Colin Firth - Part 12

My DH is refusing to allow me to go!! I live in NJ and could be there in two hours and he won't let me go. I will make a particular effort he's going to be there; I will defy the old ball and chain. Welcome Nici! Go to it! First rule is NEVER let you husband know about CF. They do become jealous. If we ever crossed paths, mine would challenge him to a duel. ;-0 By the way I am 31 years old and hot. Very displeased with the demographic represented. Yeah!!! LOL! (Karen), (Didn't the 1970s happen??) The bras are back on. ;-)

Just got a ticket to the program at Cooper Union! Hurrah! Haven't even told the DH yet. But he will "let" me go. He has been very patient about Colin, and I try to take it easy on the gushing when I see him beginning to tire of Colin.

By the way I am 31 years old and hot. Very displeased with the demographic represented. (Moon)Yeah!!! LOL! Not even if I dye my hair blonde and am a size 6 ;-))

just for fun-- firthette: i very much liked you running up the stairs with a bit of your leg showing C: thank you firthette: it didn't work out with steven spielberg again? C: no, it didn't firthette: i'm delighted to hear it C: look, you ladies seem to go out of your way to make me feel like a complete idiot every time i read one of your comments online. and you really needn't bother. i already feel like an idiot enough times when i have to sit through one of my own premeires and then realize i chose the wrong script. now if you would excuse me i have a casting call to go to, good bye. firthette: look...i don't think you're an idiot all. though sometimes it does come through in the projects you chose. i realized when i saw you in that wet shirt i would forever be a firthette. what i'm trying to say very inarticulately... is that well... though perhaps in spite of some of the roles you've chosen i like you very much. C: ah.. apart from L. and... firthette: no, i like you very much. just as you are. a man screams from a distance behind the firthette firthette's husband: will you hurry up and stop drooling already! this is the most incredicle sh*t, we have 2 screaming kids in the car and you are married for christ sake! firthette: yes.. right... (lightly wipes edge of month then turns to CF) well, i must go. bye. CF watches with a quizzical look on his face as the firthette leaves and walks towards her husband and kids with a piece of toilet paper trailing at the heel of her shoe. C: (mumbles to himself) hmm... i can't say i very much like the sight of her walking away with toilet paper on her shoe, should i let her know...oh sh*t! the casting call.

According to next week's TVG, it looks like HG will be all over the morning talk shows-along with RW. I doubt if ODB will hang around NY for another week and do the shows for the nation-wide release on the 24th. One can always hope... I can definitely see CF in the role of a bewildered dad-it might suit that sexy thin spot on the back of his head. I don't think I'm very crazy about the JC movie-unless of course he has a meaty role. I'd still rather see the towel scene vs the toga. Welcome dalec, love the BJD!!!

(Linda) I can definitely see CF in the role of a bewildered dad-it might suit that sexy thin spot on the back of his head. It's gone...wait til you see TIOBE;-)

So, what do you think, Evelyn? Rogaine?

Thanks,Evelyn, for the heads up on CF's head. I'll definitely check it out when I see the film. Maybe he has had a transplant-could explain why he has been out of sight over the last few months-just kidding.

So, what do you think, Evelyn? Rogaine? I dunno...I just saw lotta hair;-) Whatever.It's v. attractive...like the ole Colin we all know and love.

Bad news for anyone headed to NYC next week: the TIOBE panel discussion has been cancelled. The people at the NY Times, which was sponsoring it, say they were just notifed this afternoon. Here's the number if you need a refund; follow the prompts and leave a message: 1-888-nyt-1870

Does one hand know what the other hand is doing? I was just talking to Mira[fill in the blank] and asked. They didn't know anything about a cancellation. Oh well. Now, I'm wondering about the release date as well. We had an ad in paper today for advance screening tickets for this Monday (up in the northern 'burbs) and it said the movie would be opening on May 24 and listed one downtown theater. OK, on the positive side...perhaps. Dates (not confirmed) for Colin's appearances on various shows. Sounds like many of them will be taped in advance: May 20 or 27 - Today Show May 26 - Weekend Today May 27 or 31 - Regis & Kelly May 28 - The Early Show June 3 - The Daily Show (Jon Stewart)

