Guest Post By Eva - Les Miserables {the barricade boys}



"They declared themselves the friends of the ABC..."

{note: most of this post will be referring to Les Miserables, the book.  just want to make that clear so that somebody who has seen the movie but not read the book will know that I know what I'm talking about :)} 

They are known as the Les Amis de ABC. Or 'the students'. Or 'the insurgents/rebels'. Or the barricade boys. Enjolras. Combeferre. Courfeyrac. Je(h)an Prouvaire. Bossuet. Bahorel. Joly. Feuilly. Grantaire. These are, in my opinion, the true heroes of Les Mis...and I'm here today to discuss my favorites (although, really, I love them all).



Enjolras comes first on the list. Naturally. He's amazingly awesome and also, as a friend of mine said, the Master Of Epicness. Even his name is epic :) And there are lots and lots of reasons why he's my favorite...he pulls all these different boys together, all with different interests and skills, into one group (in fact, Victor Hugo refers to the Amis as a family). He bears a huge responsibility on his shoulders - starting a revolution is never easy.

One of the times I really admired him was near the end of the last battle, when all the defenders are making a last stand and he lets the other volunteers make it to 'safety' inside a wine shop (actually, it wasn't safe at all but it did gain them a few more minutes). He covers all of them with only a short, cut off, broken sword and still makes it in there. And once he's inside, he said, "We must sell our lives dearly" and I broke down (not that I wasn't crying already).

Enjolras is also incredibly handsome (not a requirement for a hero, but it certainly doesn't hurt). And the fact that he dies in an epic way is heartbreaking and awesome at the same time..."Enjolras, pierced by eight bullets, remained leaning against the wall, as though the balls had nailed him there. Only his head was bowed." *bursts into tears for the umpteenth time* Of course, in the movie, he falls backwards out of the window, red flag streaming down.

 

Now we get to my personal favorite (after Enjolras, of course) - Je(h)an Prouvaire.  Just let me explain about his name first.  His real name is Jean Prouvaire but all his friends call him Jehan so that's what I'll be doing throughout this post :)  Since I consider myself a friend.

 

Jehan writes poetry. He's in love (although we never find out who he's in love with). He likes flowers and being outdoors and he dresses badly.  He's a really sweet guy who doesn't like violence but he's not a coward...in fact, Victor Hugo describes him as fearless and I'll be getting to that in a moment.  He's also really shy and he knows four different languages.

 

But Jehan is fearless.  How do I know this?  His death scene, peoples.  It's just as heroic and heartbreaking as Enjolras' death.  After the first attack, Enjo takes the roll call and Jehan is missing - but he's not among the dead or wounded so they conclude (rightly) that he's been taken prisoner.  By this time, the students have captured Javert so Combeferre goes up to Enjolras and says, "How set are you on the death of this spy?" and Enjolras answers, "Very...but not so much as on the death of Prouvaire."  Combeferre says that he'll go and bargain with the soldiers - Jehan for Javert...and then they hear the rattle of guns coming from the end of the alleyway and Jehan calls out "Long live France!  Long live the future!" and then they cut him down.

 

The first couple of times I skimmed through read the book, I didn't know that Jehan was one of the main body of the barricade boys so I didn't get what was so important about his death.  But then I backtracked and read all about him and then I understood.  A friend of mine told me that he gets bayoneted in the back in the movie.  And who can forget the heartwrenching scene when Combeferre tries to get Jehan to safety but the people inside the houses close their doors to them?

 

That's Jehan.  This picture breaks my heart.  In about a hundred places.

 

And here's Jehan again...only he's fighting this time :)  I can't tell you how excited I am to see him on screen.  Um, am I just using this post as an excuse to put up Jehan pictures?  No.  I am not.  Well...maybe a little ;)

In the film, Combeferre is
played by Killian Donelly
who played
Enjolras on the West End.
 He was an amazing Enjolras.

Combeferre is almost tied with Jehan for my second favorite Les Amis.  He's Enjo's right hand man and is spoken of as being 'the guide' and he really does guide all the other students.  I always like to think of him as a father figure to the entire group and this is really brought out in the film in the way he tries to protect the other boys, even in his final moments (more on that in a little bit).

Combeferre is a bookworm (like me!) and he's constantly think of ways to make the world a better place.  He's always open to new ideas and I think one of the reasons he and Enjolras are such good friends is because he complements Enjolras.  Enjo has a passionate fighting spirit and high ideals while Combeferre is more down to earth and compassionate.

There's a scene in the book where Enjolras is telling everybody that some of them should go home, that they shouldn't stay...but everyone wants to stay.  And Combeferre stands up and gives a tear-your-heart-out speech in which he reminds the men about their families and friends that are waiting for them.  And the book mentions that he has a mother waiting for him to come back...and he never did.

