Deborah Kerr died yesterday. Probably best-known for rolling in the surf with Burt Lancaster in "From Here to Eternity" (not a bad thing to be remembered for, I grant you), to me, dear reader, she will always be "Mrs. Anna" aka British governess Anna Leonowens in "The King and I," one of Childe Rhino's keynote films. Obviously, I only ever saw it on tv but it made a HUGE impression on me. Was it the oriental setting? At that time, Thailand/Siam was so exotic that not even the Blue Peter team had been there on one of their famous Expeditions. I certainly didn't know anyone who'd been and never dreamed I would ever go there myself. (Although I DID think I would go to the Moon and eventually live there - luckily, I'm not a betting man.) Was it the razor-cheekboned Yul Brynner, all slinky, sexy and powerful, like a panther? It wasn't the annoying children, that's for sure. No, the reason I loved it was the scene when Mrs. Anna (in a HUGE meringue of a dress) and the King (in his best pyjamas) whirl round the empty throne room (is it a polka?) singing "Shall We Dance?." I just found it wonderfully, impossibly romantic. Not (necessarily - my italics) the swirling round the room in a big dress. It was the feeling that, no matter how hard they fought it, no matter how wary they were, or how impossible the situation, it was inevitable they would fall in love. Even Childe Rhino felt there was something beautiful in that. I say "impossible" and, unusually for a musical of its time, it doesn't have a happy ending. Mind you, also unusually for its time, it features an overlong Thai musical version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." - I think they call it "Very Small House of Uncle Tom." But that ballroom scene, for me, is touched by magic. :::Sigh::: Romantic Rhino - who knew? Next week "Brief Encounter" with Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto ("Rach' 2" as we musicians call it) - Bring your own tissues and an eclair.
Showing posts with label meringues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meringues. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2007
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Deborah Kerr died yesterday. Probably best-known for rolling in the surf with Burt Lancaster in "From Here to Eternity" (not a bad thing to be remembered for, I grant you), to me, dear reader, she will always be "Mrs. Anna" aka British governess Anna Leonowens in "The King and I," one of Childe Rhino's keynote films. Obviously, I only ever saw it on tv but it made a HUGE impression on me. Was it the oriental setting? At that time, Thailand/Siam was so exotic that not even the Blue Peter team had been there on one of their famous Expeditions. I certainly didn't know anyone who'd been and never dreamed I would ever go there myself. (Although I DID think I would go to the Moon and eventually live there - luckily, I'm not a betting man.) Was it the razor-cheekboned Yul Brynner, all slinky, sexy and powerful, like a panther? It wasn't the annoying children, that's for sure. No, the reason I loved it was the scene when Mrs. Anna (in a HUGE meringue of a dress) and the King (in his best pyjamas) whirl round the empty throne room (is it a polka?) singing "Shall We Dance?." I just found it wonderfully, impossibly romantic. Not (necessarily - my italics) the swirling round the room in a big dress. It was the feeling that, no matter how hard they fought it, no matter how wary they were, or how impossible the situation, it was inevitable they would fall in love. Even Childe Rhino felt there was something beautiful in that. I say "impossible" and, unusually for a musical of its time, it doesn't have a happy ending. Mind you, also unusually for its time, it features an overlong Thai musical version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." - I think they call it "Very Small House of Uncle Tom." But that ballroom scene, for me, is touched by magic. :::Sigh::: Romantic Rhino - who knew? Next week "Brief Encounter" with Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto ("Rach' 2" as we musicians call it) - Bring your own tissues and an eclair.
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