Monday is Quote Day

"I think it's very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person." -Oscar Wilde

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

 
 

Cary Grant - Jim Blandings

Myrna Loy - Muriel Blandings

Melvyn Douglas - Bill Cole

After noticing that I had begun going through Myrna Loy's filmography, I was told by many that "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" was a "must see", entertaining and humorous film, so I was very excited to finally see it. I must make it clear that though I watched it after finding out Myrna was in the film, the extra UMPH...was Cary Grant.

I feel as though I've grown up with him in a way and to find a movie I hadn't seen was the cherry on the top. I have rarely seen a Cary Grant film on purpose but rather happened upon them only to become completely enamored by the man.

I watched "The Philadelphia Story" and "Bringing Up Baby" for Katharine Hepburn. 

I watched "That Touch of Mink" for Doris Day and Audrey Meadows. 

I watched "Father Goose" for Leslie Caron. 

However, I did watch "North By Northwest", "His Girl Friday" and "Arsenic and Old Lace" for Cary Grant. 

There are probably many more that I am missing but my point is this; though I watched all those movies for other reasons, I always ended up by the end completely amazed by Cary Grant and his simple, though sometimes obnoxious, comedic style. Oh, and because he's beautiful! (Objectification is bad, people. It's only allowed when talking about Cary Grant.) 

So here I am, once again, happening upon a movie for the purpose of seeing another brilliant and funny Myrna Loy performance (and believe me when I say she didn't disappoint) but yet again, I end on the fact that Cary Grant is simply comedic and obnoxiously beautiful.

Here's What I Know:

*cue crickets* 

I didn't know anything about this film, which was such a wonderful thing to experience. I did had the opportunity I was snooping to see a video of one scene on youtube. And much like a good trailer ought to be, it was enough to reel vintage me in with interest, but not enough to give anything away. 

I could probably go on and explain details about Cary Grant and how his family were acrobats in the circus. This is apparent in his physical comedy, particularly in "Holiday" with Katharine Hepburn (I knew there was another movie I didn't mention). The picture below is from that film and basically sums up my point.

I'm not trying to lure you into thinking that Mr. Grant is doing anything like this in "Blandings" 
but it does allow you to understand his ability for comedy; it's quirky and theatrical.

Hmmmm....what to say about Myrna and her comedy prowess? 



Well, this movie was delightful to watch after seeing "The Thin Man" series and her other comedic films. I knew that it would be funny and with her involved, it implied that it would also be intelligent and comically subdued. Myrna Loy's comedic delivery is something that, without being able to describe it very well, makes me laugh out loud but it's so subtle sometimes that if you're not paying attention you can miss it. So how do I describe this? 

For my old movie and TV fans, she seems to be a cross between Gracie Allen and Virginia O'Brien. Myrna's subtle delivery is matter-of-fact and under-the-radar sometimes that you don't realize it's funny until it's past and it makes you laugh out loud; ultimately missing the next line. Gracie Allen, would often say things so matter-of-fact that when you'd really think about it, you'd realize she was right (or absurd) and really funny! For instance, if someone offered Gracie to "take a chair", as in sit down, she would respond very plain and innocent with, "No thanks! We have plenty of chairs at home." Her delivery is such that it never makes the other person feel as though they're stupid even though she's ultimately thinking, "Well! Why would he think we didn't have chairs!?"

That's how Myrna did it in many ways, but she would often deliver it with a stoic Virginia O'Brien face that it could sometimes lead you to miss it. This is why I have enjoyed her movies so much because she's just a hoot and because you catch the joke later, it's like enjoying it twice.



Things That Stood Out: 

I feel like much of what stood out was the humor and delivery but I will try and dive in more. A quick summary of the story line: 

**Cary and Myrna are married with two girls and live in a small apartment in New York. After Myrna makes suggestions for making the apartment more "cozy" or livable, Cary thinks that it's too much money and disagrees. He then sees an ad in a magazine for Connecticut and decide they should move. He feels it's an ideal place to live and he and Myrna begin looking for a house. Of course, the house they buy leaves much to be desired that instead of fixing it up, they are suggested to "tear it down" and start again. This leads to grand ideas of a dream home (see where they got the title) but with no consideration for rules, regulations or even common sense. With roadblocks and hiccups along the way, they finally build their dream home. (This is where a swell of string instruments would play something magical with a picture of a dream house. Maybe I think that because that's how it ends. haha)**

The opening scene is brilliant. I know brilliant is a word that is overused, thus reducing whatever is being described as anything BUT brilliant however, in this case, it's true. 

We wake up with the Blandings, only to find that their apartment is much too small. I don't know for certain, but I feel confident in saying that the first 5 minutes of the film is without dialogue. There is one line here and one line there but for the most part, it's as though you could transfer it all to a silent film. The way you discover just how small the apartment is and how they've grown used to it is....well.....brilliant. There's a moment where you discover the closet is so small, and obviously shared by Mr. AND Mrs. that he accidentally grabs HER robe while one hand is holding the boxes on the shelf above so they don't fall to the ground. It's obvious they are being held up by the closet door when it is closed. 

