Jonathan Coe

It’s really good.

Amidst all the awards noise, Richard Linklater is not getting enough kudos for releasing two brilliant films in the same year.

Yes, I’m sure you’re right. Also, the title doesn’t really sell it.

Maybe the casting? Jean Arthur, though brilliant, is not as strong a personality as Hepburn. Ronald Colman is not that well-remembered now. Cary Grant is quite subdued, compared to some of his other films from this era. Whatever, all three are perfect in these roles, and it's a gem.

Thanks to a tip-off from @eggsbened.bsky.social, watched The Talk of the Town (1942) last night. Would strongly recommend. Cary Grant, Ronald Colman, Jean Arthur. George Stevens directing. Laugh-out-loud funny. Like His Girl Friday, adapted from the stage into a romcom with a political edge.

Nice (and flattering) description. A lot of professional reviewers struggled to summarise the book as neatly as that.

Whenever things get tough, I ask myself, “What would Jesus do?”, and then I hide in a cave for three days

I think it was not so much a compliment, more them telling me I'd ripped them off!

Ben Trotter's friendship with Doug has a lot in common with Bob and Terry's. When Clement and La Frenais adapted The Rotters' Club I asked them why they'd used so much of my original dialogue, and they said 'Because it already felt like we'd written it ourselves.'

1973 - In a Glass House and the first series of WHTTLL. Bliss it was in that dawn, etc ...

You'll get no argument from me.

Many thanks, you've cracked it I think. The date fits (it's from a book of Chelsea 'Now and Then' photos, published in 2015) and I'm pretty sure the front of the marquee *does* say Grand Budapest Hotel.

No - that's why I wanted to know which film it was!

Hmm ... it's that definite article that's bugging me. Am wondering if it could be a live screening of a Royal Ballet production.

Possibly, but not sure a) that would have been shown at a Curzon or b) that it had a definite article in the title.

Well, I've tried to enhance this photo (which is pretty small in the original book) but this is the best I can do. Can anyone identify the film showing at the Curzon Kings Road? It looks a bit like 'The Sleeping Beauty', but I'm not sure if it is. (And what would that be anyway?) Thank you!

My daughter thinks I'm way too nostalgia-prone. Then she saw this show and heard the theme song ("It's the only thing to look forward to - the past)" and said, 'Ah, now I know why.'

As a 12-year-old I was totally drawn in by the characterisation and the jokes. Didn't realise that I was also watching a film essay on social transformation.

YouTube video by Ralph Towner - Topic Song For A Friend

Only just heard that Ralph Towner died earlier this month. An inspired guitarist and composer whose work has been part of the soundtrack to my life for almost half a century. Here's one of his loveliest tunes and best solos. A melancholy, contemplative musical start to your day.

friend of mine is an undocumented immigrant and has been hiding in Melania theaters bc he knows people assume no one is in there

Was lucky enough to have lunch with him just before Christmas. Never meet your heroes? Nonsense. It should be illegal for anyone to be that nice.

Well, Richard Sinclair said in interviews that he was a big Burton fan. The others probably were too!

This is the very definition of a niche post but some people might be as fascinated as I was to hear vibes maestro Gary Burton (53 minutes into the video) discussing the tune 'Sweet Rain' by Michael Gibbs, and explaining how in 10 bars of music it provides four different avenues for improvisation.

Great thread from Mr Lewis. I would only add that Cecile Pin’s excellent novel Wandering Souls provides a vivid, unsensational picture of what life was like in such camps for the Vietnamese refugees in the late 70s.

The task for political leadership now is not just to tell the truth, but to make people care about what is true and what is not.

Ha ha I'd completely forgotten I'd done that.

Great joke.

I've tried getting this screw in with a screwdriver. I've tried using a hammer. Why not try banging it in with my head? What could go wrong?

is it a good sign that 2 people you've invited to be on your "Board of Peace" can't join you in Switzerland because they would be arrested for war crimes?

H/t to @andylewis.bsky.social for putting that into my head first thing this morning.