Friday, January 26, 2024

Photographs, and Movie Musicals

I like photographs. I came across one the other day in an old box of pictures that made me smile. It was of three friends I’ve known since grade school. The Weldon twins, Richard and David, and Jack Davis. They were sitting at my family’s dining room table. I can’t recall what we were talking about. It’s been over fifty years, after all.  Something silly I’m sure, or perhaps profound, growing in wisdom as the guys were imitating that classic pose, See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil. What I do recall is the happy feeling it brings in seeing that dining room table and remembering all the dear friends and family who gathered  around it - the Christmas Eve celebrations, birthday gatherings and monopoly games. 
                                                        

The Weldon’s and Jack are gone now. We didn’t see each other often in our older adult years, although we did keep  in touch via social media and email. The Weldon’s lived across the street, and Jack spent a lot of time at our house during our high school years. He adored my Mom. All three were a good friend to my Mother, brother and me; and each  hold a special place in my heart. I’m reminded today would be Jack’s 74th birthday. 

There’s something else that happened earlier today that brought Richard and David vividly to mind. I played a vinyl album I hadn’t listened to for a long, long while. The soundtrack from Paint Your Wagon. Why I decided on that album I don’t know. Maybe subconsciously it was that photo of the Weldon’s and Jack, and the dining room, and another time that holds a sweet memory. I was returning home from a 3 month hospital stay in a full body cast. My Mother moved the dining room table to fit in a hospital bed for me. 
It would take a little time for me to adjust and adapt and get around. Say, before I could go to the movies. 

Paint  Your Wagon was being shown in theaters at the time. I may have been feeling a little down in the dumps about not being able to see it. 
Then one evening, to my great amazement Richard and David and their friend Ken Feingold spontaneously started singing, dancing and acting out scenes from the Clint Eastwood musical. In my dining room, in front of the hospital bed. It was joyous to see, not only delighting me, but my Mom and other friends there, too! The Weldon boys weren’t small fellows. They were big, husky football players,  so to see them move with such agility, choreographing their own dance steps and singing Hand Me Down That Can of Beans, well, let me just say it was way better than going to a movie ! 

Photographs and memories can tug at your heart. I’m glad I came across that picture of Richard and David and Jack. I’m glad I chose to play the Paint Your Wagon soundtrack today. I’m grateful for the moments of my life, and all those who have been part of it. 



Monday, December 25, 2023

Christmas


 

A legacy  of love
a legacy of light
and hope. Promise fulfilled
How it came upon a 
midnight clear with
angelic voices heard on high 
singing Gloria in excelsis Deo.
All is calm, all is bright
round yon Virgin, mother 
and child…
O holy night, the stars 
are brightly shining
O night divine
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinner reconciled 
Sing all ye citizens of 
heaven above;
Joy to the world 
the bread of life has come
For he will be 
named wonderful counselor,
Mighty God, everlasting father,
Prince of peace

( with recognition to the beautiful, traditional 
Christmas songs; and Isaiah 9:6)

Gaudete,gaudete Christus 
est natus Ex Maria
virgine, gaudete!

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Birthday Musings

      

                                                 

                                    

October 25, 2023. I’m 73 years old today. Is that possible? I wonder, where did all the years go? So quickly passing by.  Lyrics from the Fiddler on the Roof song Sunrise, Sunset tells it well. Swiftly go the years. One season following another, laden with happiness and tears.Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? I don’t remember growing older, when did they?  (and I would add, when did I?)

I was born in 1950. In October of that year, America was still recovering from World War II, neighborhoods were neighborly, families in tact.  Goodnight, Irene was on the Hit Parade, movies Harvey and All About Eve playing at the Box Office; The New York Yankees won the pennant, and Harry S. Truman was President of the United States.                                              

My parents were young. I was their first child - the delight of my Mother’s heart. The brown haired, brown eyed baby girl she prayed for. From the moment I entered the world I felt loved and wanted; cherished. By my Mother, and Dad. By my grandparents. I think of the times of my life, and smile. Babyhood, childhood, teenage years, young adult. Marriage. Children. Middle age, and now old age.  For each I am grateful, and glad. I can see, as though looking through a window into the past of how very special each moment was. The people, the places, family, friendships and love. 

Not like a straight line that abruptly ends, but a circle with no ending, heartfelt and sweet that goes on and on.

                                                 


                                                         





Friday, October 20, 2023

Classic Movies, On Screen Chemistry & Remington Steele (Part 2)

The movie, The Thin Man is recognized by some as one of the greatest detective movies of all time, and is ranked 38 on the American Film Institute  (AFI) list of 100  Best Movies. In 1997 it was added to the National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant in American cinema. But when MGM first released  The Thin Man in 1934 it was considered a B movie. Shot in just 16 days on a modest budget, director  W.S. Van Dyke had to persuade MGM boss, Louis B Mayer to cast William Powell and Myrna Loy in the title roles. Soon to become the iconic Nick  and Nora Charles

Movie critics were lavish in their praise of the film, and movie goers  charmed by Nick and Nora as played by Powell and Loy. Audiences were introduced to an on screen married couple that were witty, urbane and who so obviously delighted in each others company. Super sleuths. They were a team. Dialogue like this contributed to the couples appeal

Nick: I’m a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune

Nora: I read where you were shot five times in the tabloids

Nick: It’s not true. He didn’t come anywhere near my tabloids

The Thin Man was a huge success, both critically and commercially. Nominated for three Academy Awards. It spawned 5 sequels. 90 years later, Nick and Nora (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are still the gold standard all other on screen male/female sleuthing teams are held up to. Which goes to the point I made in my recent blog Classic Movies, On Screen Chemistry, & Remington Steel. On screen chemistry is not something that can be acquired, or learned. It’s innate, and makes all the difference if a movie, or television show succeeds, and its romantic duo can captivate  the heart of their audience.