There is also a hilarious moment where, as you see Cary down the hall from his room, you will still see Myrna in bed sitting with her head tucked to her chin. Mrs. Blandings is obviously not a morning person until she gets her coffee, which he knows to bring to her in bed. This has nothing to do with the size of the apartment but it was something I noticed immediately and actually skipped back to see it a second time so I could laugh again.

There's also a clever scene where they are both getting ready in the morning and we are shown just how little space they have to share in the bathroom. Of course, we blame this on the tiny apartment, but the true punchline is about 45 minutes later, when the same thing happens in their new big house. Obviously the size of your home has nothing to do with this problem. I'm literally laughing just thinking about it! This movie might be proof that all couples should have separate sinks and mirrors. 

There are so many funny gags and exchanges but I don't want to get too long-winded or give anything away. I will say that for the reviews I read, many said this would be a great film to show anyone buying or building a house how NOT to do it. When you get professional ideas or suggestions, listen to them! It's not a weakness to ask for help or clarification. 


Now Was That Necessary?:


I do have one point of contention regarding a subplot. You'd think that the process of moving and building a home would be confusing and stressful enough but for some reason, they decided to add a question of infidelity on the part of Muriel (Myrna) and their family friend Bill (Melvyn). Of course this is entirely dreamt up on the part of Jim (Cary) and even though it's false, to me it seems completely unnecessary to have it at all. It seems to only muddle up a perfectly good movie.


I will try and explain my reasoning without giving anything away. That's actually a funny point because the subplot seems so ridiculous to the story that I couldn't give anything away. I should be singing to myself, "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just isn't the same."


First of all, it is a stretch for me to think Myrna Loy would be unfaithful to none other than Cary Grant. I know I've explained this before but Myrna Loy's reputation was "The Perfect Wife" in Hollywood due to her playing that kind of role so many times. So, imagine audiences at that time with that in the back of their head, thinking it's ridiculous to imagine her as being unfaithful. Also, there is nothing to truly warrant such suspicion but for some reason simple things become suddenly suspicious to Cary.

An example from the dialogue:

Jim: What's with this kissing all of a sudden? I don't like it. Every time he goes out of this house, he shakes my hand and and kisses you.

Muriel: Would you prefer it the other way around?

I must explain that the kiss Bill gives Muriel is on the cheek, a very common greeting or goodbye for so many old films. That might be why I'm confused. Also, because Bill continues to kiss Muriel on the cheek when he leaves and it is never a problem with Jim again.

Second of all, the idea of infidelity that Cary Grant dreams up is something that is brought up within the cracks of the story. Instead of holding the story together, it seems to confuse it. It's something that is brought up and dismissed so many times that it seems redundant and pointless to keep bringing up. Every time they, or Cary rather, move beyond the suspicion; they apologize and it seems that it is all over until it's brought up AGAIN! It's something that seemed to make sense the first time but once it's been regarded as not a worry the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th times just ware on me.

I feel this subplot is probably interjected in to add comedy but it instead falls short and disrupts the pace of the film.

There's my two cents.

However, There Were Many Favorite Parts:

Well the opening scene definitely stands out for me, the bathroom scenes, and a particular scene falling back on the humor that men never ask for directions or accept they don't know the way. In that particular scene, Myrna says the correct directions twice, but is ignored. Of course third times a charm and well...who'da thunk?.....she was right! 

Here's a picture from that scene with the three main stars!

Another scene is when Cary is asked a question by a construction worker/builder about a certain detail. The length of the silence that follows paired with his dimwitted facial expression made me bust out! I can see it now! HAHA He obviously does not understand the question and almost seems to forget he needs to respond.

There's also a scene where both Mr. and Mrs. interject their ideas of rooms and extras for the house and when you later see the blueprints there are scribbles everywhere you can barely tell where the real plans had been.

Below is the scene I had watched before viewing the entire movie, the one I snooped for on youtube. It's not a real trailer rather than just a scene from the film. The more I've watched this scene the more I find it funny! It is a great example of how men and women can see things differently, even when it comes to something as simple as paint colors.

My favorite detail from that scene is when Myrna grabs the paper sample off the wall and doesn't just point to the color she wants, but glides the paper in the air to find the light to better show off the dot. It's a subtle gesture that shows her natural acting impulses. I also love how she stresses the word "awful". The way her voice seems to take on a raspy tone quality for some reason gives me a comfortable feeling. I seem to remember a few occasions where my Grandmother made that same sound on certain words so that must be why. :)

I recommend you to watch the film; it's well worth the 90 minutes.

I hope when you watch the film, you'll remember the parts I pointed out and enjoy them as much as I did. If you laugh out loud, let me know in the comments or if you're like me, and immediately add it to your Amazon cart, let me know just the same.

