Irish Roots of "Harvey"

First of all, Top O’ the Mornin’ to You on this St. Patrick’s Day! I didn’t imagine I’d have anything Irish to blog about today, but you just never know. We random-stuff bloggers have to pick up prompts wherever we can. There is Irish in my family tree, but it may not be the right kind for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. My Grandpa Wilkin died when I was nine, but one time I did ask him, “Grampy, what are we?” and he replied, “Scotch-Irish”. Does that count as Irish? Probably not, as there is no Catholicism in my family tree.

One gray afternoon last week I popped one of my favorite movies into the DVD player……Harvey (1950), starring James Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd, who claims to have a six-foot white rabbit---a pooka named Harvey---as his constant companion. Harvey is invisible to everyone except Elwood, of course. The delightful, uplifting story is crammed with cleverness and humor, providing me with plenty of therapeutic laughter. The DVD contains “extra” features, one of which is a bio of Mary Coyle Chase (a daughter of Irish immigrants), the newspaper journalist from Denver, Colorado, who authored the Pulitzer-Prize-winning play, Harvey. Mary Chase wrote the play in an attempt to cheer up her grieving neighbor who had lost a son in World War II. That’s cool……her intent was not for fame or monetary gain, but to help her neighbor.

I’m in awe, also, of Mary Chase’s grasp and use of coincidence. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when the orderly, Mr. Wilson, is looking up the word pooka in the dictionary. It is brilliant! Mary Chase attributed her story-telling abilities to her three Irish uncles. As a child, she would listen to them relate tales of fairies and pookas from Celtic mythology.

Bio of Mary Coyle Chase

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Here is director Alan Bailey’s notes for the 2008 production of Harvey at Commonweal Theater, Lanesboro, Minnesota (I visited the very cozy Commonweal Theater in Lanesboro several years ago when my daughter attended a summer drama camp there.):

Mary Chase was born in 1907 in Denver, Colorado, to parents who immigrated
to the United States from Ireland. In 1942, she began writing Harvey, a play about a
friendly inebriate named Elwood P. Dowd and his invisible companion. The inspiration
for the play came from a dream she had in which a psychiatrist was being chased by a
giant white rabbit. It reminded her of stories her Irish uncles had told about pookas,
mischievous goblins in Irish folklore who appear only to those who believe in them.

The pooka is well-known as one of the most powerful of Irish fairy folk. It is an
adroit shape-shifter, and it may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. Though
the pooka enjoys confusing and sometimes terrifying humans, it is considered
benevolent. It has the power of human speech, and it has been known to give advice
and lead people away from danger. The names of both Puck from A Midsummer Night’s
Dream and Winnie-the-Pooh are said to have derivations in common with the word
"pooka."

Mary Chases's play Harvey enjoyed a phenomenally successful Broadway run,
playing for nearly five years after its 1944 opening. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama,
and the 1950 film version starring James Stewart has achieved iconic status.
The dreamer that lies in each of us should never lose sight of the following ...
this play that has become a classic ...
this play that has endured for generations ..this play that is about one of the most famous dreamers in literature was
created because an artist listened to her dream.

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In my unlearned view, the underlying theme of Harvey seems to be that larger forces are at work to bring joy into our lives, often in ways that seem comical or troublesome. James Stewart’s character, Elwood P. Dowd, is most certainly an oddball at first glance. For reasons never quite made clear, Elwood is completely resigned to the fact that the pooka, Harvey, is his constant companion. Elwood and Harvey prevail at every turn, effortlessly dodging attempts to thwart them. They guide and nudge those around them onto paths that lead to hope and joy. Harvey is most certainly a form of the trickster, about whom myths and tales have been told in many cultures down through the ages. Christians know it is the Holy Spirit, working miracles here and there as He pleases. Elwood never quenched the Spirit's influence……he was in step with it.

