Tuesday 25 September 2018

A lighter post for a change



Some of my blogging friends noticed that my posts recently are on a heavy side. I have been aware of the fact that I am overly preoccupied with issues of a serious nature and that this has impact on subjects of my blogging. At the same time writing is some sort of therapy for me and the way to clarify for myself bothering me issues. I also know that I skirt around the real things which are serious challenges around my health. I have cancer and go through the regular treatments that are not much fun. There is also a lot of unknown ahead of me. One could say; isn’t it so for anybody? Yes, but the remnants of a mathematician in me come to think about probabilities and those are not in my favour. So, I worry and try to find answers how to live well with the situation I am in. This spills to my blog in some ways.

It is not a light start to what was going to be a light post, but my intentions are to write about Ladies in Black, the Australian film which is lovely, funny, intelligent and finishes with a number of happy ends. Just what the doctor ordered and I really enjoyed.

                                     Image result for ladies in black

For my current mood it was a panacea of the first sort and I give it my personal, very subjective 10 out of 10.

The film is about Australia in 1959 when reffos (post war refugees from Europe) were finding their way to embrace the new life and becoming millionaires. The conviction that Australia is the land of opportunities, great weather, freedom and the place where if one wants to, one becomes a millionaire without much of a problem. I must say that I feel the same about the possibilities in this country, especially at the time of the action of the film. And especially concerning reffos from Hungary who came here after the horror of times of 1956. With their abilities, fresh outlook, knowledge of European ways and often good education they were bound to be successful and very rich as a result. I believe that statistics would confirm that. I often thought that my clever father and talented mother would have made me a millionaires’ daughter if they came of Australia after the war. Coming in 1979 I was not that clever or lucky, but I still have lived a good life here (at least in some aspects).
One of my favourite scenes of the film is the exchange between two Hungarian men who admire the weather and one of them raises his hands towards the sky praising the weather and the water views from the balcony of his house exclaiming: isn’t it wonderful! The other asks: Are you happy then? And the answer is somewhat hesitant: I would not be that trivial.
Very European, funny and very silly in fact. Also, this is how I was and perhaps still am. One must have some complicated Dostoevsky's feelings to be considered a sophisticated person. Pure happiness is for simpletons. Hmm…

Ladies in black are ladies who work in a prestigious department store for well to do Australians. The head of the fashion department is a reffo, a very stylish one with Parisian experience and exquisite taste in cloth. Image result for ladies in black She takes under her wing a young and very clever girl who took the job in the department store during the holidays after her HSC. She passed the exams with flying colours and will have a great future ahead of her. Very different to her mother as a new era is only  just starting for women in Australia. Germain Greer will soon start to provoke and change girls’ psyche. Our heroine wants to be a poet, or and actress, or… a novelist. She reads Anna Karenina and she wants to go to uni. Her father says that no daughter of his would go uni and we are observing the change in his thinking under the influence of salami and wine that he is introduced to and comes to the conclusion – I can get used to it. We all know that he will change his mind and that his clever daughter will go to uni after all. With his blessing too. In the meantime, she will be introduced to European society with Hungarians in majority, learn to dress well, drink champagne and deal with being kissed on the hand. I never liked this type of greeting, especially in Polish winter when one had to take off one’s glove in very cold weather to let a man, who she was saying hello to, clumsily kiss the frozen, shaking hand. Now I think that those times had a lot of charm even (or especially) this continental kiss on the hand. And Sydney of 1959 seems very attractive in the charming old fashion way.
                                                  Image result for The kiss on the hand

Lovely film that will be forgotten soon as it is just charming fluff.


4 comments:

  1. There's nothing wrong with a bit of "charming fluff" - as you put it AC. Has got me through many dark periods when all I wanted to do was escape into... somewhere else.

    And that's actually a charming phrase that I've never read before, so I thank you for that and I'm sure, at some time, I shall borrow it - without proper attribution :)

    I wish you strength and courage, and maybe keep in mind that I absolutely know I'm not the only one who admires your thoughts, and your outlook on life.

    kvd

    ReplyDelete
  2. Use the "charming phrase" any time you like, I will take it as recognition.

    Thank you for your wishes and nice words about my thoughts and outlook on life. When I was young and beautiful I always wanted men to see more in me than a pretty girl. Looks like now I have my wish fulfilled :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is nice that you have started to go to movies again.

    I have health issues and have stopped going to the movies. My son has installed a home TV screen and also other apps like Amazon Prime, Netflix etc and I hope to getting back to see some movies at home though I have not been inspired to see any recent releases. I have a lot of catching up to do with the books that I have recently bought and that takes quite a bit of my time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sorry that you are restricted in your movements. Looks that we both need to put up with limitations these days. At least we both find some compensations and have our reading we both like. I hope your health issues will improve and some things will go back to the way there were in better days. I find that I need to be more and more philosophical about things and accept discomfort and limitations. My best wishes.
      Anna

      Delete