So strongly were Powell and Loy’s identification intertwined with Nick and Nora Charles many mistakenly believed them to be a couple in real life. Even now, in the 21st century Nick and Nora are inseparable from William Powell and Myrna Loy. And vice versa. 

Now think of Perry Mason and Della Street, and picture what they look like. I’m willing to bet it’s Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale. Perry Mason was a weekly television series that aired on CBS  from 1957 - 1966.  It starred Raymond Burr as Perry Mason and Barbara Hale as his faithful secretary, Della Street. They, too had a powerful  on screen chemistry. Like The Thin Man, Perry Mason was adapted for the screen from a novel. And even though the television series doesn’t overtly show the depth of the romantic attachment between Perry and Della as it does in the novels, 

She (Della) looked at Perry Mason with eyes that were starry with pride. When she spoke, her voice had something of caressing tenderness in it. Mason’s lips brushed Della’s cheek. Happy, he asked. Yes, darling, she said softly (Case of The Sulky Girl, 1937)

 The television audience gets it. Theirs is a close relationship; committed  to one another. Loyal to each other. Best friends. Romantically involved.  The characters don’t have to say it, we see it. Perfect in their roles, Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale became Perry Mason and Della Street.  That’s why after 66 years they still have a following via reruns and streaming, and we can’t picture anyone else but Burr and Hale as the dedicated defense attorney and his devoted secretary. 

That brings me again to Laura Holt and Remington Steele. Like William Powell and Myrna Loy and Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale,  the Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist on screen partnership exudes a sparkling, radiant chemistry between them. A relationship that seems real, not staged or directed. But natural in the way they look at each other, touch each other, respond to one another. Very simpatico. Like a well matched, long time married couple who have their own code of silent communication. And those tender, and passionate kisses.

                                                            


 Even though their relationship is fraught with challenges, some due to their own insecurities and backstories. Steele was abandoned as a child and has no family. He doesn’t even know his birth name. At a young age Laura’s father walked out on her, her mother and sister. Leaving a void, and trust issues. The audience still cheer their romance as much as they cheer the many investigative adventures the pair undertake and  see Laura and Steele as  kindred spirits, soul mates; destined to be together. Wanting them to be together. 

                                                           

                                                                         

                                                                

Stephanie Zimbalist brings a lot to the Laura Holt role. Style, quick wit, intelligence, loyalty, perseverance, comic timing, athleticism. Reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck and the romantic comedies they starred in. Like Hepburn and Stanwyck, Zimbalist did many of her own stunts. In fact, she’s an honorary member of the National Stuntwoman Association. She also co-wrote one of the Remington Steele episodes, Steele in the Chips. A very funny story about the heist of a no calorie chocolate chip cookie. The show also stars Gena Davis. The fast paced chase scenes remind one of scenes from It’s a Mad,Mad, Mad World and will make you laugh right out loud. 

Even though it’s been over 30 years since the series ended its five season run, I believe Remington Steele and Laura Holt will continue to delight audiences, and be recognized as one of the best, most popular Romantic sleuth teams on TV, or movies. Right along Nick and Nora Charles, and Perry Mason and Della Street. And judging not only on my personal opinion, but on the many YouTube slideshows (I have googled and watched 145) fans have cleverly, and  creatively made of Laura Holt and Remington Steele. That’s 145 different videos and 145 different songs all of images of Remington Steele and Laura Holt from episodes of Remington Steele adapted to lyrics of songs. I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You, Brown Eyed Girl, Like a Prayer, God Gave Me You, Fever, A Million Dreams, All I Ask of You, Come To Me, Ever, Ever After, and so many more. Some lighted hearted like Kokomo, The Night They Invented Champagne, and She’s Crazy But She’s Mine. Each telling a story of Remington and Laura’s passion, love, escapades, and commitment to one another. By comparison I have found only four or five similar videos featuring William Powell and Myrna Loy,  and Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. And, some of the RS videos have more than 30,000 views, others a 126,000 ! ‘

Kudos to each of the creators of these videos. They are entertaining, and captivating. The music so well chosen for the Laura Holt and Remington Steele characters, and their scenes together; their love story.

If you’re a Remington Steele fan (and even if you’ve never watched an episode) I highly recommend these videos. Finding them is simple. Just go to YouTube and type Remington Steele and Laura Holt in search. Several will pop up. You won’t be sorry!, and will probably get hooked just like I did.                                                        


Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan) & Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist ) 







 

 

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

For Gary

My Darling

i want to do it again. All of it .
From the very beginning; 
The moment we met. That twinkle in your 
blue eyes, your dimpled smile. How my heart 
skipped a beat at the sound of your voice.
Surely, it was meant to be - you and me.
Did we know it then? Yes, i think we must have.
Like something God ordained. Our destiny a shared 
life, you and i. Dating. Marriage. Family. 
We were good together. 
Working hard and playing hard and living 
an ordinary life. But now i’m 
thinking it’s the everyday, million
little things that make the ordinary,
extraordinary. Raising our sons.
Checking their homework, attending 
weekly football games, soccor 
games, Cub Scout meetings and
piano recitals. Chaperoning 
their school dances and 
 and school  ski trips
Helping them grow 
into the good men they are today.
Morning coffee and a 
chocolate chip cookie
Cribbage and Ping Pong. 
Our morning kiss. And afternoon  kiss.
What is it we used to say, Always 
kiss before saying goodbye
And you  asking, Have I
told you lately that I love you? 
i miss that. And holding hands
The warmth, and smell 
of your body next to mine.
i miss you 

Your Kathleen