May you have a blessed St. Patrick's Day, whether you are properly Irish or not. I will be wearing green just in case my Irishness is legitimate.
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(Harvey---or whoever my trickster is---must have been at work while I was writing this post. I had the whole blogpost finished in Live Writer, but then somehow managed to close the Live Writer window, deleting the whole thing. Evidently, Live Writer does not auto-save as you write, like Blogger does. My husband came in for his noon meal right then, and I’m afraid I was very quiet as we ate, because I was running sentences over and over in my mind so I wouldn’t forget what I had written.)

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May your trickster show kindness to you today!

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Exiles in Casablanca

We happened to watch a most interesting show on PBS the other night, Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood. I had no previous awareness of this fact, but many stage and screen actors, writers and directors, who were very well-known in their native European countries, were forced to flee to the U.S.---and Hollywood's film industry---as the Nazis gained power in Germany.

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In the late 1930's and early 1940's, many anti-Nazi movies were made.......Casablanca being one of them. Many of the minor characters and extras in that film were famous stage and film stars from Germany and France. This YouTube clip shows the dueling national anthems scene taking place in Rick's bar. The scene is filled with European film stars......meaning the tears glistening in the eyes of the young French woman were most likely prompted by authentic emotion. Casablanca is one of my favorite movies, and this new (to me) information about the cast makes me appreciate the film even more.

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Here's a Casablanca quiz I posted last spring. The answers are here.

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And, click to read a silly Casablanca-related story told to me last spring by a pair of feathered friends who happened to stop at our farm shortly after I posted the Casablanca quiz. Cool coincidence.

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Holiday in Rome

Usually, I post stained-glass church window photos on Sundays, along with a religious theme, but I'm fresh out of such photos, and though I probably could conjure up something to write on the subject of religion, I'm instead choosing to chatter about a favorite movie, Roman Holiday. It takes place in Rome---obviously---a city closely tied to the historic Christian Church.......that will have to suffice for a religious theme today!

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Roman Holiday features Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, and Eddie Albert. While shopping for Christmas gifts last week, I sneaked one into the cart for myself......the new restored DVD version of this 1953 movie. Daughter and I watched in on Friday afternoon, along with some of the extra features included on an accompanying DVD: a bio of Audrey Hepburn and highlights from her film career. Did you know her mother was a Dutch baroness? Audrey was born in Belgium and grew up in Holland during the difficulties and deprivation of the Nazi occupation there during World War II.

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Here's more info about Roman Holiday (from a booklet included with the DVD): The film received 10 Academy Award nominations and won three.....for Best Actress (Audrey Hepburn), Best Story, and Costumes (Edith Head). In 1999, "Roman Holiday" was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.' Eventually, the Academy sought to correct some of the injustices they had made during the Communist witch-hunt; although Dalton Trumbo had died in 1976, his widow was finally presented with an Oscar in 1993.....for the "Roman Holiday" story.

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Roman Holiday was one of the first movies to be filmed on location.......in this case, the setting being Rome, of course. For me, the film is a fascinating travelogue of that ancient city.

Aha.......here's one of my favorite scenes........Ann and Joe Bradley encountering

Brocca Della Verita, "The Mouth of Truth".

Supposedly, Audrey Hepburn's reaction to Gregory Peck "losing" his hand is authentic and unrehearsed......Peck had planned ahead of time to play this trick on Hepburn during the shooting of this scene at "The Mouth of Truth" in Rome.

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Hey, during this holiday season, why don't you consider taking in a Roman Holiday, too!

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Cure for Loitering

Hey.......if there are any researchers out there trying to discover the cure for loitering.......here it is.......shown on this thermometer:

Yup, when the temperature is THAT cold, with a whipping wind to boot, the temptation to indulge in loitering completely disappears. There's no tarrying, lagging, dawdling to be found anywhere.......in the out-of-doors, anyway.

YA GOTTA KEEP MOVIN' OR YOU WILL FREEZE!

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Woof! Woof! Excuse me.......I was wrong........we did see a sun dog loitering in the sky this morning:

Here's a pageful of cool parhelion photos.

