Because it's cute.

"Pardon Me, Madame" from Rose Marie :o)

Greetings MacBloggers, I really must be getting to bed, but I just wanted to apologize in advance for my absence of the next few days--I'm going to visit my grandma for the weekend, and while Grandma is very savvy with the interwebs, she has yet to master the art of being wireless. I leave you in the obviously very capable hands of Miss Kayla, and with this photo, because as I've stated... I love Cairo.

Jeanette MacDonald?

So, you know how back in the '60s there was that whole "Paul McCartney is dead" hoax?
Well, back in 1931, there was the "Jeanette MacDonald was mangled a car crash in Europe" hoax.
MANGLED.
And that her sister, Blossom, took her place.
WHO MAKES THIS STUFF UP?
There was a book published, detailing this ordeal. With Jeanette's picture on the front. Aptly titled, "Jeanette MacDonald?" Jeanette MacDonald... question mark.
After the jump is a photo that illustrates why Blossom is my favorite MacSister. (Don't tell Elsie.)

This would be Nelson's "Oh sh-" face.

I have found what is now my favorite picture of Jeanette and Nelson OF ALL TIME. I mean, this even beats the whole series of boxing pictures, and if you know me and how I roll, you know that's saying something.
If you don't know me... um, this is tres importante.
Popcorn'll make ya JUMP! JUMP!



WHAT IS THE WHAT 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WHAT.
It's cool, I'm done reciting lines from 90's rap now.

Monday is Czaritza Day.

...Because I said so.

Many, many moons ago, I saw this clip of the Czaritza scene from Maytime way, way before I ever cared at all about Jeanette. (I KNOW, RIGHT?! I should jump off a bridge.) I was really upset about something or other--must not have been too terribly important because I can't recall it now--and Kayla started linking me to Jeanette clips on YouTube as a means of distracting me from whatever drama queen diva moment I was having. I remember seeing the last scene of I Married An Angel (all the crazy stuff that at one point involves Hula Brigitta), Springtide, and this. Czaritza. I was then shown a clip of Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza singing the same song--in English--from That Midnight Kiss. This song which, mind you, I have been trying to find the title of for the past 15 minutes with no luck. Everything I consult is calling it Czaritza. Which I know is the name of Marcia's opera, but not the name of THE SONG. Anyway, I remember being really taken with this Czaritza business when I first saw it, and especially enjoying Jeanette's hat... head-dress... thing. If I could feasibly pull this outfit together for Halloween, I would. It was over two years after first seeing that before I actually WATCHED Maytime. Needless to say, now it all makes a LOT more sense. And I heart it that much more.
SO.
Di sent us this lovely Czaritza photo, which I have been waiting for an excuse to post, so here it is! Click to make it full-size and gorgeous.



Videos after the jump! That's right, VIDEOS. PLURAL. Click it!

So, here we have the ORIGINAL OMG! Czaritza. The magical hat. Kayla wanted me to inform you that she likes to translate every word of this song as "My arms, they flail, to show you my love." There IS a lot of flailing going on here.



Annnnd in lieu of the Kathryn Grayson/Mario Lanza version in English from That Midnight Kiss (the clip on YouTube is Not Good Quality and picks up in the middle of the song, therefore marring its epicness), we present you with them flailing their arms, too, in Libiamo from Trrrraviata (we say that like the true Barrymores we are).



Kayla would also like everyone to know she is scanning a zillion Kathryn Grayson pictures, and will "brb in 10 years." It won't really be that long, but let us all wish her the best of luck in her scanning endeavors. (Just for clarification, I'm not being a terrible friend by not offering to help--we live in different states; otherwise, I'd be her scanning elf.)

Thoughts? Comments? Peanut gallery? What do YOU love about Czaritza? INQUIRING FANGIRLS WANT TO KNOW!

More Idiocy, Care of Theraflu.

/crazy.

Thoughts By Theraflu.

We begin with a little conversation:
Cara: http://3.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kq8u6snRar1qzyql8o1_500.jpg
Kayla: hold on, i'm watching jeanette go batshit again.
Cara: i will always hold so jeanette can go batshit.
Kayla: I have to keep my priorities straight.

We could go back even further than... 10 minutes ago, to about 10 years ago, when my friend, Heather, and I stayed up until dawn, on the phone, transposing letters in peoples' names, and eventually me watching the following scene, while saying, "HOLD ON SHE'S GONNA FALL. OK SHE DID, WASN'T IT GREAT?!"
Of course, Heather couldn't see what I was seeing. But with this great thing called technology (in this age), YOU CAN SEE WHAT I SEE. (And hear what I hear, Bing Crosby.)



Thoughts! sponsored, in part, by Theraflu, after the jump.

Point of Braining 1.) Some crazed folks out there in the film-o-sphere spent years talking about how Jeanette was this crazy overacting diva. I'm not really sure how our girl got punted to the curb by "mainstream" classic film lovers, but she did, and that's a travesty. I dare anyone to watch that scene and tell me where she went over the top. And if you say, "Er, she was going batshit, I'm missing the point here," then shoo. Shoo fly, you don't get it. I know that there are people out there that will never "get" Jeanette, but at least give her a chance. Clearly, as shown by the Tosca scene alone, girlfriend could act, very very well. She knew what she was doing. Her eyes, in this scene, are just so... amazingly expressive. Just look at that very last part, before she collapses. She didn't need to move, didn't need to utter a word. Her eyes said it all. Yes, Virginia, Jeanette MacDonald was an amazing actress.

Point of Braining 2.) THE SCREAM. Really, need I say more? INTENSE. That mess rocked her entire wee body. And don't go spoiling my dream and give some scholarly explanation as to why that may not have actually been her screaming. La la la, tuning it out. even if it wasn't, she sure as hell made it look like it was.
Therefore, kudos, if you've predicted this line- Jeanette MacDonald was an amazing actress.

...I guess that's all. TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES.