Curtain Up! 5

I finally made the plunge to grab some items out of storage. For those of you who have an extensive collection of books, yes, they are your children, and you can't bear to leave them for any amount of time. While I couldn't bring all of them home, some did make it. Among these items were some theatre scripts and catalogs. For me, sometimes a good script is just as good as a book.

I consciously left any videos and DVDs behind. I'm wishing now I packed The Manchurian Candidate. Love that movie! It's brilliant and chilling. Sinatra has rarely been better. Angela Lansbury scares the crap out of me. There's a lot of "If you're not with us, you're a Communist!" mentality. It's a classic among classics. Damn it, I should've packed it.

But speaking of Communist witch hunts ...

One of the last Playscripts, Inc. catalogs I received shows Paul Newman on the cover, performing in the two man show: Trumbo: Red, White & Blacklisted. Dalton Trumbo was the Hollywood screenwriter responsible for Roman Holiday, Spartacus, Exodus, among others. He was also brought in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947. After which, he was imprisoned and forever known as one of the "Hollywood Ten." This is a great biographical piece based on Trumbo's letters to friends.

I obviously went with an American flag motif. But I roughened up the edges.

I also liked putting "red" in white, and "white" in red. You expect "red" in  red,

not white, and vice versa. They expected Trumbo to be a Communist, but ...

Maybe it's a bit much to read into.

Now hold tight while I do a 180 ...

Once More, With Feeling is a little-known movie with Yul Brynner and Kay Kendall. If you have never seen Kay Kendall in a movie, you have lived a sad and empty life. Impossibly beautiful with comedic timing sharp enough to cut a diamond; her sideways glances were at the same time coldly withering and capable of getting you hot under the collar. Or course, she's British, as only they seem to be capable of such a talent. Start with one of her first flicks, Genevieve. I won't explain why, you'll find out.

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.

Sheet music sweeping across the page, with the title

in an equally flowing script. Very minimalist.

But I digress. Once More, With Feeling is about a vain, pompous, ego-maniacal orchestra conductor and his long-suffering wife (Brynner and Kendall). The play, I admit, reads better than the movie played. The total opposite of Trumbo, you won't learn anything, as it's nothing but a fun romp and poke at the world of classical music; a fine after-dinner mint, cleansing the palate.

To further mix movies and theatre ... Once More's debut cast included Walter Matthau, Joseph Cotten, and Arlene Francis. George Axelrod directed. He also helmed ... The Manchurian Candidate.

No, not quite as smooth as Paul Harvey. Ah well, 'til next time.