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My chore boots are constructed of materials that are supposed to keep feet warm in temperatures down to -20 degrees F., and they did seem to be doing their job this morning, in spite of the -35 degree wind chill factor. Though, if I'd foolishly indulged in loitering out in the windy cold, my feet would have quickly succombed to a freezing numbness.
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I would imagine that in extreme cold weather conditions like we have today, there is a drop in crimes, misdemeanors, and sins that involve being out-of-doors. What criminal in his right mind would loiter around on an icy cold night, stalking someone or waiting for the right moment to break in and steal something. Drug dealing, or adultery, or any number of disreputable activities that might depend on a clandestine meeting out-of-doors, would need to be rethought or the plan nixed altogether. Just think.......what an improved society we might have if we were reined in by extreme cold more often!!
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Not surprisingly, our rural church cancelled Sunday services today. After morning chores, we enjoyed family bantering and a pancake breakfast, followed by more frosting of cookies and watching of football games and a movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I enjoy the slow-paced, almost-buried humor in that odd story, with the interspersed old movie clips connecting the two seemingly unrelated story-lines. Perfect for a cold winter afternoon's entertainment.
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And, finally......here's something that gave me a chuckle today: This morning, as I was stirring pancake batter, Husband was perusing an Iowa history and trivia book......he suddenly said, "Hey, did you guys know Iowa has a song?" To which Daughter replied, "Yeah......its Fight, Fight, Fight for Iowa-a-a!" I shook my head and said, "No, no......that's the U of Iowa Fight Song, not the state of Iowa's song." We peered over Husband's shoulder to view the lyrics of the Iowa song. Here's my reason for chuckling......the song is sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum" (the carol "O Christmas Tree"), which was the subject of my blogpost this morning! None of the family knew that. Heehee......go ahead and belt it out:
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You asked what land I love the best,
Iowa, tis Iowa.
The fairest State of all the west,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
From yonder Mississippi's stream
To where Missouri's waters gleam
O! fair it is as poet's dream,
Iowa, in Iowa.
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See yonders fields of tasseled corn,
Iowa in Iowa.
Where plenty fills her golden horn,
Iowa in Iowa.
See how her wonderous prairies shine.
To yonder sunset’s purpling line,
O! happy land, O! land of mine,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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And she has maids whose laughing eyes,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
To him whose loves were Paradise,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
O! happiest fate that e’er was known.
Such eyes to shine for one alone,
To call such beauty all his own.
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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Go read the story of thy past,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
What glorious deeds, what fame thou hast!
Iowa, O! Iowa.
So long as time’s great cycle runs,
Or nations weep their fallen ones,
Thou’lt not forget thy patriot sons,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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Oh, yeah.......one would soon tire of singing "Iowa, O! Iowa" over and over again!
Here is info about how the song came to be written. And, here's a site which would lead you to all 50 state songs, should you be loitering there at your computer with lots of free time on your hands. If you're from Iowa and are sitting there perplexed because you're thinking that Iowa's song surely must be, "The Iowa Corn Song"........Oh, we're from Ioway, Ioway.......that's where the tall corn grows!.......well, you were mistaken, as was I.
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Stay WARM........and, if you abide in a warmer clime, then stay COOL!
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[P.S. - Here's a link to another Iowa song, shown on YouTube: The Iowa Waltz. I had not heard of it before someone kindly mentioned it in a comment on this post.]

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Elizabeth & Reduced Shakespeare

My college student daughter made a surprise visit home last evening. She claimed she had no studying to do and simply wanted to spend a night at home. Who knows. She seemed fine. She had this movie with her:

My daughter is interested in English history.......and, I am, too, so she wanted me to watch this movie with her. I was tired last night, though, and not too keen on the idea, but I did park myself in the recliner, taking in a good share of the movie between dozing jags.



