Well, dear readers, apparently the comedy of Yin and Yang went over like a lead balloon or was lost on most of you, since nobody mentioned their brilliant routine. Perhaps that is why they are not more known here in the United States. Or perhaps some people forgot to read the notes. I suppose that is a distinct possibility since there were so few posts regarding the topic of the day. But enough about me. Let’s talk about me. Me, for example, had a wackier than wacky day yesterday. It started off unpleasantly, but got better as the day went along, then got unpleasant for another little while, then got better. I’m looking for some days where unpleasant takes a hike and better is the order of the day. In any case, I dealt with the unpleasantness, and managed to do quite a bit of writing on The Brain – I got through Act One and have begun Act Two. David Wechter has two sections to rewrite, and when I get those I’ll cut and paste them into our master script. I got an interesting phone call about a potential recording project – one I’d very much like to do. I can’t say any more at this time, but I’ll say plenty should it come to pass. Yesterday went by so fast I couldn’t even believe it. I didn’t even jog until close to one-thirty, because I was on the phone for most of the morning and early afternoon. The next week or two is going to be insane – I’m juggling a lot of projects and need to meet with various and sundried people. I’ve also agreed to record some tracks for a Vegas entertainer – this has been in the works for a while, but now he has to get them quickly. I’m just producing the session and won’t make very much dough, but he seems like a nice guy and I’m happy to do it – but it’s happening very fast and I’m a bit discombobulated or, at the very least, a bit discomgaryulated. I finally sat down to have some chow at about six-thirty.
Last night, I watched another film in the Fox box of Clark Gable movies. The film was entitled The Tall Men, starring Mr. Gable, Mr. Robert Ryan, and Miss Jane Russell. It’s an amiable oater with fine performances, but the film goes on for 122 minutes, which is about fifteen minutes too long. Mr. Gable is his usual self, Mr. Ryan is always great, but the surprise for me was Miss Russell, an actress I’ve never really cared for. Here, she is very charming and amusing and perky and I really enjoyed her. The film has a nice score by Victor Young, and beautiful photography by Leo Tover, who is becoming one of my favorite cameramen (he shot last night’s Soldier of Fortune). The director is Raoul Walsh, who is quite good, and the script, although too long, has some excellent dialogue courtesy of Frank Nugent and Sidney Boehm. Like Soldier of Fortune, the transfer is top-notch, and the 4.0 stereo sound is incredible.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got things to do, places to go, and people to see, not necessarily in that order.
I just got an e-mail – I’d better share it with you:
To: bruce@haineshisway.com
From: Liang Wang
Dear sir or madam:
I am writing to express my dismay that your dear readers did not make comment on the comedy routine of Yin and Yang, the routine you so graciously included in your notes. I know that it must have been time consuming to find it, so to have it so ignored must have been very upsetting.
I am Liang Wang, the granddaughter on Yang Wang, one half of the comedy team of Yin and Yang. Yang Wang is still alive, 106 years old. He is still an active person – every day he arises and gets out of bed, an amazing feat. He also has amazing feet. His partner of many years, Peter Yin (he liked to go by his first initial and last name – P. Yin) died in 1973 when he was doing the famous Chinese Laundry routine. During that performance, the sketch was not going well, and when P. Yin dropped dead in the middle of the routine, my grandfather brilliantly adlibbed, “I knew we were dying but this is ridiculous.”
Thank you for keeping the memory of Yin and Yang alive in the United States, even if your dear readers were too busy to mention it.
Sincerely yours,
Liang Wang
Well, you see, dear readers, lack of comment about Yin and Yang has upset Miss Liang Wang. Make of it what you will.
We had several correct guesses to the Unseemly Trivia Contest question, which apparently was a walk in the park. The question was:
This flop play was written by an author who would go on to have much success as the book writer for at least two all-time classic musicals. He would also write at least one really successful play that was turned into a successful film directed by a major filmmaker. Interestingly, the title of the flop play would ironically be used as the title of a film many years later, a film completely unrelated to the flop play – the irony being that the title of said film had a connection back to the author. So –
Name the flop play and its author.
Name the two all-time classic musicals.
Name the successful play turned into a successful film and name the film’s director.
What was the connection to the author vis a vis the title of the flop play being used as the title of a film unrelated to the flop play.
And the answers are:
The Bird Cage/Arthur Laurents
West Side Story and Gypsy
Time Of The Cuckoo/Summertime/David Lean (special bonus points – play and film turned into the musical Do I Hear A Waltz)
The Mike Nichols film, The Birdcage was based on the film, La Cage Aux Folles, whose musical version was directed by Arthur Laurents.
And our winners are George, tomovoz, Michael Shayne, FJL, Steve Gurey, JMK, and JBelles. We put all the names into our Electronic Hat, which randomly chose our High Winner, Michael Shayne. So, if Mr. Shayne will send his address, we will send him a sparkling prize. Congratulations to one and all and also all and one.
Today I must try to finish The Brain fixes and rewrites so that I can begin to enter the short story fixes can corrections. I must also make a ton of telephonic calls, start to budget this little upcoming recording session, and try to make the potential recording project a possibility.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, write, rewrite, fix, correct, do errands, and whatnot, as well as answer the e-mail of Liang Wang to try to explain to her why no one on this here site saw fit to even mention the Yin and Yang routine. I’m hoping to get her to join our discussion group. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Clark Gable and Jane Russell movies? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we?