AN AMERICAN CLASSIC, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

America cheerfully lives with a great many classics. There's our love of freedom towering in the Statue of Liberty, our passion for individualism riding the range in the Old West, our zeal for success reflected in our great glass cities. But no American classic is more iconic than the "girl next door." The fresh-scrubbed, all-American girl who perfectly blends perky tom-boyishness with irresistible sensuality.

Over the last 100 years we've had them by the cinematic dozens. Mary Pickford...Judy Garland....Doris Day ...Debbie Reynolds...Julia Roberts...Cameron Diaz.

Putting chauvinism and feminism aside, both genders really like our girls-next-door. What's not to like? But in grading this particular classic, my vote and heart go to Doris. Anyone under 40 won't remember her; anyone over, will never forget her. Her songs and her movies were marquee events throughout much of the American Century. And yet Doris has never garnered any of the lifetime achievement awards or White House tributes. So how can this blond icon from not-so-long-ago remain so ignored?

Couple theories. One, she's chosen to remain fiercely private since retiring in the 70s. But there may be a second and less spoken reason. Pretty, perky Doris has become a cultural dinosaur. Today's guys like their sugar laced with a lot more spice! Today's gals like their image to be a lot more assertive! When TMC plays all those 50's and 60's Doris Day-Rock Hudson flicks...well, the under-40 crowd see right through the gauze on the cameras perky but aging Doris insisted upon. Which, in this age of proclaimed realism, makes her roles' idealism seem pretty suspect and silly. Which in turn makes realism for me seem pretty shallow and sanctimonious.

I do remember thinking the same shallow and sanctimonious way during the 50's looking back at Mary Pickford from the 20s. That's when the classic SUNSET BOULEVARD came out portraying aging film icons as pathetic has-beens. However, I couldn't imagine that happening to my Doris. But then, well....

Everyone's heart has its very own once-upon-a-time. That memorable moment when love comes missiling through your life changing it forever. Although once-upon-a-time usually comes only once, it usually comes with a song somewhere in the air on that starry night. Doris's classic "It's Magic" was in the air the night I fell in love with my very own icon. Lets see, how long ago was that...? Oh, yes, a remarkable eternity ago. But that night, that Joan, that eternity WAS magic. After all, didn't Doris say it so in the eternal key of C!

I assume you surely remember the key your once-upon-a-time came in....