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Daughter went back to school this morning, leaving the movie here. Over noon lunch, Husband and I started watching it again (he had not watched it last night). Today's weather was cold and rainy.......giving good reason to stay in the house if possible. Anyhow........amazingly, Husband stayed AWAKE through the whole movie! He enjoyed it very much. Its not a mushy film and there are good sea battle scenes included.......enough action to keep a guy's attention. I personally enjoyed any scene which included Clive Owen's handsome face!



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Here's some of the characters inhabiting Elizabeth-The Golden Age:

Elizabeth I

Sir Walter Raleigh

Dr. John Dee

Sir Francis Walsingham

Mary, Queen of Scots

Philip II of Spain

Elizabeth Throckmorton Raleigh



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During the movie, I grabbed a couple encyclopedias to look up Walter Raleigh and Elizabeth I. Elizabeth's reign was considered the Golden Age of England. The writing arts flourished; William Shakespeare wrote during this time.



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When the movie was over, I checked my email......and, guess what!! An old friend of mine had emailed to ask if I wanted to attend a play at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Center at the U of Northern Iowa tonight! One of her co-workers had just today given her two tickets to tonight's The Reduced Shakespeare performance! I thought it over for about 5 seconds and typed my reply of, "YES, I'd love to go!" Last-minute plans are my favorite! Ask me to go somewhere a month from now and I will probably say NO, but ask me to go somewhere today, and I most likely will say YES! Its a bad impulsive habit, I guess.

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Anyhow.......it gave me a chuckle that I had just watched this movie about England in the time of Shakespeare, and then right away someone asks me to attend a Shakespeare play........of course, it is going to be a comic spoof of his plays. That's OK.......I love spoofs and good laughs, which hopefully will be forthcoming at the show tonight! I'll let you know.

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Charade Quiz Answers

Whoo-Hoo.......is this exciting or what??!! Here are the anwers to the Charade Quiz (trivia questions about the movie entitled Charade), posted one week ago today. My, how time flies!! [If you've never watched the movie and plan to.......watch it first before you read these answers, please......to keep the movie exciting for you.]

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1. What year was Charade released?

1963

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2. The leading man in Charade is played by Cary Grant. Name the three aliases he uses in the movie.

Peter Joshua

Alexander Dyle

Adam Canfield

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3. The theme song of the movie is also entitled "Charade". The lyrics were written by __________ and the music by ___________.

Lyrics: Johnny Mercer

Music: Henri Mancini

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4. The leading lady is played by Audrey Hepburn. What is her name in the movie?

Regina Lambert

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5. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant's characters meet at a ski resort. He tells her that her nephew, Jean Louie, is throwing snowballs at whom?

Baron Rothschild

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6. What is Jean Louie's mother's first name in the movie?

Sylvie

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7. Audrey Hepburn's husband in the film (his name being Charles) was thrown from a train which was traveling from ___________ to ___________.

Paris to Bordeaux

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8. There were ten items in Charles' travel bag. Name five of them.

Key to apartment

Agenda Book

Letter to Regina

Toothbrush

Fountain Pen

Tin of Tooth Powder

Wallet

Ticket to South America

Comb

Passports

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9. How many passports did Charles have?

Four

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10. There were four bad guys. Their names were Herman Scobee, Tex Panthollow, Carson Dyle, and Leopold W. Gideon. Name the actors who played each.

Herman Scobee: George Kennedy

Tex Panthollow: James Coburn

Carson Dyle: Walter Matthau

Leopold W. Gideon: Ned Glass

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11. What were the bad guys trying to figure out at the funeral visitation?

If the deceased, Charles Lambert, was faking his death.

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12. What humorous game did Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant get involved in at a Paris nightclub?

Passing an orange from underneath chin of one person to another......using no hands.

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13. Which bad guy warned Audrey Hepburn that "any morning you could wake up dead"?

Leopold W. Gideon (Ned Glass)

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14. Cary Grant and one of the bad guys had a fight on top of a building. What building was it? And which bad guy was it?

The American Express Building

Herman Scobee (George Kennedy)

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15. A stash of cash is what everyone is after. What is the amount?

