Scarborough Fair...?"
(Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme...)
When I arrived home from work this evening, a neighbor that seldom talks to me asked if I could help her... her daughter had broken a string on her mandolin... she needed it to be re-strung and tuned. I've never tinkered with a mandolin, although I would love to own one... and told her I would be glad to do that for her...
I love music and many things musical...
Tonight, Turner Classic Movies ran 'The Graduate'... what a great movie... what an even greater cast... and what an even GREATER sound track!!!! I had forgotten much of the music and even more of the movie...
Anne Bancroft... Dustin Hoffman... Katherine Ross... Murry Hamilton. After the presentation, they ran the list of actors that were originally desired or who had turned down different roles. I simply don't think the movie could have worked.
Originally, for Mrs. Robinson, they wanted Doris Day...
WTF?!
For Ben Braddock, they wanted Robert Redford...
WTF?!?!
They wanted Gene Hackman to play the role of Elaine Robinson's Dad...
WTF?!?!?!?!
Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me...
... aren't you?
Think about all of the taboos in this movie... having sex with the mother of your girl friend, granted, that he later met Elaine... but still, strange... but I guess stuff like this does happen.
Could you be involved with someone... marry someone... who had sex with one of your parents??
What if you had sex with one of your parents' friends??
At the end of the movie, Ben is able to break up Elaine's wedding... of course, at the time, the bride and groom ARE kissing... so that would have to indicate that the vows had been made... no??
Ben and Elaine escape the church and end up in the back of a bus... leaving the scene of the crime (so to speak)... and their smiling faces start to fade to more forlorn looks... at least for Elaine's part. Maybe she was second guessing her decisions...
This scene reminds me of the last scene in 'Midnight Cowboy' with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight...
... where Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo ride off into the sunset...
'... echos the sound of silence...'
I can't think of a movie that has a more profound sound track...
The lyrics, phrasing and timing in 'Scarborough Fair' are as close as I can come to being haunted by a song... it's as if two songs are being sung at the same time...
I think this post is more about the music, than it is the movie...
I have felt fragile as of late...
The issues with the loss of my Dad...
That I should probably have resolved by now...
and then these wonderful songs that allow an escape.
I've been neglectful of your blogs.
I will feel better soon...
~shoes~
No need to apologize. I have days like yours so I understand.
ReplyDeleteMusic is magical and therapeutic....
It really is magical... especially on 'Scarborough Fair'... the way the lyrics intertwine... I listened to it over and over and over... I could imagine medieval musicians playing that song... that would be fun to play on a mandolin...
DeleteThank you as always for your kind words...
~shoes~
I like your blog
ReplyDeletereally interesting
Hi there... thank you so much! I will come and check out your blog as well.
Delete:o)
~shoes~
Music has the power to change the mood, to enlighten the soul, to heal the spirit...
ReplyDeleteHi there, Ana...
DeleteYes... Yes!... YES!!...
I trust all is well in your world...
~shoes~
Darling Shoes. No need to apologise, but I admit it's lovely that you're posting once in a while. I miss you so much!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you chose Scarborough Fair because it's one of my favourite songs, one that gets in my head and stays there for the whole day.
Lovely!
Hi there, Ms Leah... in between not feeling well physically and emotionally, it's been a difficult few weeks.
DeleteI got a cold which turned into the flu, but what really kicked my butt has been having laryngitis for about 2 1/2 weeks.
I love teaching... I hate missing classes... today my voice is pretty kinda sorta ok... it has a ways to go, though.
So maybe I will be feeling back to normal (for Shoes, anyway)... :oD
~shoes~
I have not seen "The Graduate" or either I don't remember it. However, the do call me "Mrs. Robinson" at the Coffeehouse. However, I have dated none of my friends' sons. But a lot of young men do inquire about me at the Coffeehouse and my male coworkers think this is hilarious as I am "old enough to be their mother". I just don't know. I can go about 15 younger or older in the dating but that's about my limit.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Professor Red Shoes.
Prayers and thoughts for ur recovery with the flu.
Hi there, Stormy... I think I've turned the corner with this respiratory mess... augh.
DeleteIt's taken way too long!!
~shoes~
Oop one day I am going to learn to play the cello. It's my fav string instrument. And I believe it is an instrument that u can play through ur moods.
ReplyDeleteDORIS DAY??? omg, NO WAY JOSE!... Ann Bancroft's laugh gave me the shivers!! lol... As far as sex w/one of my parents' friends?? Are u out of your frickin' mind!... U will think this is weird, but one of my husband's (don't know if u knew my husband had passed) friend's was interested in me.. and he I am sure was shocked when I told him" I never thought of u in that way, just as a friend".. somehow, I just couldn't cross that line. With my luck my husband's spirit would come back to haunt me... lol...is that TMI for u?