In the book, the final battle is winding down to a dramatic, horrible close.  All the students have been killed.  Except Combeferre, Grantaire and Enjolras (if you're wondering why I haven't mentioned Marius at all in this post, the reason is - he's not one of the students  but just so you know, he's still alive when this scene comes around).  Combeferre is helping a wounded soldier, one of the enemy, to safety.  His reward?  He's stabbed three times through with a bayonet and dies.  I hated Victor Hugo when I read that.

In the film, Enjolras, Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Joly are in a room and the guns crack...and they all fall except Enjolras.  When saw a screencap of the moment just before the guns go off, I cried.  Why?  Look at the way Combeferre has his arm in front of Joly.  He's trying to protect the other students even when he knows they're about to die.

Look at their faces...especially Combeferre's.  He's really, really scared and hurt.  It makes me hurt inside.

And here's Courfeyrac right after Gavroche is shot and Combeferre is comforting him.

 

Courfeyrac.  He's at the heart of the barricade boys, their centre, their rock.  He befriends Marius, even though he knows virtually nothing about him and offers to lend him money (which Marius refuses), helps him get a job, a place to stay, etc.  He's also an invaluable friend to Enjolras and basically to all the others students as well.

No details are given about his death...merely the sentence, "Courfeyrac died." but something happens much later on in the book.  A rough paraphrase...

"You had a friend, didn't you?" Marius' grandfather asked.

"Well...there was Courfeyrac."

"What happened to him."

"He's dead."

"Ah, well."

And that is all.  But the loss of Courfeyrac can never be fully explained and certainly not by those few words.  In the film, he and Gavroche have an adorable friendship - sort of like father and son - and his reaction to Gavroche's death (I saw little clip) is the most gutwrenching thing I have ever seen.  And the way he tries to scramble over the barricade to rescue Gavroche while he's being shot at...no. words.

His face...

And finally...a few words about Grantaire.  I don't even know why I like Grantaire.  He's ugly (at least in the book - casting seems to have ignored the book in this matter).  He drinks (a lot), he annoys Enjolras (to put it lightly) and he sleeps through the entire barricade attack (because he's so drunk).  But his biggest face palm moment was probably this...

 

Enjolras sent each student to a different place to rouse up the people.  There was one place that he had no one that could go because Marius had stopped coming around to the Cafe Musian.  So Grantaire offered his services and after a short time, Enjolras agreed to give him a trial.  Grantaire left.  A little while later, Enjolras, walking back from where he had given his speech, decided to drop by the place where Grantaire was supposed to be rousing up the people and found him...gambling and drinking.  Enjolras didn't say anything and Grantaire didn't notice him but...that is my least favorite Grantaire moment.

 

But he redeems himself by the end of the final battle by dying with Enjolras.  He might have been able to make it out of there alive but instead he choose to sacrifice himself to the cause and die with Enjolras.  And that is one reason why I like him so much.  And also, in the musical he really has a great relationship with Gavroche (not the movie, the musical).  Oh, and I forgot to mention that he hero-worships Enjolras.  Big time.  Enjo is not very impressed however and I must say, I don't quite like the way he treats Grantaire at times...anyway.  Moving on...(don't worry, I'm almost finished ;)

 

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the four other barricade boys who I love but didn't quite make it onto my list.  Joly (a hypochondriac), Feuilly (to whom I give major kudos for teaching himself how to read and write), Bahorel (always ready for a fight) and Bousset (the oldest of the Les Amis - 25 - and completely bald.  He's my brother's favorite character).

 

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing the song of angry men.
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again.
When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums,
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!

 

 



**********

 

Hi there!  My name is Eva and I'm so glad that Charity invited me to guest post today - I can tell you that it's been a lot of fun :)  I'm a daughter of the King and a homeschooled student. Living life to the fullest as a proud Janeite, avid reader, aspiring author, Les Miserables fan, and computer geek.  Be sure to check out my blog, Ramblings Of A Janeite...until next time!

Giveaway and Guest Post: Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits

Welcome, readers, to my first guest post by an author! This isn't just another interview...nope, this author actually contacted me wanting to tell y'all about her new book, Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it sounds like a fun book...so without any more ado, let's get started with Mary Jane Hathaway's post! Read through, and at the bottom, you'll get an author bio, a book blurb, and the thing you've all been waiting for...a giveaway!

 

Hello! I’m so excited to be talking about my new book, “Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits”! Wait, did the blogger reader count just slip? I think I heard the sound of hundreds of people quietly clicking past this post. But why, dear ones?? It’s historical and it’s about the Civil War and it’s funny.

What can go wrong?

I hear a brave soul in the back yelling out something about that title… I can’t quite catch it… Blasphemy? How can cheese grits, that so lowly of the Southern dishes, possibly occur in the same title with Austen’s wit and genius?

Oh. I see. Well, let me explain.

