Frank’s Fax Facts and Reviews

Vol.. XIV , 26

Sunday, Sept. 8. 2013

Old Movie Review

My Fair Lady

For me, this magnificent musical is about as good as they get! Every character deserved some sort of special award: (in addition to the twelve it won! This is film making at its finest! The only criticism I registered was the fact that after Audrey Hepburn took vocal lessons and transcribed all her songs for the camera, (I have heard some of these and they are more than satisfactory) Warner Bros. saw fit to have these all removed from the film, and the professional voice of a Ghost Singer substituted..

Notwithstanding this slight disappointment, the musical more than lived up to my expectations, and in the very presence of the incomparably beautiful Audrey Hepburn, (and that alone was worth any amount of money) made even the original stage version look almost pathetic in comparison. I had only one negative reaction throughout the entire film; for me the seemed to be trying to make a “Show Stopper” out of “Get Me to the Church on Time” (which more than justified that description before it’s tenth---or did it only seem this long?)

I would still have to give all my love and admiration for this inspired version of what I seriously doubt will ever be surpassed, and watch it every chance I get! And I feel as if I could watch it in its entirety at least once a year!

 

CAT FAX

“Life is hard, then you nap.”

Anonymous

 

Lynwood and Purgatory Smith

During his first term working in Chicago, Lynwood shared an apartment with one of his Heidelberg associates named “something I cannot remember, Smith”. I doubt that even Lynwood would still be able to remember his real name, after all these decades! The reason for this is really quite simple (at least in the MacTeer school of friendships.) I’ll just call him “Smitty” and let it go as that) We all began calling “Smitty” “Purg”, or if we were really put ot with him (and we all found him an utter bore) which was a reduction of the word “Purgatory”, with which Smitty had just learned the word and was fascinated with it! He  had recently learned about it from me and several other Cathoics. I tried to assure him that the Church no longer even mentioned it, let alone harping all the while that we had to make it “safely” through Purgatory ages before we would have earned a place in either Heaven or Hell.

At any rate, he was in a “phase” so strange to the rest of us, we could not come to terms with his seriousness. I had asked Lynwood is he would like to try Mama’s recipe for “meatless pasta with onion souga” (or sauce).. I had introduced his parents (as well as Lynwood) when I had paid a quick visit to Varnville while we were still in the service. It arose out of a discussion about my cooking: Lynwood wanted me to do my “Meatballs and Spaghetti”, but I frankly was not in the mood to tackle this much work: so I explained to his parents that “Meatless Spaghetti” was better for you and the taste (I could assure them) was far different from the meat-ball meal. They had “flipped out” which was the usual reaction, to my simple meal (which also costs less than a dollar to serve), so now, here I was, trying to persuade everybody to try my meatless Italian meal. The verdict was unanimous: the McTeers loved it!

I always tell anyone who is tasting its “Definitely different” flavor for the first time, how Mama had invented this savory flavor when we were not allowed to eat meat on Fridays or several other Holy days throughout the rest of the year. It is so easy to make that we all learned to make it any time we didn’t especially like the meal our sisters  or parents cooked for us,

The Simple Recipe for Pasta with Onion Souga (sauce) uses any kind of pasta from simple spaghetti, or macaroni (my personal flavor consists of miniature sea shell macaroni, loaded with the Souga, and lots of grated cheese cheese- PLUS fresh basil leaves if you have them growing as I do. To begin with, I peel as many onions as I need for the meal. I then chop the slices into longer thinner slices and sauté them a few minutes in a skillet that had been filled with olive oil. Add the chopped onions (and you can never get too much) when the onions are golden brown, add a can of tomato paste and mix thoroughly, adding salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate pot, add water enough to cook as much pasta as you want. I always allow for second helpings (especially if this all you are serving) and as soon as the water boils, add the pasta (the reason I like the shells is that, unlike spaghetti and macaronis, the shells tend to act as a sort of net that catches and holds the luscious accumulated flavors of all the ingredients (and please do not forget the cheese and sweet basil!

 Now back to the reason for this recipe”  Lynwood and I ate until I was sure we would pop wide open. But I had cooked enough “sea shells” that there more than enough for two more meals (which I had promised my host to make. That would solve one more problem for one more meal.

Richard (whose name just now flashed into my degenerating memory) absolutely went bananas over the peasant’s meal we had all enjoyed so much. But Richard did not exactly make me like him more than I ever had, by asking Lynwood if they had any saltines he could eat with his pasta! What a waste!

Old Movie Trivia Quiz

1.      Who was Ferris Beuler?

2.      What did he do to justify his having his own film?

3.      What actor played Henry Aldrich in movies?

4.      Who was Nancy Drew? Hint: she was the brat who caused all the trouble in These Three.

5.      What actor became Anthony Adverse?

6.      Who was the loathsome housekeeper to Joan Fontaine in Rebecca?

7.      Who squashed a grapefruit into his costar’s face in a Warner Bros. criminal biography?

8.      Who was the original Anne of Green Gables?

9.      In My Favorite, what two men  claim Irene Dunne as their wife?

10.  In the very similar movie (Too Many Husbands) what favorite star(often starred with James Stewart)?