Happy watching and I dare you NOT to fall in love with Cary Grant.

Monday is Quote Day

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." -Steven Martin

Sometimes the brilliance is in the simplicity!

It's a wonderfully, logical statement that proves we should never overthink anything like, you know, this quote!

Family Memories: The Greatest Team Strikes Again

Get ready for another Megan and Brian adventure!

From the time I was roughly 2 years old to 8 years old, my family and I lived in a wonderful house in a small town in SW MN. When I think of great childhood memories, I think both of Brian and this particular house. It wasn't the biggest house but it did have 4 bedrooms which fit my family just right. If you interject simple math, the way that works out: my two brothers got their own room while my sister and I had to share (of course so did Mom and Dad). I don't remember this being a problem for me, because as the youngest, I felt pretty great sharing it with my older sister. She was, naturally, cooler than I but that has definitely changed. I've undoubtedly surpassed her in cool points. (Love you, Laura!)

One interesting thing I remember about this house was the door to the upstairs level. This is a small detail you don't find in a lot of houses. Most of the time the stairs are in plain sight but for some reason the builder or architect decided there needed to be a separation between levels in this house. It wasn't a secret door either. It also wasn't a door that when you opened it, found linens or coats. The placement was between the dining room and the living room which seemed anything but a closet and instead was probably quite intriguing for most visitors, wondering what was behind "door number one". For some reason when I take a moment to think about a door with stairs behind them, I immediately picture wooden stairs to an attic that is cold and ominous. That was nothing like the door to our upstairs. The carpet from the main floor of the house limboed itself under the door and continued all the way up the stairs to the second floor. It was never cold but warm and never ominous but...well...home! I also remember the carpet being a very plain, simple, khakis color. The kind that goes with everything.

Also, I imagine anyone with kids or a large family is thinking that a door to the upstairs is a brilliant idea and trust me, we took advantage of such a barrier. If you forgot your shoes downstairs, someone could just put them on the stairs to be brought to your room and then shut the door, leaving all clutter behind so when company did come, the main floor was neat and tidy. Brilliant, right!? OR if you were sent to your room upstairs (this never happened to me), you'd hope they'd shut the door so you wouldn't actually have to go to your room but instead whimper on the steps near the door, thus feeling like you were still a part of the family instead of being barricaded from all fun and excitement. (I apparently have deep wounds that need mending. *sniff*)

Anyway, after a perfect amount of description, on with "The Greatest Team Strikes Again".

As you can only assume, the story is set around and behind this brilliant barrier. Also from my previous post Family Memories: The Greatest Team , you know that Brian and I were constantly thinking up wonderful and ridiculous adventures.

I can't recall if Brian and I just had bouts of genius or we had brainstorming sessions for our brilliant adventures? I think that we both shared a similar imagination and creativity that made us the perfect team. Also with one of us taller than 6 ft and the other around 3 ft, as a team, we could do a lot. He could get to high places and I could fit in small places. Oh, such safety!

One day Brian and I were inspired by the idea that my twin bed mattress seemed to be the perfect width of our stairs. So with this new found adventure on the horizon, we brought my mattress from my room upstairs to the top of the stairs and sure enough it fit just snug enough that it would slowly slide down the stairs but not fast enough where it turned into a bouncy toboggan. So there we were, on the top of "the mountain". We then both laid on the mattress, which was now at roughly a 45 degree incline, pretending we were on a slow motion "avalanche". If you were downstairs looking up, there was one handrail on the right side of the wall and this is where we would hold on trying to survive the "avalanche". It was touch and go a couple times, me sliding down the "mountain" and Brian reaching down to me like Cliffhanger trying to save me from certain death. Of course, we had the door shut and I remember going down the "mountain" several times. Every time, we survived to live another day.

Not only did we survive the slow motion "avalanche" with exaggerated movements but it also included slow motion yelps.

"Noooooooooooooo, I'm sliiiiippppiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnggggggg!!!!!!!!"

It's a wonder that, if there was anyone in the house, they didn't hear us echo from the stairwell. Of course, when you yelp in slow motion it always ends up being quieter than a real scream and about an octave below your normal voice.

Well, we were on our 4th or 5th run-in with the "mountain avalanche" (you'd have thought we'd try and find another summit, right!?) when all of a sudden Mom opens the door to find her two favorite children and a twin sized mattress on the stairs. I'm not sure what Brian's face looked like, but I remember my face because it was the same face I made whenever I thought Mom or Dad was mad or disappointed. It looked something like this...

 

I can't remember if Mom was mad or entertained by our antics (probably both), but all I remember is her saying, "Put. Your. Bed. Back."

 

We put the bed back and probably already trying to think of something else we could do! Back to brainstorming and thinking up another adventure.