$250,000

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16. Audrey Hepburn's character is employed at E.U.R.E.S.C.O. as a simultaneous translator........translating _________ into ___________.

French into English

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17. Which trap-door lever does Cary Grant pull in the theatre?

A-4

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18. Cary Grant's character actually is employed by what branch of the U.S. government?

Department of the Treasury

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19. What is the real Hamilton Bartholomew's occupation in the movie?

Head of maintenance at the Embassy

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20. Finally, in the end, after so many twists and turns, and charades.......what is Cary Grant's character's real name?

Brian Crookshank

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Charade Quiz

Ok, is everyone excited about this? I'll bet.

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These are trivia questions about the movie Charade in case you just popped in here for the first time. I'm sure there are movie trivia websites out there, but these questions are simply from me, myself, and I.

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1. What year was Charade released?

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2. The leading man in Charade is played by Cary Grant. Name the three aliases he uses in the movie.

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3. The theme song of the movie is also entitled "Charade". The lyrics were written by __________ and the music by ___________.

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4. The leading lady is played by Audrey Hepburn. What is her name in the movie?

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5. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant's characters meet at a ski resort. He tells her that her nephew, Jean Louie, is throwing snowballs at whom?

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6. What is Jean Louie's mother's first name in the movie?

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7. Audrey Hepburn's husband in the film (his name being Charles) was thrown from a train which was traveling from ___________ to ___________.

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8. There were ten items in Charles' travel bag. Name five of them.

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9. How many passports did Charles have?

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10. There were four bad guys. Their names were Herman Scobee, Tex Panthollow, Carson Dyle, and Leopold W. Gideon. Name the actors who played each.

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11. What were the bad guys trying to figure out at the funeral visitation?

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12. What humorous game did Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant get involved in at a Paris nightclub?

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13. Which bad guy warned Audrey Hepburn that "any morning you could wake up dead"?

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14. Cary Grant and one of the bad guys had a fight on top of a building. What building was it? And which bad guy was it?

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15. A stash of cash is what everyone is after. What is the amount?

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16. Audrey Hepburn's character is employed at E.U.R.E.S.C.O. as a simultaneous translator........translating _________ into ___________.

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17. Which trap-door lever does Cary Grant pull in the theatre?

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18. Cary Grant's character actually is employed by what branch of the U.S. government?

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19. What is the real Hamilton Bartholomew's occupation in the movie?

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20. Finally, in the end, after so many twists and turns, and charades.......what is Cary Grant's character's real name?

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Well.....good luck.......my wish would be that this prompts you to quickly rent or buy or borrow the movie and watch it. Its a fun one........

Charade, Anyone?

Another older movie that I absolutely love is Charade, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

Hepburn, above, and on the right in the photo below, plays a young widow suddenly thrown into an intriguing maelstrom of mystery, murder, and mayhem in Paris, immediately following her husband's death. This scene takes place at her husband's bizarre funeral visitation. The other woman is her sister.
Some of the best things about Charade are the settings and props. The Paris hotel where much of the action takes place provides an eerie atmosphere with the spiraling staircases, curlique shadows of wrought iron railings, and the fancy old elevator.
Old-fashioned telephones and phone booths also play a major role in this movie. Oh, so romantic, for some odd reason........in a way that cell phones could never, ever be.
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An interesting fact about Charade: The original screenplay was rejected by seven movie studios. The writer, Peter Stone, then wrote a novel out of the screenplay's premise; it was published in the magazine Redbook, allowing the story to become familiar and popular. After that, Peter Stone wrote another screenplay for Charade, and this time ALL seven movie studios wanted to buy it!!

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Charade contains an ample supply of details........names, places, pertinent items, etc.,........from which this blogger will soon attempt to stump you with a quiz about those aspects of this movie.

