tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post7437569786785136965..comments2024-02-20T00:35:39.057-08:00Comments on The Lion's Den: Central Casting Part V: Making Gatsby GreatGSLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-20090864331210729402016-03-25T07:05:28.958-07:002016-03-25T07:05:28.958-07:00Rachel, I did add Karen Black to the post and many...Rachel, I did add Karen Black to the post and many thanks for reminding me of her talents.GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-92105546424042050372016-03-24T05:03:18.771-07:002016-03-24T05:03:18.771-07:00The Den just loooves when 'Pack Drill Pammie&#...The Den just loooves when 'Pack Drill Pammie' loosens up her well traveled tongue. I would have prevailed upon Mr Welles to write you into a delicious scene at one of Gatsby's parties as you stage whisper a tantalizing tidbit .GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-89883588803008628712016-03-24T00:38:55.708-07:002016-03-24T00:38:55.708-07:00Sutton Place has the most sublime gardens - each o...Sutton Place has the most sublime gardens - each owner seems to have contributed to developing additional garden rooms. An old English friend (who knew the owner before the Russian) took us there maybe 15 or so years ago. He introduced us to the head gardener who briefed us and then allowed us to wander as we wished. The only other people there were the gardeners. Heavenly. <br />Later on a coach trip from Canberra to Sydney I sat across the aisle from a wonderful old lady. She'd led a fascinating life - at a key stage as a concierge in luxury hotels in London. She often looked after royalty and was headhunted by an Arab King as his head of Protocol and Travel. She travelled the world in his personal giant airliner. Then moved on to other Arab kings. Finally she came back to England and was offered the job of Estate Manager for Getty at Sutton Place. He provided her with a beautiful cottage on the estate - her main task was managing the hordes of gardeners. She loved it there. She'd had three husbands, all rich. The latest was a much older American (well into his nineties). He loved travel and to drive but she said by then he was totally a danger on the roads but he couldn't see it. So she booked them on lots of cruises on luxury liners to get him off the roads. Best wishes, Pammie Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-34914077670627088602016-03-23T17:57:55.762-07:002016-03-23T17:57:55.762-07:00Please do read it T and wait for a quiet weekend a...Please do read it T and wait for a quiet weekend as it's not long and can easily be taken in on 2 or 3 sittings but it's not a 'beach book'. Hope all is well with your Clan too!GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-86597042441661815512016-03-23T17:35:32.008-07:002016-03-23T17:35:32.008-07:00Never read it, never seen it...any of them. I hav...Never read it, never seen it...any of them. I have been told by dear daughter to read it and not see any of the movies. She may be wise beyond her years. Hope all is well. Much love!<br />Blue Boobyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13504819843930360278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-40881017574024770082016-03-23T14:49:16.835-07:002016-03-23T14:49:16.835-07:00My Dear Jill,
It is difficult to film which is why...My Dear Jill,<br />It is difficult to film which is why GSL brings in the heavy artillery with Orson Welles, Duvall, & Hackman. Welles was from Racine, WI and Hackman's hometown is little Danville, Illinois with Duvall going to college outside of Saint Louis. They would all know exactly what Jay Gatz/Gatsby was all about and are the best there has ever been at the subtly articulate expressions of longing, ambition, deception. etc. required to convey Gatsby and what he represents. Redford is only good looking and he's also too good looking and the sort of pretty boy a silly girl like Daisy would have fallen for. Duvall is far better as the young man hell bent on becoming the man he thinks can win the ultimate prize of Daisy and could far more easily be convincing as a bareknuckle bootlegger one minute and a lovesick pup the next. Watch Welle's superb The Third Man, Touch of Evil, Long Hot Summer, and tell me if OW knows how to wring a little internal strife out of a scene without heavy dialog holding your hand thru it.<br />GSL is a tough guy with a vastly underrated soft shoe.GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-79288563565705639192016-03-23T14:22:32.454-07:002016-03-23T14:22:32.454-07:00Interesting, I agree with you about the ladies but...Interesting, I agree with you about the ladies but I say RR can stay as Gatsby! I think this novel is absolutely impossible to film. It's too internal, the narrator knows things that cannot be filmed believably--and it's hard to capture the longing Jay has. I thought the Baz Luhrmann version was well cast but it was not very good as a movie for the same reason the Mia/Robert version was not good--this novel just does not translate to film. I do love Gatsby though, it is my favorite American novel. I try to read it once a year to remind myself how good American literature can be! I love 'Tender is the Night' too but for different reasons and I find it much more complex and cynical.<br /><br />Side note: There is a TV ad playing here nightly for a new musical called 'Cagney' with a tag line something like, "A musical about the tough guy in tap shoes." I think of you every time I see it. xJillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18062587289685203227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-43872543633970741202016-03-23T13:37:49.167-07:002016-03-23T13:37:49.167-07:00Yes indeed my dear Rachel! She was good as Myrtle ...Yes indeed my dear Rachel! She was good as Myrtle Wilson even if she had to carry all that Bruce Dern dead weight. Orson will want to keep her too.GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421822117996903245.post-88712337743507578612016-03-23T13:11:50.566-07:002016-03-23T13:11:50.566-07:00Ahhh, My Dearie!
What a verdant, witty, ascertain...Ahhh, My Dearie!<br /><br />What a verdant, witty, ascertaining mind you have! J'Accord re Duvall and Dear Gene Allan---not many shoes they can't fill, but I have only the Southern ear to dispute Mia's unfortunate accent---and somewhere in there, i guarantee you she said the anathema: Anythin' Ain't no such word. Anywhere.<br /><br />And I'm resting on the fact that your respect and admiration and great regard for the inestimable, luminous Karen Black prevents your mentioning her in any context---she's a given, a standard to which they all aspire.<br /><br />No matter how many remakes---they oughta rise her up as Myrtle Wilson. That Number Is Retired.<br /><br />Hope all is well with you, Sweetpea---we're Springing!RachelDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11204947567574886675noreply@blogger.com