 

What I love about these memories of adventures with Brian is, opposed to my brothers when they were younger, our ideas were never destructive. They were simple and imaginative. I mean a twin sized mattress and a narrow stairway = mountain avalanche. I know you're wishing you did this when you were little! And just for the record, I would still do this today, if only to create a memory with Brian. We should always continue to be kids and imagine adventures that ultimately lead to this face when caught...

 

 

...then turns into this...

 

 

 

So, go put on your play clothes and explore your imagination!

The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

William Powell - Florenz Ziegfled Jr.

Myrna Loy - Billie Burke

Luise Rainer - Anna Held

Frank Morgan - Jack Billings

Ray Bolger and Fannie Brice as themselves

If someone had told me that I would enjoy a 3 hour film from 1936 about a man I really don't know anything about, I would have asked one question......"Well, who's in it?" After they answer, "William Powell", I would respond with a resounding "Heck, yes I would!!" 

If you ever, and I mean ever, get a chance to see a film with William Powell, don't think, just sit down and enjoy! He has a certain magnetism that, for me, is unexpected and after several viewings of his movies, it has now stuck with me. I will never second guess his talent again. 

You must be thinking, "She must be bringing this up because this movie is superb and without flaws and I must go see it." Well, you have every right to think that but that's not the case. It's not the best film I've ever seen but it certainly has stellar performances from everyone in it and it helps to at least know something about the guy to really enjoy the story, but it's not necessary. So though it maybe isn't the best thing ever made, you should still give it a try! I feel pretty confident you will not be disappointed.

Here's what I know: 

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. was married to Billie Burke who, 3 years after this movie came out, would grace the screen as Glinda, the Witch of the North from "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). I knew that she had been a stage actress earlier in her career and read that she had enjoyed playing Glinda so much because the character and costumes reminded her of her theater/stage days. This movie reiterated that statement with the theater world she came from and kind of costumes that she wore.

The name "Ziegfeld" gives me no great pause, as it may for others. I only know the name from a movie I've seen and own (well it's more like a series of skits put together on film) called "Ziegfeld Follies of 1946" (1945). It has a SLEW of stars in it from that era including Judy Garland, Red Skelton, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Kathryn Grayson, etc. So my only connection with the name "Ziegfeld" was from a movie that was inspired by the classic Ziegfeld shows, but made many years after his passing. It was more of a tribute to a man that always yearned to bring elegant, elaborate beauty to theater audiences.  

However, to actually watch a movie about the man was so incredibly interesting. It was wonderful to find out how he began his career, be introduced to the people he knew and worked with, and how his classic shows started and changed the theater world. These are the things I just love finding out! Gosh, I love old movies!

The Performances: 

Not to be redundant but William Powell was great in this film. He embodied Ziegfeld, well as much as I think he did. The way Ziegfeld was portrayed he seemed to be a gambler and dreamer of a business man. He had grand ideas but never really had enough money to put on a show and never wanted to put up any of his own money if he had it, but always willing to gamble on others fortune. He was a ladies man, but not on a disgusting way. Considering he showcased a number of beautiful women in extravagant gowns on grandiose sets, he never seemed to be a man who would take advantage of a woman. He instead had a keen eye for beauty and how they should be dressed for glamour. That doesn't mean he didn't take his leading ladies out and buy them expensive gifts (even while married), I still seemed to understand and believe that he loved his wife. He just seemed to be a compulsive spender and would give money to just about everybody he knew, including a waiter or bellboy even when he was flat broke. He'd be glad to give the little guy some extra change. 

William Powell can be an obnoxious stooge if he wants to or a debonair gentleman. He has the ability to switch between the two without so much as a bead of sweat or obvious transition. For some reason, it's believable for him to embody both personality types. 

Myrna Loy plays Billie Burke in the film and, as I've recently found out from a friend, was personally approved by Ms. Burke herself. I can only imagine what it would be like to play a role of a person still alive and able to correct you if you got it wrong. However, there wasn't enough of Billie in the story for them to get anything too wrong, I imagine. Of the 3 hour film, we don't actually see Billie until 15 minutes after the 2 hour mark. I will always speak highly of Myrna Loy as an actress but beyond the 6 or 7 times we see her on screen, there really isn't too much to add other than: she was beyond beautiful and an incredibly natural actress. Pairing her with William Powell never disappoints. 

Luise Rainer as Ziegfeld's first wife, Anna Held, was quite a force in this film. Her character, I believe, is supposed to be flighty and emotional. Of course sometimes the extraneous emotions are valid but for the most part, they make you fidget and stand on edge because she seems so anxious. Though I thought this characterization would only annoy me, I quickly understood it and instead welcomed it as something quite fresh and comical. The amount of times she asks him to leave a room and come back again in a matter of 5 minutes is hilarious. She does this when phoning him as well that it isn't annoying, but instead becomes a familiar gag that, quite surprisingly, doesn't get old. Like the other characters around her, you instead accept it as normal, almost expected, behavior. It's important to note that she won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in this film, this being her second Oscar, the first from only the year before. Also, this won the Best Picture Academy Award as well, beating out "Mr Deeds Goes To Town" (Frank Capra), "Liabeled Lady" (another William Powell and Myrna Loy picture) among others.