Like some girls who love romance and historical writing, I am beyond obsessed with Jane Austen. Obsession is for amateurs. Napoleon was obsessed with Josephine. Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear for that girl whose name nobody can recall.

None of those ended well because they were merely obsessed. (Okay, also a bit nutso, to be honest.)

Austen fans sprint past obsession and head for the kind of clarity that comes from dedicating one’s entire life to the cause of all things Jane.

So, once we’ve established that point of reference, you can start to see how everything relates back to Jane. What Jane Austen thought of eating less than two courses at meal times. What Jane Austen thought of when to wear white. What Jane thought about refusing offers of marriage in a dignified way. (Maybe that last one doesn’t come into play much for a lot of us. *sob*) But still, Jane becomes a guiding force in our lives.
 

We whisper her best lines when we’re too mad to make up our own vicious come-backs. We put down that handful of frosted flakes and pick up a blushing red apple. We take time out from the endless e-mail and Twitter and facebook to arrange some flowers because that’s what Jane would do.

As I started writing this book, I had a firm idea of my heroine and my hero and my cast of characters and my plot. It was mine, mine, mine! I giddily wrote scene after scene that made me laugh or cry or glare. (I’m one of those writers that makes HERSELF laugh or cry, even re-reading it. I’m pretty easy that way.) So, it was a little annoying to have Jane’s best lines running on a loop in the background of my mind. I fought it mightily, drowned it with noise, and doused it with scads of NYT bestselling historical thrillers that made no sense and were completely inaccurate.

My brilliant heroine, a Civil War historian from a town named Flea Bite Creek, was good enough, right? Who needed Austen to muddy it up?

Nope.

She was still there. Sometimes arching a brow, sometimes hiding behind a book, but mostly laughing at me.

So, I started to write each chapter by getting my Jane quote out of my head and onto the page. I wanted hero and heroine to have a great big nasty fight? “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” Natch! I needed the villain to be fooling the entire world with his smarminess? “Mr. Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making friends- whether he may be equally capable of retaining them is less certain.” How about our heroine seeing the injustice in the world and not letting it pass without a comment? “My dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness.”

And on it went until we’d finally reached the end of our tale of the heart, set in Southern academia, with our hero realizing that his hopes were not dashed, after all. “It taught me to hope,” said he, “as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before.”

Wonderful! The book was finished!! I promptly removed all the Austen quotes and set about editing it. Polishing and cutting and slicing and dicing. Ow. Owie. YOW. But it had to be done. Now it was a nicely sized novel, 300 pages, fun to read and ready to be submitted.

But it was missing something. I fiddled and rearranged and sulked and grumped.

The book was no good. Not without Jane. Not without her subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) wit and sense of irony. Certainly not without her as a compass for my story, when I use her as a compass for my living.

So back in she went. And from there I heard from dozens of agents, scores of editors and a handful of publishers that this book would never sell. Too weird. (Cheese grits? What is that exactly? Nobody loves Southern culture, they said.) Too complicated. (Nobody can follow Civil War history, a fight for antebellum mansions, a family drama, a mystery, a crime, and a romance all at once, they said.) Too boring. (Nobody reads about academics, they said. Academics are boring. They live in their own little world, surrounded by imaginary and real-but-dead people.) Too quiet. (Nobody wants to read about people who love Austen when they can read about a hot female bail bondsman in love with two even hotter men. Unless I could put some of that in the book? they asked. I actually laughed at that because some day, somewhere, maybe there will be a Jane Austen/ Stephanie Plum mash-up which will sell like hotcakes. But I think that’s a bit more than I can pull off.)

And that’s when I stopped listening. I love Southern culture! I love mysteries and crimes and romances and family drama and Civil War history! I love academia and professors and universities and memories of those all-night pizza parties when you’re a freshman and gain forty pounds because your mother isn’t there to tell you to eat something green and Twinkies aren’t breakfast food.. (Oh, maybe that was just me? *cough, cough*)

And mostly, I love Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice. I’m beyond ‘love it’ all the way into the ‘I think I would have to marry this book if it wasn’t illegal’.

So, that’s the story of how ‘Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits’ came to be written, and rejected, and resurrected by the good folks at Amazon. Bless their little hearts, letting us digitize any random thing! Yee-haw, my friends, that means more books about subjects we love!

I hope you enjoy my little slice of Austen mania. The next book in the series, ‘Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs’ will be coming out in May 2013. Until then, my sweets, stand tall in whatever particular form of genius (not craziness, NOT!) your historical literature obsession brings you!
 

BIO: Mary Jane Hathaway is the pen name of an award-nominated writer who spends the majority of her literary energy on subjects un-related to Jane Austen. A homeschooling mother of six young children who rarely wear shoes, she’s madly in love with a man who has never read Pride and Prejudice. She holds degrees in Religious Studies and Theoretical Linguistics, and has a Jane Austen quote on the back of her van. She can be reached on facebook at her regular author page of Virginia Carmichael (which is another pen name, because she’s just that cool).