C: look, you ladies seem to go out of your way to make me feel like a complete idiot every time i read one of your comments online. ROTF, Dale! Whenever I think of him possibly lurking here, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Then I laugh.:-) A belated welcome to you. Here's a nice article, with some funny quotes, courtesy of "Ms. Darcy": Earnest' takes a walk on the Wilde side 05/08/2002 BPI Entertainment News Wire Feature By ANGELA DAWSON Entertainment News Wire NEW YORK -- Rupert Everett and Colin Firth didn't quite hit it off when they met some 18 years ago. The actors were thrown together in the class warfare drama "Another Country" and really didn't have that much in common. Firth admits he was rather serious and stodgy -- terribly earnest. Everett was arrogant, intellectual, outspoken and witty. Still is, notes Firth. Firth recalls, "His description of me was somewhere along the lines of `a ghastly red-brick-guitar-playing communist ready to give his first $500 to charity.'" That summation probably wasn't far from the truth, admits the actor best known as Mr. Darcy to the legions of fans of the BBC series "Pride and Prejudice." "He was very dull in the old days," Everett mockingly laments, correcting Firth's figure to "the first $1 million" to charity. "I wonder what happened to that!" These days the two Brits, both in their early 40s, get along famously. It is probably a good thing too, since they play lifelong friends in the latest film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's century-old British satire "The Importance of Being Earnest." "He's a lot easier to get along with than he used to be, but in a lot of ways he hasn't changed in the slightest," says Firth of Everett. Dressed smartly in a dark blue jacket, gray T-shirt and jeans, Firth adds, "He was outrageous then and he's outrageous now." Firth plays Jack Worthing, a reserved bachelor who enjoys a simple life with Cecily Cardew, his utterly romantic but sheltered ward. Their life in the country is quiet and serene, except when Jack occasionally goes to London to fix the problems caused by his wayward brother Ernest Worthing. What no one knows, of course, is that Jack is Ernest. Once in London, Jack teams with his ne'er-do-well partner-in-crime Algernon Moncrieff (Everett) and unleashes his carefree and reckless alter ego. He also finds time to court Gwendolen Fairfax, a rebellious aristocrat who dreams of marrying a man named Ernest. Meanwhile, Algy takes advantage of his friend's preoccupied state by paying a visit to Cecily, posing as the errant Ernest. Things come to a boil when everyone else turns up at the country manor and true identities must be cleared up. Noted British director Oliver Parker was pleased to be able to land two such celebrated actors for the comic period piece. "They have a rapport," he says, "and they complement one another." Parker previously worked with Everett on another Wilde adaptation, the 1999 comedy "An Ideal Husband." They toyed with the idea of remaking another Wilde piece but "Earnest," last adapted for the big screen 50 years ago, seemed doable. Parker rounded out the cast with acclaimed English actors Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson and Anna Massey as well as Australian import Frances O'Connor. In a clever bit of surprise casting, he recruited 26-year-old American actress Reese Witherspoon, who most recently starred in last year's hit "Legally Blonde," as Cecily. "What I wanted was a sweet, innocent face with a bit of a tiger underneath," he says. "She's really a strong, feisty character with powerful opinions. Reese knows what she wants and usually gets it." Witherspoon, who's nursing a cold with a cup of hot tea, says she was hesitant at first to take on such a quintessentially British role. "I was terrified, and I told them every day," the blue-eyed blonde recalls. "It was a lot of pressure being the only American there, because this material has such a pedigree and reputation." Dench particularly intimidated Witherspoon. "She's won every award under the sun," the actress says, her eyes widening. "At the heart of it I'm still just a little girl from Tennessee." Witherspoon acknowledges that younger moviegoers may be drawn to the film because of her presence. She hopes it will spark them to seek out more Wilde and other literary works. "I know that I felt really inspired when I was a teenager and saw `Sense and Sensibility,'" she recalls. "I wanted to see all of the Jane Austen stuff and read all of it. It's great to discover writers through film." Witherspoon studied with a dialect coach to capture the English accent. She and her husband, actor Ryan Phillippe, and their 2-year-old daughter, Ava, moved to London for the three-month shoot last spring. "We were feeling like proper Anglophiles by the time we left," Witherspoon says with a hint of a British accent still in her voice. "My daughter particularly picked up her own English accent. She was saying, `Mummy, I need to get in my pushchair.' I was thinking to myself, what the hell is a pushchair?" Witherspoon's colleagues say she had nothing to worry about. "She sounded good to me from the start," says Firth. Having tried American accents in films,he understood her concerns. Everett agrees: "She not only got the accent right, she could move it around and was very flexible with it." He describes his American co-star as "calm and organized." Everett, who was the first actor cast in the film, previously played the character of Algy on stage at the French National Theatre several years ago. The classically handsome actor says there's something about Wilde's work that keeps it relevant today. "He speaks a lot for now," says the openly gay actor of the gay Dublin-born 19th century writer. "There are so many things that have happened in the past century to which he's relevant -- human and civil rights." Wilde, after being celebrated for his satirical work about the upper classes, was jailed for two years for indecency during the sexually-repressive Victorian era. "There's a big question mark over Oscar Wilde at the end of the century," says Everett. "In the past 10 years, people have started looking at him. He still means something." Everett one day hopes to portray Wilde in a film that would cover the last two years of his tumultuous life, though nothing is in the works. "I'm the same age he was when he died," observes the 42-year-old actor. Everett says Wilde's humor not only holds up after a century but the material also remains relevant. "The point of the story is to be yourself. You have to pretend to be someone else in society," he observes. "That's what makes the title heavily ironic," adds Firth. "The whole thing is making a case for how important it is not to be earnest."

Bad news for anyone headed to NYC next week: the TIOBE panel discussion has been cancelled. Oh No!! I am exceedingly disappointed! That was to be the highlight of my TIOBE long weekend. :-( I even had several questions written down for others beside Colin. :-( Welcome dalec! LOL!!! Kate, I keep getting just a couple of letters and symbols and no text in your emails

Now, I'm wondering about the release date as well. Yes, remember I was speculating about that, as many of the release date websites are listing May 22 for NY and LA, and May 24 for the rest of the country. Can't say I blame them if they wanted to move it out of the way of the May 17 Star Wars hullabaloo, but I wonder if it screws up the publicity schedule. Anyway, many thanks for those talk show dates, Karen. When will they have confirmed dates?

June 3 - The Daily Show (Jon Stewart) Does this tape in LA? I'm thinking the MTV Awards taping June 1st. Thanks for the listings Karen. "He was very dull in the old days," Everett mockingly laments, That's because he was "a ghastly red-brick-guitar-playing communist ready to give his first $500 to charity." LOL! What a surprise. ;-)

When will they have confirmed dates? Am checking Farmers Almanac for date hell freezes over. Is that before or after I can safely do my planting? ;-D I asked about Letterman and was told that "they have to want Colin." So, I'd say we need to encourage the producers a little more.

All these shows are in NYC, Moon.

I think I need to learn to type faster. :-p

Am reposting Dorine's comments from above. June 3 - The Daily Show (Jon Stewart) (Moon) Does this tape in LA? I'm thinking the MTV Awards taping June 1st. No, NYC. I should look into tix now, if they aren't already gone. Some shows are out of tix months, at least, in advance. I think I need to learn to type faster. :-p (Karen) Does one hand know what the other hand is doing? I was just talking to Mira[fill in the blank] and asked. They didn't know anything about a cancellation. Oh well. Who's in charge of things like this anyway? I guess anyone can cancel for any reason. It's a bit early to cancel if it's because they didn't sell enough isn't it? Thanks Karen for the schedule.

Ooops! Forgot to you all something rather significant IMO. The newspaper ad for TIOBE is slightly changed. Colin is now in the center, flanked by FOC on left and RW on left, then the outer group is RE and DJD. So if you're not completely confused, it goes (left to right): RE, FOC, CF, RW, DJD. Then the ad copy no longer refers to Everybody loving Raymond (sorry) ;-D It now says: The Classic Comedy Of Mistaken Identity As You've Never Seen It Before! All the people are the same size. It no longer seems to be The Importance of Being Cecily.

Thanks, Karen for the schedule. Thanks, Mari for the article

Thanks for the TV and screening (NOT) updates! I, for one, am completely dizzy. But Today and Weekend Today, that's pretty cool. We'll have to check to see if the wardrobe changes ;-) Do we have Katie C's e-mail addy: Perhaps she could weasel more info. about future projects, in between bouts of drooling.

Rupert Everett and Colin Firth didn't quite hit it off when they met some 18 years ago. Ah Ha! Are we back on for a discussion? That mostly begs the question: what is RE's background? Public (private for US) schoolboy or lower middle-class like ODB (schoolwise at least)? One carefree with nothing to lose, the other with everything to prove to the world... Or do we consider all this as publicity? (I don't doubt that this is PR candy given the Worthing/Montcrieff relationship) Welcome Dalec! Loved the BJD rewrite...