ReplyDeleteHi, Chris... yes, I agree... DORIS DAY?!?!?!
DeleteWTF?!?!?!?!?! She's way too goody goody... I could never buy/accept the idea of her being a cougar... HAR!
I wasn't aware that your husband had passed. I'm so sorry to hear that.. *huggles*
I can't think of any way in which the cast could have been changed for that movie that would have made it any better.
~shoes~
Doris Day did not have Anne Bancroft's legs. Sex with my girlfriend's mother? That would be my mother-in-law. Couldn't I wrestle a mountain gorilla instead?
ReplyDeleteHi there, JJ...
DeleteLMBO @ wrestling a mountain gorilla...
Doris Day was just too goody goody... Anne Bancroft on the other hand...
Further down in the comments, Cocaine Princess adds that the legs belonged to Linda Gray... now I can TOTALLY believe that! She did have some great legs!!
I trust all is well with you!
~shoes~
There was a novel called Damage that addressed the reverse of this story... only worse. It was the girl and her boyfriend's father having an affair. The novel was appropriately titled since the whole thing did unravel and cause untold damage to all parties involved. As I recall it was written from the perspective of the girl. She knew that it was one of those things that would end badly, but still couldn't extricate herself from the disaster. I was in my 20s when I read it and couldn't understand it at all. Terrible judgment.
ReplyDeleteThis is somewhat easier to wrap the brain around. Yes, getting involved with someone married is not a good choice... ever. And then to fall in love with the daughter of the married person... awkward. But to be involved with the daughter AND the mother... that I don't get. That is just a disaster waiting to happen. People have been shot for less... lol.
I hope you feel better soon. Sorry the comment was so long...
Good evening, Robin... I can believe that, regardless of which way the connection was to happen, that there would be great damage to all involved.
DeleteYes, people HAVE been shot for less!!
~shoes~
Was shit just better in those days, are what?
ReplyDeleteHi Steven...
DeleteYeah it was MUCH better!!
~shoes~
Doris Day as Mrs. Robinson... Is that a fact? Dear Lord. Good thing that didn't happen.
ReplyDeleteI know you've been feeling fragile. But who wouldn't have, right. No need to apologise whatsoever, Shoes.
Yeah, I agree... Doris Day would have just been a train wreck.
DeleteMostly, it's been a respiratory issue... a cold that went to the flu that went to laryngitis...
I figure that when I die, it's going to be something like this that gets me.
It just hangs on and won't go away...
I trust everything is well with you and your bride!!
~shoes~
Great movie great songs! I think they picked the right people in the end for the cast. Hugs my dear friend
ReplyDeleteHi there, Liz..
DeleteI totally agree with you on both accounts!!
How'w work going?? Have you seen/heard any good music lately?
~shoes~
I haven't seen The Graduate but here's an interesting fact that you may or may not know- those legs in the poster belong to actress Linda Gray. I know this because I've been watching the remake of Dallas which I'm totally hooked on and recently saw an interview with Linda (who plays Sue Ellen) on TV where she revealed those legs are her.
ReplyDeleteHmm, "What if you had sex with one of your parents' friends??" I haven't but who knows why we fall in love with someone. As they say, the heart wants what the heart wants....
Hope you're feeling better.
Hi, Princess.. re: Linda Gray, I did NOT know that, but I do know that Linda Gray did have a set of legs on her!
DeleteI always liked her character on 'Dallas'... I can't imagine how the death of Larry Hagman will impact the series... I remember watching 'Dallas' when J.R.'s TV Dad died....
Re: 'the heart wants what the heart wants...' That is so true. I fear I have lost sight of what my heart wants...
*sighs*
~shoes
Shoes, apparently they'll be incorporating the real life death of JR in the show.
DeleteMy dear Shoes, never ever lose sight of what your heart wants.
I hope you feel better soon, Shoes. We all go through these phases. Hugs to you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteHi there, Jessica...
DeleteThank you for the kind words!! I do think Ive turned the corner. I'm always good, it seems, for one bad cold per season... this has been the worst I think I've ever had.
How are things going for you??
:o)
~shoes~
Yeah....I forgot all those songs were associated with the song track. Cool. You have a way of tying loose ends together into a nice bow Professor! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ms Annie...
DeleteHow are things going for you?? Did you move this weekend??
:o)
~shoes~
I'm sorry for the loss of your dad however long ago it was. These dark winter days can bring us to a melancholy place. I think music reaches the core/inner self and can help us experience a great range of emotions. It is my great escape from reality and always seems to speak to me just when I need to hear it! Virtual hugs to you....
ReplyDeleteHey you... yes, music does reach those places... It's always allowed me the refuge that I have needed... and the healing.
DeleteThank you so for your hugs... :o)
~shoes~