Book blurb: Shelby Roswell is a history professor on the fast track to tenure until her new book is crushed in a review by the famous historian, Ransom Fielding. She struggles to regain her momentum only to discover that Fielding has taken a visiting professorship at her college. The place that was once a refuge from the poverty of her past is now a battlefield of Civil War proportions.

Ransom is still struggling with his role in his wife’s accidental death six years ago and was hoping a year at Shelby’s small college would be a respite from the reminders back home. He never bargained for falling in love with the one woman who would give anything to make him leave. Together Shelby and Ransom learn that home is never very far away, and when you least expect it, love arrives.

With a cast of Civil War re-enactors, an evil wedding planner, antebellum mansions, and several mysterious diaries, 'Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits' will take you on a touching and hilarious ride through a modern South you haven't seen before.

Book Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PridePrejudiceAndCheeseGrits

a Rafflecopter giveaway

200 Followers, Giveaway, Poll, and Today's Haul

Hey, everyone! First things first...

Austenitis has reached 200 followers!

 

Thanks to each and everyone of you lovely followers -- many thanks to Amber S who made my lunch-hour so much better when I discovered her as the 200th! (As a small aside, and thank you, let me send you over to Amber's wonderful blog! I just discovered it myself.)

 

Next, giveaway news. Part one -- we're coming down to the final days of the giveaway for Melanie Dickerson's newest book, Fairest Beauty! Click HERE to go and enter...lots of ways to get entries, including tweeting daily! :) Part two -- as promised, now that I've reached 200 followers, I'll have a giveaway! And the great part? There are going to be two books instead of just the one! The first I've already told you about: No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig. But the other? You'll have to wait and see. Warning: it's also a great book that you will love!

 

The poll: should I giveaway both books as one great prize package? Or do two winners, one for each book? You tell me in the poll I'll be putting up on the right.

Something I don't have room for in the title: I guest posted today on Miss Elizabeth's totally awesome blog that I've been reading for years! I posted a comparison of the two newest (1995 and 2005) versions of Pride and Prejudice. Go HERE to see my post and check out the whole week of 200th Anniversary P&P stuff by clicking HERE.

 

Finally, today's haul. I was blessed with a Barnes & Noble gift-card for Christmas -- and bought three others from my siblings for slightly less than they were worth...resulting in a nice chunk of B&N money. So I finally made my order on Saturday, and the first part arrived today! Apparently they split it into four separate packages (I had to do two orders since I was using more than three gift-cards). But you're curious what came today, right? Check it out:

 

They respectively are The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson, Trinity: Military War Dog by Ronie Kendig, and Garden of Madness by Tracy L. Higley. I haven't read any of them before, and am super excited about all of them! I've previously loved books by Melanie Dickerson (Fairest Beauty) and Tracy L. Higley (Pompeii: City of Fire, Guardian of the Flame), but haven't read anything by Ronie Kendig before. Pretty sure I'm going to enjoy that one though! I've seen a lot of rave reviews.

So, giveaway coming soon! Make sure you vote in the poll, and tell me -- have you read any of these books or enjoyed others by the authors? Don't forget to enter the giveaway for Melanie's book! I linked to it up towards the top.

Guest Post by Miss Laurie: The Hands That Created The World

The Hands That Created The World
Christmas CD by Buddy David

Singer: Gifted by God in many ways, Buddy Davis is a speaker and singer/songwriter for Answers in Genesis (AiG). He is an adventurer and paleo-artist (his sculpted dinosaurs are featured at AiG's Creation Museum), and he leads the very popular “Creation Adventure” children’s workshop at AiG conferences. Buddy plays many acoustic instruments, and his music is enjoyed around the world.

Track Listing:
1. The Hands That Created The World - original song
2. Little Drummer Boy
3. We Three Kings
4. Go Tell It On The Mountain
5. What Child Is This
6. Joy To The World
7. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
8. They Heard The Good News First - original song
9. Away In The Manger
10. Oh Beautiful, Star Of Bethlehem
11. Angels We Have Heard On High


My Thoughts: My family and I have enjoyed Buddy Davis' music, especially his Bible based original songs, for many years and since my dad works for Answers in Genesis now we've had the privileged of meeting Buddy and his wife. His music style might be called a tad country or bluegrass, especially on tracks like Go Tell It On The Mountain, Joy To The World and They Heard The Good News First where mouth harp and guitar picking are featured. There are two instrumental tracks - Joy To The World and  Angels We Have Heard On High - which have a fun but relaxing sound. The two original songs on this CD contain truths that come straight from the Biblical account of the Christmas story and proclaim God's word and proclaim Christ very clearly as Creator and Lord. I gave this CD to my mom at the beginning of December and my family has already listened to it several times!