I'm hoping that tonight's Behind the Screen on AMC is the repeat of the one on TIOBE. E!News Live just opened with a piece on the TFF. Plenty of HG and AAB, but no CF

Another question about the article... Had RW seen P&P (wasn't it Heather Graham who was clueless about it?) before (she mentioned devouring Austen stuff after Sense & Sensibility) and what she thought of CF in it? Thanks for the TV appearances schedule. That's plenty of advance warning to figure out a sensible way to keep the children quiet during that time ;-)

thanks for the warm welcome everyone. i'm very disappointed about the Cooper Union thing, now my only chance of seeing him in person is gone. i doubt i'll be able to make it to those other events. will they be rescheduling this? thanks for the TV schedule Karen. i have a question, will E! be broadcasting the tribeca film awards live or are they just showing the red carpet?

(Mari)Bad news for anyone headed to NYC next week: the TIOBE panel discussion has been cancelled. This is such disappointing news :-(. After he gave such an "earnest" interview after the BAFTA/LA screening, I was looking forward to the one in NYC at Cooper Union to provide even more insight. So he's Ernest in LA, and there's Jack (sh**)in NYC ;-/ Thanks for the refund number and info and for the 'ol buddies article ;-). June 3 - The Daily Show (Jon Stewart) Thought this was going to be tonight! I was looking forward to seeing those two together (I'm already LOL as I have been watching The Daily Show recently and imagining CF sitting in the guest seat opposite the very funny Jon Stewart -I am imagining very witty banter between those two). Karen, thanks for the preliminary schedule. Hope it doesn't change too many times. LOL, Dalec! You are so right about the family part. Great parody of BJD! Welcome!

Saw Behind the Screen on AMC earlier this evening. It was pretty good. Mainly Reese (why do we bother pointing this out). However, Colin got to saw a few words and it was nice seeing them on set. (Odile) Or do we consider all this as publicity? (I don't doubt that this is PR candy given the Worthing/Montcrieff relationship) Yup, this is going to be repeated everywhere, like the "sissy" fighting in BJD. (Dale) will E! be broadcasting the tribeca film awards live or are they just showing the red carpet? There will be an entire show devoted to the red carpet for Star Wars II which is at the fest. About all we can hope for is seeing a snippet of the awards show (maybe) on the next day's infotainment shows. The Tribeca Fest is extremly high profile. (Lora) and there's Jack (sh**)in NYC ;-/ LOL! Aint' it the truth. I'd post the genealogy of the Jack(sh**) family, but my email account is temporarily down.

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GAH! Am having flashbacks to cancellation of Hamlet. Why is he doing this to us loyal firthettes? Buggerbuggerbugger! Oh, well, will still try to get a glimpse at the premiere. Dorine, don't know why my email is being strange. I'll call you tomorrow to commiserate.

Sorry to read about the NY cancellation. Very disappointing but at least there are quite a few chat show appearances on the horizon! Final thought on TAG...we'll get to see it and it will come out on video!. Unfortunately, movies like MLSF and DQ (no distributor) just disappear in the UK. Also, it seems to me that in the UK at the moment, you have to be a mainstream actor (ie a name) to be offered work in the more prestigious smaller dramatic films. Someone over at yahoo movies (who had posted earlier that she really liked HS) has added that she saw it in a recent preview in the UK. So hopefully, HS is also on course for a worldwide release. Three(or is it four?) in a row! Makes a change! :-)

(Dorine)At least the LA Ladies had a good time and were able to provide great reports. I may have to continue to live vicariously through you. You are so right. Those at the BAFTA/LA screening did a tremendous job reporting on it. You LA ladies gave us morsels to cover both coastal events, especially the double squeeze handshake, Cecilbee :-)! (Dorine)I'll just have to turn on my CF radar at the FF Hope you'll be at the right place at the right time. Maybe you should bring a one-year-old along and he will zero in on you...just kidding ;-). *waving good luck radar up your way*

I called to get my refund, hoping that it would all turn out to be a horrible mistake and the discussion would still be on--it's still listed on the tape "to inquire about tickets to...". But no such luck. So I asked the person at NYT and she had no idea why it was cancelled. Not that it makes a difference, I suppose...

Good luck, Dorine. Sorry about the film discussion being cancelled. Maybe this will give you extra radar vibes for the ff.

I sympathize with everyone planning on being in NY. I don't suppose he's flying over to Cannes on the 15th? We get TV coverage on Bravo Canada that night. My local paper says we get TIOBE next Friday! (shall not hold breath)

A & E lists a program called "New York at the Movies" tonight at 9pm. I wonder if it's about the TFF? Kate, I hope you get an answer as to why it was cancelled.

I found out this morning (if the scheduled dates hold out)--if you want to try get tickets for the 6/3 Daily Show, call the Friday before (may 31) at 11:30 to see if there are any cancellations. I got my refund today too, for the talk. The lady on the phone seemed suprised that I knew it was cancelled. She asked if I was notified by the organization. ( I was, sort of....but not the one she was talking about!)

(Amy) The lady on the phone seemed suprised that I knew it was cancelled. I tried playing dumb by saying I was calling to "ask about tickets for the Classics to Film discussion. I thought maybe she'd feel sorry for dumb little me and offer an explanation, but no such luck. Oh, well, will apply the refund to liquid refreshment on Monday, I suppose. My suburban NJ paper has nothing about Earnest. Must pick up a major urban paper for such info. Will Earnest continue to play at the same theater in NY after the premiere?

(Amy)I found out this morning (if the scheduled dates hold out)--if you want to try get tickets for the 6/3 Daily Show, call the Friday before (may 31) Amy, this show is taped well in advance--so if you want to try to see the Colin taping (which may have already happened for all we know) call *now.* In other words the show that tapes on 6/3 is NOT the show that airs on 6/3. I watched last night and Jon had David Boreanaz on--he was talking about his wife's pregnancy, but I read recently that his wife had that baby about a week and a half ago. (Lora)So he's Ernest in LA, and there's Jack (sh**)in NYC ;-/ ROTFLMAO! Extremely witty riposte, as usual, Lora!:-)

hello all thanks to karen for getting me logged on, been lurking for a little while, must say that your conversations have fanned a small spark into a flame of obsession for odb, just stayed up until 2 am watching my p&p dvd with a friend, my poor friend left completely tortured for more colin, especially since the last two hours of it we spent pining for a glimpse his bedroom eyes and got only one kiss at the very end, amazing as that kiss was it did not last nearly long enough i'm a newbie in many respects, in the younger demographic myself with all the new responsibilities that come with a family, house and starting my career caught p&p for the first time on a&e this past december in between holiday parties, followed that up with bjd and loved the mirroring of p&p in it, not to mention everything colin about it, next happened upon drool solely by accident while looking into another movie and was hooked, came to find out that i had actually seen cf in valmont on tv years ago and never knew him, my like of cf has turned into an obsession for odb despite the lack film knowledge about him i realized i had a problem when i happened to be sitting behind a man in church that reminded me completely of odb, all i could think about through the whole mass was cf in not very religious settings anyhow, i doubt i'll have any inside info to contribute, but i love the conversations here and it gives me something to do when i'm slow at work

