Wait Until Dark

So I finally watched Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn last night. I was really impressed, but didn't love it. Maybe it's too much of a downer for this time of year? I don't know. I'm curious to know what the rest of you think. I found some fun trivia on the film. Have a great Wednesday friends. Only 2 More days until Christmas!

--Produced by Audrey Hepburn's then-husband, actor Mel Ferrer. Working on this movie together was a last-chance attempt to save their marriage, which ended one year later, in 1968.

--Audrey Hepburn's film residence is at 4 St. Luke's Place in Manhattan.

--Audrey Hepburn and director Terence Young attended a school for the blind to learn more about the visually impaired. Hepburn even learned to read Braille.

--Despite getting an Oscar nomination for this movie, Hepburn would not make another film until Robin and Marian (1976).

--When the film was released, the theatres darkened all their lights "to the legal limit" during the last twelve minutes of the film, each light going out as Audrey Hepburn smashed each light bulb. The one remaining light in the theatres would be switched off as the last light source in the film went out.

--The role that eventually went to Alan Arkin was difficult to cast because the producers couldn't find actors willing to be cast in such a villainous role - not only terrorizing a blind woman, but terrorizing beloved Audrey Hepburn to boot!

--Audrey Hepburn tried to get this film shot in Europe, but relented when she was told not filming it in the US might have led to the closure of underused studio facilities in Hollywood.

--Although she later admitted that she didn't intend to do so, Audrey Hepburn retired from films after this role, turning down all parts offered to her in order to devote time to raising her children. She would eventually return to the screen several more times, beginning with Robin and Marian (1976).

--Jack L. Warner first considered George C. Scott for the role of Harry Roat and Robert Redford for the role of Mike Talman before casting Alan Arkin and Richard Crenna in the parts.

--During the credits there is no credit for costumes, this is because Audrey Hepburn herself picked the clothes she wore from the stores in Paris.

--Julie Herrod also played Gloria in the 1966 stage version.

--"Wait Until Dark" originated as a play by Frederick Knott (who also wrote "Dial M For Murder"). The play opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in New York City on February 2, 1966 and ran for 374 performances. Lee Remick starred as Susy Hendrix and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Robert Duvall, Mitch Ryan and Julie Herrod were also in the cast. The play was directed by Arthur Penn.

--As a way to get people to see the movie, the filmmakers made a print ad and cautionary trailer that read: 'During the last eight minutes of this picture the theatre will be darkened to the legal limit, to heighten the terror of the breathtaking climax which takes place in nearly total darkness on the screen. If there are sections where smoking is permitted, those patrons are respectfully requested not to jar the effect by lighting up during this sequence. And of course, no one will be seated at this time.' It worked and the film became a huge success because of it.

Rain, Rain Go Away...

I'm starting to feel like we are going to float away at any minute. If you are in California, you know what I mean. I envy those of you with some good old fashioned snow. Here are some fun images celebrating the rain. 3 More days until Christmas!

Marilyn Mondays

Merry Christmas week! Hope you are doing well and staying dry. It feels as though the rain might never end here in Southern California. Here are some photos of MM.

Rachel McAdams

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. 5 More days until Christmas Eve! Can you believe it? Wow, this year flew by. I've mentioned in a few other posts that I am extremely behind on my magazines and have a huge stack sitting here staring at me. I finally started to tackle them yesterday and was completely blown away by the gorgeous images of Rachel McAdams in the November issue of In Style.

If you saw the issue, humor me. I love the vintage feel to the shots. She looks a little like a trashy Betty Draper from Mad Men to me, and I mean that in the chicest way possible (maybe it's the dark roots)? What do you think? Any fun plans this week? Share, share, share!

*All images courtesy of November 2010 In Style Magazine

Charlie Brown Christmas

I have two favorite Christmas specials that I watch each year: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. If you are one of the few people in America to never see Charlie in his glory, you have to see it immediately! The music, the teacher, who I like to think I sound like sometimes (lol), and the great relationship between Snoopy and Charlie always get me in the Christmas mood.

What I love most about the special is that they refer to actual Bible verses throughout to give the true meaning of the season. I found some great trivia I wanted to share about the special with you. Hope you enjoy your Friday! My kids are having a party and watching the end of A Christmas Carol with Jim Carey, then I'm on vacation for 2 weeks!!!! Happy Friday friends!

--First animated Peanuts special.

--When they first saw the show, CBS executives were horrified at the idea of an animated Christmas special with such a blatant message. They also strongly objected to the fact that the show had no canned laughter.

--When viewing the rough cut of the show, both Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson were convinced that they had a flop on their hands. After it premiered, they were happily surprised and shocked at the high ratings and excellent reviews that the show received. Today, the show remains the second longest-running Christmas special on US network television (the 1964 Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) premiered one year earlier and is still broadcast every year on US network television).

--Kathy Steinberg, who did the voice of Sally Brown, had not yet learned to read at the time of production, so she had to be fed her lines, often a word or syllable at a time, which explains the rather choppy delivery of the line "All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share".

--Linus's speech about the true meaning of Christmas is actually Luke 2:8-14 from the King James translation of the Bible.

--The original broadcast included some brief animated sections which included the logo of Coca-Cola, the show's original sponsor. These have been edited out of subsequent broadcasts and the video release. Right after the opening title, Linus (or Charlie Brown, sources disagree) crashed into a sign advertising Coca-Cola after being tossed by Snoopy. (Look at current versions and you'll notice that we never see where Linus lands!) The closing carol originally included the complete verse (instead of fading out) with a final on-screen "Merry Christmas from your local bottler of Coca-Cola" right after the United Feature Syndicate credit at the end.

--During his famed speech, Linus, who is well known to be dependent on his security blanket, actually lets go of it when he recites these words: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy," which is from Luke 2:10.

--Broke many of the rules prevalent for animated holiday specials during the 1960s: it didn't make use of a laugh track; real children were used for the character voices instead of adult actors imitating children's voices; and Biblical references were used to illustrate the true meaning of Christmas.