How to KateboardThe news these days has been dominated by horror: insurgencies and repression, deadly violence, disasters and devastation of all kinds. Even beyond Capitol Hill, the news has been terrible.
Hard to know how to respond. Personally, I’ve been alternating between obsessive monitoring of news reports and writing frankly frivolous blog entries. But my optimism has been boosted, my faith restored, thanks to this photograph.*
Study it closely: the answer is there.
Now — don’t you feel better?
Around the time I wrote a letter proposing marriage to her.
(She didn’t answer.)
I shouldn’t be surprised that, in this dark hour, so long after she left us, Katharine Hepburn would provide for us. She has been my salvation, and perhaps yours, as well, many times before.
So I hope you will join me in singing that old hymn, so fondly remembered from so many, many worship services at the Brown Film Society, when I wouldn’t start the movie screening unless the entire audience joined in.
*NOTE: I found the photograph on the New York Magazine website, where I was investigating the mysterious disappearance of Taylor Lautner.
Hard to know how to respond. Personally, I’ve been alternating between obsessive monitoring of news reports and writing frankly frivolous blog entries. But my optimism has been boosted, my faith restored, thanks to this photograph.*
Study it closely: the answer is there.
Now — don’t you feel better?
Around the time I wrote a letter proposing marriage to her.(She didn’t answer.)
I shouldn’t be surprised that, in this dark hour, so long after she left us, Katharine Hepburn would provide for us. She has been my salvation, and perhaps yours, as well, many times before.
So I hope you will join me in singing that old hymn, so fondly remembered from so many, many worship services at the Brown Film Society, when I wouldn’t start the movie screening unless the entire audience joined in.
HOW KATE THOU ART
Who’s the gal with high cheekbones
That we love so truly?
K-A-T!
E-H-E!
P-B-U-R-N!
Kate Hepburn! Kate Hepburn!
Forever let us hold our standards high!
High! High!
Now it’s time to start the film
That we’ve all come to see!
K-A-T!
E-H-E-!
P-B-U-R-N!
*NOTE: I found the photograph on the New York Magazine website, where I was investigating the mysterious disappearance of Taylor Lautner.
Ah, the actress about whom Dorothy Parker said, "She ran the whole gamut of emotions from A to B." But then, what did Dorothy Parker know?
ReplyDeleteWell, in fairness, Parker said that about one performance, and she entirely missed out on a lot of the best ones, in Hepburn's later career.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I do fondly remember singing this hymn prior to movie screenings while at Brown. What I would really like to know, however, is whether or not, after all these years, Fred Astaire has at last been elevated to the pantheon of film gods and goddesses. Twenty-eight years has been a long time to wait...
ReplyDeleteOne of my fondest memories of Brown was being in an auditorium filled with people and thinking how ridiculous it was to sing a hymn like this... until I started singing along and was carried away with the pure joy of that communal experience.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, that goes for the Fred Astaire movies, too. :)