The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story:
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.
O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying:
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.
O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field or river:
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow for ever and for ever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying.
–from The Princess (Part 3) by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Recent unwelcome contact with a fuel tanker having left me feeling somewhat delicate (not to mention bruised), I naturally turned to comfort literature and movies to restore my optimistic view of life. Shirley Temple provided the perfect antidote on the movie side. On my dual personality’s advice, I bought “Little Miss Marker” and, boy, did it deliver. Shirley is amazing in that movie.
I also really liked all the supporting cast, especially Adolphe Menjou. Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, do!
As for reading, I returned to one of my mother’s old favorites, Georgette Heyer, author of a vast number of intelligent, well-researched Regency romances and mysteries. Born in England in 1902, Ms. Heyer began writing to amuse her younger brother and eventually became a hugely successful author, though of course the critics ignored her almost completely.
She, herself, harbored few illusions about her career: “I think myself I ought to be shot for writing such nonsense…. But it’s unquestionably good escapist literature and I think I should rather like it if I were sitting in an air-raid shelter or recovering from flu.” Yes, indeed. Her books are witty, informative, and wonderfully devoid of sex, violence, and serious drama. Hence, you see, perfect for those of us who need an escape from modern life. The book I’ve been enjoying, Devil’s Cub, made me laugh out loud several times. Surely, any mother could relate to this:
“You will like her,” he persisted. “Egad, she’s after your own heart, maman! She shot me in the arm.”
“Voyons, do you think that is what I like?”
Then there are witty dialogues like this:
“M’sieur, I am as a slave to my wife.” He kissed the tips of his fingers. “I am as the dirt beneath her feet.” He clasped his hands. “I must bestow on her all that she desires, or die!”
“Pray make use of my sword, ” invited his Grace. “It is in the corner behind you.”
Her books are civilized, historically accurate, and full of delightful characters, who have actual depth. Take, for example, this descriptions: “A certain cynicism, born of the life she has led; a streak of strange wisdom; the wistfulness behind the gaiety; sometimes fear; and nearly always the memory of loneliness that hurts the soul.” No need to feel ashamed of reading Ms. Heyer. Many of her books are still in print. I highly recommend her. Some of her books are available on CD and they are very diverting on long car trips!
Have a witty, civilized weekend!
*Georgette Heyer, Powder and Patch — I think it would make a good epitaph for Mitt Romney 🙂
You’ve probably heard that Shirley Temple died yesterday. Very sad. So it seems appropriate to include this picture of Shirley Temple sitting on Abraham Lincoln’s lap in The Littlest Rebel (1935) since it is the Great Man’s birthday today. Only Shirley could get away with such antics.
Shirley Temple Black, whom I have blogged about here and here and here, was quite a gal. She had a huge movie career–she was America’s top box-office draw from 1935 to 1938, a record no other child star has come near. She beat out such grown-up stars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and Joan Crawford. After she retired at age 22, she had a great (second) marriage and family,
Shirley and her husband–hello, Charles
and, after a successful foray into television, an important second career in public service.
Ambassador Shirley in Prague 1989
Phew. She was a fine example to all women everywhere. And she was an Episcopalian to boot.
A statement released by her family said, “We salute her for a life of remarkable achievements as an actor, as a diplomat, and most importantly as our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and adored wife for fifty-five years of the late and much missed Charles Alden Black.”
Well, I don’t know about you, but I plan to overdose on some wholesome Shirley goodness over the next few days. She was one-of-a-kind.
TCM will celebrate Shirley Temple with eight back-to-back films on Sunday, March 9, starting at 4:30pm ET. Don’t miss HEIDI (’37), BRIGHT EYES (’34) & THE LITTLE PRINCESS (’39), among others. Mark your calendar!
*…and at thy coming may the martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. (BCP, Burial of the Dead, Rite I)
By the end of the week I always seem to be tired and rundown. Sometimes I’d even describe myself as discouraged — it just depends on how the week has gone. I’m not going to dwell on the little things that wear me down — like the student who, standing not six feet from me, casually spaton the newly carpeted floor of my building! Really.
Yes, by the end of the week I need civilization and quiet, tea and cakes (hold the cakes, I’m trying to lose weight), and comfort reading. This week’s choice is Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic, A Little Princess, one of my favorite books of all time.
