Monday, February 01, 2010

Scarlet's Challenge

To name three classic movie momentsthat made me buy things, do things and or think things
that maybe I shouldn't have.

I always remembered the frustrated passion of the other Scarlett when she stood in the turnip field in 'Gone with the Wind' - shook her fist at the sky and vowed ' As God is my witness I'll never go hungry again!' Years later with the same passion I stood behind the yew hedge in the garden and vowed I would never be dependent on a man again. After weeks of schmoozing I had been refused money for a new bathing costume. My tears were real.



Oh the glamour of the fag - the intimacy of sharing a smoke. In 'Now Voyager' Paul would put two cigarettes in his mouth - light them and give one to Bette and she would say 'Don't let's ask for the moon Jerry - we have the staaaaaaaahs!' I was only 13 but once I had the excuse of the sweat and strain of taking finals I took up the weed and puffed for Britain.




' Where do the noses go?' Ingrid asked Gary before their first kiss. She was so beautiful with her cropped hair so I had mine all chopped off. No Gary for me and the head boy at school who I fancied said 'Oh you've done it now!' He still phones me though. No pressure - the challenge is open to anyone but I'd love the hear Naomi's, Eryl's and Kim's if they can find the time.
Posted by Picasa

32 comments:

Gia Fernandes said...

How cool are you! Movies make me do crazy stuff too :-) Don't you just love them?

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I will do it, Pat...This is a fun one and not too easy for me because there are so many memorable and meanngful movie moments in my life!

Scarlet standing in the field...INDEED!

And those two cigarettes....PERFECT!

I didn't remember that moment im "Bells" But I remember loving Bergman's hair, too....! Nobody did that back then, and I think it started kind of a trend, didn't it?

Fun Meme, Pat!

Anonymous said...

Whatever you do Pat, DON'T watch any programmes on bungee jumping or para-gliding!

Pat said...

Cloudcutter: why not have a go?

Naomi: Oh great! I'll look forward to it. No rush:)

Keith: You have my word and that's a promise I'll keep. I hope my boys know me better than to think of it for my 80th:)

Queenie said...

That's fascinating, Pat! I don't think I've ever been influenced in that way by a movie, although I was once in the car with my father after we'd watched The Italian Job together and his driving was uncharacteristically hair-raising.

Pat said...

Queenie: he and I were of the cinema generation and it was a big influence in our lives just as the telly is such an influence in your life;)

Ms Scarlet said...

I think Bette launched a thousand cigarette smokers!
Do you still smoke, Pat?
Sx
Thanks for taking part!

nursemyra said...

oh dear this is embarrassing to admit but I went out and got a perm after watching Olivia Newton John in Grease

DILLIGAF said...

Easy Rider - I tried some dope

Quadrophenia - I bought a Vespa scooter

AI (Artificial Intelligence) - I cried as though I was a robot little boy.

Love all those old classics by the way and Ingrid Bergman was indeed a babe!!!

Pat said...

Scarlet: I haven't smoked since 1977. I went to a health farm - just for the hell of it - and thought I can't spend all this money and not take it seriously. It was just the time when we were being made aware of the health hazard and I was feeling cloggy.

Nursemyra; well done for admitting it:)

FourD: I never did - try dope - how did you find it? I mean the effect not where.

Eryl: the noses - and the rest! Look forward to reading you if you can find the time.

Berowne said...

"Oh the glamour of the fag..."

Who was it who wrote that England and America were two countries separated by a single language: English.

The above sentence means one thing on one side of the Atlantic; quite another on the other.

apprentice said...

This is a great piece Pat! I love old films and the female leads of those times, especially Ingrid, Jean and Vivien

Anonymous said...

With the last one, I thought you were going to tell us about your heretofore, unrecorded personal war against Franco. A haircut is a tad more pedestrian, dear.

Cheers.

Granny Annie said...

I know they influenced me but not sure I can say how for each one: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY S; THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN; THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE. I have always been in favor of the underdog and since each of those movies had the poor underdog come out on top, they may have influenced me that way. I was a smoker and I was (and still am) a drama queen.

Pat said...

Berowne: yes of course. I wonder about the origin of the American version. Vive la difference:)

Anna : oh I've just realised you probably mean Jean Simmons. Great gals weren't they?

Randall: I admit I'm old but I'm not that old! And you know you love Ingrid.

Pat said...

Grannie Annie: I suppose I have to admit to being a bit of a drama queen also and ever since reading Dickens have rejoiced in the underdog's victory.

Charlie said...

A fun post, Pat. I laughed at you imitating Scarlett because of a bathing suit (costume).

Bit of a brat, were you?

Kim Ayres said...

I've been thinking about this one all day, Pat.

I hate to disappoint - and I really do feel quite bad about this - but my mind has drawn a complete blank.

In some ways it seems quite bizarre. It's a great question and surely it's just a matter of picking the best examples, but I just can't think of any.

Although so many films might have given me thoughts or ideas to explore, I cannot remember my behaviour ever being influenced by any of them - no items bought, no clothes or hairstyles adopted, no actions initiated.

So I started thinking, what about books? Pieces of music? Programmes on TV?

But I'm still not coming up with anything.

Perhaps it's just the time of year, or perhaps it's the fact my mind just doesn't seem to be as active as it was before the CFS, but I'm afraid I can't join in this one with you, Pat.

So sorry to disappoint :(

Barlinnie said...

Scarlet often smokes after sex, she's forever on at me to open the windies before I leave.

I normally just rearrange the quilt...

Pat said...

Charlie; how can you be so heartless?????

Kim: I should have said if you had the time and the inclination. You could never disappoint me and thanks for trying.

Pat said...

Jimmy: that reminds me of an old joke:
'Do you smoke after sex?'
'I don't know - I've never looked.'
I'm wondering which Scarlet?

Kath said...

Ingrid Bergman was incredibly beautiful and her daughter, Isabella Rossellini looks exactly like her! It's uncanny.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Interesting choices, Pat! I owned up my three. Strangely, I never was tempted to smoke regardless of the number of iconic role models I would have been copying. Though I have been tempted to buy a pipe so that I can make Telling Gestures at key moments in the narative.

Pat said...

Kath: didn't Isabella have a twin sister? You never seem to hear about her.

Kevin: Pipe smokers drive me dotty- all that hanging about while they light it endlessly in the middle of a conversation and the passion- killing shaking out the spit from the stem. No offence:)
Glad to have found your other blog.

Gadjo Dilo said...

Classic choices. Did Ingrid Bergman really ask? "Where do the noses go?"?? It seems so unlike her, but I suppose anything sounds good in a Swedish accent.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Pat....I just posted the MEME. It isn't exactly correct I'm afraid...But, two out of three ain't bad...lol...I actually did four films, and you'll see why...!

Pat said...

Gadjo: Ingrid did say it in the film but it was her character who was asking. I'm sure someone as lovely as Ingrid would have discovered lots about making love by then.

Naomi: been over and seen it and it's great! Thank you:)

Madame DeFarge said...

Great selection - I always had a soft spot for Paul Henreid after that.

Pat said...

Madame D: he must have made other films but that's the only one I remember.

DILLIGAF said...

Dope sent me to sleep.....

Well...first time anyroad...

AI makes me cry. Only movie EVER to do that.

I recommend it to you.

Speilberg at his best.

Incredible!!!!!

DILLIGAF said...

"Mummy?"

Just watch it.....

I robot...;-)

Pat said...

Four D: OK I'll look out for it.