Casablanca, Canada and other odd musings
In other words, a typical Lorie entry.
I had nothing to read on the el this morning. This is a horrible thing, which turns me into one of those awful people who read over other people's shoulders. Some dear woman ahead of me was reading a junky magazine (she was the most sensible-looking person on the train, after me, but was studying an article about goofy-looking, totally impractical shoes). When she finally turned the page I offered a prayer of thanks. The next article asked a bunch of celebrities (with glossy full-length photos of each) "what film always makes you cry?"
I couldn't see enough to read the responses, but I also realized I didn't really care what film made those people cry. Heck, I didn't really recognize many of them -- a sign of age, and that I haven't watched any ET-type shows since RotK premiered.
But I answered the question for myself, and that led to Casablanca. Not the ending of the movie, but the scene in Rick's cafe when Laslo leads the patrons in singing La Marseilles. If I live to be 200 and see the film every day, that scene will always make me cry, just a little. First off, because that film has never made me feel manipulated to cry, like so many "tear jerker" films do. And because, to me, love of country is an amazing thing. The courage to sing, to defy the Nazis even in such a small way -- that pulls emotion from me and always will.
We recently watched the film with a friend who, despite being in his late 30's, had never seen Casablanca. It was very strange to listen to his comments and questions, and to realize that I cannot remember what it was like to watch the movie for the first time, because it's been so long and I know it so well now. Rich called it "seeing through the eyes of a child again," and that's exactly it. Our friend thought Ilsa would turn back, leave Victor and run to Rick for the fade-out. Which would have RUINED the movie, of course, but I don't know if he'll ever understand that. I know that even as a kid, I never thought there was a problem with Ilsa putting duty first. It made me love Rick when he pointed out her duty while "doing the thinking for both of them"... and believe me, after some of the things he does in the movie, he needed redemption.
So. What movies do you love, and what makes you cry in a movie? Oh, I should probably say that I'll just assume all of you have enough heart and soul to always cry at RotK! IMO, anyone who didn't cry at that movie isn't totally human. (Though the scene that gets Rich isn't at the Havens, but when Aragorn kneels before the hobbits.)
In other news:
We're off to Canada tomorrow morning for the Stratford Shakespeare festival. Uncle Jim is cat-sitting and has been rigorously tested on how each litter box closes/latches, which cats must be kept separated, how to enter without letting Frodo run wild and free, care and feeding of our strays, our raccoon, the squirrels, etc. I swear, he's gonna regret not asking for more money.
My mother-in-law, Bette, is back home at her assisted living facility, Devonshire. We picked her up last Sunday after the usual red tape and baloney, and finally got her home to be greeted by the staff. Frank, the youngest sibling, came over with water and soda for her fridge, and we ate lunch with her and sat around talking. Sadly, one of the first things to come out of her mouth was how happy she was to be out of physical therapy. We all jumped on that, saying that she needed to continue taking the therapy (which they do offer at this place), and that she needed to keep busy, see her doctors, etc.
We shall see. I'm not sure she really believes us when we tell her that doing nothing but watching TV will land her back in the nursing home without any control over her life, her meals, and her surroundings.
The really odd thing was noticing in her conversation how much she'd enjoyed the (forced) socialization at the nursing home. At Devonshire she doesn't leave her room, not even for meals in the dining room. When she was new, they tried to take her to lunch to meet the other new people and she refused. But at the nursing home she wasn't given any choice, and she really learned people's names, had opinions about all their family who visited, and seemed to enjoy being mildly flirted with by some of the men on her floor, too. So I'm hoping she takes advantage of the social events at Devonshire now, because I think it would be really good for her.
And it means that not every conversation is about her health problems -- which has to be healthier, right?
So I'll be gone until next week, and it's not just y'all I'm ignoring -- I'm *totally* ignoring the office, too. Yay!
Take care and I'll catch up when we return.
I had nothing to read on the el this morning. This is a horrible thing, which turns me into one of those awful people who read over other people's shoulders. Some dear woman ahead of me was reading a junky magazine (she was the most sensible-looking person on the train, after me, but was studying an article about goofy-looking, totally impractical shoes). When she finally turned the page I offered a prayer of thanks. The next article asked a bunch of celebrities (with glossy full-length photos of each) "what film always makes you cry?"
I couldn't see enough to read the responses, but I also realized I didn't really care what film made those people cry. Heck, I didn't really recognize many of them -- a sign of age, and that I haven't watched any ET-type shows since RotK premiered.
But I answered the question for myself, and that led to Casablanca. Not the ending of the movie, but the scene in Rick's cafe when Laslo leads the patrons in singing La Marseilles. If I live to be 200 and see the film every day, that scene will always make me cry, just a little. First off, because that film has never made me feel manipulated to cry, like so many "tear jerker" films do. And because, to me, love of country is an amazing thing. The courage to sing, to defy the Nazis even in such a small way -- that pulls emotion from me and always will.
We recently watched the film with a friend who, despite being in his late 30's, had never seen Casablanca. It was very strange to listen to his comments and questions, and to realize that I cannot remember what it was like to watch the movie for the first time, because it's been so long and I know it so well now. Rich called it "seeing through the eyes of a child again," and that's exactly it. Our friend thought Ilsa would turn back, leave Victor and run to Rick for the fade-out. Which would have RUINED the movie, of course, but I don't know if he'll ever understand that. I know that even as a kid, I never thought there was a problem with Ilsa putting duty first. It made me love Rick when he pointed out her duty while "doing the thinking for both of them"... and believe me, after some of the things he does in the movie, he needed redemption.
So. What movies do you love, and what makes you cry in a movie? Oh, I should probably say that I'll just assume all of you have enough heart and soul to always cry at RotK! IMO, anyone who didn't cry at that movie isn't totally human. (Though the scene that gets Rich isn't at the Havens, but when Aragorn kneels before the hobbits.)
In other news:
We're off to Canada tomorrow morning for the Stratford Shakespeare festival. Uncle Jim is cat-sitting and has been rigorously tested on how each litter box closes/latches, which cats must be kept separated, how to enter without letting Frodo run wild and free, care and feeding of our strays, our raccoon, the squirrels, etc. I swear, he's gonna regret not asking for more money.
My mother-in-law, Bette, is back home at her assisted living facility, Devonshire. We picked her up last Sunday after the usual red tape and baloney, and finally got her home to be greeted by the staff. Frank, the youngest sibling, came over with water and soda for her fridge, and we ate lunch with her and sat around talking. Sadly, one of the first things to come out of her mouth was how happy she was to be out of physical therapy. We all jumped on that, saying that she needed to continue taking the therapy (which they do offer at this place), and that she needed to keep busy, see her doctors, etc.
We shall see. I'm not sure she really believes us when we tell her that doing nothing but watching TV will land her back in the nursing home without any control over her life, her meals, and her surroundings.
The really odd thing was noticing in her conversation how much she'd enjoyed the (forced) socialization at the nursing home. At Devonshire she doesn't leave her room, not even for meals in the dining room. When she was new, they tried to take her to lunch to meet the other new people and she refused. But at the nursing home she wasn't given any choice, and she really learned people's names, had opinions about all their family who visited, and seemed to enjoy being mildly flirted with by some of the men on her floor, too. So I'm hoping she takes advantage of the social events at Devonshire now, because I think it would be really good for her.
And it means that not every conversation is about her health problems -- which has to be healthier, right?
So I'll be gone until next week, and it's not just y'all I'm ignoring -- I'm *totally* ignoring the office, too. Yay!
Take care and I'll catch up when we return.