I also must include a short mention of Frank Morgan. Many know him as The Great and Powerful Oz/Professor Marvel from "The Wizard of Oz". Well, he is just as delightful and entertaining in this film. The slow transition of his character from adversary to friend of Ziegfeld is a delightful aspect to this film. It says so much about both men and it's done in a very believable way.

Things That Stood Out:

 

Fanny Brice - She's hilarious and it was wonderful to see her poke fun at herself (a natural thing she did) but to do it from her own history. Her faces were wacky and she was hilarious but, just as Ziegfeld says, she could tear your heart out in a split second with her rendition of "My Man".

Ray Bolger - He plays a prop man behind the scenes on the Ziegfeld show and we find him dancing while he cleans up. Many know Ray as the Scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). What some might not know is that he was supposed to play the Tin Man originally but lobbied to be the Scarecrow instead and I personally think he was born to play that part. With that piece of trivia trapped in your head for the time being, a part that I thought was delectable: We find him dancing while cleaning up behind stage when Ziegfeld asks about his job and such. Ray says, "I've been a property master for 5 years, but my heart just isn't in it.", to which Ziegfeld replies, "That's a long time to live without a heart!" Does everyone now understand why I squealed with delight at that exchange. You're welcome! Now go tell your friends!

Rhapsody In Blue - If you ever find yourself watching a movie, TV Show or listening to music and "Rhapsody In Blue" (Gershwin) comes on, it will always be something that stands out. It is one of the most perfect pieces of music ever constructed by man. I know that many might think that about the classic composers like Mozart and Beethoven, but when it comes to our more modern world, George and Ira Gershwin were the closest things to musical perfection we had on this earth. I think it's important to mention both brothers even though "Rhapsody" was only George's creation. It's roughly 16 minutes of melodic brilliance that will always give me chills and probably make me cry at the drop of a hat. I must have inherited this from my Mother because I've been there to witness these same emotions take her over with this same song. To not be completely changed by this after listening, well you're just not doing it right! I feel I must say that in the movie, they only used a portion of the song but it happened to be the exact moment that I will always tear up! Sometimes when something is so beautiful, you just have to cry. It may have been these 3 minutes that solidified my enjoyment of this film. This paragraph, as you can tell, has no bias what-so-ever.

Okay, now for the finale:

If you at all enjoy old films, Ziegfeld, William Powell, Myrna Loy or Luise Rainer, plan an evening to watch this delightful film. If you enjoy any of those things mentioned, the movie will not disappoint. If you do not know or enjoy any of those things....well then explore the world outside your comfort zone and keep an open mind. I think the movie and you yourself will be surprised.

Adventures in Blogging, not Babysitting

One goal of this blog is basically summed up in the following quote by whom else but Gloria Steinem. Since I'm reading one of her books she's EVERYWHERE in my mind lately. She has a TON of soundbites that speak to me intellectually and emotionally, both in this book and beyond. The quote:

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else."
-Gloria Steinem

So, that's the goal of this blog: to bring out the writer in me. So far it's been a great time writing down and sharing whatever thoughts that come to mind and for the most part, when I'm writing, I don't feel like I'm wasting time. I don't feel like I should be doing anything else. 

I was recently speaking to a wonderful friend of mine, who is a great writer I might add, and we were both discussing how much we love our "voice" as writers. It seems our "writer's voice" is much more thought out, not as overly emotional but still passionate, and even a bit more confident than our normal selves. It takes great energy and dedication to a thought to not just think of something, but to put it to paper or in my case, a blog. It's been a challenge to convey messages that seem to be completely logical and clear in my head, but when I write, it's all jumbled. That has been difficult but ultimately a welcome challenge. Also, having a Communication Studies degree, I understand the importance of getting a thought across in a concise, clear manner though I often fall short, so this has been a great tool for me to practice.

Thanks for reading and being my guinea pigs in this new venture, thus far!

Monday is Quote Day

It doesn't really get any better in creativity when you have more prestige. It's always the same amount of joy so don't wait to enjoy yourself, because if you already feel stressed and like you gotta get somewhere, that is not gonna change 12 years later. Or 20 years later. You're always gonna feel that way. So enjoy, enjoy because this is all there is.

-Maria Bamford (Comedy and Everything Else Podcast 5-24-10)

So in other words, enjoy everything to the fullest without any specific expectations and make the choice to be happy.

Only for Emergencies!

Cellphones are a wonderful technology that most of us use and some might say they couldn't live without. Whenever I think that, which actually isn't very often, I know that I need to re-examine my focus.

