Taken from a novel by the same name, the plot of
‘Room at the Top’ concerns a social-climbing
audit clerk, Joe Lampton, who, as his ticket to the top, sets his sights on the
young daughter of a local council big-wig, despite her being several rungs out
of Joe’s league. In the meantime, until then he amuses himself with married and
unshockable lover Alice Aisgill. (“There are three people in Joe’s relationship
with Alice: Joe, Alice and the massive chip on Joe’s shoulder.”) And that’s
only the first five minutes! Now, wouldn’t YOU be intrigued?! Oh, yes,
relationships - there’s gonna be some drama there!
Also this morning in talking with Philip, the
classics professor (I assumed ‘classics’ meant something along the lines of
linguistics, as in the teaching of Latin and Greek, but turns out it’s all about
history – one of my favorite subjects!) about his classes, I asked if he thought
it would be permissible for me to sit in on one of his lectures. Not only did
he think that was a fine idea, he said he had just begun teaching one he
thought I might particularly enjoy – one whose the topic concerns the development
of the early Christian Church. Fascinating! So next week I will meet up with
him on campus to visit his class and afterwards he suggested we get a bite to
eat – followed by him giving me a tour of campus. Awesome! I’ve been waiting
with baited breath for that opportunity, but so far it just hasn’t happened.
Martin had happily offered, but then life got going. When school holidays came
to an end, all extracurricular activities, understandably, came to a screeching
halt.
But first of all, to get me warmed up, I took
myself during the afternoon to ‘the mac,’ Midlands Art Center, celebrating its
first 50 years in 2012, to see the new release, ‘Anna Karenina,’ starring Keira
Knightley and Jude Law, along with many other notables. Now there’s a tragic
drama for you: family life, passion
leading to lust and sin, death, forgiveness, resolution – pretty heady stuff. It’s
the archetypal story that’s been told many times before – characters who,
though they have a solid family life in the beginning, throw it over for
passion, while for others it is not until almost the end that they come to appreciate
the importance of genuine family relationships.
By the conclusion of ‘Anna Karenina,’ the character, Levin, finds that life’s meaning is to live for goodness
in his little corner of the world. Others, like Oblonsky, never do make the
discovery and miss out on the true essence, there all along for the taking.
The approach of the film itself caught me unawares
– from the stills I’d seen I supposed it was going to be the usual costume
period piece, filmed on location. Not until the show ended and the credits
rolled, when I saw that the screenplay had been written by Tom Stoppard (known
mainly for his forays in the theatre: ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead’
and ‘Shakespeare in Love’ are perhaps his best known examples), did it all make
sense. The story unfolded as if watching a play, par for a playwright’s craft. It
was a very much stylized, artistic format – reminded me a lot of Moulin Rouge. The
best way for me to describe it is to say that it reminds me very much of
impressionistic art – but in this case, film as art. Some will like it and some
will not. (With love of all things Russian, the characterization of Anna
Karenina is high on a pedestal in Leah’s world, so she opted to forego seeing
it rather than have her heroes dashed.)
Observations about my movie going experience: the majority of the matinee attendees were an
older crowd. Above 60-ers get the reduced concession admission rate of £5, matinee or evening.
(That’s me – yes!) I was surprised to
find that there was a good full 20 minutes of liquor, etc. ads before getting anywhere
close to the previews. Also of note was
that there was incidental lighting all over the theatre – quite substantial,
too – until BAM! off they popped, the moment the feature film began.
When the film ended, being as it had been a
matinee, it was still a lovely autumn afternoon and I was in no hurry. I mused
over the meaning of life, aka my movie-going experience, as I strolled through
the lovely Cannon Hill Park, that I have mentioned several times before (my own
fabulous, “everything-you-could-ever-want-in-a-park park, a mere 10 minute walk
from home!). Under one particular tree my attention was stolen away as I began
to notice small bits of some natural material dropping down from somewhere
above – cascading down like some ligneous landslide or waterfall or some such thing.
Falling, falling without ceasing, one after another, bits and bits of different
sizes, until at one point I instinctively jumped back out of the way so to avoid a
golf-sized piece as it came careening right for me. As I leaned over to see
what it could be, I discovered that it was a horse chestnut (I’ve heard them
referred to as “conkers” around here. Wait a minute, hold the press – I’ve just
had an epiphany regarding why some people called them conkers – because they’ve
been known to fall out of trees and conk you on the head!). Peering up into the
branches, I saw the cause of the mystery: a nice fat grey squeerel, high above
me, holding a nut, turning it with lightning speed in his paws whilst gnawing
it with his prominent front teeth. Now
there’s Mother Nature up front for you! (As I mentioned just recently, it is
definitely a prevalent time for squirrel activity AND . . . I still cannot get
close enough, or keep them still enough, long enough, to get a decent photo.
Pooh – they’re making my photo-taking skills look bad!)
Oh, boy, was I
all primed for a good night’s entertainment later that evening when I arrived
at the Wards’ home! However, when Leah checked the TV listing we learned that ‘Room
at the Top’ contained strong language and sexual content; parental
approval advised. More lust, adultery, and mayhem, oh my! “Sorry, but I’m
afraid I’m not going to be watching this.” Well, me neither, of course –
(darn!) According to Leah, on British telly all bets are off in regards to
censorship after 9pm – anything goes . .
. and does – regrettably! Well, so much for that drama – of an angry young man
scheming for a place at the top. (Ever seen the 1951 film, ‘A Place in the
Sun,’ based on the novel, ‘An American
Tragedy,’ by Theodore Dreiser? It stars Elizabeth Taylor and the
tragically-lost, love of her life, Montgomery Cliff? Good stuff {I’m allowed to
say that because I’m a psychology geek. More of the same relationship and wanting
what you don’t have stuff}.) I suppose, when it comes down to it,
there’s drama enough in the course of an average day to go around as it is.
Ollieism_ I was just sharing with Andrew that it
turns out that Ollie is his kind of boy - meaning, Leah said that he also
REALLY likes women, and all things related to them. Just yesterday he told his
mom he REALLY liked Auntie Honey Bee's hair - because it is REALLY crazy and he
likes that! Also once last year when they went to pick up Katya from school and
her young, beautiful, nicely-figured teacher walked past in a sleeveless summer
dress, he dreamily exclaimed (and what part of her did he notice?!), you know,
Mummy, I REALLY like Miss Phillip’s arms!
Now here’s something from Katya_ She told her mom, quite seriously the other
day that for Christmas she would please like EDUCATIONAL and INFORMATIVE books –
about dinosaurs and volcanoes. Now that girl doesn’t mince words – because
those were the very descriptors she used. Now what 6 year-old asks for ANYTHING
in terms of ‘educational and informative,’ let alone use that terminology in the first
place!
Photos_
1- 1959 movie poster
2- Keira as Anna
3- actual conker culprit
4- his buddy, up a different tree
5- of all the “gall”
6- Canada geese
hanging out in someone else’s neighborhood
7- friendly school girl (with dog) who agreed to let me take her picture in order to capture
her crazy
stegosaurus backpack
stegosaurus backpack