The Hands That Created The World by Buddy Davis

My Favorite Song: Buddy Davis' original song The Hands That Created The World (listen to song above  gives the story of Christ's birth and explains who He was and why He came to earth - Creator, Lamb of God and Savior. The melody is gentle and rather like a lullaby.  I also really like Oh Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem (listen to The Judds' version here) which is a newer Christmas song (compared to most of the carols) that has been covered by many gospel music singers.

I highly recommend this Christmas CD by Buddy Davis and think it will become as much a classic for your family as it has for mine. This CD is available for purchase at the Answers in Genesis online store and you can also listen to clips of all the songs there.

 Miss Laurie is a 20-something modern day girl who loves old-fashioned things and strives to live every day for the Lord Jesus Christ. Her blog Old-Fashioned Charm is dedicated to sharing her love of Jane Austen, period costume dramas, classic literature and everything old-fashioned. 

Behind the Scenes of America's Favorite Musical

(in other words, "Seventeen Facts You Probably Didn't Know About The Sound of Music")

{a guest post by Miss Dashwood}

The real Maria von Trapp chats with Julie Andrews and Mrs. Robert Wise

 The Sound of Music may very well be the most popular musical of all time.  In fact, I'm willing to guarantee that each and every person reading this post has seen it, perhaps even multiple times.  Maybe you're even like me and have seen it more times than you can count (thereby enabling you to recite, oh, pretty much the whole screenplay).

But as with any movie, there are dozens of fun behind-the-scenes facts that many people don't know.  Hopefully, by the end of this post, you won't be one of those people.  Ready? Drumroll, please.  Let The Sound of Music trivia begin!  (Please hold all questions until the end of the tour.)

~The suspenseful scene in which Sister Berthe (Portia Nelson) comes to open the abbey gate for the storm troopers was filmed in two very different locations.  The interior of the abbey (where the von Trapp family is huddled with the Mother Abbess) was actually a studio set, while the abbey gate is a real gate at the ______ Abbey in Salzburg.  Portia Nelson later joked that she walked all the way from California to Austria to answer that bell!

~Robert Wise, the director, was worried that the film's famous aerial opening might be seen as a copy of the opening from a previous film of his, West Side Story.  However, he was persuaded to keep it in the film.  Ironically enough, SofM's opening scene in the Austrian mountains has become far more iconic than the sky-view of New York from West Side Story!

"[Dandelions]! Georg, you never told me how enchanting your children are!"

~Debbie Turner, who played the role of Marta von Trapp, lost several teeth during filming.  The makeup crew, not wanting her to have gaps in her mouth, created false teeth for her.  Unfortunately, this caused her a rather pronounced lisp, which can be heard in several scenes, particularly the one in which she tells Maria that she'll be seven on Tuesday and would like a pink parasol.

~Christopher Plummer, who played Captain von Trapp, made his acting debut as Fitzwilliam Darcy in his high school's production of Pride and Prejudice.  (Had to stick that in there for all you Janeites.  :D)

~The von Trapp's house in the film is not the actual Villa Trapp. Two different houses were used for the front and back views of the film's house--the lake at Leopoldskron Castle was used for the rear, and the Schloss Frohnburg was used for the front entrance and back view of the house.  In the scene where Maria returns to the von Trapps after being at the abbey, Julie Andrews (Maria) and Christopher Plummer (the Captain) were in two separate locations.  Maria's shots were filmed facing toward the lake at Leopoldskron, while the Captain's shots were filmed on a completely different day, facing toward the rear of Frohnburg.  The shots were then seamlessly edited together to produce the illusion of one extensive estate.

Getting soused with water after the dunk in the lake

~The real Maria von Trapp, an elderly woman by the time the film was made, actually appears in a brief scene.  She can be spotted under the stone archway with two of her daughters as the fictional Maria walks through Salzburg singing "I Have Confidence."

~Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) grew several inches during filming, and since Robert Wise (the director) was insistent that the children's heights should match their ages (i.e., older ones taller than the younger ones), Charmian Carr (Liesl) wore lifts in her shoes and even stood on an apple box in a few scenes so she would appear taller.

Nicholas Hammond and Duane Chase skateboard off-set (still in their party clothes...)

~Yul Brynner, famous for playing King Mongkut in The King and I and Rameses in The Ten Commandments, was one of the first actors considered for the part of the Captain.  You're welcome for THAT mental image.

~Before filming of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," the wardrobe department forgot to put nonskid soles on Liesl's (Charmian Carr's) dancing shoes.  As a result, Liesl danced up onto a bench in the gazebo and ended up sliding right through a pane of glass.  She went on to film the rest of the sequence that very same day, with a tightly wrapped (and desperately camouflaged) Ace bandage around her left ankle, which was sprained and cut when she went through the window.

Filming the reprise of "My Favorite Things"

~Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp) desperately wanted to do his own singing in the movie--even going so far as to take intense vocal training--but in the end his singing was dubbed.

