Megan Abbott and I were just talking about how much we love Jean Arthur and I said she was an antecedent to Brando (remember when I said that Peter Lorre and Bing Crosby were antecedents to Brando?) and Megan thought that was pretty good but didn't go far enough: in fact, she said, and I quote, "I think Jean Arthur far exceeds Brando, and I like Brando!" and went on, Megan did, to describe Ms. Arthur's "unique neurotic majesty" as anticipating Gena Rowlands, "and think of what Jean could've done with Woman Under the Influence!" Megan concluded.
