AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 115 of 167 click at the box – office. Shall we listen to ‘South Pacific? Remember, we saw the film at Delhi.” “Fine”, I answered, trying to recollect all the films we had seen during that trip. Soon we were transported to the tropical paradise of the Pacific Islands in the lilting melodies of Mitzi Gaynor and Rosanno Brazzi as they sang “I wanna wash that man right out of my hair” and “Dites – moi, pourquoi, la vie est si belle? Est-oeque, parceque, tu m’aimes?” Mahalia Jackson’s haunting voice was unforgettable in “Bali Hai, come to me----“. One after another, we became so engrossed in music from other old films----’ That Touch of mink, “Make Mine Mink”, Come September”, “Pillow-Talk”, etc. “I can’t think of any contemporary actor as ruggedly handsome as Rock Hudson nor any actress as charming and vivacious as Doris Day and Debbie Reynolds”, remarked I. “Neither can U forget Gina Lollabrigida’s role as Lady Godiva, “exclaimed my husband, with a twinkle in his eyes. “You men, you can’t think of anything else, “I said in mock anger; but inwardly I also felt that those films of yesteryear provided clean, wholesome fun and entertainment, with violence restricted to war movies and horror films. While reminiscing about these films, I could not help thinking of that all-time epic “Gone with The Wind”. What a pity that its sequel could not be made! Why can’t someone take up where Margaret Mitchell left off? But then, without a Vivjen Leigh to portray the tempestuous Scarlet O’Hara and a Clark Gable as the irresistible Rhett Butler none can do justice to these roles. “It is best left to one’s imagination,” I thought. All too soon, or so it seemed, we ran out of records; but our discussion did not end. “What a fine portrayal by James Mason and Ava Gardner in that fabulous film ‘Pandora and the Flying Dutchman’. Ava Gardner was equally impressive in ‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro’”. I remarked. How can one ever forget Deborah Kerr’s roles in “King Solomon’s, Mines” and Form Here to Eternity”, or Yul Brynner in “King and I”? “Wasn’t it Ingrid Bergmann who co-starred with him in that film,” queried my husband. “Yes, I think so,” I replied thinking of that superb actress’s performances in “The Inn of The Sixth Happiness” and in “Anastasia”. It has always been my secret desire to have that film tale to materialise into reality, for in spite of all our socialistic and democratic ideas who doesn’t like a fairy tale ending” and the Princess lived happily ever after”?