31 Days of Oscar Blogathon: 1940 Best Actor

The First Time Mr. Lincoln

was in the House

 

The 13th annual Academy Awards dinner was held on a Thursday night in late February, 1941 at Los Angeles' Biltmore Hotel. That year, the Best Actor nominees included four men who would become film immortals. The movies they were nominated for were major hits and remain popular today: 


• Charlie Chaplin, The Great Dictator (his only acting nomination)

• Henry Fonda, The Grapes of Wrath

• Laurence Olivier, Rebecca

• James Stewart, The Philadelphia Story

The fifth member of this auspicious group 

is less well known,

and the movie he was honored for 

isn't a cable staple, 

but his role is unforgettable

Raymond Massey was born in Toronto and yet (like the UK's  Daniel Day Lewis) he was tapped to play our greatest President in Abe Lincoln in Illinois.

After distinguishing himself in World War I -- he was wounded while serving in France as a member the Canadian infantry -- Massey went home to Ontario. There he joined the family business, selling farm equipment. That may sound like a rural, Lincolnesque endeavor that kept him in contact with the land, but it wasn't. Massey-Harris was profitable and well established in both North America and England, and eventually it was purchased by AGCO.

Relocated in England for agribusiness, Massey discovered that had the soul of an artist, not a salesman, and was irresistibly drawn to the stage. His greatest London success came in the WWI drama The Silver Tassie. Massey felt a tremendous affinity for the material and eventually both appeared in and directed the West End production. In the 1930s, he moved to film, starring as Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band and playing the evil Chauvelin opposite Leslie Howard in The Scarlett Pimpernel. 

Then he returned to the stage, starring in the Broadway production of Robert Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Massey recreated his triumphant performance on screen, as well. Humble and honest, warm and wise, a voracious reader and charming storyteller, Massey creates an indelible portrait. In this homely, unpretentious man we see the all the makings of the legend.

The movie begins with Lincoln on the Sangamon River, en route to New Orleans with a load of livestock. A mishap lands him literally at the feet of Ann Rutledge, the daughter of a New Salem tavern owner. He likes the town and really likes the girl, and decides this tiny Illinois town is where he'll put down roots. 

The tentative Lincoln-Rutledge romance ends tragically, and his final declaration of love is one of Massey's most moving scenes. Whoever would have thought Abe could be this romantic? (I prefer to ignore that today's historians downplay the great man's relationship with Ann because their romance as depicted here is so touching.)

His New Salem neighbors prevail upon Lincoln to run for the State Assembly, which brings him to the capital in Springfield. The sets are very realistic. I have been to Springfield many times and recognize the windowseat in the poster from the law office Lincoln shared with Billy Herndon.

After his term ends, he begins studying law, and courting Mary Todd (Ruth Gordon, in her film debut). The wealthy, socially prominent Todds see this as a mismatch, but headstrong, ambitious Mary  sees unlimited potential in her beau and they wed despite her family's objections. With Mary's hand firmly in the small of his back, propelling him forward, Lincoln's star rises. Massey really sinks his teeth into the actual speeches of the Lincoln-Douglas debate. As the movie ends, President-elect Lincoln poignantly addresses the people of Springfield, saying he does "not know when, or whether ever" he shall return to his beloved Illinois. It's a moving moment, true to Lincoln's actual impromptu address at the depot, delivered beautifully by Massey.

This film leaves off near where Spielberg's begins. Four years have elapsed, his first term has just ended and the Lincoln now showing in theaters has just won re-election. Daniel Day Lewis' portrayal is wearier, cagier and tougher than Massey's. But that makes sense, for now he is a Commander in Chief who has been severely tested by the issues of slavery and war.

And the 1940 Best Actor Oscar went to ... James Stewart. I am a massive fan of Stewart's and love The Philadelphia Story, but it is undeniably the lightest of the five performances nominated that year. 

While creatively this was his career high water mark, Raymond Massey went on to appear in more major Hollywood films, including Arsenic and Old Lace. He also rejoined the Canadian Army during World War II. He reprised the role of Lincoln several times -- in stage revivals of the Sherwood play, as well as on the big screen in How the West Was Won (1962) and the small screen in The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1956). Late in his career, he found great success with TV audiences as Dr. Gillespie, mentor to Dr. Kildare (Richard Chamberlain).

And here's a little gossip for you: Remember that Ruth Gordon was Mary to Massey's Abe? That gave her a ringside seat to Massey's rancorous divorce from actress Adrienne Allen, which took place shortly after filming Abe Lincoln in Illinois wrapped. Both Massey and Allen were represented by a lawyer named Whitney -- husband and wife attorneys on opposing sides of the case. After the Massey divorce was final, the Whitneys split, too. Adrienne married her attorney, William Whitney. Raymond wed his attorney, Dorothy Whitney, his wife until her death. This real-life tale so fascinated and amused Gordon that she and her husband, Garson Kanin, used it as the inspiration for their script, Adam's Rib.