This thought has recently come up from this past weekends events when I forgot my phone before a quick trip and visit with my sister. The mayhem that ensued with that forgotten cellphone was both serious and comical all at the same time. I missed 5 calls, 2 messages and 2 very directed texts. I love that my sister loves me! I do admit that when I realized I forgot my phone, I felt a little naked. I wasn't that far from home where it would've been completely ridiculous to turn around and get it, but instead I took it as an opportunity to be disconnected and enjoy a car ride with music and my thoughts and no distractions.

My feeling of worry when I forgot my phone was not grounded in feeling connected with my sister or a fear of missing out on the newest facebook post. It was more than that. Here's why....get the popcorn!

My childhood took place in the early 1990's and did not include cellphones. We had only a land line at home and I remember very plainly that for local calls, you didn't even have to enter in the full 7 digits, but only 5 and the call would still go through. So instead of 555-1234, all you needed was 5-1234 and the call would still be connected. I grew up in a small town so I'm not sure how common that was across the board, but that's what I remember and my memory is a TRAP!

Continuing on...

Our first cellphone came in a black bag in the late 90's and it looked more like a land line than a cellular phone, at least what I learned from the movies and T.V. The connection was through the lighter in the car (another thing that is non-existent in some vehicles) and if it wasn't plugged-in, it didn't work. Pretty simple.

This phone wasn't something you gabbed-on all night long or even used very often in the car (at least in our family). This cellphone was reserved for emergencies. So my association with cellphones growing up, were not for pleasure or even business, it was only if your car stalled or you were in an accident that you were to use the phone. Only emergencies! Yeah, I got it Dad!

Also, this phone was only in my parents car so it was basically off limits to anyone besides Mom and Dad.

Jump ahead to 11th grade and still no personal cellphone because it was too much money and kids didn't need that kind of thing anyway. Yes, I was still a kid in 11th grade. Well, I was on my way to a friends house in the country all alone (small town in southern Minnesota means you're surrounded by corn fields and half of your class or most friends are going to be from out of town) when all of a sudden a deer ran out in from of me from the right side of the road and it clipped the front drivers side of my car. Anyone who has hit a deer, knows that I was lucky. I was immediately shaken and decided that I didn't need to go to my friends house. I instead turned around and went home.

When I got home, my Mom and Dad were glad to know that I was okay and that the car wasn't badly damaged at all. The lights still worked and there was only a slight dent near the driver's side headlight where there was still fur from the deer. GOLLY! Anyway, it was at this time that I either suggested or it was decided that I was to get a cellphone. Again, I still associated cellphones for emergencies only. I mean I was getting a cellphone because of the deer debacle, which was an emergency. If it had been worse and the car wouldn't have been drivable, I would have had an option to call for help.

This story is the basis for how I still view cellphones today. Though I have a smartphone and I use it for texting, photos, a datebook, the Internet, maps, a dictionary, etc., I still understand the true purpose, in my opinion, of a cellphone. It is an accessory not the focus. My life, friends and family are the focus and my phone is an accessory to that and really only helpful in emergencies. That's why I was nervous when I left my apartment without a phone. It was because if there had been an emergency, I wouldn't have had any way to call for help. And most people passing by a stalled car on the road now assume the people are alright because they probably or most definitely have a cellphone and help is on the way. It reminds me of a study I read in college about altruism and our assumptions that people are being helped so we don't do anything. But that's for another post! :)

Another observation: when I arrived to our destination, I felt lost without being able to contact my sister saying I'd made it and to find out when she'd arrive. It's amazing how much we don't plan anymore. We used to have to plan to meet "at the mall, at Barnes & Noble, in the movie section at 4 o'clock sharp!" Now, we just say, "I'll call you when I get there." It's almost like we don't have to be people of our word anymore. We don't have to be on-time because we can "just call" if we're late and we don't have to be where we planned because, you guessed it, we can "just call" and change things last minute. Of course for the most part, the freedom in being able to adjust the plans we do make is great, but it's amazing how these adjustments mean we're to be dependent on our phone.

With that, I challenge to take a day-off from your cellphone. I'm not saying cellphones are bad or horrible, I'm just saying we should take a moment to remember how life used to be before texting during lunch with friends or taking dark pictures of our food and uploading it to Instagram. I'm pretty sure our selves prior to cellphones would think we're rude and boring!

"Action expresses priorities." Mahatma Gandhi

Monday is Quote Day

"The whole idea is not to figure out what you should do that will matter, but to make each thing you do reflect the values you want, because we don't know what will matter in the future."

-Gloria Steinem

This one is a recent find and I'm in love with it. It has made me sit back and take inventory of my values. It's been a wonderful time of reflection and discovery.

Family Memories: The Greatest Team

When I was growing up, my brother Brian and I were a pretty great team. Despite an eight year difference in age, we always had many adventures usually restricted to around the house or neighborhood.

