The Silver Screen Oasis

movieman1957 wrote:"Is that another chicken joke?" Jo Anne Worley - "Laugh-in."

Someday I may have something important to say.

Aw, Chris....

It was a Rubber Duck on the Groucho Marx TV Show, You Bet Your Life. It was required viewing at our house (one TV, Parents choice...and I was the remote control...)

knitwit45 wrote:and I was the remote control...)

O Hearty Pioneer! Remember trudging across the vast living room to actually change the dial using your hand? They don't make 'em like that anymore (There are people reading this asking "what's a dial?").

I went through a period where I thought that The Old Man and the Sea was dull. Nowadays I like the narration and the dream-like imagery of the ocean, though I'm less enamored of the "Spence in the dinghy" in the Esther Williams tank sequences, but the poetry of the story shines through the dross enough for me to think of this film with fondness.

Now we have 100 channels. And I only watch three of them!

"My wife and I do not eat in bed...maybe a banana once in a while."

Spence was far more over weight than any one wanted him to be to make Old Man and The Sea but clever editing means it isn't apparent, supposedly. I can imagine the ocean and location scene would be nice to watch and Hemingway was happy with the finished film, it interests me enough to add it to my list of films requiring viewing.

Unfortunately, Hemingway loathed the movie and Spencer Tracy. After meeting him in Cuba and escorting him around various locations, the writer called the actor, who had one of his worst periods of alcoholism during the extended filming, "a rummy" to his face and too fat to play the role of the Cuban sailor. Even director Fred Zinnemann, who never had a bad word for anyone in his autobiography, had to concede that "there were a lot of egos on that picture" referring to Tracy, Hemingway, agent/producer Leland Hayward and others.

Ernie still cashed the check he received for the rights of the film, of course.

moirafinnie wrote:

knitwit45 wrote:and I was the remote control...)

O Hearty Pioneer! Remember trudging across the vast living room to actually change the dial using your hand? They don't make 'em like that anymore (There are people reading this asking "what's a dial?").

I went through a period where I thought that The Old Man and the Sea was dull. Nowadays I like the narration and the dream-like imagery of the ocean, though I'm less enamored of the "Spence in the dinghy" in the Esther Williams tank sequences, but the poetry of the story shines through the dross enough for me to think of this film with fondness.

Moira, it wasn't a very long trudge, as my brothers and I always sat on the floor, with noses as close to the set as possible. Remember the Parental cry, "you'll ruin your eyes!!!!"? Well, I guess they were right in my case, glasses by the 5th grade, and should have had them one year earlier.

Now back to your scheduled programming.....

knitwit45 wrote:

moirafinnie wrote:

knitwit45 wrote:and I was the remote control...)

O Hearty Pioneer! Remember trudging across the vast living room to actually change the dial using your hand? They don't make 'em like that anymore (There are people reading this asking "what's a dial?").

Moira, it wasn't a very long trudge, as my brothers and I always sat on the floor, with noses as close to the set as possible. Remember the Parental cry, "you'll ruin your eyes!!!!"? Well, I guess they were right in my case, glasses by the 5th grade, and should have had them one year earlier.

Now back to your scheduled programming.....

Our parents hated television and only bought sets that were:
a.) Second or Third Hand
b.) Missing Important Parts
c.) On their last legs
d.) Only purchased when something of interest to them was going to be televised (a national election or a World Series).

Under category B, that missing part included the dial to change channels on one memorable set. We had to steal a steak knife from the silver chest, stick it just so into the part of the television where the the turner mechanism was, and try to switch channels without causing sparks to fly or getting ourselves electrocuted. Oh, those were the days!

Btw, we also ruined the point of some perfectly good steak knives this way too. The set lasted about one summer and half a fall.

A sweet older man from our church repaired television sets, and made house calls
His most memorable visit was one of the last ones he made, before those huge tubes were no longer used...he made a special trip to the house, looked the set over, then bent down, picked up the cord, and said,"Dorothy, you have to plug it in to get it to work"

hahaaaaa! and that line too, was in a dick van dyke show episode, nancy.

It really did happen. And you know, I think we all fell on the floor laughing (except my mom) when we saw that show...

MissGoddess wrote:what is it about the word "chicken" or the sight of a plucked one that automatically makes so many of us laugh?

Some veteran comic, can't remember who, said it had to do with the "k" sound, but "turkey" and "duck" aren't funny. Only chicken!

moirafinnie wrote:Unfortunately, Hemingway loathed the movie and Spencer Tracy. After meeting him in Cuba and escorting him around various locations, the writer called the actor, who had one of his worst periods of alcoholism during the extended filming, "a rummy" to his face and too fat to play the role of the Cuban sailor. Even director Fred Zinnemann, who never had a bad word for anyone in his autobiography, had to concede that "there were a lot of egos on that picture" referring to Tracy, Hemingway, agent/producer Leland Hayward and others.

Ernie still cashed the check he received for the rights of the film, of course.

Apparently Hemingway really liked the finished film but groused an awful especially about Spencer's weight and Spencer himself. The whole film sounded a nightmare but started with so much promise. Did Hemingway like any of the films made from his books?

My parents only bought a new appliance when the old one broke down. We got our first color set in 1970. Before that it was, "We already have a TV. We don't need another one." It makes sense, really. To this day, I wear a pair of pants till the first big rip appears. That's when I know I need a new pair!

"turkey" and "duck" aren't funny. Only chicken!

Maurice "Buddy" Sorrel makes the case that certain numbers are funny. 37 gets a laugh every time. 74? Nothing! It's not a convincing argument!

I like Tracy in "Old Man." As much as you can appreciate a role that's mostly voice over. It's different. But he manages to match the look with the words. Too much of a drunk for Hemingway? That's drinking!