ON THIS DAY in 1940, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was fatally wounded after being struck with an axe by a Soviet government assassin. The 1972 Joseph Losey film, THE ASSASSINATION OF TROTSKY, with Richard Burton, depicted this event.
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ON THIS DAY in 1612, three women from Lancashire, England–“the Samlesbury witches”–were accused of practicing witchcraft in one of the most famous witch trials in English history. In 1957, this trial was depicted in the French-German film THE CRUCIBLE, with Simone Signoret and Yves Montand.
When I told a friend I was going alone on a trip to Venice this summer, he said, “Oh, you’ll probably have this great affair just like in the movie SUMMERTIME.” I remember laughing and having a vague recollection of Katharine Hepburn falling in love, wandering along the canals of Venice with handsome Italian Rossano Brazzi.
Unfortunately, an affair like theirs didn’t happen to me when I was there.
Fortunately, however, this 1955 classic film, directed by David Lean, perfectly captures the essence of Venice and the experience of being a woman of a certain age traveling alone. I watched this film after my trip. I wish I would have watched it before I went.
The film is a cinematic stunner, a love letter to one of the most romantic and surreal cities in the world. Every scene captures the light, the air, the visual magic of Venice — and also its timelessness. The train speeding across the canal, the jumble of people boarding the water taxis, tourists wandering down the narrow streets, the rows of palaces, the breathtaking expanse of Piazza San Marco, the white coated waiters at the cafes, and of course, the canals and the sparkling water. Nothing much has changed. Venice is the same today as it was in 1955, which is just like Venice was in 1455. It is “The Eternal City.”
And the story of people searching for love is eternal as well.
Miss Hepburn is remarkable in her portrayal of Ohio secretary Jane Hudson. She is a self-sufficient woman, who saved her money so that she could take her dream vacation. With her movie camera in hand, she is spirited and gutsy, beautiful and charming, excited about the adventure that awaits her.
She also realizes there is a bittersweetness attached to solo travel when her landlady asks, “You don’t mind traveling alone?” Jane likes it, she says. She is an independent soul. But there is also a slight sting with the question. It would be better if such a lovely experience could be shared. She is vulnerable, yes. She is open to possibilities.
Hepburn is nervous about her attraction to Brazzi as they first meet at an outdoor cafe. She is drawn to the potential affair but she also resists. When Brazzi tells her that “It’s better to take home more than Venetian glass,” you know that the fireworks will eventually happen. With her free spirit in force, she considers the pro’s and con’s and then goes after what she wants, transformed by the romance that beckons. She buys a lovely pair of impractical shoes, and like Cinderella, she becomes the beautiful princess. Violins play. You root for the both of them.
The only way for their love to remain as eternal as Venice, they have to part. Jane knows that she has a life back in Ohio. And she knows that her lover has a life in Venice. She ends the affair on her own terms.
If I had re-watched this film before I went on my trip, maybe it would have gone differently. I would have stayed longer in Venice. I would have tried harder not to feel so conspicuous and awkward sitting alone in the Piazza San Marco (along with so many other middle-aged ladies). And I would have bought those red shoes that I wanted. Maybe they would have been as magical as the ones that Hepburn’s character buys.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
ON THIS DAY in 1958, Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial novel Lolita was published in the United States. Stanley Kubrick’s film LOLITA premiered in 1962, with James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers and Sue Lyon as Lolita.
Good evening. Have you ever told a lie? Be truthful now. Remember what really became of the last cookie in that cookie jar? Yes you do. Of course, some lies-white lies-aren’t as big as others, as you’ll find out in this creative and amusing quiz we’ve created. By the way, in case you shouldn’t find the quiz creative and amusing, then we had absolutely nothing to do with. Honest.
Good luck, Mr. Thornhill, wherever you are…
Take the Quiz!(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest: “Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. When Roger steals a cab out from under a poor man by claiming his secretary, Maggie, is very ill, Maggie scolds him: “He knew you were lying.”)
ON THIS DAY in 1786, American frontiersman and soldier Davy Crockett was born. His exploits were dramatized in the 1955 Disney film, DAVY CROCKETT, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER, starring Fess Parker.
ON THIS DAY in 1888, British Army officer T. E. Lawrence was born. David Lean’s 1962 epic, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, starring Peter O’Toole, was based on Lawrence’s experiences in Arabia during the first World War.
I don’t really like scary movies. My brain takes them seriously.
Thanks to some long forgotten film, I suffer from an unnatural fear of quicksand (although I’ve never actually even seen quicksand). I worry sometimes about dolls coming alive.
And, of course, thanks to JAWS (1975), I still have a deeply entrenched fear being torn apart by those pesky, jagged teeth of a shark — even when I’m in a freshwater lake.
How can it be that it’s already more than 35 years since I first heard John Williams’ two terrifying musical notes of doom?
It seems impossible that there are still people who haven’t seen this classic film whose promotional poster tells all.