~Rolf and Liesl really did get married... well, in a way.  Daniel Truhitte (Rolf Gruber) met and fell in love with  a German girl named Gabriele during filming.  Gabriele was the stand-in for Charmian Carr (Liesl) during the wedding scene, and after a whirlwind courtship in Salzburg and a two-year relationship by mail following the movie, they were married.

Priceless face, eh what?

~The scene where Maria and the children stand up in the boat to greet the Captain and promptly fall overboard had to be shot twice.  In the first take, Julie Andrews (Maria) was supposed to catch Kym Karath (Gretl), who did not know how to swim.  But when the scene was filmed, Andrews and Karath fell on opposite sides of the boat, and Alan Callow (the Brownshirt who runs into the festival shouting "They're gone!") jumped into the lake and just barely managed to rescue Karath before she went under for good.  The scene was re-shot with Heather Menzies (Louisa) being responsible for Karath, and she managed to do so, but by this point Karath had swallowed so much lake water that she threw up on Mensies before they got out of the lake.  That snippet was, fortunately, cut from the final version of the scene (which is a combination of both takes).

(counterclockwise) Julie Andrews freshens her makeup,
Eleanor Parker waits for a sound check and Christopher Plummer
contemplates who should get whacked on the head with his guitar

~The famous opening scene where Maria spins on the mountaintop was filmed on a cloudy day after numerous failed takes.  It was windy and cold, and the helicopter used for the aerial shot kept blowing Julie Andrews (Maria) off her feet whenever it would zoom in for a close-up.  The scene was finally filmed on the very last day in Germany (yep, it was done in Germany, not Austria) when the movie was 25 days behind schedule and $740,000 over budget.

~During filming of "Something Good" in the gazebo, Julie Andrews (Maria) and Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp) had had a long, stressful day and were ready to giggle at anything.  The opportunity came when the floodlights used to create "moonlight" began making groaning, raspberry-like noises as they heated up.  Andrews and Plummer dissolved into laughter repeatedly, and finally Robert Wise (the director) gave up and shot the scene in silhouette to hide the actors' giggles.

Everybody loves Julie Andrews.  Always.

~In the final scene when the family are climbing the mountains into Switzerland, Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp) is carrying a stunt double on his back and not Kym Karath (Gretl von Trapp).  After multiple takes of that scene, Plummer complained that Karath was "built like a tank" and refused to carry her one more step, so a lighter child was substituted.

~Though all the von Trapp children do their own singing on the soundtrack, four extra young singers were brought in to enhance the actors' voices during choruses and group singing.

Gretl brushes Liesl's hair between takes

~The scene where Liesl sneaks into Maria's bedroom before the thunderstorm was the first scene filmed.  The scene where the Captain, the Baroness and Max Detweiler drive to the von Trapp villa was the last scene filmed.

For more fun trivia about The Sound of Music, I recommend Forever Liesl by Charmian Carr and The Making of America's Favorite Movie by Julia Antopol Hirsch. 

It's hard to properly end a post that was made up entirely of random facts, so instead of an ending sentence, I give you a picture of the Baroness and Uncle Max making fish faces.  The End.

Miss Amy Dashwood is a daughter of the King of Kings, a seventeen-going-on-eighteen-year-old homeschooler and a lover of period dramas, chocolate, long bike rides, babies, teacups, historical costumes and fiddle music.  Books are her passion, whether she's reading them or writing them.  She is the author ofOnly a Novel, which is available on Amazon, and you can find her at either of her two blogs, Yet Another Period Drama Blog and The Quest for Stories.   

Miss Elizabeth Bennet: My Top Favorite Dance Numbers

One of the things I love about musicals is the dance numbers. While the songs are also great in their own way, to make a song really stand out in my mind, there has to be some sort of memorable dance number! These dance numbers also make me wish that there were more actors in Hollywood today who could dance like they used to in these old musicals. Here are my top 4 favorite dance numbers (with links to videos!). Please note I have not seen all of the musicals that are mentioned here, but I intend to one day!

 #4. Lechaim (Fiddler on the Roof)
Sure, the choreography is a little disorganized in this dance number, but I still rather like it. There are a number of complicated dances in this song that just amaze me. It's one of the happier songs that are in Fiddler on the Roof, which has a more serious storyline than other musicals.

#3. Make 'Em Laugh (Singing in the Rain)
Pure brilliance on Donald O'Connor's part! He blended comedy, stunts, and dance moves all in one number. After watching this clip, I feel a little bit happier than when I started watching!

  #2. Moses Supposes (Singing in the Rain)
I haven't seen all of Singing in the Rain, but the dance numbers are amazing! So, I'm including a second dance number from Singing in the Rain in my list. Both Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor did a fantastic job in this song and showed that they were both very talented men. And the fact that they stayed so well synchronized is a huge plus!