It’s not just a good riches-to-rags-to-riches story; Frances Hodgson Burnett has a lot of valuable things to say. Children’s literature used to teach as well as entertain. Take this excellent piece of advice, for example:
“When people are insulting you, there is nothing so good for them as not to say a word — just to look at them and think. When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage, and they are not, and they say stupid things they wished they hadn’t said afterward. There’s nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in — that’s stronger. It’s a good thing not to answer your enemies.”
This is a book that admits that life entails misfortune and the world is full of mean people. Instead of ignoring these facts or simply making the heroine a passive victim, Burnett teaches that good character and kindness can triumph over adversity.
“If nature has made you for a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart; and though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that–warm things, kind things, sweet things–help and comfort and laughter–and sometimes gay, kind laughter is the best help of all.”
If you haven’t read the book, do! If you don’t have a copy or the time, then try one of the film versions. I’m partial to the Shirley Temple movie, although they do change the story quite a bit.
Shirley makes a great downtrodden scullery maid
If you prefer color, you can see the 1995 version, although they made it American and changed the time to WWI. I haven’t seen it, but judging from the stills, they (over)-emphasize the girl-power aspects of the story.
a quote from the book
I’ll watch whatever version I can find, but I’m hoping for Shirley Temple!
Recently I was reading Child Star by Shirley Temple Black, which she wrote back in 1988. She is, of course, the amazing film and television actress, singer and dancer, who became the U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia as well as the White House Chief of Protocol for Gerald Ford. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of three, and in 1934 found international fame in Bright Eyes.
Inspired by her autobiography and the description of the behind-the-scenes goings on of Little Miss Marker (1934), I decided to watch it last week. Also, I had never seen this particular Shirley Temple movie.
Shirley Temple Black’s favorite picture of herself from her movie career (from “Little Miss Marker”)
Based on a story by Damon Runyon (of “Guys and Dolls” fame), it is about a little girl left with a bookmaker named Sorrowful Jones by her father as his “marker” to cover a bet on a horserace. He never returns, so Sorrowful reluctantly takes her in. His motley crew of fellow bookies takes to her and their cynical ways start to rub off on her. Hilarity ensues.
Watch this scene where the guys are passing the 5-year old Shirley around trying to guess her weight. It is classic. Notice when Shirley says, “I like it!” (at 4:12)–it is a key to the mystery of her amazing success.
Shirley Temple was a kid who liked what she was doing. She was having a good time most of the time and that comes across to the audience in spades. Smart as a whip, very few people could fool her and she did not suffer fools gladly. She also had a mother who kept an eagle eye on her at all times and stood up to the studio bosses as her daughter’s staunch advocate. They were a pretty awesome pair.
Anyway, I suggest you get ahold of a copy of Little Miss Marker and watch it tonight. It is a gem. And it is not a children’s movie. It was made for an adult audience. I remember my mother telling the story of how her parents came home from the movies one night and they had seen a film with an adorable little girl in it. My grandmother was over the moon–for Shirley Temple. I bet it was Little Miss Marker. The supporting cast includes Adolphe Menjou, Dorothy Dell, Charles Bickford, and a wonderful cadre of character actors. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.
Shirley Temple, as you know, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, and former U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of three, and in 1934, found international fame in Bright Eyes. She was the top box-office draw four years in a row (1935–38) and is No. 18 on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest female American screen legends of all time, making her the highest-ranked living person on the list.
I have been a big fan of the amazing Shirley since I was a child and watched her movies on “Shirley Temple Theater,” which was on TV on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Our mother, two years older than Shirley, had grown up with her movies and loved her too. We always liked what our mother liked, so it was a no-brainer that we would be Shirley fans.
When my own children were little, we bought a lot of Shirley Temple VHS tapes, which, I think, my kids enjoyed a lot and watched over and over. Her films may have been in black and white and seemed somewhat dated, but Shirley herself never did. She was always the genuine article.
It is amazing how she could hold her own with the likes of Gary Cooper
and Bill Robinson
and Victor McLaglen.
But she was one of a kind. Gloria Stuart, who worked with her in Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), said, “She was a miracle to work with. If you forgot a line, she gave it to you. She was polite, she was sweet, she was professional, she always knew her lines. She was a darling.”
Here she is in one of her last films, John Ford’s Fort Apache (1948) with John Wayne and Henry Fonda.
You have to hand it to her–she knew when to throw in the towel. She retired from movies at age 22. Since then she has lived a long, eventful life, contributing meaningfully to her country and the world.