Pssst!.....Tuxedo Speaking

Pssst........pssst!! Over here.......its me, Tuxedo the cat, with something important to say to you blog readers.......and this is no charade. This is my chance to jump into this here blog for a few minutes.......Jeannelle is out on one of her silly walks........with that annoying camera. I often accompany her, but this time I pretended to be deep in a catnap.

Here's something you need to know.......Jeannelle's been watching bits and pieces of this here DVD, "Charade". I'm afraid she might be planning to put another movie quiz on this blog soon (what a dumb idea, in my feline opinion, by the way).Take a peek inside this little DVD-playing contraption to see the proof:

Jeannelle's daughter left this little DVD player at home when she went to college, and Jeannelle seems to think that gives her the right to appropriate the machine for her own use. There's nothing I can do, except sit here in my chair by the kitchen counter and helplessly watch her cooking and baking under the influence of movie watching. I'm worried that one day she'll get so distracted by an engrossing movie scene that she'll toss peas in the brownie batter and chocolate chips in the casserole. Its enough to give a cat gray whiskers.........I fear I may have some already!

Anyway, I wanted you to know that to pass muster on this Charade quiz, you should probably be able to list all of Cary Grant's aliases, plus his true name (in the movie), of course. I doubt Jeannelle would think to ask for his true name in real life. Heeheehee.......this is fun......a chance for me to get back at my mistress for the times she locks me in the basement and shoves me outdoors when I don't wish to go.

Oops......she's returning from her walk......talking to herself, as usual.......what a weirdo!! Gotta make like a cat now, bounding about, purring, and all that........don't forget what I told you!

Update on Kitties

As you can see, Miss Kitty's kitties are doing fine, contented in their role of being a squirming little bunch of furry darlings. Miss Kitty attends to them 'round the clock------although, obviously, she's was taking a breather when this photo was snapped. Otherwise, Miss Kitty allows them to nurse most of the time, and you should hear her constantly purr as she engages in this motherly activity. Many calories are used in nursing......and probably in purring, too........so it shouldn't be long before Miss Kitty regains her svelte pre-pregnancy figure.

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This morning I awakened to the sound of a bird I'd never heard before. The morning light was too dim to even hope of seeing the singer, and I wish I could "google" the tune somehow to find out what kind of bird it was. Sigh. I do have a Roger Tory Peterson bird CD for the computer which includes birdsongs on it, so maybe I'll have to dig it out and see if the unknown singer can be identified.

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That also reminds me that in yesterday's Hitchcock movie we watched-----"The Lady Vanishes"------the elderly, seemingly ordinary governess, Miss Froy, was actually a spy who received messages through the songs of a mountain folksinger crooning outside her window. What a totally ingenious idea!

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When the bird woke me up this morning, I had been dreaming about an acquaintance who is passed on. In the dream, I had just found out that he had given up farming to take a nightshift job in a big post office. It was perplexing to me that he would do such a thing.......I couldn't imagine he would enjoy the boring postal work.

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Rain pelted our windows most of last night, propelled by strong winds. This morning, all is quiet, but still overcast. Sunshine would be nice........I hope your area is blessed with it today!!!

Beyond Casablanca......

Its a windy, cold, rainy day here in northeast Iowa, meaning there's nothing to do outside, meaning I have time to sit here and relate the following story to you. I'll admit, I'm skeptical of the whole thing, but here's what happened:

The other day I was accosted by this pair of mourning doves. In hushed tones, they advised me to listen carefully to what they had to say. Quickly, they lifted their wings to reveal tiny, shiny, official-looking badges emblazoned with the letters, "B.T.S." (They also showed me their passports, although I didn't think that was necessary......I mean, I'm nobody important.....just a farm wife going about her business.)
They summarily explained that B.T.S. stands for "Beyond Tales Society"........well, I had certainly never heard of that before. Maybe you have, but I have not. The doves said that the group privately refers to themselves as the "Tale Feathers Club", and they travel about in pairs to tell the story "beyond the tale". Somehow, my blog post quiz about "Casablanca" had come to B.T.S.'s attention. These two agents had been sent here to straighten things out.