About the Blogathon:
"Aurora of Once Upon a Screen, Paula of Paula's Cinema Club and Kellee  of Outspoken and Freckled are hosting a new, mammoth blogathon event that coincides with Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar, February 1 to March 3, 2013. It’ll be a month filled with fabulous tales and screen wonders." I encourage you to check out other entries.


 

Containing Archie

Remember Archie Bunker, the Los Angeles lunkhead my oldest friend was desperately attracted to last year? Well, he's the reason why I was pulling for her NOT to get the job she wanted at Cedars Sinai Hospital.

I stalk him on Facebook and know he's been in and out of Cedars a lot lately. Problems with his feet, complications from his diabetes ... He's not a well man, can't work and is just very sour. All I need is for my unhappy and vulnerable friend to happen to run into him and get sucked in.


He has her number. He "friended" her on Facebook. He could call her or post a message (um, like "Happy Birthday" or "Merry Christmas") but hasn't. He hasn't done even the minimum. He doesn't want her. I get it. She's finally gotten it, too.

I don't want any backsliding. So yes, every time she told me about her next interview at Cedars, I was crossing my fingers when I wished her well because I really didn't want her to get it. Now that she's been eliminated, I feel as guilty as I do relieved.

Why am I laying on the sofa?

I took today off work. It didn't seem worth the commute since we aren't that busy and I'm battling a pernicious headache. Probably the result of my trip to the doctor yesterday. She gave me two vaccinations and an inhaler. That's a big influx of meds into this old bod.

What were the vaccines? A flu shot (a little after the fact, I'd say) and a tetanus shot. So for as crappy as I feel today, I'm grateful that my doctor made the connection between my chronic cough and all the years that have passed between my tetanus shot. For, unbeknownst to me, the tetanus shot is good against more than just protecting me in case I step on a rusty nail at Girl Scout camp. It also helps prevent pertusis! She also gave me an inhaler to use at 8:00 -- both AM and PM.

I've been coughing since I returned from Key West on January 1. That's enough! And hopefully, beginning later today, I'll be better.

Big shoes to fill

No, make that MASSIVE shoes to fill. Poor President Obama is delivering his State of the Union speech tonight on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. I mean, REALLY! How can any President compete with the memory of the man who said:

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

The only one who could possible compete with Lincoln's oratory is Lincoln, who also said:

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." (That's the Library of Congress' handwritten Gettysburg Address you see here.)

I just love the resurgence Abe is enjoying -- on the best seller list, on TV and in the movie theater. I'm proud that he's from Illinois and I've been able to walk where he walked. He totally rocks.

McCartney wins Grammy for "Kisses On The Bottom"

That was the Grammy headline from The Jakarta Post. Jakarta!

God, it must be fun to be Sir Paul and have that kind of worldwide, multi-generational acknowledgement.

Enjoy it, my liege.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Basically Obscure Meme-Part 2

21: Would you swear in front of your parents. I did. It used to amuse/annoy me to discover what they (esp my dad) thought was acceptable language and what was offensive. "Fag" is OK, but "shit" is bad? Not in my world.

22: Which continents have you been on? Europe and North America

23: Do you get motion sickness? Any horror stories? I'm lucky enough to not suffer from motion sickness

24: Why did you name your blog whatever you named your blog? It was available

25: Would you wear a rainbow jacket? A neon yellow sweater? Checkered pants? No

26: What was your favorite cartoon growing up? Post a picture if you can. I was a massive fan of Mr. Peabody and his boy, Sherman. Rumor has it a full-length, animated movie is in the works, with Stephen Colbert voicing Mr. Peabody. YEA!

27: In a past life I must have been a... very bad girl, hence my current monastic existence.

28: If you had to look at one city skyline for the rest of your life, which would it be? The one I'm blessed to gaze upon each day suits me fine. Behold Chicago from the Lake.

29: Longest plane ride you've ever been on? To Hawaii. It was actually a longer flight than the one to Paris. Go figure.

30: The longest you've ever slept? I don't recall any spectacular, marathon sleeps. Though everytime I have been sick that's how I've healed, by sleeping and napping.

31: Would you buy a sweater covered in kitten pictures? Would you wear it if someone gave it you for free? Considering that I wore a "Purrrrfect Harmony" sweatshirt from the local animal shelter just yesterday, I'd say the answer is yes.

32: Do you pluck your eyebrows? Yes.

33: Favorite kind of bean? Kidney? Black? Pinto? Sculptural. This is Chicago Millennium Park's Cloud Gate, but everyone knows it as "The Bean." It's so cool and I love it.

34: How far can you throw a baseball? I've never tried. I am a legendarily bad softball player, and I assume I'd be no better at baseball.

35: If you had to move to another country, where would you move? Canada.

36: Have you ever eaten Ethiopian food? Vietnamese? Korean? Nepalese? How was it? The only one of these I've had is Vietnamese and it's always been "fused" with another type of cuisine. But its always been fine.

37: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Quick! Someone grab an iPhone! For this is a question for Siri.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: The Way We Were
   

1) In honor of Valentine's Day next week, what's the most romantic movie you can think of? It would be easy for me to pick The Way We Were, because it's my favorite movie. Period. But to mix it up a little, I'll say Holiday with Cary Grant and the Great Kate Hepburn. I love how each of these gorgeous, charming but rather lonely people finally finds a person who really gets them and now they aren't lonely anymore.

