One more day and we’ll be sending 2022 out the door. Here’s a toast and a wishing y’all a good one.
St. Stephens Day Murders by The Chieftains with Elvis Costello
Hello Goodbye by the Beatles
So Long Farewell from The Sound of Music
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve by Ella Fitzgerald
Auld Lang Syne by Dougie Maclean
Once a week on Monday, Uncle Bardie shares a movie with his Readers he gives a big two thumbs up. It will simply be a short excerpt or a trailer for the movie. From time to time, a reflection on the movie will appear below the video. So pop some popcorn and give yourself a treat. This week’s movie is an extra special Christmas movie, “Arthur Christmas” (2011):
Yes, it’s Christmas Eve. What better way to celebrate than with an absolutely scrumptious animated movie, Arthur Christmas . So sit down, relax and get ready for Arthur time.
Back in the long, long ago time of 2011, Arthur is doing his regular job at the North Pole. Answering letters from boys and girls everywhere who might have an itsy, bitsy, teeny weeny doubt about Santa’s existence. It’s Arthur’s job to assure the children that Santa not only exists but he will be making deliveries at their houses.
How can Arthur sell Santa so sincerely. He’s Santa’s youngest. And he’s up to the job of Christmas cheer ‘cause there’s one thing Arthur loves more than anything. Arthur loves Christmas. He loves Christmas so much he is the embodiment of the Christmas spirit. Think Christmas. Arthur’s face comes up.
In this movie, there are no villains. I repeat. There are no villains. No grinches either. ‘Course Santa’s tired and ready to retire. Just one more Christmas delivery and it’s the sandy beaches of Florida. Only one thing to do after this final delivery. Choose a new Santa. The candidate most likely is Arthur’s older brother, Steve. Steve does have a lot of enthusiasm for the whole Christmas gig. He has whipped the elves into shape the way only a good drill sergeant can.
So it’s Christmas Eve, 2011. Santa takes out the new, extra special twenty-first century sled for delivery duty. At his side is the 1st Field Elf Battalion to do the dirty work and get the toys to every deserving boy and girl, and some not so deserving. “Operation Santa Claus is coming to town.” The sled is faster than a speeding bullet, making its rounds. Every child gets the special Santa treatment. Except one. Gwen.
You heard me right. Santa misses a child.
“But Santa never misses a child,” you say.
When Arthur realizes that Gwen has been missed, he calls it to Steve’s attention. Steve ignores him. He calls it to Santa’s attention. Santa ignores him. After all, it’s Arthur and he can be a bit of a pain. What with his Christmas over-the-top enthusiasm. Besides what is one child. “Christmas is not a time for emotion,” according to Steve.
Arthur decides that it just won’t do that Gwen will be missed. He takes it personally that a child was missed. He goes off on a mission to save Gwen’s Christmas. With a little help from Grandsanta, his old wooden sleigh Evie, and an elf named Bryony.
So get in the Christmas spirit and cheer Arthur on. He just might make it. After all it is Christmas Eve,and miracles do occur.
Harry went Christmas shopping two days after Thanksgiving. He hit the streets early that morning with his list. It was a tradition with him. Avoid Black Friday and hit the stores the next day. He was off with a smile on his face.
The crowds didn’t bug him. The lines at the cash registers didn’t bother him either. He always took a a book and got a lot of reading in that day. This year it was “The Christmas Carol” on his kindle, one of his favs.
While in line, he listened to the carols and let his imagination sink into the world of nineteenth century England. There was a comfort in knowing that everything was going to turn out just right. And Tiny Tim always put a smile on his face. He could imagine the carolers coming around to Scrooge’s place of business, singing, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”.
Since he was a boy, since the first time he heard the manger story and the peace on earth goodwill toward men, since the first time he read of Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit and the transformation of Scrooge into the best of men, he had loved Christmas. While others barked out their complaints about the crowds and the lack of Christmas cheer, Harry had nothing but happiness in his heart.
When he got home late in the day, the kids waited with hugs for their daddy and Merry had a special kiss for her husband. Then he saw the tree. Merry and his boys had spent all day while he was gone, doing an extra-special job trimming the tree and decorating the house. It was a delight. Tears formed in his eyes, tears of love and wonder.
Soon the day would come, soon the presents would be opened, soon the Christmas feast would be eaten, soon the decorations and the tree would come down, but for now Harry lived one day at a time.
He went over to the pitcher of eggnog Merry had made. Poured a large glass. Took it out to the garage. He finished it, then went out to the car and carried the presents back to his cabinet and stored them away until Christmas Eve.
He locked the cabinet, then he strung up the lights around the house, put up the large Santa and his sleigh along with the Nativity creche on his front lawn. When he was finished, it was time for a late dinner. Then he was off to his job at Santa’s Workshop. He had just been promoted to head elf. He had his own desk. He even had his own special name plate. It said “Harry Christmas”.
So have yourself a very Harry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Free Man in Paris, Joni Mitchell with one heck of a backup band: Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Lyle Mays, Don Alias
In France They Kiss On Main Street: Same band.
Cool Water with Willie Nelson (Song written by Bob Nolan of the Sons of the Pioneers).
There are perfect scenes in movies but they are few and far between. This scene from Blake Edward’s adaptation of Tuman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of my favorites. I may have seen it hundreds of times but I never tire of it. Paul Varjac (George Peppard) is in his apartment, typing away at a new story. Then a woman’s voice comes through the window, “Moon River, wider than a mile.”
Paul looks out the window. On the fire escape sits Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn). She strums her acoustic guitar, her voice filled with vulnerability, her voice that of a dreamer with “such a lot of world to see.” And I am smitten. I can’t think of another actress who could have pulled this scene off with the grace Audrey Hepburn does.
And it’s such a great song. Johnny Mercer has given us only ten lines to Henry Mancini’s music, yet it may be the best lyric he ever wrote. And he wrote some fine lyrics, among them One For My Baby, That Old Black Magic, In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening, and the English lyrics to Autumn Leaves. A lot of folks love Irving Berlin, but I’ll take Mercer any day over Berlin.
I’ve come to imagine that Holly, and Mercer, are reaching across the years to twenty-two years earlier. They’re offering a hand to their “huckleberry friend”, a young girl in Kansas, singing a Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg song. After all, all music is a conversation as jazz musicians know.
I’ve heard Moon River by singers from Willie Nelson to Frank Sinatra to Barbra Streisand. The website, Secondhand Songs, says 917 versions have been recorded. Could be more. But no matter the performer, I never tire of it. And I keep coming back to that moment with Holly on the fire escape.
Uncle Bardie's Stories & Such 