I shook my head, not comprehending in the least what could possibly need straightening out about the tale of Casablanca. Then they informed me that they had come to fill me in on "The Rest of the Tale". They then assured me they have no connection to Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story". Similar-sounding, but no connection.

The birds said I obviously had not watched the movie "Casablanca" close enough......I was immediately indignant, thinking that I certainly had watched the film thoroughly, in order to write up a quiz to put on my blog. The birds simply said that there are aspects in several scenes which point to what actually took place after the movie's story was finished. I thought......pa-leeze.......give me a break, and started to walk away from the birds, but they exhorted me to stay and listen to them. So I did, and here's what they told me:

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In the final scene, of course, the plane carrying Ilsa and Victor takes off and disappears into the fog, and Rick and Captain Renault saunter together across the runway conversing about a "beautiful friendship" that is beginning. Then "THE END" appears, and that's it.......so we think.

The birds said that the fog was so thick that the plane's pilot became very concerned that he might crash into the Rock of Gilbraltar on the way to Lisbon, so he turned the rig around and flew back to Casablanca. During this time, Victor had a sudden epiphany and realized what he really wanted to do with his life........be a band leader......not the leader of a band of Resistance fighters, but the leader of a big band....you know, that plays music. In a scene in the movie, Victor is suddenly moved to direct Rick's cafe band in a rousing rendition of the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", to counter the Germans singing their repective national anthem. (It is a moving moment in the film.......makes one wish that wars could be fought that way.)

Anyway, apparently, this band directing thing really resonated with Victor, and as the plane flew back towards Casablanca, he tried to explain to Ilsa his sudden desire to change careers. She was beside herself, of course........she loved him for his noble role in life as a Resistance leader. The couple was arguing heatedly as they disembarked from the plane on the still-foggy runway at Casablanca International Airport.

Rick and Captain Renault (Louie) had already found a car and driven back into downtown Casablanca. It was a zippy sports car, similar to the one Rick was driving in the flashback scene, driving in the French countryside with Ilsa. He suddenly realized that it actually had been THE CAR which made him so happy at that moment in the past.......not Ilsa. So Rick decided right then and there to pursue a career in sports car test driving. On the side, he opened a branch store in Casablanca of Aperitifs Liqueurs de Marque-----the main store in Paris having been shown in the flashback scene------in order to pursue his second love, that of enjoying fine liquors.

Victor used a stash of cash to purchase Rick's Cafe Americain in Casablanca, renaming it Vick's Cafe Americain (it was good plan......only one letter on the sign needed changing). Vick.....er, Victor, converted Rick's former apartment above the cafe into an upscale massage and aromatherapy business called "Vick's Vapo & Rub". Don't worry......it was all legitimate......no hanky-panky was tolerated there; it simply offered healthy massages accompanied by olfactory pleasures.

What of Ilsa and Captain Renault, you may ask........why Ilsa, who had, of course, been beside herself concerning Victor's career change decision.......gathered her and herself together and opened a flower shop in Casablanca. (I had failed to remember that she had been shown arranging flowers in the flashback scene.) And in the "A franc for your thoughts" scene, the centerpiece on the coffee table had actually been created by Ilsa, the birds informed me. My goodness........my eyes were being opened to the clues that I'd missed.

And as for Captain Louie Renault.......well, he probably was the smartest character in the story, anyway........the one who could mix with anyone, and make connections happen. With his gambling winnings, Louie purchased The Blue Parrot and enticed Sam to partner with him in the venture. They renamed the place, "Sam's Tick-Tock", featuring decor with a theme of time and clocks. Ilsa, who eventually became Louies' wife, often would wander in with a new flower bouquet, and say, "Play it, Sam", and Sam would oblige by playing, as always, "As Time Goes By"........that part of the tale could never change!

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Anyway, there you have it.........the "Beyond the Tale" tale of Casablanca, straight from the birds' mouths.

I know, its difficult to believe all of this........and I'm not sure I do believe it, but I'm passing the information on to you, despite its questionable nature.