#1. Puttin' on the Ritz (Blue Skies)

Fred Astaire does an awesome job with this number! The way he incorporated his cane into his choreography is amazing! But my favorite part of this dance number starts at 3:19. I love the way the filmmakers used the special effects that made it look like a bunch of Fred Astaires were dancing! It was almost like a mirror, but there were two "sets" of back-up dancers. Since first watching this video on YouTube, that part has always mesmerized me.
Small note: the video is in color

So, there are my top favorite dance numbers! Which one of my favorites did you like the best? What are some of your favorite dance numbers?

Guest Post: Review: Miss Potter

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9
Main characters: Beatrix Potter, Norman Warne, Millie Warne, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, 
Genre: Drama, Biopic 
Recognizable actors: Rene Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Barbara Flynn, Bill Patterson, Lucy Boynton, Phyllida Law
Length: 92 minutes
Based on: The life of Beatrix Potter
Time period: 1900s
Year it came out: 2006
Story: Beatrix Potter, a young unmarried woman of 30, wants to get her children's book published. Her book is assigned to publisher Norman Warne, who has never published a book before. He believes in Beatrix's book and works very closely with her to get it published, and they soon fall in love.
My overall opinion: Very, very, very awesome movie! This movie is a bit of a tear jerker at parts, but it is very, very good.

I liked Rene Zellweger as Beatrix Potter. She was spunky! She was likable! She was talented! I liked how Beatrix Potter's artwork comes to life during the movie: they didn't over-do it and it was very cute and sweet. 

Ah! a familiar face to those who have seen Sense and Sensibility (2008)! Lucy Boynton portrays a young Beatrix Potter in flash backs. We get a glimpse into Beatrix's early life, her early love of animal, drawing, and the country. It was a very nice touch.

Love blossoms between Beatrix and her publisher, Norman Warne. It was very sweet, but Mr. and Mrs. Potter didn't approve of the match since Norman was a tradesman. I won't say how, but this was the sad part of the movie. Definitely the tear jerker part of the movie. But, in one way, everything worked out in the end.

The costumes in this film were not my favorite. They are a little more drab than other period dramas, but they weren't horrible. They just weren't the highlight of the film. What is a highlight of this film is the gorgeous scenery! The scenes in London weren't much to be talked of, but the country setting! Wow!

I highly recommend this film! It is rated PG for brief mild language: I think only one swear was dropped in the entire movie (at least that I detected). Other than that one word, there really isn't anything objectionable in here... Just a sad part.

If you would like to read my original review of Miss Potter at my blog, you can find the review here.

Make sure you visit my blog Elegance of Fashion for reviews, tournaments, and other events!

Guest Post: Sense & Sensibility (1995) Soundtrack by Miss Laurie

CD: Sense and Sensibility (1995)

This soundtrack isn't anything new, in fact it's probably a favorite for a lot of you as it is for me, but it's still so beautiful.

The music was composed by Patrick Doyle especially for Sense and Sensibility (1995) and is some of the prettiest music in a period drama. 

Tracks:
1. Weep You No More Sad Fountains
2. A Particular Sum
3. My Father's Favourite
4. Preying Penniless Woman
5. Devonshire
6. Not A Beau For Miles
7. All The Better For Her
8. Felicity
9. Patience
10. Grant Me An Interview
11. All the Delights of the Season
12. Steam Engine
13. Willoughby
14. Miss Grey
15. Excellent Notion
16. Leaving London
17. Combe Magna
18. To Die For Love
19. There is Nothing Lost
20. Throw The Coins
21. The Dreame

All of the music on this soundtrack is amazingly written and orchestrated. It carries you away on a sea of emotion from the very first note! The tracks Weep You No More Sad Fountains and The Dreame are songs Marianne Dashwood sings in the film but on the soundtrack they are sung by opera singer Jane Eaglen. Also the song My Father's Favorite is one that Marianne plays toward the beginning of the film. Steam Engine, Willoughby and Miss Grey are all dancing tunes that were dance to in the film.
One of my favorite tracks is Excellent Notion because it is played by a harp and is just so pretty! It's also one that's fun to play on the piano. My second favorite track is A Particular Sum because it's a bright and happy tune but still very beautiful.

Some of the above track titles are linked to YouTube clips of complete songs for you to enjoy. Here's a music video I made with photos from the film and clips of A Particular Sum, Devonshire, Excellent Notion, Preying Penniless Woman and The is Nothing Lost.

Sense & Sensibility (1995) - Short Themes

I highly recommend this soundtrack because of it's stunning music. It's lovely to listen to especially while you're reading, writing or crafting. It can be found at most local libraries or you can buy your own copy on Amazon.

Very Truly Your's,
Miss Laurie

Miss Laurie is the author of Old-Fashioned Charm where she blogs about Jane Austen, period dramas, classic literature and everything old-fashioned under the sun.