Instead of a picture of Brian and me at that age, I will instead share with you a cartoon image of how I remember us: Calvin and Hobbes may have been inseparable, but if Bill Watterson had known Brian and me, he would have made it Hobbes and Susie!

 

So the memory begins.

In our living room we had two bookshelves, roughly 6.5 feet high, next to each other in a corner. Since they were not designed for a corner they were only touching at one point, so instead of overlapping where one would be overtaking the other, they only met at this point to where a perfect square of empty space was formed in the corner. This is where the memory begins.

I remember Brian (around 12 years old and already nearly 6 feet), standing on a chair, hoisting me up and lowering me down into that perfect square of empty space. We had both agreed that I would fit perfectly so there was no reason for us NOT to go on with our plan. To use the word “plan” in this story is misleading as there was no plan, just an idea that I would fit into that space and that he would hoist me in and then back out. But of course, any of you that have siblings know that there’s an agreed upon understanding that my brother would now pretend to leave me in that space. The actual events of him leaving me for a moment is muddled and I could be remembering it wrong but I truly remember a feeling of complete contentment and trust that he would come back and “rescue” me from that “pit”, which he did.

It’s such a wonderfully simple, yet silly memory of my playtime with Brian as we were growing up. We were constantly thinking of things to do and it never occured to us to have it involve a TV or video game. My childhood was filled with imagination and adventure because of Brian!

Thanks, Brian! I love you!

Another Gloria Steinem Spelling Test Study Guide

Here are more words to learn from "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions":

Deference - respectful submission or yielding to the judgement, opinion, will, etc of another

Indefatigable - incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue

Couching - to express indirectly or obscurely (Sentence in the book for which it's used, "For one thing, I can finally stop couching my suggestions in hesitancy and humor. That alone should save me a lot of time."

Pariah - an outcast. Any person or animal that is generally despised or avoided

Obstreperous - resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; noisy or boisterous

Frenetic - frenzied

Truism - a self-evident, obvious truth

Machinations - crafty schemes; plots; intrigues - To contrive a plot, especially artfully or with evil purpose

"Affirmative Action" - refers to policies that take factors including "race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group "in areas of employment, education, and business", usually justified as countering the effects of a history of discrimination. (Wikipedia)

Superciliously - haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression


All of these words can be found in her chapter called "Campaigning". Within this chapter, she brings us on the journey of reporting on McGovern, McCarthy and Nixon. It's a wonderful insight into the 1968 and 1972 Presidential Elections and also an unjaded look at Nixon before Watergate. I've also come to the conclusion from how she presents McGovern, that he was a pretty stand-up guy.

Try and use one of these words in a sentence today or this week. I know I will be trying!

Presidential Debate: October 3, 2012

For those who do not have cable or will not be able to see the Presidential Debate tomorrow night (9:00 p.m. ET), go to the link below. You will be able to stream it live on Youtube. This is where I will be watching it!

http://www.youtube.com/politics?feature=inp-bp-ype-53

This is not a plug for any particular candidate, this is just me sharing with you what I've found so we can all be informed. Hopefully, it will be constructive and not just "he stole my juice box" kind of stuff!

Summer Stock (1950)

Judy Garland - Jane Falbury
Gene Kelly - Joe Ross
Gloria DeHaven - Abigail Falbury
Phil Silvers - Herb Blake
Eddie Bracken - Orville Wingait
Marjorie Main - Esme

This is not a movie I have seen recently and I'm not sure exactly how to explain this, but it is not a necessity for me to see this film again in order to remember each detail. I remember each detail down to specific colors, movements and script dialogue without aid. With that said, I feel it's time to contribute my own write-up/review of this classic musical.

As many of my friends and family know, I'm a Judy Garland fan. This is not something that I necessarily share with everyone though it definitely is not something I hide either. So, I will try and keep this simple and without too many words to get in the way of this wonderful, classic, MGM musical.

Things I know about the film (most will be Judy related):

This would be Judy's final film for MGM and I would say that though there were hiccups in the process, this is a slam bang way to go out! This musical has everything you'd want, to be entertained: humor, wonderful and inventive dancing, catchy and heartfelt songs, and a cast who's only job, in which they succeed, is to put a smile on your face. I'm tempted to include some excerpts from the movie and songs but there really are so many great ones that it's genuinely hard to choose. Not impossible, but hard none-the-less.

Judy Garland - Jane Falbury
By this time in MGM and musical history, Judy was already an established star and box office draw. She had already made so many great films and plenty of money for the studio to consider her run at MGM a success. By this time, American (and international) audiences would have already seen her as Dorothy Gale in "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), Esther Smith in "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944), an innocent ingenue in 8 films paired with Mickey Rooney** and many watched her "walk down the avenue" with Fred Astaire in "Easter Parade" (1948). She was the queen of musicals to say the least. Judy, having begun her career at the ripe "old" age of 2 years old, would be 28 years old at the time of this film and already considered a veteran of the stage (vaudeville) and screen! Though this was only the end of one part of her life and career, many know the things to come for Judy would continue to amaze audiences with more films, two Academy Award nominations and a slew of concerts attended by incomparably devoted fans.