2) The Way We Were was a tearjerker. Do you think that most real-life love stories end in heartbreak? Or do you believe in happily ever after? I believe what Orson Welles said: "If you want a happy ending, it depends on when you stop the story." I think every romance has happy moments.

 
3) What's your favorite love song? You may not know it. "I Will" is a rather obscure cut from The Beatles' White Album. Sir Paul still does it in concert, and it's always a lovely moment. Just the troubadour with his guitar singing about true love.

 
 

4) In 1993, Barbra Streisand married actor James Brolin, who first became famous as Dr. Steven Kiley on Marcus Welby, MD. Who is your favorite TV doctor? It's been a while since I've watched Grey's Anatomy, but that doesn't diminish my enduring admiration for McDreamy.

 
5) In 2012, Streisand renewed her contract with Columbia, where's she's been recording since 1963. So she's been with the same label for fifty years! Where have you worked the longest, and how long was that? Sears Corporate HQ in The Sears (now Willis) Tower. 9 years. I started there as an administrative assistant and then got promoted to catalog copywriter. (Does anyone still remember the Sears Catalog?) I will always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me, so when I have a chance to buy something at Sears, I do. 

 

6) Sam Winters once worked as a hostess in a chic bistro in Worcester, PA. That's why she frequently gets  frustrated by bad service in restaurants -- she's certain she could make it run more smoothly. Where do you find yourself getting annoyed most often? The health club! Women take up space on the locker room bench for their water bottles and iPods and there's no place for my ass. Or people sit on the equipment talking to one another or (worse!) texting so I can't use that machine. AAAARGH!
 
7) Have you ever taken a polygraph test? No.

 
8) Crunchy, smooth or organic peanut butter? Crunchy.

9) Describe your favorite sweater. A really bright pink pullover from Old Navy. I got it at the after-Christmas sale in 2010 for less than $10, but it's so pretty and soft.

Happy Birthday to Kathy

If you come here often, you know of my tortured relationship with Kathy. I've known her for 30 often awkward and troubled years. Oh, there were good times, too. Obviously. But Kathy is a very complicated woman with a very messy life and I think I bring out the worst in her.

Last year at this time I was done with her. Really, I was. But she refused to accept it. She kept giving me gifts, taking me places, even stayed for the entirety of my mother's visitation and service.

So I was left with a dilemma: how do I lose someone after 30 years without hurting her? I didn't want to be mean. I didn't want retribution. I certainly didn't want a scene -- there'd already been too much drama between us. I just wanted it over. But since she clearly values our friendship more than I realized, I decided to keep her in my life, albeit at arm's length.


And so that's why I sent her a birthday gift: a book that chronicled the 20th century evolution of the suburb where she raised her kids, and a refrigerator magnet that said, "HUGS" because that's how she always signs her letters and emails.

I'm happy and proud of how I handled this. The gift was obviously unique to her and it arrived on time for her special day. But since I mailed it, I'm able to celebrate her and still keep her at arm's length. For while she's earned a place in my life, I've earned the comfort and peace that comes with space.

I have made a commitment!

I like to have a signature scent. Beginning in the late 1990s, and for a long time after that, it was Black Pearls by Elizabeth Taylor. I liked it because it was both floral and musky, and because it wasn't as common as White Diamonds, which every woman seemed to be wearing for a time. Then, damn that Liz, it was discontinued. I still have a few bottles tucked away in a drawer in a dark closet, saved for special occasions.

Then, in 2005, I moved on to Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. I loved, loved it! The packaging was pretty. The floral scent was good for day into evening. I was very loyal, even as I was embarrassed to buy it. (I always worried the girl at the counter was tsk-tsk-ing that I was a poor tragic thing who thought she was Carrie Bradshaw.) Then, damn that SJP, it was discontinued in 2009. I began hoarding it and had enough to last me until the tail end of last year.

Finally I have landed on a new scent! (Drumroll,please!) Exceptional!

It meets all my basic criteria: it's floral but not overwhelmingly so (kinda like Estee Lauder White Linen, only a wee bit hipper/spicier); not a lot of other women wear it; the body creme is rich; the packaging has nice, clean lines; best of all, it's not a celebrity fragrance and it's readily available online, so I won't be embarrassed at the cosmetic counter.

This search for the perfect scent made me sad about e-readers. For I did a lot of my research with fragrance strips in magazines. As printed periodicals go the way of the dinosaur, how will I find my next signature scent?

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #209

THIRTEEN FACTS ABOUT CRUISE VACATIONS

My aunt just returned from a cruise to the Bahamas. She regularly takes off for the high seas and loves it. Her enthusiasm for this form of travel is so infectious that she inspired my TT.

According to the travel site Expedia, here are 13 things you should know about vacationing on a cruise ship.

1) "The best value in travel." It's easy to budget for a cruise because meals and shipboard entertainment is included in the price. Beware, though: the price of soft drinks, specialty coffees and booze will come out of your pocket.