I'm so sorry to hear about the cancellation of the Q&A at the New York event. He was such a sweetheart here, I was sure you east-coasters would be able to experience the reverie those of us here in LA did. But maybe he'll surprise you and be accessible to fans anyway. I'll be in London 5/17-5/23. Any chance of him being back in town then?? Or will he still be doing press in NY? Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

Saw this one and just have to share ;-)

Been reading this weeks postings tonight, *slaps head* not the week to get behind in my reading. To get a bearing on time frames, our TV (Minkee land) is showing the gnat on Letterman for AAB, about a "selfish, shallow.....bastard" direct quote :~) How far behind are we for shows? I so don't want to miss CF interviews? Minkee June the 6th?, great stuff!!!

(trese)i realized i had a problem when i happened to be sitting behind a man in church that reminded me completely of odb, all i could think about through the whole mass was cf in not very religious settings Ah, yes, familiar symptom--wishfully seeing cf look-similars. (not look-alikes, as such perfection could hardly be achieved twice, unless we could find a twin or a clone) Welcome, Trese. It's a fun obsession! Love the poster, Annie. Those hats! Is that Margaret Rutherford as Lady B? Looks rather like Ray Bolger...

Thanks Mari for the Daily Show tip. I feel so stressed out about all this! YIKES. I think I will just resolve to watch it on tv. Hopefully, the film festival/premiere will make up for it.

Odile, you asked about Rupie's background. From what I recall reading, he was educated by Benedictine monks--very conservative Catholic upbringing. I guess he finally rebelled.;-) i realized i had a problem when i happened to be sitting behind a man in church that reminded me completely of odb, all i could think about through the whole mass was cf in not very religious settings LOL, join the club! Welcome, Trese. our TV (Minkee land) is showing the gnat on Letterman for AAB . . . How far behind are we for shows? Hi Anna, that aired here last night (Thursday night) so you're not far behind at all. Am surprised at the number of US news and talk shows you get there in MinkeeLand (love that name!:-) Looks rather like Ray Bolger... PFFT! BTW, I spoke to someone who had ordered tickets for the Cooper Union discussion and, at the time, she was told that tickets were selling very briskly--so it wasn't cancelled due to lack of intetest.

Just got off the phone with the braintrust at my favorite studio.:-( Release date info for TIOBE (this should be firm): May 22--NY and LA May 24--Top 10 markets May 31--Nationwide

I saw some coverage of tiobe on Movietelevision (Bravo Canada) today!! It was at the press junket. I'll transcribe CF's bits later when I don't have an audience wondering what I'm doing :-) Colin only had a few sentences but was lovely. He talked about the danger of fossilizing (big word of the day!) works so they become "classics" (his quote marks in the air). Wilde shouldn't be played to the gallery but should sound like people actually talking and replying to each other. Nice clip of FOC's tongue in his ear (or did I imagine that part?) Rupie has set a new fashion trend by wearing 2 undershirts. Soon to be a "classic".

I too just received my ticket for the non-event at Cooper Union :-( I noticed that the culture editor of the NYT was to be the moderator, so I looked up the number and left a message on his voice mail inquring as to the reason for the cancellation. I said there were quite a few people, at least, that were very disappointed that it was not going to happen. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see if I'm deemed worthy of a response. It listed his email on the voice mail message...I may send a note as well for a follow-up. Bryonny, you have a wonderful imagination ;-)!

He talked about the danger of fossilizing...Wilde shouldn't be played to the gallery but should sound like people actually talking and replying to each other. No danger that anybody would confuse his bobbing around, jumping up and down, and silly antics with any form of fossilization. ;-D

Re Jon Stewart and the Daily Show: I've been to tapings a couple of times. Sometimes you get lucky and the taping takes well over an hour as they record more than one interview. Othertimes, the interview is live - that is, just the one person, recorded for that night's show. Unlike other shows the scheduling is extremely, er, flexible (e.g. the time that Al Sharpton was scheduled and didn't show up and they had nothing to fill with. It was very funny anyway.)

Trese!! We're always happy to have new people join in the fun. And you're not alone in thinking about CF in not so strictly proper situations. (aka the Playmaker Posse) ;-D Woo Woo! Minkee has a whole continent named after her. I'm very impressed and v. possibly slight jealous. LOL! (Cecilbee) I'll be in London 5/17-5/23. Any chance of him being back in town then?? Who knows? If his NY appearances are all taped in and around the premiere date, then he could be back home by then. BTW, give'm hell, Dorine! And if they're not scared, have them call the staff at the Riverside. ;-D

Welcome Trese. I get my daily fix right here everyday. If that's not enough I pop in a CF movie and that seems to relieve my suffering. You are in good company. I think about CF in the strangest of places and situations. This has put me in a few very sticky situations. I loved AMC's Behind the Screen on TIOBE. This has been the longest piece I've been able to catch. ODB looks v.dreamy!!!! Glad I'm not the only one having a difficult time keeping the dates/changes-straight

Access Hollywood is doing a segment on the ff this Tuesday

will anyone here be attending the TIOBE new york premiere may 13 at the Paris Theater. i'm having some last minutes thoughts about going. i've never been to any movie premieres before. what would be a good time to get there and be one of the crowds outside the theater since it's scheduled to start at 7:30pm.

