Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

I forgot to post on Monday and Christmas Day but here's a few extra quotes that make up for it!

I hope all had a beautiful, merry Christmas and I wish all a Happy New Year!


Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more. -Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness. -Bob Hope

Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends. -Margaret Thatcher

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. -Peg Bracken

There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. -Erma Bombeck

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. -Dale Evans

Irving Berlin's White Christmas (1954)

 

"Vermont should be beautiful this time of year, all that snow!"

This is one of my favorite movies of all time, not restricted to just Christmas time. I can sit down, the windows open with the sun shining, in the middle June and watch this film. I know this because I have done it and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Growing up, we were not a family that HAD to watch many holiday films around Christmas and New Years. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" are wonderful films, but I don't remember seeing them every year, unless we caught them on television. The only film we were required to watch was "White Christmas".

Of course I welcomed this because I loved old movies and musicals, but I'm not sure how much my brothers really cared for this film. I do remember my sister enjoying it because she's classy and knows a good thing when she see's it. The one person that really loved it, other than me, was my Dad. It seemed to be the only movie besides "McKlintock" that he could watch over and over without it ever getting old. I loved to watch this film with Dad because he always laughed so hard at Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Also, being a military man, he probably saw himself and friends in the guys on the screen. He maybe even knew his own "General Waverly".

Let's move on to the music!

I can't remember ever skipping any songs. From "Count your Blessings" to "Choreography", they were all utter perfection. Thank you Irving Berlin!

My favorite songs (in no particular order):

"The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing": It's basically the first big dance number and it's very acrobatic and fluid. Laura (sister) and I used to call the Vera-Ellen "Barbie" because she was so skinny. I've since seen her in many other films and am genuinely a big fan. She was an amazing dancer!

"Gee I Wish I Was Back In The Army": This song is catchy and visually stimulating. There's another element about it that certainly stands out but I will leave that too myself as not to spoil the movie.

The "Abraham Number": This song is really quite random and doesn't seem to go with a holiday theme at all. It's more of a dance in which to showcase the immense talent of Vera-Ellen. She's in a very short, yellow dress and her hair is down, instead of pulled back. She's beautiful and quite a force to be reckoned with. The dance, unlike the rest, only last a few minutes but it always seemed to be the one that stood out.

"Mandy": Very-Ellen once again is the star of this dance. Though the other three, Rosemary/Bing/Danny also appear in this with a wonderful little "minstrel" thing, she's the focus when it comes to the dancing. It's full of bright colors and dance moves that makes you question your flexibility. The best part may be at the end of this big production number, when you find there are only two people watching. Of course this is on purpose, because it's a dress rehearsal, but still.......it's hilarious! "This'll bring in business, Grandpa!"

"Sisters": Rosemary and Vera-Ellen perform this one. If we were being technical, my sister Laura, being older, would have been the Rosemary character and I would have been Vera-Ellen, but I always wished and pretended I was Rosemary. She had such a beautiful voice that was unique and smokey and unmatched by anyone else.

"Love You Didn't Do Right By Me": I've basically mentioned or described every song in this film and this is definitely not one you leave out. Rosemary SLAMS this song out of the park. It's personal and revealing and beautiful. She wears a beautiful black dress with long black gloves up past her elbows and she's surrounded by young men all dressed in black. It's simple and elegant. 'Nuff said.

I feel it's my duty as an avid lover of this movie to encourage you all to watch it. There really are no excuses that are at all acceptable in my book.

I don't care if you don't like old movies.

I don't care if you don't like musicals.

I don't care if you don't like snow.

I don't care if you don't like X, Y or Z.

You should watch this movie if only to better yourself as a person!

"Let's just say we're doing it for a pal in the Army."

Merry Christmas!

From cradle to tomb, it isn't that long a stay!

About a week ago, I stayed up way past my bedtime because I just couldn't turn off the video I was watching on youtube. I was mesmerized by the songs and stories and GRAND personality. She certainly is quite a dame!

Liza "with a Z" Minnelli!

I had my laptop sitting on top of me, while in my pajamas and under the covers of my bed. I was watching "Inside the Actors Studio: Liza Minnelli" and I couldn't stop it; I had to finish it!

Liza is someone, for me, that seems familiar while at the same time being such a stranger. I discovered how little I actually knew about this amazing woman. Before last week, I could have told you her name, big movies or things she's done in her life, and who her parents were, but beyond that................not much.

Plain and simple: I'm a fan of Judy Garland, not Liza. That by no means implies that I do not like Liza. Quite the contrary. Instead, she's just always been "Judy's daughter" to me. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

Of course I know that she's appeared on Broadway, television, movies, and wow'd audiences for years with concerts and appearances. She's won an Oscar, Tonys, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and a BAFTA and I'm assuming I'm even missing some more. She's decorated with all this recognition and that is just as it should be.

Despite all this fanfare, I've still only really ever seen her as "Judy's daughter" only because I haven't actually dove into her own work to really see her in a separate way. When I'd watch an interview with her, it was just to see what she'd say about her mother, knowing it was a matter of time before she'd be asked those personal questions. I was always fascinated how she remembered her mother and also how she'd share stories having to do with both the good and bad times. I'd only see "Judy's daughter" sharing stories.  


That is until now. 

Last night, watching "Inside the Actors Studio" with her as the guest, I finally saw Liza Minnelli in an interview. Of course she was still the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli (basically royalty in the Golden Era of musicals), but she was also her own person. She was very gracious in answering questions about her parents, family struggles and her own demons, but I respect her immensely in how she chooses her words when speaking of her family. She speaks with a dose of blunt honesty but also an air of protection. She knows if she admits, "yeah she/I had some problems", that people won't push the buttons anymore. And she is always quick to finish up any story on a positive note.

She told a wonderful story of Judy and her concert at the Palladium in the 60's and described how Judy was a hard worker and loved the spotlight. Liza ends the story saying she (Liza) could "work with anybody after that, because I worked with her; the greatest there ever was!" Talk about a wonderful note to end on.

Here's a quote from Myrna Loy about Liza, who also knew Judy well from MGM and just being in show business. It's a wonderful quote.

"I love Liza. She is so original. People speak of her in terms of her mother, but she is herself, very definitely. A good, strong, unique person."

So true! I can finally see that.

Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness.

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

Laura Ingalls Wilder