2) Stay local or see the world. Cruises offer you the opportunity to travel up and down the east coast -- from New York to Halifax with ports of call in Bar Harbor, Boston and Newport -- or go as far away as Africa and Antarctica. The most popular cruise destination is the Bahamas.

3) You can swim while on the sea. Most ships have multiple pools and water slides.

4) Sail away in a spa. Full-service spas are cruise staples.

5) Get healthy. Weight training, acupuncture, pilates ...  most cruises offer several fitness classes.

6) Casinos. Cruises that take you to international waters can provide slot machines and table games.

7) Get educated. Specialty cruises offer courses in everything from finance to film appreciation to wine tasting.

8) A variety of cabin choices. The size of your perfect cabin depends on how much time you plan to spend there, and how much you wish to spend.
• If you're taking a short cruise and/or you're looking forward to spending a lot of time on deck, an affordable inside cabin makes sense. 
• Balcony cabins cost more but give you a better view and offer you the option of room service on your own private veranda.
• Suites are the luxury option, giving you at least 350 sq. ft (sometimes up to 2,500 sq. ft) and high end amenities like a private whirlpool.

9) 24/7 dining. A cruise is not the place to diet! Food is readily available, and most of it is included in the price of your trip. In addition to formal dining and room service, most ships have poolside grills, ondeck coffee bars and casual buffets.

10) A chance to "put on the ritz." While there are usually informal jeans/t-shirt options available, most ships have elegant dining rooms where formal attire is appropriate. Photographers are available to capture you at your glam best.

11) You can bring the kids. Most ships allow children as young as 3 years old. Babysitting is available, either in your cabin or in a group setting.

12) On-ship health and safety. Every ship has a doctor and a small medical center in case of emergency or minor problems (usually sea sickness). For more complicated issues, there's always a plan for getting patients to a nearby port of call.

13) Stay connected. It's easy to make cabin-to-cabin calls and most ships have internet cafes with wi-fi. You can often enjoy good cell phone reception on board, but beware of the roaming charges from your carrier.

For more about the Thursday 13, or to play along yourself, click here.

Next Stop: Geek City

I love hearing about the First Ladies! It's such a fascinating position, a historical Rorschach Test. Because the role is undefined, the way each lady performs it says a lot about her, and the times.

Everybody has an opinion about everything she does. People with way too much time on their hands actually organized and sent combs to Jackie Kennedy because they didn't like her "French" hairstyles. Nancy Reagan spent too much on china. And I remember being in a sandwich shop in downstate Bloomington, IL. Fox News was on and they were castigating Michelle Obama because she said parents shouldn't have to take the subway or a bus, just to buy fresh fruit for their families. "Why shouldn't they?" the commentators were demanding. As if helping parents provide good nutrition for children is somehow controversial. Sheesh!

And yet even while we're relentlessly picking on these women, we're also so proud of them. JBKO is credited with pioneering today's "soft" diplomacy -- while her husband and DeGaulle were going at it tooth and nail about arms and aid, she willfully and single handedly convinced the French Minister of Cultural Affairs to bring the Mona Lisa to America. That breathy-voiced girl not only enabled millions of American school children see a classic work of art, she helped lower the temperature of the negotiations between two countries. I still recall what a big deal it was when Pat Nixon bravely toured a combat zone. And, speaking of courage, who can forget Hilary Clinton speaking out for Chinese women -- in China?

And there are the fascinating ladies who served before my time. Abigail Adams wrote the most fabulous letters, not only to the husband she referred to as "dear friend" (I think that's so romantic) but to Thomas Jefferson and other influential men of the time. I love how they admired her intellect. And my poor homegirl, Mary Lincoln. Treated cruelly first by fate, then by family and finally by history.

Because I love learning about them, I'm thrilled about the series CSpan is debuting on President's Day. I'm anticipating this with the same excitement other (less geeky) folks reserve for The Super Bowl.

Regarding Jen Lancaster: The Artist vs. Her Art (II)

I wrote about Mel Gibson in December -- how I'm sorry I know as much about him as I do because it makes it impossible for me to enjoy his movies.

I feel that way about author Jen Lancaster, too. Here's her page on Amazon. Her books have made me laugh, and one (Pretty in Plaid) included a touching and memorable passage about what fun it is, how exhilarating it is, for small town girls, like she and I once were, to come into Chicago to make our fortunes. It was a lovely piece of writing.

But there's an intolerant undertone to her work. Cringe-worthy, really. Like referring to Rachel Maddow as "he." Really? That's funny in the new millennium? Or sharing how riotously funny Ann Coulter is, and how wise and witty she finds Rush Limbaugh. Or closing one of her books with a tale about verbally dressing down the homeless person who had the temerity to stop her en route to the swimming pool. That passage made me want to put the book down and take a Silkwood shower.

Because she's such an animal lover (someone who loves cats and rescues pitbulls couldn't possibly be as intolerant as she sounds, right?) and so gifted, I used to assume much of what she was wrote was for comic effect. But then a funny thing happened ...