(luvvy)the time that Al Sharpton was scheduled and didn't show up and they had nothing to fill with. What a blessing, Chris--dead air is preferable to Al Sharpton.;-) (Linda)I loved AMC's Behind the Screen on TIOBE. This has been the longest piece I've been able to catch. ODB looks v.dreamy!!!! Doesn't he? Yum!:-) Very smiley and sweet being interviewed, but boy is he ever focused while preparing for a scene. Everybody else is yukking it up, but ODB is in a zone!:-) Here's what the NY Times is sending out; dare we hope that the Charlie Rose show came a knockin'? From Michele: "Unfortunately, we do not have any plans to reschedule this event. It is extremely difficult to coordinate the schedules of the panelists, especially when you're dealing with stars of this caliber. In fact, it was a change in their schedules that forced us to cancel the event in the first place. I'm sorry for any inconvenience that this caused you. And thank you for your interest in TimesTalks." Roberta F. Nordman/NYT/NYTIMES

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Access Hollywood is doing a segment on the ff this Tuesday Someone tell ODB that the trick to getting on that show is to paw Nancy Whatsit while she giggles like a little girl. Richard Gere knows this. Here is my transcription from Movietelevision (add your own stammers and hand waving): These things very quickly get fossilized into some "classic", you know, which I think suffocates the material. I think he intended people to talk as they talk, you know, speak to each other. Reply to each other. You're not playing to the gallery here. And I think he would've loved film. I think it helps break it down and bring it closer and loosen it up.

(Mari) dare we hope that the Charlie Rose show came a knockin'? What time does Charlie tape? Surely, not in the evening. How about they had to go to Cannes? ;-D

I just saw TIOBE. There was quite a bit of laughing from the audience. The best reaction, I thought, was the scene where they are all in the country house and JD pays a suprise visit. The whole audience seemed to gasp. You could overhear a lot of positive comments from the crowd as they exited the theatre. v.v.good I didn't see anyone of "importance" though. How did the other attendees do????

Whooaahh! I woke up this morning (Saturday), immediately logged on to catch the latest and I see that all this CF promo merry-go-round has caused everyone at Drool to become unstable - everything now tilts to the right. LOL! I now have a crick on my neck from tilting to the right to read all the italics - or is just a sign that I should update my computer? *************** Welcome Trese! I fully empathise with you as I have only been recently afflicted by the CF-disease that requires one to have frequent cold showers to bring the symptons under control ;-). Churches and other quiet spots are usually the places where the symptoms present themselves at their most rampant. Of course, it is always best to be on your guard where there are big screens that show his adorable face to perfection. During those times, symptoms may include: sweaty palms and other parts; heart palpitations; and this incredible need to make sounds ranging from gurgling in the throat or outright scream of delight - depending on the type of person you are. On those occasions, the only antidotes available are : any strong material (such as an armchair - or even your arm) that you can grab a hold to help stop the urge to scream; a cold shower as already mentioned; and, when really desperate, perhaps an MDH (or a version thereof) who threatens to finally walk out on you and take the kids, the house (or mor gage, as the case may be) and leave you alone only with your CF memorabilia. ************* And then I find that Anna have made me (in)famous (or at least my nom de drool)by laying claim on a continent which I had sworn to leave just last night because of the excessive taxes I have to pay...(tax time next month down here!). ROTFL. Reserve the envy for something else Boss! ***************** Am surprised at the number of US news and talk shows you get there in MinkeeLand (love that name!:-) Not enough, Mari. We still are the CF-under-privileged class and I am afraid that our UK and US sisters will have to continue to support us...which prompts me to say...Thank you! to all of you who speedily share your news, experiences, memories. We delight in every morsel we get and we appreciate it so. Don't we, citizens of M-----land couldn't bring myself to type it

Just got home from seeing TIOBE also. I really enjoyed it! And Colin's hair...oh if I could just run my fingers through his hair...just once! ... I'll die happy ;-)! Those suits really...suited him well, too, I thought. Loved FO'C! I think I was vibrating right there with her. ;-) Even though it's been commented upon here that RE may have all the best lines, I was more entertained by ODB and FO'C...and Tom Wilkinson, I found him quite endearing and comical. Oh and the OTT ending...yes it was a bit silly. I think it would have seemed stranger to me if I hadn't been forwarned (thank you very much). By the time he hugged RE during the end, I'd forgotten about that National Enquirer piece about the physical ad-lib by RE of slapping Colin on the rear instead of the back and only remembered at the last second and more or less missed scrutinizing ODB's reaction. Didn't realize it was at the end, so I thought it might have been cut out. I'll take note the next time I see it. Like Amy, I heard very positive comments on the way out. Quite a few had no idea what happened in the play in the first place and enjoyed it anyway. Walking down the street, I heard someone in a group remark that one of them was planning to dislike it and instead enjoyed it very much. Meryl Streep was apparently relegated to the balcony with all the almost late-comers like me. I was planning to get there much earlier, but was delayed by a contact lens crisis :-/. The people in front of me expressed surprise as well that MS was in the balcony and not downstairs, at which point, we wondered who could be downstairs....apparently no one according to Amy. And no ODB sightings! :-( I'll make sure my radar is turned-up while I'm in the city all day tomorrow.

I'm sorry I forgot to say... Welcome Trese! The more the merrier!

It is funny Dorine...I was wondering if anyone was upstairs! (I am kind of glad (relieved) I didn't miss anything!) CF did happen to look quite lovely in the mourning clothes and glasses. Hi Trese!

(Dorine) I was more entertained by ODB and FO'C...and Tom Wilkinson, I found him quite endearing and comical. ODB and Tom Wilkinson... That's exactly the way I felt with SIL after a couple of viewing!

I am v.jealous of all of you that have seen TIOBE already! Now that I have seen the AMC segment, and having heard all of your first hand comments, I'll take Minkee's advice and go the cold shower route. OH that hair...I can't believe I'm starting off a Saturday morning in this way. You guys are killing me. Dorine, keep your eyes glued to everyone you pass. GOOD LUCK, YOU CRAZY GIRL!

(Karen), No danger that anybody would confuse his bobbing around, jumping up and down, and silly antics with any form of fossilization. ;-D (Dorine), the OTT ending...yes it was a bit silly. I think it would have seemed stranger to me if I hadn't been forwarned (thank you very much) LOL! You're welcome. ;-) (Mari), MinkeeLand (love that name!:-) Me too! It has a happy ring to it. :-) Thank you Amy and Dorine for your reports. Was it sold-out? Looking forward to the premiere reports. Welcome Trese!

Lovely to hear about the film from both of you. If you'd like to discuss the film in more detail, we have the Spoilers topic (126) for that. The TIOBE comments begin here: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/drool/126.1241 We like to keep those separate since the film will have such a delayed opening in various parts of the world/country (although it will open in Minkeeland fairly soon. CF-deprived! Ha!!) ;-D

moon-- friday night was sold out as is the showing tonight. as i was leaving friday, a very angry (and loud) woman was complaining that she had waited in a very long line and TIOBE sold out to the 2 people in front of her, and what were they going to do about it!

It wasn't me! Honest it wasn't! But I can understand how she felt!

