The more I think about it, the more I love the fact that Mister Roberts really had some excellent roles for actors in "the twilight" of their careers, namely William Powell, James Cagney, and Henry Fonda, as well as a breakout role for a young Jack Lemmon. It was a handing-of-the-torch type movie between acting generations. (I think the scene where Powell and Fonda mix up the liquor for Lemmon to seduce the nurse is one of the funniest things ever.)

On a different note, here is a very funny review of the new Pride and Prejudice movie by Anthony Lane from The New Yorker. [link]

My favorite bit:

He has donned a long coat, which sways fetchingly in the mist; obviously it was copied from a Human League video of the nineteen-eighties, but I’m damned if I can remember which one. For her part, Knightley has been crisp and quick throughout—more girl than woman than seems fit, perhaps, and a boyish girl to boot, but ready and able to hold her own in any rally of wits. Now, like the queen in “Aliens,” she extends her famous underbite and gets down to business. Widening her eyes to maximum chocolaty hue, she stares into his, which are of that sea-cold, grayish blue favored by Gestapo officers in war movies.

Hee!

None of this will deter me from going to see the film on the opening day, of course. At least, there seems to be some measure of affection in Lane's snarkage.

Have you seen the commercials for it? More of a howler than the recut Shining trailer. My hand to God the trailer actually suggests it was love at first sight.

Yeap. Set to Howie Day's "Collide" of all the songs in all the lands, like seriously, Howie fucking Day! I laughed until I cried.

I've been told from reliable sources that the movie is not actually the travesty as the trailer suggests. But this line of promotion is majorly testing my attachment to Austen (and MacFadyen, who's the main reason I'm so set to watch this flick at all costs.)

...they set... a Pride and Prejudice trailer... to... COLLIDE?

You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding. I want the wacky love montage between an anthropologist and her skull back now!

(and MacFadyen, who's the main reason I'm so set to watch this flick at all costs.)

So very true. Plus, Dame Judi as Lady Catherine. Pretty soon, there won't be a crochety old woman part she hasn't owned.

You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding.

Alas, I kid you not. I suppose it's an attempt to modernize the look and feel of the film in order to draw in the audience who may not be familiar with the novel (although, isn't Austen a part of high school curriculum? Or maybe I'm mixing the general American HS English class with that in Neptune High), but surely, they must realize something like this would alienate Austen fans.

It made me laugh doubly more because I, too, remembered that conversation about the montage from Bones pilot set to the same song, which is precisely where I decided to skip the show, all my goodwill to Le Boreanaz not withstanding. It's not an awful song per se, but it's so bloody ubiquitous that by now, I've been conditioned into a Pavlovian cringe-response.

Were people talking about Get Rich here or in Natter?

Because look at the title of Zap2it's review of the movie: 'Get Rich' Dies Tryin'

Alas, I kid you not. I suppose it's an attempt to modernize the look and feel of the film in order to draw in the audience who may not be familiar with the novel (although, isn't Austen a part of high school curriculum? Or maybe I'm mixing the general American HS English class with that in Neptune High), but surely, they must realize something like this would alienate Austen fans.

Well, we didn't read Austen in high school, no. I'm sure there are places where they do. But... it's set in the 1800s! They didn't HAVE Collide in the 1800s! I'm sorry, that's just bad song choice. Vividcon would kick their asses.

I just mentally insert "Solsbury Hill" when I see the commercial.