The six degrees of separation between us shrunk. A friend of hers is in a book club with a friend of mine. They read My Fair Lazy, a Lancaster book I enjoyed so much I actually bought a second copy and gave it to my niece for Buy a Friend a Book Week. Celeste* didn't like the book -- she thought the tone too sarcastic and the content more than a little silly -- but was reluctant to say it because she totally respected how fond and proud Ms. Lancaster's friend was. It got progressively more uncomfortable for Celeste when Jen Lancaster spoke to their book group. I was excited to hear all about it.

Celeste reported it was awkward, saying, "It was like 'O Come, All Ye Faithful.' Jen Lancaster was all, 'Oh, come let us adore me.'" Celeste said that all she and one of the other bookclub members talked about during the ride home was how uncomfortable it was to have that "loud woman brag about her accomplishments" in their friend's living room. An influential woman in Chicago marketing circles, Celeste had recently spent time with former President George W. Bush and Maria Shriver and observed that when it came to ego, they had nothing on Jen Lancaster.

Because of the intimate way Jen writes in her memoirs, I felt like I knew her. So I told myself the author behaved that way because she was nervous and tried so hard to be a good reflection on her friend, their hostess, that it backfired.

Around this time I made the mistake of following Jen Lancaster on Facebook and Twitter. For one as sarcastic and critical as she is, she's awfully thin skinned. When Andrew Breitbart died, she was surprised and hurt that Tweeters mocked her sorrow. Breitbart was a writer she admired and he was dead! I couldn't help but sniff. I mean, one of Andrew Breitbart's last big stories was about Barack Obama's relationship with Professor Derrick Bell. Bell died in 2011, before Breitbart called him racially divisive, before Breitbart made it seem like somehow Barack Obama shouldn't have associated with the scholar who was the first African American to earn tenure at Harvard law. A lot us admired Bell, and how he stood up for women and minorities. It's OK to slag Bell posthumously but not Breitbart? Got it.

Or when she incited her Facebook "fans" (not "friends"; she refers to us as "fans") to call and email a suburban car dealership she believed cheated her husband. There were even derogatory reviews on Yelp! posted by people who never set foot on the dealership's showroom floor. It was a creepy display of bullying, and yet Lancaster was so amused by and proud of herself that she recounted the tale in an interview with Jenny Lawson on Amazon.

Or most recently, she used Facebook to plead for people to not be hostile and intolerant regarding the election. She did this just days after Ann Coulter, the woman she finds so funny, called the President of the United States "a retard." I responded to Jen Lancaster that I agreed with her whole heartedly, and that perhaps she could call upon Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter to ratchet down the rhetoric a bit, too. And then I "unliked" her page.

Without social media, would I ever have discovered the author I once enjoyed is self-involved without redeeming self-awareness? Probably not. Should I view her published work as if I hadn't read her tweets and interviews and posts? I don't see how I can.

The lady herself recently said, “No one’s going to be won over by my spouting dogma in my books because that’s not why people buy my stuff. I don’t write essays on why liberalism doesn’t work or why Obama’s taking us down a slippery slope. People read my books to laugh, so that’s my goal. But if my goofy little stories just happen to emphasize conservative values like morality, self-determination, and liberty, well… let’s just say that’s not unintentional.”

Her message may not be unintentional but it's still offensive. "Morality" is a "conservative value?" That would be news to my minister. "Self-determination?" To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., it's hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you don't have boots ... and not everyone has the advantages of the Purdue degree it took her many, many years to earn (oh, her patient parents!) and the gainfully employed spouse Lancaster has written extensively about herself. Her "goofy little stories" now strike me as more hostile than amusing and I'm not spending my money on them anymore.

What about you? Do you have a Mel Gibson or Jen Lancaster? Is there an artist or performer you wish you still appreciated, but can't?

*Not her real name.

Paperwork update

Issues related to my mother's final affairs are slowly grinding to resolution. I transferred the gas out of my name to that of the reverse mortgage company. If they don't want to pay it, that's their business. I'm done. As of February 1, I have ceased footing the bill for snow removal at my mother's home, as well.

The electricity is a bit more complicated, because my mother never switched that account from my dad (who died in 1991) to her. Commonwealth Edison wants proof that he's dead. I don't have his death certificate and I'm not going to incur the expense of getting another one. After all, since my mother had a reverse mortgage, her home was never legally my responsibility. I have just been paying the utilities so my kid sister would be comfortable as she went about the painful business of disposing of our mother's belongings. Now that is done, and so is my largess. So I told the customer service rep that I would send them a letter from the cemetery, listing my dad's plot number and the date of his burial. After all, we wouldn't bury him if he wasn't dead, would we? Well, the ComEd rep said he wasn't sure they could accept that as documentation. "So what then?" I asked. The rep responded that since I am not -- nor have I ever been -- responsible for the property, I should just ignore any bills I continue to receive. "Eventually," he said, "the power will be turned off one way or the other." Seems incredibly wasteful, doesn't it?