Guest Post: House of Dark Shadows Review by Miss Laurie

House of Dark Shadows 

Author: Robert Liparulo

Genre: Mystery Fantasy - Fiction

Series: Dreamhouse Kings

Number In The Series: Book 1 of 6

Number of Pages: 286

Story: When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.

But he, David, and Toria are captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into–as well as the heavy woods surrounding the house.

They soon discover there’s something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong directions. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. 

A search of the mysterious house uncovers hidden passage ways and secrets that can only be answered by their father who has been acting oddly since the start of this strange journey. 

Miss Laurie's Thoughts: House of Dark Shadows in a book my brother picked up at a Christian Book sale, once he began reading he couldn't put it down, so my sister and I decided to give it a try. From the beginning Prologue the author rivets the reader's attention with a compelling scene of danger and mystery. In the first few chapters you learn about the King family who are very easy to relate to with their squabbling siblings and looking for houses. Then when they start to move into the mysterious old Victorian house is when the real strange and exciting stuff happens. There are many parts, like when Xander and David first do a search of the house and the basement, that are written in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering if something will jump out at them! During a game of hide and seek it's discovered that a door in a closet leads to a most interesting location that's nowhere near the house. Then later the boys follow a shadow to an attic hallway lined with doors that lead to interesting and potentially dangerous adventures. The last few chapters were so exciting they kept me on the edge of my seat and reading as fast as I could to find out what was going to happen next! It ends a bit abruptly because it's the first book in the series, but it leaves you really wanting to read more! 

Moral of the Story: Even though author Robery Liparulo is a Christian writer this series doesn't talk too much about the King's Christian faith. The overall theme of the first book is mostly getting along with siblings and working together instead of being selfish. 

Dreamhouse Kings Books

Dreamhouse Kings Series: This first book is told mostly from Xander's point of view but his brother David is also a major part of the story and some of the other books are told from his point of view. House of Dark Shadows is but the first book in the series and it ends with the thrilling words "NOT THE END"!! As the author says in his beginning note the first book is really like using a key to open a door, the other books are the real adventure. I haven't read the second book but my sister is already on 5th book and she says the series only gets better! For more information on the other books in the series visit the Official Website.

 Recommendations: I highly recommend House of Dark Shadows and the Dreamhouse Kings series! It is a mystery with a bit of suspense so it's probably best for pre-teens say age 11+. Older teens and adults will also greatly enjoy the style of writing and the intriguing story. 

Very Truly Your's,

Miss Laurie

Miss Laurie is the author of Old-Fashioned Charm where she blogs about Jane Austen, period dramas, classic literature and everything old-fashioned under the sun.

Guest Post: Emma (1995) Soundtrack by Miss Laurie

Charity: Before I give the floor over to Miss Laurie, let me encourage you to check out the guest posts she did earlier this month with some other bloggers! Comparisons of Persuasion movie versions...truly delightful. Make sure you read them! Also, watch for two more guest posts coming from Miss Laurie later this summer.

Now, here's Miss Laurie:



CD: Emma (1996)Another of my favorite Jane Austen film soundtracks, this one features beautiful flowing music and even a dance song!

Tracks:
1. Main Titles
2. Harriet's Portrait
3. Sewing & Archery
4. Frank Churchill Arrives
5. Celery Root
6. Mr. Elton's Rejection
7. Emma Tells Harriet About Mr. Elton
8. The Coles Party
9. Mrs. Elton's Visit
10. Emma Dreams Of Frank Churchill
11. The Dance
12. Gypsies
13. The Picnic
14. Emma Insults Miss Bates
15. Emma Writes Her Diary
16. Mr. Knightley Returns
17. Proposal
18. End Titles

All music was composed by Rachel Portman and some of the songs sound similar to the Nicholas Nickleby (2002) soundtrack which she would compose later. The track The Dance is an English Country Dance called Auretti's Dutch Skipper which is danced in the film during the scene where Mr. Knightley asks Harriet to dance at the ball. My favorite songs on the CD are The Coles Party, Emma Dreams of Frank Churchill, The Dance and End Titles because they are all a bit more lively.

Some of the Tracks above are linked to YouTube videos of the music and here's a music video I made a while back with photos from Emma (1996) and End Titles song:

 

Emma 1996 - End Titles
This soundtrack is a bit more dull than some other Jane Austen soundtracks because the songs to me aren't as upbeat or as easy to identify, there's only about two or three themes that are played in different ways. The music is gorgeous though and nice to listen to while you're reading or doing homework. It's a must have for anyone who enjoys the film. It can be found at some local libraries and can be bought at Amazon.

Very Truly Your's,Miss Laurie

Miss Laurie is the author of Old-Fashioned Charm where she blogs about Jane Austen, period dramas, classic literature and everything old-fashioned under the sun.