Watch this clip from The Little Colonel (1935) with the wonderful Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. When he says, “Say, you catch on quick,” it is the understatement of the world!
We wish her well on this, her 85th birthday! What is your favorite Shirley Temple movie?
The birthday yesterday of Gerard Butler and my recommendation of Dear Frankie got me thinking about movies that make me cry and the benefits of said cry.
The complexities of the human body are varied and innumerable. We all know that lacrimation can have cathartic effects. Science has proven this. When we cry, we actually excrete toxins. Additionally, it protects the body from high levels of stress hormones and has also been linked to the release of endorphins. Because endorphins numb pain and improve mood, this is another reason why crying tends to make us feel better. These mental effects of crying are also reflected in the altered physical state it results in. Generally after crying, our breathing, sweating, and heart rate decrease, and we enter a more relaxed state. Therefore, a good cry (every once in a while) is a good thing.
So, without further ado, I will give you a list of my favorite movies that are guaranteed to make you cry time and time again. (First, as a disclaimer, let me say that I was probably the only teenager in 1970 who did not shed a tear at Love Story, and generally speaking, movies of the tear-jerker variety leave me cold.)
1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) The music by the great Elmer Bernstein is killer. I dare you to watch this scene where Scout says hey to Boo Radley behind the bedroom door and not cry. I double dog-dare you. (It cuts off too soon, but you get the idea.)
2. Wee Willie Winkie (1937), directed by John Ford and starring Shirley Temple. When she sings Auld Lang Syne to the dying Victor McLaglen even my teenage brother broke down.
3. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) from the book by Fannie Flagg is all about the meaning of family. The music by Thomas Newman, son of the awesome Alfred Newman, is a stab to the heart every time.
4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), although a funny movie, always makes me sad. The music by Henry Mancini is key–Moon River–c’mon. Audrey, George and Cat in the rain, the music swells, sobbing ensues. I should also add that pretty much any time Audrey Hepburn tears up in a movie, so do I. I really do feel her pain. (Think Roman Holiday.)
5. How Green Was My Valley (1941), another film directed by John Ford to great manipulative effect. The music by Alfred Newman is so sad. Indeed, John Ford knew how to use music to its optimal effect. Not all great directors do. (For instance, John Huston invariably comes close to ruining his movies with terrible or inappropriate music–e.g.The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.) There are a lot of wonderfully sad moments in Ford films, many featuring Henry Fonda, who teamed with the director for his best movies, notably Young Mr. Lincoln, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, etc.–all with the aforementioned throat-tightening scenes.
6. Steel Magnolias (1989)–granted it’s the exception to my tear-jerker/soap opera rule, but it’s sure to cause major Kleenex usage. The scene in the cemetery with Sally Field never fails. (And Dolly Parton co-stars!)
7. The King and I (1956)–oh yes. The first time I saw this (when I was about 8), I could not believe the ending of the movie. Pure disbelief. It still stings every time.
8. Shane (1953) “Shane, come back!” Need I say more? There are other scenes in Shane that are sad (if not tear-inducing) as well–such as Stonewall’s funeral where they sing Rock of Ages. There is the scene where Shane walks out in the rain and the one where Joey tells his mother that he loves Shane. Well, you get the picture.
9. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)–the great post-war film directed by William Wyler with an unsentimental screenplay by Robert Emmet Sherwood from a story by Mackinlay Kantor rises above the maudlin and soars, helped by a really good musical score by Hugo Friedhofer. So well done. So many great scenes.
10. Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Vincent Price in his last movie. The music by Danny Elfman is perfect and so is Johnny. In different ‘hands’ this movie would have been frightful, but it is sweet and innocent and sad.
I know. I know. I haven’t mentioned Cool Hand Luke (1967) or Awakenings (1990) or Life is Beautiful (1997) orThe Shawshank Redemption (1994) or The Elephant Man (1980) or The Bicycle Thief (1948) or, find me in the right mood, Scott of the Antarctic (1948), but I had to draw the line somewhere!
What movies have I forgotten? Which ones make you cry?
Tut tut. It sure looked like rain yesterday. But (once again) no rain! It has been a frustrating summer of 100-degree weather and drought and burned up grass.
While we’re waiting for some drizzle, let’s enjoy this classic scene from Just Around the Corner (1938) with Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson on another bone-dry flyover day.
dual personalities 