Then there's the reverse mortgage itself. Early last month, my lawyer notified the reverse mortgage company that we wanted to do a "deed in lieu of foreclosure" and that as of February 1, I would not longer care for the house in any way. It took them forever and ever to get back to us, but finally they have -- with a list of 8 demands. My lawyer told them that four were unacceptable to us, since we were never the homeowners and we never entered into any agreement with them. He told the company what they already knew -- that the "deed in lieu" not only gives us a sense of closure, it saves them much of legwork and expense that accompanies a typical foreclosure. Their rep said while that may be true, their inviolate procedure demands we sign the letter with 8 terms that she sent us. And so we are, with 4 of the 8 crossed out and our initials beside the big old X's.

By "us," "we," and "our," I refer to my kid sister and I. It remains to be seen if my older sister will get on board with us. I don't know what I'll do if she refuses. Or if the reverse mortgage company refuses to accept our revised letter of intention.

Drink and cry, probably.

Hurts so good

"You have a computer back," the massage therapist said, leaning with her elbow into the knot in my shoulder. It hurt, yes it did. But it also felt soooooo good. I admit I'm still a little sore. It was the first massage I've had since late summer and I was a lumpy, bumpy mess.

31 Days of Oscar Blogathon: Spotlight on Anne & Kate

I think I love Oscar so much because awards season hits when I'm jonesing the hardest for baseball,* and like the MLB, the AMPAS is all about stats. Which Best Picture won the most Oscars ... which made the most money (adjusted for inflation)... which director has the most Oscars ... Oscar aficionados can answer to all those questions and more.†

While looking through Oscar trivia, I found an interesting factoid:

With her unprecedented four Best Actress Oscars and eight additional nominations 

in the lead category, Katharine Hepburn is the Queen of the Spring Classic. 

And there's only one actress who both beat and lost to The Great Kate at Oscar time.  

That lady is the estimable Anne Bancroft.

Anne Bancroft had five Best Actress nominations in all, including:
•  1964 for The Pumpkin Eater
•  1977 for The Turning Point
•  1985 for Agnes of God

But for this post, we're concentrating on the two other years ...

1962. The thirty-fifth Oscar ceremony was held April 8, 1963, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Five actresses were nominated for Best Actress that night -- including Bette Davis, Geraldine Page and Lee Remick -- but neither of the two we're focused on were in attendance. Anne Bancroft was in New York, performing onstage in Mother Courage. And Hepburn, well, she wasn't there because, as she frequently said, awards shows gave her "dyspepsia."

Born Anna Italiano in the Bronx, Anne Bancroft always retained deep roots in New York. She loved Broadway, originating the role of Gittel in Two for the Seasaw (to be replaced by Shirley MacLaine in the movie). She was an early choice to play Fanny Brice onstage in Funny Girl (I think you know who ultimately won that role). And, most famously, she played the role of Helen Keller's teacher, Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, performing it for over a year at The Playhouse Theater.

Both Broadway's Annie and Helen (Patty Duke) made their way to the big screen and the results are breathtaking. Viewed today, even half a century later, their performances remain fresh and moving. The Miracle Worker cemented Anne Bancroft's status in the public's mind as a dramatic actress, but over her long career she proved herself deft at comedy, too. No surprise, when you consider she was married to and appeared with Mel Brooks.

Then there was Kate, with her 9th nomination for Long Day's Journey into Night. She was Mary, one of O'Neill's "haunted Tyrones." As the drug addled matriarch, she struggled with her past-his-prime husband and a pair of talented yet tormented sons (the tubucular writer and the alcoholic actor), and gave one of her own favorite performances. In her memoirs, Hepburn wrote that she was pleased the film stayed so close to the original text because, "I felt entirely supported by the words. What an experience! I'll never forget it."

When Oscar night rolled around, Ms. Bancroft unwittingly played a role in one of Hollywood's great feuds. Anne let the Academy know very early on that she wouldn't be able to attend the ceremony because of her Broadway commitment. Joan Crawford offered to accept on her behalf, and Bancroft agreed. Why not? After all, she was a relative newcomer and Crawford was a screen legend. What she didn't know was how upset Crawford was about not being nominated for that year's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, or how much Bette Davis was reveling in the fact that she was nominated when Crawford wasn't. It gave Crawford tremendous pleasure that it was she -- not Davis -- who got to breeze onto the stage, looking every inch the glamorous star, and accept the The Best Actress Award on behalf of ABD (Anyone But Davis).

1967. The fortieth Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 10, 1968. It had been postponed that year out of respect for Dr. Martin Luther King, who had been laid to rest just the day before.

The film that brought Kate to Oscar's attention yet again was a highly personal one, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. She envisioned it as a launching vehicle for her niece, Katherine Houghton (her onscreen daughter), and an opportunity to get her long-time lover, Spencer Tracy, before the cameras one more time. The studio initially balked at the casting of the sickly Mr. Tracy because they were afraid he wouldn't be able to complete the picture. But Hepburn was not to be denied. Both she and producer/director Stanley Kramer agreed to put their salaries in escrow for Columbia if the movie had to be shelved.