Casablanca Quiz ANSWERS

This post contains the answers to the Casablanca Quiz. Click yourself to it if you wish to try your luck at answering the questions before reading this.

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1. The city of Casablanca is in FRENCH MOROCCO.

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2. Sam's first song is "IT HAD TO BE YOU".

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3. Ilsa's last name is LUND.

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4. Ilsa husband's name is VICTOR LAZLO.

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5. Rick's last name is BLAINE......age 37, by the way. (on his passport.......I wonder how old Bogie actually was?)

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6. Rick's bar in Paris was called LA BELLE AURORE.

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7. Rick's rival bar in Casablanca is THE BLUE PARROT, whose owner is FERRARI.

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8. Rick hid the much-sought after Letters of Transit INSIDE SAM'S PIANO.

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9. Rick chose #22 as the winning number on the roulette wheel.

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10. The film's final spoken line: Rick to Captain Renault, the police chief, as they walk across the air strip after Ilsa and Victor's plane disappears into the foggy night, "LOUIE, I THINK THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP." (They are going to flee Casablanca together.)

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Thanks to all who contributed answers, whether correct or not, and to all who took time to read the post. As I said in the quiz post, "Casablanca" is a WELL-TOLD tale, tightly organized in a way that draws me right into the story.

Casablanca Quiz

What's Bogart doing on a dairy farm blog? Why must we leap from pondering newborn calves to remembering a famous movie from the 1940's? Can't this blogger stayed focused? No, she can't.

Sunday afternoon my college daughter unexpectedly made a visit home here to the farm. She and I enjoyed a pleasant, animated conversation, which is typical for us, as is an occasional heated argument. Such are the dynamics of our mother-daughter relationship.

As we were chatting along, my daughter suddenly said, "I've never seen Casablanca." I said, "Well, I think we have it on VHS, so let's watch it this afternoon, if you have time." She did, so we did, and I'm glad we did, for what a great story, well-told, is the movie, Casablanca! Well-told is the key, I believe.

In its honor, here's a Casablanca quiz for you. Don't feel bad if you don't know many of the answers-----I wouldn't know them either if I hadn't just watched the movie. If this prompts you to find a way to watch Casablanca ASAP, then this post's purpose will be fulfilled!

1. In what country is the city of Casablanca located? (2 words)

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2. Sam is first shown singing what song?

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3. What is Ilsa's last name?

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4. What is Ilsa's husband's name?

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5. What is Rick's last name?

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6. What was the name of Rick's bar in Paris?

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7. What is the name of Rick's rival bar in Casablanca......and the name of the man who runs it?

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8. Where did Rick hide the letters of transit?

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9. Rick rigged a roulette game to help a young Bulgarian man win enough money to buy an exit visa.......what was the winning number on the roulette wheel?

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10. What is the final line spoken in the film.......by whom to whom, and where were they?

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If you wish, post your answers in the comments section. If you don't wish.....that's fine, too. Just go watch the movie. I'll post answers to any unanswered questions in a couple days.

Casablanca is famous for its plethora of very memorable lines. What is your favorite? I have a few, or probably many......including:

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Rick to Ilsa, concerning the last time they saw each other in Paris: "......the Germans wore gray.......you wore blue." (Wow......focused awareness in the midst of chaotic distraction.)

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Rick to Ilsa: "Who are you really.....and what were you before? What did you do.......and what did you think, huh?" (Wow......the key to winning fair lady.......show interest in her.......especially in what she thinks. Better yet.....actually BE interested in what she thinks!)

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Rick to the desperate young Bulgarian woman: "Everyone in Casablanca has problems........yours may work out." (Wow.......optimism in the midst of pessimism.)

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Concerning the famous line "Play it again, Sam".......if anyone can find it in the movie, let me know. What is actually said is, "Play it, Sam." and "Sing it, Sam."

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Have a pleasant day, and remember.......The fundamental things apply, as time goes by.......