The trouble with Hugh. January 27, 2009

I have a confession to make. And for those who know me well, it will be deeply shocking, so prepare yourselves.

 

Ready?

 

Yesterday I voluntarily subjected myself to a film in which Hugh Grant appears.

 

For those not yet in the know, and who are wondering why on earth this is cause for such an apparently dramatic statement and a painful public confession, allow me to explain. For a good number of years I have had a strict NO HUGH policy.

 

I will not watch Hugh. Here’s why…

 

Many moons ago I came to the realisation that watching Hugh just made me angry and irritated. He was so frequently entirely blithering and pathetic. Type casting? Perhaps. He made me ashamed to be English. And for those who will point to Bridget Jones in his defence, granted Daniel Cleaver is not quite so apologetic and wishy washy as his average character, but he is somehow still intensely annoying.  So the solution to my problem with Hugh was simple – I would never again watch him in anything at all ever.

 

Now the situtation for Hugh is perhaps not aided by my distinct lack of appreciation for most modern “romantic comedies”. To say I dislike the genre completely would not be entirely true. I just think that most of what the film industry churns out in this vein nowadays either fails to be romantic, or funny, or both. They are, generally, utterly formulaic nonsense designed to part women from their money and their senses. Back in the day they used to make great romantic comedies, which were also great films. The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Some Like It Hot… Funny, witty, charming, great scripts and top class actors.

 

There are still a few good rom-coms around. I have on my shelf Pride & Prejudice and 10 Things I Hate About You, and would merrily rewatch 13 Going on 30 and even The Devil Wears Prada. But if you consider just how many chick-flick-rom-com-lame-half-hearted-efforts studios turn out every year, the ones I like are very few and far between. Richard Curtis has never convinced me… Four Weddings and a Funeral? Love Actually? Notting Hill? Ug. Perhaps it’s not his fault though. I mean, Black Adder and Vicar of Dibley were fantastic! And didn’t star Hugh Grant. Interesting that.

 

I seem to have wandered from my original point somewhat. I broke the policy. I watched Hugh. And actually, I quite enjoyed Sense and Sensibility. Hugh doesn’t have much screen time and when he did pop up and fail repeatedly to spit his words out,  I was placated by the fact that one of my housemates joined me in my loudly expressed despair of his ever learning how to end a sentence.

 

Where this leaves me with my policy now, I cannot say. Perhaps there is a little room for manoeuvre. Perhaps not. Maybe if it’s a Jane Austen adaptation it’s OK??

 

I leave you with this final thought. How much better would every film Hugh Grant has ever made be, if they had only cast Sean Bean instead?

 

Relocation, relocation, relocation… July 22, 2008

Hello there. Apologies once more for the blogging hiatus. I fear it may continue for a little while longer. I am a couple of weeks into my move to Cambridge and have been dashing back home and up and down the country at the weekends for various weddings. All this means that my brain has been far too busy and exhausted to settle to writing anything even as vaguely comprehensive as my usual offerings! I am due to move in a little more properly to my new abode in the coming week or so, and I hope that at that point I shall be able to blog a little more effectively once more.

 

In the meantime there is not a lot to say but that things seem to be going well so far. I have ceased getting lost on my way to work, my colleagues are friendly and the sun is shining! I have also nearly finished reading Captivating – the book I mentioned before – and it has given me much to think on. I still thoroughly recommend it to any Christian women – even if it doesn’t ring as true for you as it does for me, it makes some interesting points and has certainly got my brain ticking over, even now.

 

In the absence of anything useful or otherwise entertaining, I shall leave you now with a video clip, from Top Secret. I watched this with my sister years ago, laughed rather a lot, and then forgot about it. I’ve just been reminded and so delight in bringing you this brief clip:

 

They don’t make ‘em like they used to February 19, 2008

Movie stars. They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Check out these true legends of the silver screen…

 

Carey Grant. Arguably the best comedic actor of his generation, or (in this waffler’s opinion) of all time. If you’ve never yet witnessed him at work, then go to Blockbuster right now and rent His Girl Friday. Or better yet, Bringing Up Baby, because then you can also marvel at…

 

Katharine Hepburn.

She has no equal for sheer screen presence and the ability to banter. I am in a constant state of awe and delight whenever I watch her! She also appeared alongside Carey Grant in the very superb The Philadelphia Story where they are joined by our next legend…

 

 

James (Jimmy) Stewart. He actually won the Best Actor Oscar in 1940 for his performance in this film – which so happens to be one of my all time favourites. It orginated as a Broadway play, written especially for Katharine Hepburn and was so successful that she bought the film rights, sold them to MGM and was then allowed to choose her own co-stars. Jimmy Stewart has been in a ridiculous number of brilliant films, including Mr Smith Goes To Washington, It’s A Wonderful Life and Rear Window.

Moving on now to a different Hepburn…

 

 

 

 Audrey Hepburn. The epitome of elegance – easily defined in one word: class. I would normally dislike her for her petite figure, perfect bone structure, flawless skin and big brown eyes and yet I think she’s so charming that even my envy is kept at bay! Breakfast at Tiffany’s is obviously her most famous success, playing the role of Holly Golightly, but I have to say I watched Sabrina yesterday and it was every bit as wonderful, if not better. My opinion could of course have been swayed by the presence of my final and favourite old movie star…

 

Humphrey Bogart. In 1999 The AFI named him the Greatest Male Star of All Time and honestly, you’d be hard pushed to argue. Second to none when it comes to screen presence, intensity, charm, timing, and the ability to deliver acerbic lines as if they just popped into his head… whether in a romantic drama or a noir thriller, Bogart can do it all. Whilst Grant is undoubtedly the king of comedy, Bogart is often unfairly under-rated in this area, with his dead-pan humour seemingly as natural as breathing. The Big Sleep, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen (with Katharine Hepburn)… all bona fide classics and all starring Bogie. Born on Christmas day 1899, Humphrey was reputedly expelled from school for throwing the head-teacher into a duck pond. He was married 4 times, including finally to Lauren Bacall. Along with Sinatra he was a founding member of the Rat Pack, and once bought two stuffed pandas whilst on a night out and ended up in court facing an assult charge as a result. He died from cancer at the age of just 57, but his life and films are unlikely to ever be forgotten. Humphrey Bogart – we salute you!