True to form I will post complaints, but first...thanks to Minkee for letting those of us way down here know what's going on. (I'm usually known for being quite positive and fun!) I just read an article from Yahoo (maybe the source is my problem) and there was a lot of talk about the Tribeca FF, and not a word about the awards at the end and who was presenting them. Am I wrong, or have I read here about CF and RW teaming up for this??? I thought that would be interesting to someone...somewhere...SOB!!!....... There is a little TV show here on Sunday nights called Premire or Preview...(sorry I'm not a big TV person anymore) that is all about film and my boys have been in charge of searching for TIOBE info. Hey, they 'earnestly' called me into tonight and I saw a 30 second clip of...you guessed it ...RW talking gibberish about the business of learning her 'english' accent for her part. I give up! Except, of course, for June 6...as Minkee has said, is the Australian opening for TIOBE. Hey, all the NY girls, I hope you have had some fun tonight!!!!!

Oh no Lisa - now you'll really have something to complain about and I will certainly join you!! The release date in Aus has been changed! Bwaahhh! ;-/ It's now showing as JULY 4. Check it out : http://www.yourmovies.com.au/main.cfm?page=movie_release_dates. (Thanks to Sarah for the website tip.)

LOL, Minkee..at least as a half-American-half-Aussie I can say there will be something to do to celebrate on Independence Day in the land down under!!!!!! (I'm sure I had more to whine about...!)

Sorry ladies! No ODB sightings yesterday :-( Believe me I was definitely canvassing the area in between my panel and movies (saw Enigma...v.v. good). Saw many lower level character actors I'm sure we've seen in all kinds of movies and TV shows...couldn't name any of them though. Decided to skip trying to see TIOBE again (after standing in waitlist line ~45 mins) to go around the corner to the Insomnia screening party that was being thrown at the hotel. I was thinking Insomnia is a Miramax film and just maybe....someone we all know and love would mosey down the red carpet. But, alas no. Saw a bunch of other stars that I can list wherever is appropriate (odds & ends?). They didn't start coming in until 10:30pm or so and I left just before midnight when the entrances began to taper off (I had been there since 10 am). CF and RW are indeed to be the hosts of the awards ceremony tonight. I will forgo this event as I'm going to the premiere tomorrow. I'm not sure if the event tonight will be set up for oogling as they go in, so I'll wait for the sure thing tomorrow. I'll watch the Star Wars premiere tonight...maybe he'll show there after the awards.

Good reconnaisance work, Dorine--if you can, do go to the awards thingie, as that too is a sure thingie, er, thing!:-) Nice article in today's New York Times; some good CF quotes. Thanks to Chris R.: The Importance of Being Wildean but Also Cinematic Publication Date: Sunday May 12, 2002 Summer Movies; Section 2A; Page 31, Column 1 c. 2002 New York Times Company By SARAH LYALL LONDON -- THE play is utterly familiar, a perfect marriage of form and content, with some of the most famous lines in English comedy. (''To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.'') The question in adapting Oscar Wilde's ''Importance of Being Earnest'' for the screen, then, is how to turn this consummately theatrical lovers' joust, with its dazzling verbal games and dizzying confection of a plot, into a plausible movie. It has been tried at least once before, in a faithful 1952 version, with Michael Redgrave and Michael Denison as the two young dandies who find it convenient to disguise their identities from time to time, Joan Greenwood and Dorothy Tutin as the soubrettes they woo in town and country, and Dame Edith Evans as the redoubtable Lady Bracknell. Now it has been tried again, and opening in New York and Los Angeles on May 22, with a national release to follow. But in this case Oliver Parker, who adapted and directed the new version, recognized that it is not the sort of piece that translates automatically from one medium to another. ''If someone gave it to you as a film script, it wouldn't work,'' said Mr. Parker, who also adapted and directed the recent screen version of another Wilde play, ''An Ideal Husband.'' ''You have to connect with the parts that matter to you and build on them. Nearly all the dialogue is Wilde's, but I had to jiggle with the script a bit.'' That meant consolidating some scenes and extending others. It also meant liberating the play from its constricting drawing rooms, so that it became a movie filled with lavish sets and crowds of boisterous extras in places like the streets of London, a wild dance hall, a fancy hotel restaurant and a grand estate in the country. There are bucolic outdoor scenes, too, on a river and in a bluebell-speckled forest, for example. For a cast full of capital-T thespians steeped in the Wildean tradition, including Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Tom Wilkinson and Judi Dench as a very formidable but also surprisingly human Lady Bracknell, performing in the film required looking at the material with fresh eyes, almost as if they had never been exposed to it before. ''It's one of the things that people grow up with, whether they've ever seen it or not,'' said Mr. Firth, who first caught ''Earnest'' onstage in Southampton, England, in the 1970's. In the film, he plays the juicy double role of Jack Worthing and his alter ego of wicked repute, Ernest. ''What has amazed me is how open it is to being interpreted, to being played with. I thought everything we'd do would be straining against the nature of the piece and would look wrong, but it's not.'' Mr. Firth welcomed the script changes and the chance to utter Wilde's words in a way that seemed perfectly natural, as if he spoke that way in daily conversation. ''There's always someone out there who, if you change one word, would act as if you'd burned the last surviving copy of the play,'' he said. ''But this is the only way we could do it without being utterly stilted.'' Reese Witherspoon, the lone American star in the film, plays Cecily Cardew, the ingenue courted by the charmingly irresponsible Algy Moncrieff (Rupert Everett). It's a tricky part, usually played by an older actress, because the character has to be naive and worldly all at once. Ms. Witherspoon said that taking on the role introduced her both to the joys of Oscar Wilde and the pitfalls of the English accent. ''I was an English literature major in college,'' she said, ''but I hadn't got to the Oscar Wilde part yet when I dropped out to go into acting.'' All that worked for the film's modern sensibility, however. ''I came to it from a neophyte's perspective, never having read it or having spoken what the English call the English language,'' Ms. Witherspoon said. ''It was intimidating being around all those people. The first day, when Judi Dench came in, my voice went down about four levels. I almost had to whisper. My accent seemed almost like a mockery. ''But I thought it was really important not to feel overwhelmed by the writing or the work,'' Ms. Witherspoon added. ''With any character you play, you have to find yourself in the character. I certainly relate to this young woman's spirit and her joie de vivre. She looks like a sweet little girl, but she's really this raging romantic underneath. And she's a very modern woman in the sense that she thinks, 'You're not going to take advantage of me; I'm going to take advantage of you.' '' The play, which was greeted as a triumph when it opened in 1895, closed soon after, when Wilde was convicted of acts of ''gross indecency.'' He had called it a ''trivial comedy for serious people,'' and on one level ''Earnest'' is a gossamer-light farce. But underneath lurks a fascinating exploration of the duality that characterized Oscar Wilde's own life as a gay man in a homophobic society and that led later that year to his disgrace. But in Wilde's play, Jack Worthing's double life brings him problems of a far more amusing nature. Living in the country, he is an upright, staid landowner; in London, where he calls himself Ernest, he is a rakish bon vivant who doesn't pay his bills. It is his dual identity that leads to some of the funniest, and most interesting, parts of the film. Among Mr. Parker's innovations is the inclusion of elements from the little-performed four-act version of Wilde's play. In one, introducing a darker note to the high comedy of the piece, debt collectors suddenly appear and pursue Algy to settle the fictitious Ernest's unpaid accounts. Mr. Parker also includes scenes that reveal the deep fantasy lives and often highly romantic natures of the characters: Cecily daydreams about Algy by conjuring up an image of him as a romantic knight wooing her. ''I quite like the range of interpretations that can be teased out of the script,'' said Mr. Parker, who himself played the part of Jack in a Welsh staging of ''Earnest'' when he was 29. ''I wanted to be careful not to load it with too much ballast, but nor did I want it to be a banging-door farce. Wilde's wit is on the one hand very challenging and, on the other, very humane. He's never more poignant than when he's being lighthearted and light-footed.'' Evidence of such lightheartedness comes particularly in the scenes between Mr. Firth and Mr. Everett, playing the louche, mischief-making Algy. ''We were thinking on our feet,'' Mr. Firth said. So that when the two men -- both hopelessly ensnared in high-comedy misunderstandings about their identities, and both passing themselves off as people named Ernest -- repaired to the woods to gather bluebells, they found themselves doing it perhaps more vigorously than they had planned. ''We picked bluebells together and started to argue, and then it got physical,'' Mr. Firth said. ''I scrunched his bunch of bluebells, and then he pushed me over.'' All this makes for a film that is familiar and at the same time new. ''Some of what frustrates me about Wilde is the way it can be done on the stage in the traditional way,'' Mr. Parker said. ''It's almost as though the cast has the appearance of assuming it's funny without really knowing what they're saying. It's something people seem to feel safe about. But what excites me is that he's not safe; he's subversive. ''Comedies can touch things that are very important, in a very light way,'' Mr. Parker added. ''Wilde's wit still glitters. That's what feels incredibly modern.'' Photos: Reese Witherspoon as the ingenue Cecily Cardew and Rupert Everett as the devil-may care bachelor Algy Moncrieff in ''The Importance of Being Earnest.'' May 22. (Miramax Films)(pg. 31); Michael Redgrave and Joan Greenwood in the 1952 version of ''The Importance of Being Earnest,'' directed by Anthony Asquith. (Universal-International)(pg. 33)

