Swithin

Sunrise

The great British actress Avril Elgar has died, aged 89. I had the pleasure to see her on stage, but she may be better known to American audiences for her numerous appearances on television. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/sep/29/avril-elgar-obituary

On Svengoolie tomorrow, October 2, 2021: Kicking off a month of Frankenstein films.

More movies (like the '38 Christmas Carol) that are the best versions of movies with the same title. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) Little Women (1933)

"A Melody from the Sky" -- sung by Fuzzy Knight in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936) Next: A song mentioning "tree," or a specific variety of tree

Had Prince William Adelin lived, we probably would not have had at least two good films: Becket and The Lion in Winter, because the events that led to the reign of Henry II would not have occurred. It would have changed the course of English history. (Actually, Henry II was a pretty good king.)

Charles Spencer (bro of Princess Diana) has written a book that could be adapted for the screen. I haven't read it yet, as I've read enough Norman/Plantagenet history for a while. They (the young Prince William and his friends) were so confident, it's really a proto-Titanic story. If the Prince hadn't turned back, in his lifeboat, hearing his sister's screams, he would be alive today! Only one of the approx. 300 passengers survived.

Irene Worth Next: Appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line?

Great actress. I saw her on stage in Shaw's Candida, in London in 1977. She was as radiant and powerful an actress on stage as on screen.

I've met a few members of that family: Natasha, Lynn, Vanessa, and Rachel. Rachel was in a production of The Cocktail Party at the Phoenix Theatre in London in 1985. A friend of mine took me to see the play and gave me and Rachel and another actor in the cast (Robert Eddison) a ride home. I met Vanessa, Natasha and Lynn in New York. Back to you Chaya, for your next clue.

"The Matrimonial Stomp" -- sung by Stubby Kaye and cast in Li'l Abner (1959) Song from a movie directed by Henry Hathaway

Of course we're all having fun here -- I hope! I think the dates of the Medieval Ages depends on the country. Huizinga's book The Waning of the Middle Ages takes it right through the 15 Century, focusing mostly on France and the Netherlands. There are a great many English stories that have not been told (or told well) on film. I would like to see a film about the White Ship disaster (1120) and the death of William Adelin, son of Henry I. His death led to the war between Stephen and Matilda, a devastating period which led to the reign of Henry II. Another film should be made about William Marshal, the knight who served kings from Henry II, his son Henry, Richard, John, and Henry III. If Henry II's son Henry had not died of dysentery in a battle against his father and brother Richard, history would have been spared the reigns of Richard I and John, which may have altered the course of Errol Flynn's career!

In addition to National Silent Movie Day, today, September 29, is Michaelmas. If you eat goose today, you'll be financially secure for the coming year. Michaelmas goose ‘spells prosperity for coming year’ "The feast of St Michael and All Angels was traditionally celebrated as Michaelmas on September 29 in most of the UK (in Suffolk it is marked on 4 October and in Norfolk on October 11) by eating a well-fattened goose. It is the first day of the new farming year when tenants would often present their landlord with a goose on paying rent for the quarter." "At many top universities and public schools the expression is still used in referring to the ‘Michaelmas term’. Eating a goose at Michaelmas was deemed to ‘spell prosperity for the coming year’. The festival is still celebrated in many European countries with Michaelmas goose nowadays regaining popularity across the UK. Michaelmas goose is often known as the ‘green goose’ as the birds would have been fed almost entirely on grass stubble and harvest gleanings – in contrast to the Christmas goose finished primarily on wheat. They are a leaner bird than the Christmas goose which develops more fat with the cold weather."

Lots of films fit the Medieval period, since the traditional dates are ca. 500-1500, basically from the fall of Rome (in the West); to the Renaissance. Rohmer's Perceval le Gallois (1978) features Gawain as a character.

TB: Though I disagree with you about Li'l Abner, I understand your point, up to a point. This urban NYC white can be offended by all the movies based on Damon Runyon stories/films, including Guys and Dolls, which depict NYC stereotypes in such a way as to make it fashionable for rural whites to make fun of. As someone who has been involved with theater in New York, I can also be offended by All About Eve, which, despite the great talents of its creators, also depicts urban theater types, in such a way that rural whites (and others) can laugh at. Sadly, I think, we live in an age in which offending anyone, even in jest, is a capital crime. But I hope we can agree on this: Mammy Yokum as played by the recently departed Billie Hayes (1924-2021) is one of cinema's great feminists! "I have spoken!"

Viva Villa (1934) Juarez (1939)

Here's a trailer for The Green Knight (2021).

Sorry about that, I didn't mean to shock you. I explain in my post how it happened. I could have easily started a new thread about the new film, and probably would have, had I already seen it. I did a search, thinking someone would have mentioned it by now; instead, I came up with Kyle's post. I like the continuity and community of posters here, so I ran with it. Alicia Vikander and Dev Patel in The Green Knight (2021)

I've been wanting to post about the poem "Gawain and the Green Knight," which is known as the greatest chivalric poem of the Medieval world. Rather than begin a new thread, I did a search and came up with the above post by Kyle in Hollywood. I listened to an audio book about the story last year. I find audio books pass the time wonderfully well, when I'm in the gym on the treadmill. I also listened to a fascinating panel about the poem on Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time BBC Radio series, in which he discusses the poem with three professors, two from Oxford, one from Bristol https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001kr8 I did not know when I listened to those items that a film was in production, which has now been released. I'm looking forward to seeing it! It has got some interesting reviews. Excerpt from The Guardian (link below): "There is a sensational speech from the lady of the castle about the meaning of green: the colour of nature, the colour of remorseless amoral growth, the grass that will grow out of the grave and the moss that will cover the tomb, the endless process that will make a mockery of individual heroes and their paths of glory. And there is a stunning sequence in which Gawain is robbed and bound by the scavenger and his accomplices, left to die, to rot down to his bones but then to be born again, a rebirth that happens within the blink of an eye, or within the victim’s mind, or in metaphysical parallel with his ignominious roadside death. Gawain is being tested. So are we. The visual brilliance of this film combines with shroomy toxicity and inexplicable moral grandeur: what a stunning experience." https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/24/the-green-knight-review-dev-patel

"Arrayed for the Bridal" by Bellini (I Puritani) sung by Cathleen Delany in The Dead (1987) Next: Another song from a movie based on a work by James Joyce

"Jambalaya" -- Scandal (1989) Next: Song mentioning someone's body size/shape

The Chosen (1981) is the story of a friendship between two Jewish boys: one modern Orthodox; the other a Hasid. Rod Steiger gives a great performance as the Hasid boy's father, a rabbi. The film won the Grand Prize at the Montreal International Film Festival. Steiger won Best Actor.