Jennifer Jones The Song of Bernadette 1944

Jennifer Jones won an Oscar for playing a nun in “The Song of Bernadette.” Twenty-five years later, she starred in the film “Angel, Angel, Down We Go,” playing an ex-hooker. The 1960s, marked by free love, women’s lib, and protests against the Vietnam War, were a sign of the times. Films changed so rapidly that older stars had no choice but to adapt quickly or get out of the way for a new generation. It is the only explanation for why Jennifer Jones took the part of an ex-hooker. The film centers on an overweight, sheltered young girl who gets involved with a rock star named Bogart. Her family is not pleased, especially her glamorous mother, Astrid, played by Jones. Bogart proceeds to seduce every member of the family, including Astrid. Though not said in so many words, it gets implied that Astrid is a former prostitute. Plus, she freely admits she made ‘stag films’ aplenty. Astrid’s famous line is, “I was born poor, but now I have class.”

To read more about other Oscar-winning actresses playing characters working in the sex trade industry, please continue perusing Oscar Hookers