Mari, your post saved me a lot of typing. I just read the same article. I love it when he makes the remark about someone acting "as if you'd burned the last surviving copy of the play." I've seen the play done several times, but I'm not that much of a purist. I mean, there must be more than ONE surviving copy...

I just read that article 5 minutes ago, too. I was also reading an article in The Guardian, I think, about how lawyers in London now want pinstripe suits like Darcy in BJD. Seems Colin has become a fashion icon for barristers ;-) Maybe I can get it typed up later. Unfortunately, I will probably defer tonight's events as I've already put off a lot of paperwork and other things this week and will be busy the next 2 nights (someone in a line gave me a pass for AAB on Tues night.)

Will read NYT article in a bit (thanks, Mari) but there's no need to type up the Guardian mention, Dorine. It was actually published in The Observer in an article by Victoria Coren, who has written about Colin several times before (must have a crush like Katie): The Law Society has warned solicitors to 'keep clothes simple and businesslike; avoid pinstripes and polka dots'. I'm afraid there's something they've overlooked. They're out of touch; how surprising for a collective of elderly lawyers. Why are solicitors suddenly wearing pinstripes? Because they want to look like barristers. And not just any old barristers - specifically Colin Firth in Bridget Jones's Diary. A solicitor friend explains: 'Lawyers' lives have changed since that film. We are popular at parties. Women want us. As long as we look a bit like Firth, anyway. There's been a run on single-breasted chalkstripe at the tailors in Chancery Lane. Some of us are even buying wigs. Firth's barrister wears his collar and bands outside court, which was always considered very vulgar but it's de rigueur now. I'm thinking of writing a fashion column on the subject for Bar News.' Amid all that talk about Ren�e Zellweger's weight increase, everyone overlooked the movie's sartorial effect on men. Andrew Davies is now working on the sequel, Edge Of Reason; if the Law Society wants lawyers back in three-piece flannel, they'd better write to the wardrobe department at Miramax. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4411762,00.html

Thanks, Karen. I'm not familiar with her column...seems an odd transition of topics from the beginning of the article to end up on barrister clothing. Know why I failed in my quest yesterday....was carrying a bag not a baby! ;-)

Minkee: The release date in Aus has been changed! Bwaahhh! ;-/ It's now showing as JULY 4. Drive a stake through my heart and finish me off, another whole month to wait, its NOT FAIR *throws giant hissy fit* I had made plans. A big black cloud descends on Minkeeland (a land to the south of beautiful women who share an uncommon interest, and are severly handicapped in the pursuit of such.) Thankyou to the ladies of the North, for looking after us *sob*

Breakfast With the Arts comes through! Thanks to Kris for sharing: Harry Smith will interview Colin on the 5/19 show. He was in the studio on Thursday and you can imagine how excited we were. One of my co-workers is still not speaking to me because I didn't tell her was was coming in. Sincerely, John T. Bence Managing Producer

I hope this URL works: lots of thumbnails from the TIOBE press conference in NY in April. Thanks to Meluchie for spotting: http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====9702

Excellent news!!! BWTA again. Fantastic. I love that note. Colin truly *is* A&E poster boy. ;-D And those wire photos. Loved those outdoor ones. Does he look good or what? yum yum!

