40 Vintage Portraits of Jennifer Jones on the Set “Duel in the Sun” (1946)

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Yesteryear

The portraits of Jennifer Jones on the set of the 1946 technicolor epic Duel in the Sun capture a pivotal moment in Hollywood history, showcasing her dramatic transformation into the fiery and tragic Pearl Chavez.

Under the intense production of David O. Selznick, these photos highlight Jones’s raw emotional range and her striking, sun-kissed beauty that defined the film’s sultry atmosphere. Dressed in her iconic Western attire, the images provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the grueling yet glamorous process of creating one of the era’s most controversial and expensive “super-westerns.”
Take a look at these vintage onset portraits to see how Jennifer Jones brought the bold and spirited character of Pearl Chavez to life in 1946.

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30 Amazing Black and White Photographs From Stanley Kubrick’s “Killer’s Kiss” (1955)

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Yesteryear

Killer’s Kiss (1955) is an American film noir that serves as the second feature-length production directed by a young Stanley Kubrick. Clocking in at a lean 67 minutes, the film is widely recognized as a technical exercise that showcases Kubrick’s burgeoning visual style and resourcefulness on a “shoestring” budget of approximately $75,000. The film stars Jamie Smith, Irene Kane (the stage name of journalist Chris Chase), and Frank Silvera. Kubrick’s wife, Ruth Sobotka, also has a small role as Gloria’s sister and served as the art director.

Kubrick famously acted as a “one-man film crew” for much of this production, which was financed largely through loans from his family and friends. He functioned as the director, cinematographer, and editor. Because he couldn’t afford synchronized sound equipment, the entire movie was shot silent and the dialogue was dubbed in post-production.
The film’s climax, a surreal shootout in a warehouse full of mannequins, is widely considered the highlight of the movie. It showcases Kubrick’s early obsession with lighting, shadows, and uncanny visuals. The film offers a raw, authentic look at 1950s New York, featuring now-lost landmarks like the original Penn Station and the gritty side of Times Square.
While Kubrick later disowned much of it, Killer’s Kiss is a fascinating early glimpse of his talent. It’s not considered among his masterworks, but cinephiles treasure it for its visual ambition and its place in the Kubrick canon, right before he broke through with The Killing (1956).

 

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Hanoi Residents Waiting for All-clear Siren in Sidewalk Manhole Shelters During Air-Rawid Alert, 1967

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Yesteryear

This image captures a stark reality of daily life in Hanoi, North Vietnam, in 1967 during the Vietnam War. The photo shows residents sheltering in narrow, chest-deep individual air-raid bunkers (often called “turtle-shell” shelters) dug directly into the sidewalks. These bunkers were a critical part of the city’s civil defense strategy during the U.S. bombing campaign known as Operation Rolling Thunder. The photograph was taken by Lee Lockwood, an American photojournalist for Life magazine. He was the first American reporter permitted to document daily life in North Vietnam since 1954.

(Photo by Lee Lockwood/Getty Images)

These pits were prefabricated concrete cylinders just large enough for one person. Every 20 meters, they were staggered on both sides of major streets so that anyone caught in the open during an alert could find safety within seconds. Each bunker had a lid, made of concrete, thick bamboo, or straw, which users would pull over themselves once inside to protect against shrapnel and debris.
By 1967, air-raid sirens were a frequent occurrence, often sounding multiple times a day. Residents would wait in these cramped spaces until the “all-clear” signal was given.
Hanoi’s sidewalk bunkers became an enduring symbol of the city’s civilian resilience and adaptation to the constant threat of aerial warfare. Most of these shelters were filled in and removed shortly after the Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973.

30 Portraits of Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, the Princess With the Sad Eyes, in the 1950s and 1960s

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Yesteryear

Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (1932–2001) was the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Queen of Iran from 1951 to 1958. Their marriage suffered many pressures, particularly when it became clear that she was infertile. In March 1958, their divorce was announced. After a brief career as an actress, and a liaison with Italian film director Franco Indovina, Soraya lived with her brother in Paris until her death.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary transformed from the “Persian Cinderella” and Queen of Iran into a glamorous, yet melancholic, European socialite and actress. Often called “the princess with the sad eyes,” her life during these decades was defined by a high-profile royal marriage and a heartbreaking exile driven by dynastic duty.
At age 18, she married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, in 1951. Her Christian Dior wedding gown, featuring 27 yards of silver lamé and 20,000 feathers, became legendary. As Queen, she became an international fashion symbol, frequently appearing on magazine covers and being compared to Hollywood stars like Ava Gardner.
By the mid-1950s, the marriage faced immense pressure as Soraya was unable to conceive. Despite seeking medical treatments across Europe, she remained infertile. Refusing to allow the Shah to take a second wife to produce an heir, she agreed to a divorce “for the welfare of the people.” The Shah reportedly wept when announcing the separation on national radio.
After her divorce, Soraya was granted the title of Princess and settled in Europe, primarily living between Rome and Paris. In 1965, she attempted to reinvent herself as a film actress. She starred in the Italian film I tre volti (The Three Faces) and appeared in the adventure film She. During the filming of I tre volti, she became the companion of Italian director Franco Indovina. However, after Indovina died in a plane crash in 1972, she largely withdrew from public life and the arts.
Throughout the 1960s, she remained a fixture of the “Jet Set,” frequently photographed at cafés and social events in Paris and Rome, though she was often characterized by the media as a lonely figure.

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