Tracy did a fine job in his last role, and the scene where his Matt Drayton describes his memories of love and passion for Hepburn's teary-eyed Christina gets me every time. Naturally Hepburn wasn't in attendance on Oscar night, but when notified of her win she said she liked to think the Academy had awarded it to "both of us."

Anne Bancroft was nominated for the role that made her a pop culture icon, Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate. It was a part she wanted badly. She was a big fan of director Mike Nichols and told Roger Ebert that Mrs. Robinson was the most interesting character in the piece. Still, it was a daring career choice for her to make. Hollywood is not always kind to aging actresses, here she was, pleading to play "the older woman" to Dustin Hoffman, an actor just six years her junior in real life.

1967 is remembered as the year that New Hollywood burst forth. Many pundits thought performances like Bancroft's and Faye Dunaway's (nominated for Bonnie and Clyde) made older, established Hollywood types uncomfortable, thereby opening the door for Kate to win her second Oscar.

Also nominated that year were Dame Edith Evans for The Whisperers, that other Hepburn, Audrey, in Wait Until Dark.

PS Yes, Meryl Streep has more nominations than Hepburn, but two of them (Kramer vs. Kramer and The Deer Hunter) were in the Best Supporting Category. Kate still dominates in the lead category. And they were nominated together once: 1981. Streep was nominated for The French Lieutenant's Woman and Hepburn won for On Golden Pond.



About the Blogathon:
"Aurora of Once Upon a Screen, Paula of Paula's Cinema Club and Kellee  of Outspoken and Freckled are hosting a new, mammoth blogathon event that coincides with Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar, February 1 to March 3, 2013. It’ll be a month filled with fabulous tales and screen wonders." I encourage you to check out other entries.


*Rabid Cub fan here

†SPOILER: Remember, other Blogathon participants may be tackling these topics ... Most Oscars: Three-way tie (Ben Hur, Titanic, LOTR); Biggest Box Office: adjusted for inflation, it's still GWTW; John Ford has three Oscars

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Basically Obscure Meme 

1: Do you notice a persons eye color? Oh, yes. To borrow from Chuck Berry, like a lot of good women, I'd shed a tear for a brown-eyed handsome man.

2: White, milk, or dark chocolate mocha? I have no idea what this question means but I suspect it's coffee related and I don't drink coffee.

3: If you could get a  tattoo free, would you do it? what would it be? I wouldn't

4: Did you grow up in a small or big town? Did you like it? Small town outside a major city. Hated it. It's where I left.
 
5: Your favorite adult as a child? (and not your parents, if they were your favorite) Either my uncle or my grandpa. My grandpa was just unconditional love, and my uncle brought fun and magic with him.

6: What kind of smoothie sounds really good right now? Strawberry banana

7: Most embarrassing moment from your elementary school years? Being one of three classmates to not make the school choir in seventh grade
 
8: Most embarrassing moment from your middle school years? See above. We went K-8 and 9-12, so I didn't attend a specific middle school.

9: Most embarrassing moment from your high school years? Getting caught in a lie told to save my hide. It was awful.

10: Have you ever fired anyone? Yes. More than once, and it's always been awful.
 
11: Have you ever climbed a tree more than twenty feet off the ground? I used to be an artful climber, but I don't recall the specific height of any of the trees.

12: Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing set? Oh yes, and yes.

13: If you could have any pet in the world, illegal or not, what would you get? I'd like a pet goat, if I had the real estate. And any of you assholes who chose exotic pets, shame on you. They are illegal for a reason. A staggering number of them live uncomfortable and unnatural lives and end up getting euthanized.

14: What's your favorite place to relax? Right here on the sofa.

15: What's your most favorite part of your personality? I am generally optimistic.

16: Madonna or Lady Gaga? Neither? Both? Who cares? Gaga by default. Madonna has always struck me as more marketer/less artist.

17: Have you ever watched the Superbowl all the way through? Good question! And the answer is probably not. I've been in the room when it's been on, partying, several times, but I seldom care that much about the game itself.

18: Have you ever watched any major sporting event live? Oh, yes! I was right there, within the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, the night in 2004 when my beloved future Hall of Famer, Greg Maddux, got his 3000th strikeout! He's one of only ten pitchers in the entire history of the game to achieve that, you know. My all-time favorite Cub!
 
19: What's the most delicious food you've ever eaten in your life? Last year, in the Regency Room in Colonial Williamsburg, I had a memorable meal. Everything about it was terrific, but especially the main course -- scallops wrapped in bacon.

20: Margarine or butter? Which did you grow up with? Grew up on butter, now I like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter because it comes in a spray.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Aida

1) Have you ever been to the opera?  No. My best friend is a fan and when he used to come to Chicago he always "threatened" to make me go to see our world famous Lyric Opera. Now that he no longer comes to town, I regret how firmly I dug my heels in. He would have enjoyed it so much.

 
2) Maria Callas was often called a "diva." Is that a compliment or a criticism? I think it's a compliment. The meaning has changed over the decades, but to me, it means the gal has guts or balls (or should I say "ova?).

