The above image is from the 1929 silent film Big Business starring Laurel & Hardy. In it, the duo are trying to make money by selling Christmas trees, eventually arriving at the home of a rather cranky man played by James Findlayson. Annoyed by their persistent badgering, he emerges from his house with hedge clippers and chops the top off the tree Laurel & Hardy are trying to sell him. They retaliate by vandalising his door... he then damages their clothes... the altercation escalates rapidly as the man's house is destroyed by Laurel & Hardy. Meanwhile, as they smash out his windows, destroy his piano, etc., he takes an axe to their car, eventually ripping it apart with his bare hands. A crowd gathers to watch the melee, and things take another turn as a police officer arrives and gets in the way of flying debris.
Comments
Well, we woke up to this weather yesterday morning. Sigh.: One thing I really hate about this social distancing is not being able to see my nephews and nieces, who are managing to keep busy: Some puzzling: Apparently the young'uns thought Martin Luther needed some artistic flairs: For my sister who home schools her kids, education hasn't changed much. In geography this week, they were studying the United States and yesterday had a quiz. Her youngest- who's three- wanted to participate, so she gave him a copy of the map. Some time later, he brought it to her, asking "Did I get them all right?" Continuing with maps, some of the kids are spending their time off plotting the takeover of the world: I can't wait until all this is over and I can see these little munchkins again, because I miss their antics. Related Posts: Not long after Cissy tells Valancy of her past, she succumbs to her illness, finally at peace and free of her pain and suffering. Valancy is with her when she dies, and afterwards she goes out to meet Roaring Abel and tell him what's happened. Abel- as usual- is three sheets to the wind, but the shock sobers him up a bit. He reminisces about Cissy as a little girl, running up the lane to meet him with flowers in her hair. This gives me a moment's twinge of pity for the man, but it swiftly passes when I remember that he squandered his daughter's love and affection by caring more for the contents of a bottle than he did for her. It's too little, too late for his regrets. Valancy has to plan the funeral because of course Roaring Abel is useless. Barney Snaith doesn't attend, but before the funeral he helps Valancy with preparations and brings white roses for Cissy's coffin. The man whom the entire town despises actually displays more kindness and compassion than any of the so-called respectable pillars of the community. Speaking of whom, the whole town shows up for the funeral, just as if they hadn't shunned and shamed Cissy for the last few years. Death lends her a respectability which she no longer possessed in life... people start remembering what a quiet, modest girl she had been before her disgrace. The Stirlings are all there, looking pious and solemn. After a family meeting, it was decided that they would attend, lending an air of respectability to Valancy's actions by pretending that she had the family's approval. They hope to convince the rest of the community that Valancy was actually performing a laudable act of charity, not engaging in scandalous behaviour. To their surprise, they find their errant relation conducting herself in a very competent and respectable manner as she manages the logistics of the funeral. They begin to hope that they might just be able to pull off their retcon of the events of the past months, saving the Stirling family name from being dragged through the mud. Also, a local widower in attendance takes notice of Valancy's abilities and starts considering her as a possible stepmother to his brood. As unlikely as it seems, both Valancy's reputation and matrimonial chances have gotten a boost from Cissy's funeral. After the funeral, Valancy's mother asks her when she's coming home, because obviously she can't stay on with Roaring Abel. Valancy, who's preparing dinner for some of Abel's relatives, says absently no, of course she won't be staying but will need a few days to get the house in order. Neither her mother nor the others notice that, while Valancy says she won't be staying at Roaring Abel's, she doesn't say that she will be returning home. Naively sure that the prodigal will return, the Stirlings leave the funeral satisfied and Uncle Benjamin says that, when Valancy does return, no one must reprimand her or mention her actions at all. This by itself shows how much the family has changed in the way they regard Valancy. Previously she was held in derision, every misdeed she'd made in her life- however minor- constantly brought up and talked/joked about. Now, having actually done something scandalous, the family can't even bring it up because they're afraid of what she might say or do. And well they might be, as we shall soon see.
|
About MeI'm a lover of good books, classic movies, and well-written shows (as well as some pretty cheesy ones, to be completely honest). Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
Fun SitesOdds & Ends |