Gene Kelly - Joe Ross
Gene Kelly was a veteran himself of vaudeville and screen (coincidentally his first film was "For Me and My Gal" (1942) with and staring Judy Garland), though many of us remember him for the movies he had yet to make: "An American In Paris" (1951), "Singin' In The Rain" (1952) and "Brigadoon" (1954). Gene should and must be remembered for his incredible talent in dance. He was a wonderful contrast to the dancing style of Fred Astaire and has been quoted as saying (in reference to Fred), "If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando." I couldn't have said it better myself. Fred was debonair and smooth where Gene was strong and athletic. Both were equally adventurous and inventive, but Gene had a style that I would imagine inspired many men to take up dance. Though he was a marvelous dancer you should also know he was a director, choreographer and producer; a man of many hats.

Now onto the movie:

The movie is about a young woman, Judy, who runs the family farm alone and is engaged to be married. One day, her sister and the traveling troupe of actors she is associated with, comes to the farm to "put on a show". Her sister, Gloria, assumes it will be alright to bring an entire show with props, sets and 30+ people to the farm without any notice or imposition. Gloria plays a diva actress who is dating Gene, the director. If you've seen any movies at all, you know that this pairing will not last and that Judy and Gene HAVE to end up together, so it's not a surprise THAT it happens, it's more the anticipation of WHEN and HOW. There are several funny gags showing how the different worlds collide including a memorable scene of all the actors and stage hands trying to help Judy do the farms daily chores. Eddie Bracken and Phil Silvers have a wonderful "where's my glasses" gag that, though it's not original, still gets me laughing every time. Marjorie Main is always a delight to watch. Her delivery is unrivaled and you're sure to laugh out loud at her a few, if not many, times in this film. I must also recognize Charles Walters. He was the director of this film among many many others including "Easter Parade" which I mentioned earlier. He had been an actor/dancer himself and worked with Judy on numerous occasions in film and her concert career.

There are so many wonderful songs in this film including one of my favorites called, "Happy Harvest". If you're not used to musicals, you will find this song to be incredibly cheesy. But if you've seen and loved even one musical in your lifetime, you will enjoy it and appreciate the ingenious, rhyming lyrics and catchy melody. If ever I am feeling blue, this song will ALWAYS cheer me up. You can't be sad with words like; "Come on along and take a ride, and look at life from the cheery side!" or the genius of, "We're gonna roll in plenty, spend and five or ten or twenty and those happy harvest bells are gonna chime. Remember neighbor, when you work for Mother nature, you get paid by Father time." Wonderfully cheesy and incredibly catchy. I must give credit where credit is due to Harry Warren, Harold Arlen ("Over The Rainbow"), Mack Gordon, Saul Chaplin, Ted Koehler and Jack Brooks. It wouldn't be a musical without these wonderful lyricists and composers. We just don't have musicians like these today. They are to be remembered and honored among so many others! 

There are many more wonderful songs and scenes to include, but, to keep this brief, there's really only one more for which to focus. I have two words for you, "Get Happy". As much as I'd like to go into detail about what makes this great, I really feel I won't do it justice and instead will just let you watch it and decide for yourself. Let's all, however, remember that to deem this clip/song/performance as nothing short of wonderful is the CORRECT answer! There will be a pop quiz later and we will see what you've learned. *wink*




Did everyone notice and love the guy with the crazy legs, lifting himself from a sitting position without any effort or need for knee surgery!? Talent. Talent, I say!

I would like to include a little piece of trivia in relation to Judy's outfit in this number. In "Easter Parade", two years earlier, there was to be a number incorporating this outfit called, "Mr. Monotony" (Irving Berlin). There are still dailies (several takes from the film at different angles) of this number which have been preserved and can be found on the DVD extras. I can just imagine the studio and many involved that wanted to somehow get that outfit into a movie because, well, Judy's legs could pull it off.

This was a rather long entry but you must understand I actually administered much restraint as there is so much from this film that garners attention, including one particular scene with Gene (in his wonderful, toned and tanned glory), a newspaper and a creaky floor board, but I refuse to give anything away. I now consider my work here to be done because now you're intrigued!

So, I encourage you to go on Netflix or to your local library, get this movie and enjoy a few hours of simple, solid entertainment. The movie is only 100 or so minutes but I said a few hours because I'm assuming you will rewatch some parts. I have every confidence in this as a fact and remember...."Forget your troubles, come on get happy!"

And so concludes another "Reel Vintage".


**Judy, in total, made 10 films with Mickey Rooney but only 8 where she was playing a character. The other 2 films are cameo roles.

Monday is Quote Day

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

 -Elie Wiesel Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
December 10, 1986