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Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2005-07 > 1121129233


From: Kenneth Scott <>
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Let's go to the pictures!
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:47:13 -0400
References: <001301c5858e$15000420$d60cb5d0@1wy6801>
In-Reply-To: <001301c5858e$15000420$d60cb5d0@1wy6801>


Joan Reichardt wrote:

>I was not a real 'film fan' but I do remember some of the films we saw. I think a lot of times it was pure escapism, but I liked the historical films with James Mason and Stewart Granger (he was my favourite) , and Patricia Roc and Margaret Lockwood - those people were real trained actors. Brief Encounter was unforgettable with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Many of the 'war' films were propaganda and to be watched with a large pinch of salt. The first time my Canadian boyfriend took me to the pictures it was to see "Meet me in St.Louis", and I did not care for it much - especially the Trolley Song, (although now it makes me cry) and when we went to see Frank Sinatra in Anchors Aweigh I was highly critical - my comment on Sinatra was that he had a voice like a mosquito and was a 'skinny little chap'.He succeeded in spite of me. I was a Bing Crosby fan though.
> Early in the Blitz I took my young half sister to see some film or other and when the siren sounded we stayed put until the end. When we came out, it was to find a raid in full swing, and we ran, hell for leather, through the town to the shelter where we were to sleep (?). I remember that as we reached Richmond Station it was to find Bartons department store across the road blazing and fire hoses all over the place. I can still remember hanging on to this terrified little girl, hearing the schrapnel from the ack ack guns hit the pavement, and zig zagging through the fire hoses - but I don't remember the name of the film.
>My husband to be had never been to a Music Hall and so we took him to Chiswick Empire (I still have the programme). He was duly impressed! Especially when one of the female singers shone a flashlight on him as she sang 'Oh, Johnny". Because that was his name he thought one of the family had set it up - not so - probably because of his height and the uniform she just happened to spot him. I do remember 'The Way to the Stars', it seems to me the music was played by the RAF band and was a lot of Per Ardua Ad Astra (through adversity to the stars) the RAF march - which I still love. A couple of years ago I was in Norwich on Battle of Britain day and, of course they played the march - and there were a lot of teary eyes in the crowd, mostly older people.
>Funnily enough, I was on a train going from Paris to Milan last year with two of my daughters. It was an English tour and we were the only Canadians. I was chatting away and someone made some reference to 'the cinema' and I said "You mean the pictures". At which the man looked at his wife, in triumph, and said "I told you she was English".
>One of these days I would like to challenge all of you to think back to all those names and words we had to change - or learn! Knickers became panties, petticoats turned into slips - cami knickers disappeared altogether, jumpers became sweaters, and pinafore frocks became jumpers. The wireless became the radio, the pavement became the sidewalk, the eiderdown became the comforter and on and on! Think of this as an excercise to keep your brain sharp!!
>And next week we'll do one on rhyming cockney slang!
>Joan Reichardt
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Joan:

Your closing comments on vocabulary, reminded me of a couple of my
favourites -- NORWICH and "What time do you want me to knock you up,
love?". I remember, as a young RCAF officer in England, being asked the
latter at a place I was staying and being quite confused . . .:)

Kenneth Scott
Dunedin, Florida

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