But if you have never seen it or if you haven’t seen it in a long time, it’s time to think about an end-of-summer group watching event. JAWS is frightening and campy and full of howl-inducing fun.
Best yet, just yesterday on August 14, the new Blu-ray version was released as part of Universal’s 100th Anniversary series. The restoration gives the film “the sight and sound that I didn’t get when I made the movie,” says director Steven Spielberg.
The release of the JAWS Blu-ray was also also timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Discovery Channel’s annual celebration of Shark Week.
As a result, shark is totally in the air. It’s time for a shark party.
There are tips on shark drinking games at sites like Brobible. Shark paraphernalia is available at sites like The Jungle Store and Cafe Press. And amazing feats of shark party creativity are rocking the boat on Pinterest.
You can even have your shark spotters take a quiz. There’s a fascinating collection of JAWS trivia on IMDB. (Did you know that Peter Benchley was livid about the ending of the movie? He didn’t think it was believable. Spielberg told him that the audience would believe anything after watching the movie for two hours, even the blowing up of the mechanical shark.)
I’ll still be scared when watching this one, but sort of like being scared with a good friend. JAWS has everything for a chomping good time.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
ON THIS DAY in 1965, the Beatles played before approximately 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. The concert–which marked the birth of stadium rock–was documented in the 1966 film, THE BEATLES AT SHEA STADIUM.
ON THIS DAY in 1980, Polish electrician and human rights activist Lech Wałęsa scaled a fence at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk where a food price-hike strike was taking place. Wałęsa became the strike’s leader, his actions leading to Poland’s Solidarity movement. In 1981, the film MAN OF IRON, directed by Andrzej Wajda, told the story of how the movement persuaded the Polish government to recognize workers’ rights.
Death scenes from 36 of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, synchronised to climax in unison…
ON THIS DAY in 1860, Annie Oakley–sharpshooting star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show–was born. In 1935, her life was portrayed by Barbara Stanwyck in the film, ANNIE OAKLEY.
ON THIS DAY in 30 B.C., Cleopatra VII Philopator, last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, committed suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite. In 1963, she was portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in the epic CLEOPATRA, also starring Richard Burton.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (1967) contains some of the most memorable scenes in cinema — including suicidal sheep and maniacal casket cracking. This epic love story is a near-perfect convergence of scene, score, story, and performance. The only thing that doesn’t work in this film is Julie Christie’s hair and makeup. Maybe it’s the frosted lip gloss. As in Dr. Zhivago, she just doesn’t quite seem historically accurate, although she is otherwise perfect.
Christie stars as Bathsheba, the unattainable catch of the English countryside, who struggles with her passion and lack of passion for the men in her life: Peter Finch as the desperate suitor, Alan Bates as the regular guy, and Terence Stamp as the hot bad boy. While Bathsheba struggles over finding the right man, she is also rolling up her sleeves to deal with the the trials and tribulations (and joys) of day-to-day farm life. She’s a flirt and a heartbreaker, passionate and vulnerable. She is also smart, powerful, and confident.
The film is based on the book of the same name by 19th century novelist Thomas Hardy. And although I love the book, watching the movie is way, way easier and more satisfying than slogging through Hardy’s heavy prose.
When I read that there was a remake of MADDING CROWD as a “romantic comedy,” I couldn’t help but be curious. The only thing I’m curious about now is that someone thought that might be a good idea.
TAMARA DREWE (2010), starring Bond girl Gemma Arterton, boasts better historically accurate hair, but the film is flat and dull as it traces Ms. Drewe’s quest to find love among her choice of uninteresting village men. So much for a laugh riot take on a classic.
I was so hopeful with the opening of this film, which begins with a classified post advertising a country writers’ retreat that is “Far from the madding crowd.” But the film is all downhill from there. Homage to Hardy abounds — but is it really funny when one of Tamara’s suitors is trampled by stampeding cows? If there were a Monty Pythonian take on it, perhaps.
There are a few clever takes on the classic-to-contemporary theme, like casting a rock star in the role of a typical Hardy bad boy, and instead of misunderstood letters there are missent emails. But if you’re looking for a few romantic comedy laughs, you won’t find them. Better to watch the original drama instead.
Sadly enough, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD wasn’t released on DVD until 2009, so I think it’s been missed by many home theater fans. The trailer for the film is far from compelling (and you get to see why Julie Christie seems to be a time traveler instead of a 19th century beauty). Nonetheless, if you enjoy period dramas, tragic love stories, rain, and the English countryside, you’ll enjoy FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. A romantic “comedy” remake of it? Not so much.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
ON THIS DAY in 1926, Danish socialite Claus von Bülow was born in Copenhagen. Von Bülow was convicted of attempting to murder his wife Sunny via an overdose of insulin (thus leaving her in a lifelong vegetative state), but the conviction was reversed. The story was retold in the 1990 film, REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, starring Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close.
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