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| marantzo |
 Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:24 am |
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| Why isn't anyone posting on this topic? |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:28 am |
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Betsy, you can't trust Torontonian's judgment of anything.  |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 9:00 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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Random Responsitives Dept.
Befade: TKS is indeed predictable, which was one of the things I most enjoyed, already knowing where it had to head, yet getting so caught up in its glossy execution and performances that I forgot about that. Speaking of forgetting:
carrobin: YES! Totally forgot about Bertie & Elizabeth, which I remember from when Masterpiece Theatre showed it piecemeal back in 2002 or so. The Bates and Her Eileenity were undoubtedly stellar contributees, but as I recall, James Wilby and Juliet Aubrey were effective and affecting in the title roles (obviously less grand-scaled than King Colin and Queen Helena). Had also spaced on Lionel Logue appearing in it, since it was really the Duke and Duchess of York's story. Russell Baker introduces it here, courtesy of TouYube:
YouTube: Bertie & Elizabeth -- 1 of 11
Marj: You said it (although those linked articles were quite interesting). I was so touched to hear from someone who had actually experienced that historical turning point in the flesh. Anyhow, hers seems a pretty representative viewpoint among the locals.
Edited for clarifying content |
Last edited by inlareviewer on Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:43 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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Thanks, Inla, for that lovely link.
My mother (90 years old) finds it hard to believe that so many people today are unaware of the royal upheaval brought on by Wallis Simpson. After all, it was a worldwide news story, when the news was on everyone's radio. But so many people don't even know what's going on right now, so I'm not surprised. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:18 am |
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I mentioned this before; My son and daughter-in-law had no knowledge of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor or the abdication or even George VI. They are both highly educated and my son was piqued that I thought it was weird that they knew nothing about it.
I spend a good amount of time in the Duke and Duchess' house in Nassau a few years ago when a friend of mine was doing renovations and living in the guest house during that time. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:21 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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I might be wrong, but I think these days, Americans really could care less what happens in the UK.
They just finished a 3 year very expensive renovation on the Peace Hotel, formerly the Cathay Hotel. It was owned by the Sassoon family and was THE place to stay in Shanghai in the 30's. Chaplin, Lindbergh, etc. Noel Coward wrote Private Lives there. When Wallace Simpson stayed there, she was known for smoking opium and posing nude for a photographer, among other things.
Like a lot of landmarks in Shanghai, the good times were short-lived. The Cathay opened in 1929 and the Japanese invaded Shanghai in '37. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:24 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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gromit--True about people not caring, but...
Gary--Agree it's very weird not to have known anything about the Dick and Dickess of Windsor, since it impacted the history of England so immeasurably. Of course, again, who cares about the royals? |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:40 am |
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| In my day all my American friends had history taught to them throughout school. American history by a country mile of course, which had to include British history for obvious reasons. From what I have heard and read, a big percentage of American students today know virtually nothing about American history never mind the history of other great nations. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:51 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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| My son has enacted the Boston molasses flood, on pancakes, with pecans standing in for people. There is hope. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| Shane |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:55 am |
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Posts: 1168
Location: Chicago
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| Are they climbing to safety? |
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I'd like to continue the argument we were having before. What was it about? |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:05 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| I'd never heard of the Boston molasses flood until I read "The Given Day" by Dennis Lehane. Hard to believe it actually happened, but like the influenza epidemic, it really did. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:11 am |
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| I thought he was spoofing the Boston Massacre. |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:16 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Manhattan
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And I thought I was so well educated. I've never heard of the Boston molasses flood. But ask me anything about the Windsors, and I'm a walking encyclopedia.
For some reason I was fascinated by the entire story when I was a teenager. I read everything I could find on them and the period.
I still haven't seen TKS. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:37 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: NYC
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I think "The Given Day" has been bought by a studio, but it's hard to imagine how they'd re-create the molasses flood. Lots of CGI, no doubt.
I haven't seen TKS either, but my friend David has found some kind of Internet connection by which he can copy even the newest movies. He's put that and "Black Swan" on disks for me. I'm tempted to ask him if he can do "I Love You Phillip Morris"--but I'll wait and see what kind of extras the DVD might offer. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:00 pm |
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Now that I've thought about it, I think I do remember something about the molasses flood. Was it started by a molasses company whose building exploded or something like that? Or a pipeline?
It should of happened in January of course.
Marj, I don't know if it is still the case, but Americans used to be fascinated by British royalty. The tabloids especially used to headline any kind of scandal or romance among the royals. Royal weddings were also a big attention getter in the U.S. And look how much news time and print pages were given to Princess Di and Charles and Princess Di and everyone else. I liked her as much as the Queen did, which was not at all. |
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