Hello girls,
it’s a grey one,
but,
oh so,
mild.
I have a whole lot,
of boring,
tasks to accomplish,
today,
but,
grey is perfect,
for that,
dealing with,
the ordinary,
the boring,
It must be done,
it will be done.
Last night,
mom and I,
watched something,
special,
on television,
The new,
Upstairs, Downstairs,
on Masterpiece theatre on PBS,
the Dude didn’t join us, he doesn’t do television, although he enjoys the sounds of nature shows that deal with birds:-)
I remember The original,
Upstairs, Downstairs,
from my childhood,
it left with me a fascination,
for the idea,
of being in service.
A time,
when gigantic,
households,
were run by dozens,
of servants,
absolutely fascinating.
Upstairs, Downstairs,
is the first time,
I saw that sort,
of thing.
I went on later,
to see,
The Remains of the Day,
a movie,
I will never tire of seeing,
Anthony Hopkins,
the glorious,
Emma Thompson,
Is there a more appealing woman than Emma Thompson on the planet? Perhaps but, not in the movies:-)
the movie,
is filled with longing,
and the unexplored
missed opportunities,
for love,
because,
first and foremost,
they must serve.
Very sad,
some would say pathetic or stupid,
I wouldn’t be,
one of those people.
There is nobility,
in sacrifice and duty,
maybe,
it shouldn’t be for a bunch,
of arristocrats,
but, still.
Years, later,
I read the novel,
it is,
a tiny little novel,
filled with so much,
in less than 300 pages.
A staggering acheivement,
I’ve never read anything like it,
I’m surprised,
I’ve never mentionned it before.
I can never keep it,
in stock,
at the bookstore,
as soon as I replace a copy,
than I recommend it,
I always say,
“you must read this, there’s nothing like it”
Really girls, it’s wonderful.
The great Robert Altman,
also made a strong movie,
on the subject,
Gosford Park.
The new Upstairs, Downstairs,
is very promising,
with a first rate cast,
headed by Jean Marsh,
who was Rose,
the upstairs maid,
in the original.
The lovely Keeley Hawes,
playes Agnes,
the new lady of the house,
if I can manage to get the image of her, as Kitty in Tipping The Velvet, out of my head, she should be fine<wink>
Nobody does period drama,
like the Brits.
How a working class,
anarchist leaning, lefty,
like me,
can be so fascinated,
by the serving class,
and the aristocratic class,
is a bit of a mystery,
but, I am,
that and,
boarding schools,
go figure.
Later girls,
BB
Love “The Remains of the Day”…I always couple it with “Howard’s End”…not just for Emma T., although having her in both works well for me:-)…, different central themes but the tone of both is the same I think…they are both so beautiful and sad.
I always watch “Howard’s End” second which then compels me to see more Vanessa Redgrave, so if time permits I watch “A Month by the Lake”… I never tire of that. It makes me long for a lengthy vacation–sort of…. Well, not really. A month off is simply not the American way! Still, it’s good to know that other folk do it…
I have never seen, A Month by The Lake, I will add it to my list:-) I have never taken a month off either, well, not since school.
Emma, wow!!
Only see “A Month by the Lake” if you enjoy Vanessa Redgrave. It also features a very young Uma Thurman…before she tried her hand at Emma Peel…
Ah yes, the fascination with boarding schools, preferably of the all-girl variety 🙂 Which reminds me of another movie, “Lost and Delirious”, set at a boarding school just a little ways outside of Montreal, as I recall.
Lennoxville in the Eastern townships, good movie, intense, sexy and a little bit, sad.
All girl school, oh yeah, too bad I’m too old now.:-)