Swithin

I've never used the "Ignore" button. I feel it's sort of like blocking out reality, or something like that, I can't explain it. Of course, "boring is in the eye of the beholder." I tend not to like threads that are too long; or that have photos, apart from a couple of threads that exist solely for that purpose -- like Top Billed's Character Actor thread or Mongo's Candids. But when people begin to post photos in a thread with a good conversation going, I get annoyed. (Also I don't know how to post photos!) Maybe we should give examples of an old post/thread that we think is really fascinating, just so we know what we find interesting! Something I would find interesting would be to try to guess which new posters are really old posters who have been banned, returned with new identities. We could sort of play the Henry Higgins game, though rather than guess by accent, it would be by writing style, although the style would have been altered a little. That would be fun -- though slightly wicked. I know they are among us! (Maybe this should be in a horror film thread). Though this should be in the Games section, and we'd never know if we got it right! (I just realized that this is a pretty long thread, which makes me guilty of what I don't like in others! Sorry!) Edited by: Swithin on Feb 6, 2013 10:14 AM

You are close, but you've got it backwards and, although you've got the cleanser I use, it's not the cleanser this clue needs!

In 1989, I saw the RSC's three-night conflation of the Henry VI plays, called The Plantagenets, which ended with Richard III. It was one of the most incredible theatrical events I've ever seen on stage. Ralphy Fiennes was brilliant as Henry VI. The Henry VI plays, which are not done that often, are amazing -- they include the death of Joan of Arc, the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, the battles, etc. It really all starts with Richard II, then goes to Henry IV parts one and two; Henry V, the three Henry VI plays, then Richard III. Seen that way, as the sweep of English history, and basically a continuing story, over 100 years, it's amazing stuff.

Hint: What is Sir Galahad; and what is a popular cleanser? This film will be on in May.

That production began onstage at the National Theatre in London. It was in rep with King Lear, with Brian Cox as Lear and McKellen as York. I went to the Lear but not the RIII, since I'm not crazy about the play, unless it's preceded with the Henry VI plays, which tell the story that leads up to it. I have seen Richard III onstage a few times, most recently last year, with Kevin Spacey in Brooklyn, which was a very good, updated performance, directed by Sam Mendes. The play is performed alot, because it has a big hammy part for an actor.

De Bruille -- Ralph Morgan in *Anthony Adverse* (1936)

Much as I like Olivier's film, he cut out one of my favorite speeches in the play: the powerful scene in which old Queen Margaret comes in and curses everyone in sight. Margaret is the widow of Henry VI, whose three plays precede Richard III. QUEEN MARGARET. What, were you snarling all before I came, Ready to catch each other by the throat, And turn you all your hatred now on me? Did York's dread curse prevail so much with heaven That Henry's death, my lovely Edward's death, Their kingdom's loss, my woeful banishment, Should all but answer for that peevish brat? Can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven? Why then, give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses! Though not by war, by surfeit die your king, As ours by murder, to make him a king! Edward thy son, that now is Prince of Wales, For Edward our son, that was Prince of Wales, Die in his youth by like untimely violence! Thyself a queen, for me that was a queen, Outlive thy glory, like my wretched self! Long mayest thou live to wail thy children's death, And see another, as I see thee now, Deck'd in thy rights, as thou art stall'd in mine! Long die thy happy days before thy death; And, after many length'ned hours of grief, Die neither mother, wife, nor England's Queen! Rivers and Dorset, you were standers by, And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son Was stabb'd with bloody daggers. God, I pray him, That none of you may live his natural age, But by some unlook'd accident cut off! GLOUCESTER. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag. QUEEN MARGARET. And leave out thee? Stay, dog, for thou shalt hear me. If heaven have any grievous plague in store Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee, O, let them keep it till thy sins be ripe, And then hurl down their indignation On thee, the troubler of the poor world's peace! The worm of conscience still be-gnaw thy soul! Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st, And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends! No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine, Unless it be while some tormenting dream Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils! Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog, Thou that wast seal'd in thy nativity The slave of nature and the son of hell, Thou slander of thy heavy mother's womb, Thou loathed issue of thy father's loins, Thou rag of honour, thou detested- GLOUCESTER. Margaret! QUEEN MARGARET. Richard!

Thanks, Capuchin, I will look at it again. It's not the time thing -- I was/am after all a performing arts programmer in real life (mostly live stuff, but with some film as well). It's all the rules -- I can't keep them straight! Actually, I think the deadline is early March? In that case, maybe I'll give it a go. I have to be a prisoner in my own apartment with a slow-cooking pork roast (six hours!) sometime soon. That might be a good time to try to focus on the Challenge!

There is a fascinating BBC Radio 4 podcast about Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth Field. It's clear he was a nasty bloke. The Brits do have a way of wanting to cleanse the wickedness out of their royal lineage (as Prince Charles tried to do with George III), but there's little question that Richard III was a pretty awful guy, as the British scholars discussed in this program last April: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ghc43

Great schedule, LP! (I was going to give it a try, but it's way too complicated for me.) I spent alot of time in Oklahoma in the early '90s and grew to love the state. Spent most of my time in Norman, but also visited Tulsa, Stillwater, OK City, Edmond, hiked around Lake Thunderbird, Sulphur, climbed the Arbuckle Mountains, and loved Guthrie most of all. Guthrie, an amazing Victorian/Edwardian city, was the first state capital. I look forward to seeing some of your movies!

Sir Galahad's honour comes from the scrubbing cleanser

I think I will look in on America, America tomorrow, particularly since I now have TCM HD. I worked with Stathis Giallelis on a project a few years ago (2009) but haven't since the film since then. Nice man -- he retired from a long teaching career and lives with his lovely wife in Greenwich Village.

The British *North and South* is an excellent four-part mini-series based on a novel by the talented Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskill, about a middle-class family who is forced to move from the pastoral refined south of England to an industrial, working-class town in the North.

Abel Gance's *Napoleon* (1927). I would like every scrap of every version that exists, including the one I saw at Radio City Music Hall, with score composed/adapted/conducted by Carmine Coppola (I had a VHS of this version at one time); and the UK version, with music by Carl Davis. Plus all the other versions, with whatever snippets of the original Honegger score exists. I want every scrap of this greatest of silent films that Kevin Brownlow and others have found.

*Primary Colors* ?

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

That's it, Lavender. One of the craziest movies ever made! Your thread.

LOL! This should be easy. One Greek director should come to mind. Look up his most famous film, nominated for many Oscars, won Best Supporting Actress and others. The film he made right after that is the answer!

Sigourney Weaver

*Mantan Moreland* made many films for Monogram, including King of the Zombies, a masterpiece of the genre. Moreland is a star in my book!

*Random Harvest* (1942) Twitching eyes

Of course it's the title of a famous aria in J. Strauss' operetta Die Fledermaus. Originally in German, no matter what language the opera/aria are sung in, the line Chacun a son gout is always sung in French.

Omigod, *Pather Panchali* ! One of the greatest movies ever made (IMHO)! And the other two films of the Apu Trilogy as well! THANK YOU! If these have been on before I missed them. Haven't seen them for years!

Molly O'Leary -- Alice Brady in *In Old Chicago* (1937)

C. Aubrey Smth was one of those great actors who added as much to a film as any star. Btw, I knew Douglas Jr. in his later days. Lovely man, just as distinguished and debonair in real life as you would imagine. His widow, Vera, is a friend of mine.