. I remember a slower spinning cylinder in the movie "Grease" which Sandy and Danny danced through. I wanted to try that ride so bad!

I haven't seen this movie, but this line struck me: "So you're one of those Minute Men. The minute you know a girl, you think you can kiss her".

Didn't they just spend all that time at the park or carnival together? First, she slaps him for trying to kiss her, then she storms up the stairs like Carrie in "Sex and the City", then she touches her lips and gets all dreamy about him while cuddling her stuffed animal. THAT is sooooo old Hollywood.