3) Aida was composed by famous Italian Giusseppe Verdi. In addition to opera, what else can the world thank Italy for? Some of the most beautiful brown eyes the world has ever seen!

 
4) Verdi was Italian and Callas was Greek. Would you rather vacation in Italy or Greece? Oh, they both appeal to me! I guess Italy ultimately wins because I have fantasies about Capri.

 
5) The Marx Bros. starred in A Night at the Opera. What's the funniest movie you have ever seen? Toga! Toga! Yes, I'm a big fan of  Animal House.

6) What's for dinner tonight? I don't know. It feels like a lifetime away right now.

7) Are you wearing any jewelry right now? Nope. When I'm done blogging I'm getting right into the shower.


8) Sam Winters has a scratchy throat and watery eyes. How do you treat the common cold? Not effectively. I've had a cold that's been lingering for a month!
 
9) Do you need your glasses (or contacts) when you drive? Yes.

Liebster Blog Award

Thank you so much to Erika of Endomental gifting me with the Liebster Blog Award!

“The Liebster Award” is given to up and coming bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. The word "Liebster" comes from German and can mean the sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, most beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.”

Here are the Rules for this Award:

Thank the person who nominated you. When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you. Pass the award onto 6 other blogs (while making sure you notify the blogger that you nominated them!) You write up 11 NEW questions directed towards YOUR nominees.

You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated your own blog!

11 Random Facts 

1. I'm so very grateful to my readers -- like Erika who singled me out with such kind words. Their support means more to me than anticipated when I began this blog. Because I just started blogging to create an online diary and to give myself a creative outlet. I never expected it to be read. The kindness and supportive wishes I've received from people "out there" is wonderful and more than a little humbling.

2. I'm working on my temper because I let stupid things get to me too much, too often. Like the checker at Walgreen's who never says "thank you." Why does that bother me so much? Life is too short.

3. I'm a loyal Democrat -- a Kennedy Girl through and through -- who wants the GOP to get it together. I'm a big believer in the two-party system and we're stronger when we have two credible national parties.

4. If I ever move, I'd like a yard -- even a tiny shared one -- so I could have a dog. I'd really love to rescue a mutt with expressive brown eyes.

5. But there's little more in life I hate more than moving.

6. As soon as my officemates leave the room, I scratch my back with either a pen or my ruler.

7. On the train ride home, I eavesdrop on other people's phone calls to hear what they're going to have for dinner. Chicken seems very popular in this neighborhood.

8. I think my favorite individual scene in all of moviedom is the climax of The Miracle Worker, when Helen understands that "w-a-t-e-r" means "water." Because Annie has so much heart and refused to give up. Because language opened Helen's world.





9. I can never remember: is President's Day to honor all 44 of them? Or just George and Abe? Every year someone explains it to me and I mean to retain the information but ...

10. I always like looking at the sky. Every color it's got pleases me. Even the inky dark at night and the ominous gray that comes with storms. My favorite is when the sky looks like the blue of my beloved Cubs' uniforms.

11. I find most award shows irresistible.


Endomental's 11 questions:

1. What book do you really not want to read, but you feel like you "should?" Any of the classics, like Anna Karenina.

2. Quick, no peeking! List the vegetables in your fridge. A half can of Green Giant corn.

3. Check your fridge. Were you right? Yes.

4. What's your favorite comfort food? Anything gooey and cheesey, like mac and cheese.

5. When you were twelve, what job did you think you'd have/want to have? Teacher or nurse.

6. Have you ever met any of your bloggy-buddies in person? Snowbird, Bookmama and the two oldest Book Kids. It was fun. (If you're reading this, Ladies, imagine me waving at you.)

7. Do you have a silly word that you use instead of swear words when swear words are inappropriate? If so, what is it? "Good goobies."

8. Describe the perfect cup of coffee. Shudder. I hate coffee.

9. Do any common grammatical errors make you crazy? Which ones? When people say, "you and I" when it should be, "you and me."

10. Do you use movie quotes as part of conversation? Yes. And, to quote Alvy in Annie Hall, "You say that like it's a negative thing."

11. If you had to double for a celebrity, who would it be? Marlo Thomas when she's appearing as that former judge on Law & Order: SVU. Because her part is always small but kick-ass, so I wouldn't have to work very hard but it would be interesting. And I could tell her how much That Girl meant to me while I was growing up.

My questions. I'm not specifically tagging anyone but hope everyone plays along.

1. Do you ever wish you had an identical twin? Why or why not?
2. If you had to travel back in time, when do you think you'd fit in best?
3. How are you on the sleep thing? Do you get 8 straight hours? Or are you plagued by fitful sleep or insomnia or ...
4. Would you rather be rich or famous?
5. Which of your physical features would you NOT change?
6. Do you shop off a grocery list, or do you wing it as you walk through the aisles?
7. What's your least favorite household chore?
8. I recently read a report that said people either LOVE or HATE the character of "Flo" on the Progressive insurance commercials. Which camp are you in?
9. Are you good at word games?
10. How many times have you been in love?
11. Share a memory from Kindergarten.

Remember, if you choose to play along, let me know so I can check out your answers!