Tryin' to keep my eyes open. I need a couple of toothpicks to prop up the lids, a tactic Barney Rubble once used on an episode of "The Flintstones". Ahh, but I believe I'll be able to make it through tonight's blog, so let us write on, as it were.....
I've gotta butt in to ask ya : does it ever bug ya when someone uses that phrase? For me, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I suppose it depends on who's saying it, and how pretentious it sounds.
"As it were".
As "what" were? And what if it "weren't"?
I'm not sure most users of the phrase have ever considered those questions, or would have contingencies in place if the questions were brought up by a concerned member of the community.
At any rate, it was important that I present the issue this evening, having used the phrase myself.
Hey! How about this : in addition to doing movie reviews, we could also do some extremely nit-picky grammatical examinations, including certain phrases that may need to be looked at more closely. For now, because it's Sunday Night and we are exhausted, we'll just do a quick movie review, and perhaps write a small handful of nonsensical observations on anything in particular. But get back to me on the Grammar idea, of picking apart Strange Sayings. I think we might have something there. :)
Tonight's movie was "Neptune's Daughter", and as you might guess by the title (or if you saw my FB post a little while ago), we are once again back in the pool with Esther Williams, for the third time in recent weeks. This time Esther is a champion swimmer (surprise!) who is approached by a swimsuit manufacturer (Keenan Wynn) who wants to start a business venture with her. Soon she is designing high-fashion bathing suits as part of a successful company. However, Hijinx Must Ensue, as all the Esther Williams movies are for pure fun, and so enter her man-crazy sister, played by song-and-dancestress Betty Garrett. Sister is interested in a South American Polo Team that has just hit town for a match. She locates their training facility and makes a play to meet some players. Unfortunately for Sister, she mistakes Red Skelton - a hapless masseuse - for one of the star Latin players. He plays along with it of course, and the actual Star Polo Player (the suave and handsome Ricardo Montalban) gets caught up in the ruse, only he is falling for Esther Williams, who doesn't want anything to do with him, even though he is suave and handsome.
A whole ton of other stuff happens, and we get to return to Xavier Cugat's nightclub at any moment's notice. That is one great thing about these movies - you might just jump into Cugat's nightclub at any time, with no warning. But his club is a lively and fun place, so no worry.
You kind of know the drill by now. The Esther Williams movies are well written Rom/Com farces, with a full cast of high-level supporting players, great soundstage sets, and very visually oriented swimming pool and nightclub scenes. The formula was a winner because MGM threw everything they had into it, every production highlight, all the best technical aspects to make the films look spectacular. And then they hired competent craftsman directors to follow the formula, and let the very talented cast members do their thing, like in a Broadway stage show. And in the center was Esther Williams as The Franchise, holding down the fort.
So there you have it. I recommend you see one of these films, just to see how they pulled off such a show in the age of the Studio System. It really is something to see, like the earlier films of Busby Berkeley (Google him too).
Elizabeth, I saw your two video stills this morning. You did not give a description, but because you are pictured in one of the stills, and because it is a video, I am guessing that it's a music video of your own music? I mean, it's gotta be, otherwise why would you be in the video, right?
If so - that is awesome as always, and either way it is great and I am glad you are filming. But I bet it's a music vid for you, and I look forward to seeing and hearing the final result. Post more updates when you have the chance. :)
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