Great photos on wireimage. It was from April 20th press conf in NY. Is that the source for the NYT article or a separate meeting? I second Karen. He looks great and in one of them he reminds me a bit of Paul McCartney, no? So many expressions, I love it when he looks thoughtful or smiling or ... ok I like them all! :)

One of my co-workers is still not speaking to me because I didn't tell her was was coming in. That was evil. ;-) Thanks for the link Mari. The read background clashed with his brown pullover, but he looks great outdoors. Off to mark my clalendar for BWTA. :-)

Bad review in Variety: Just as one of Oscar Wilde's resourceful gentlemen is Ernest in town and Jack in the country, so it seems that "The Importance of Being Earnest" was a comedy in the last century and a drama in the new one. At least, that's the dumbfounding impression left by writer-director Oliver Parker's utterly miscalculated film adaptation of Wilde's play. Trims in the text might be expected, though not necessary for an under-two-hour feature; and the opening up of the stagebound action is decidedly a mixed blessing. But what washes out the joys of Wilde's usually delicious concoction is a tone that bafflingly drifts toward seriousness, especially whenever thesps Colin Firth's Jack and Judi Dench's Lady Bracknell take center-screen. Wilde fans will turn away in dismay, with only costume drama fans likely to support this on the big screen. Pic's ancillary hopes are even sure to be dimmed, since the Miramax release opens just weeks before Criterion Collection's unveiling of a freshly restored DVD edition of Anthony Asquith's stagebound but infinitely preferable 1952 version starring an indelible Michael Redgrave as Jack and Dame Edith Evans as Bracknell. Earlier picture also points to everything that is wrong with Parker's handling, which starts with a brief chase scene involving the perpetually indebted dandy Algy (Rupert Everett) that's apparently designed to include some "action," but only looks like bad outtakes from "From Hell." Parker's script breaks up the dialogue between Algy and best friend, Jack, into sections that take them from a music hall to a lounge to Algy's London digs, but this only serves to impede the flow of Wilde's elegantly constructed dialogue. Algy exposes Jack's ongoing ruse that he playacts as a fellow named "Ernest" in the city, which gives him an excuse to leave his country manor and visit Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor). Algy, meanwhile, has invented his own fictional creature, a sickly man named Bunbury, whom he "visits" -- that's his excuse for getting out of the city. None of this is nearly as amusing as it should be, but things get downright glum when Algy's aunt, Bracknell, shows up and glowers at Jack's interest in Gwendolen. When Bracknell interviews Jack about his class pedigree and suitability for marriage, it is all about intimidation and not at all about Wilde's view of Bracknell as hilariously unaware that she is a bag of hot air. Parker's adaptation inserts some new visual material that has Jack dramatically trying to uncover the true nature of his upbringing, since all he knows is that he was found as a baby in a handbag at Victoria Station. Nothing is more stunningly off-key in the movie than this revelation, which invariably gets big laughs in any decent stage version but is approached as high drama here.Thus, it's strange to discover -- back at Jack's sylvan estate -- that Reese Witherspoon as Jack's beloved ward Cecily, Anna Massey as Cecily's tutor Miss Prism and Tom Wilkinson as local priest Dr. Chasuble and hopeful suitor to Prism haven't forgotten they're actually doing Wilde. Fitting comfortably with the otherwise Brit cast, Witherspoon instantly flashes her charm as Cecily drifts off into romantic fantasies (though Parker ruins the effect by archly depicting them on screen), while Massey and Wilkinson are masters of comic timing and the just slightly daft turn of their too-long-in-the-country folk. Adaptation is rarely content to simply let Wilde's characters settle into the drawing room of their choosing, continually interrupting the flow of the original text and generating the queasy feeling of desperation by trucking in "visual" notes.To wit, Algy actually arrives at Jack's home via hot-air balloon (with nobody commenting on it). Some new business involving Algy being chased around London and the countryside by debtors and Savoy Hotel reps is meant to underline the rake's non-progress, but it just gets in the way of what is arguably one of the English language's most perfectly devised comedies. Somewhere between the just-right froth of Witherspoon, Massey and Wilkinson and the poor judgment of Firth and Dench are Everett's slightly amusing but never winning Algy, and O'Connor's pleasant but unmemorable Gwendolen; those prone to imaginative re-casting would certainly top the list with Richard E. Grant, seemingly born to play Algy. A big widescreen look, complete with a notably underlit approach by lenser Tony Pierce-Roberts, creates an expensive, naturalistic style that simply doesn't belong to Wilde's specific and exaggerated universe. Elegance courses through Luciana Arrighi's slightly Italian-accented production design, Maurizio Millenotti's costuming and Peter King's makeup and hair design. Pic features one of the worst examples of "funny" music in recent film.

Can't say that much in there surprises me. ~~~~~~~~ So far have only seen 6 pictures from the Tribeca FF awards ceremony and no mentions of CF or Reese for that matter. :-(

What do you think of this review, Mari? (I yawned through 1952!) Looks as though reviewers could be polarised (1952 v 2002).And wasn't Michael Redgrave very serious? BTW how long is TIOBE? Does it hold audience attention?

(mari) I hope this URL works: lots of thumbnails from the TIOBE press conference in NY in April. Thanks to Meluchie for spotting: http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====9702 i can't seem to get on this site, is anyone having the same problem?

It's not about 1952 vs 2002. It's about whether this adaptation is true to Wilde, and it isn't. Miramax's spin is obvious and, IMO, utterly baseless. From all I've read, Wilde would be the last person on earth to condone such changes. He thought way too highly of himself and his work. The film was 100 minutes.

I can't get on the site as well. To make matters worse, I just tapped over the Behind the Screen segment by mistake. Definitely not going to be a good day-except for the wonderful news about BWTA-that was one of my favorite interviews during the BJD publicity.

Am moving your post to 160, Kate.

Some cheerful news, thanks to Clare: Colin will be on NY radio tomorrow: wplj 95.5 FM tuesday, may 14 9:00 am (although, keep in mind with these morning shows the guests may not be on exactly at the scheduled time) Could any/all of our NYC area ladies please tape this for us? Thanks! If you're having trouble getting to that wireimage URL, just go to http://www.wireimage.com and put Colin Firth in the Search engine. Once you see the TIOBE press conference pics, you can click on the film title and you'll see the other actors as well. (Bethan)What do you think of this review, Mari? (I yawned through 1952!) Looks as though reviewers could be polarised (1952 v 2002).And wasn't Michael Redgrave very serious? BTW how long is TIOBE? Does it hold audience attention? I disagree with almost everything this critic wrote. He likes the '52 version, which I found as enjoyable as having my teeth drilled. He says Dench and Firth are too serious, but I found their exchanges--especially during the interview scene, which he also dislikes--to be among the funniest. He praises Wilkinson and Massey; frankly, their scenes are nothing, IMO. He calls F O'C pleasant but unmemorable, whereas I found her an absolute delight. He even criticizes the lighting and the music! He clearly is a purist (or wishes to impress upon us that he is one). Critics should write for their audience, not for their peers. IMO, no piece of literature is so sacrosanct that it cannot be adapted imaginitively. Would Shakespeare object to Baz Lurhmann's Romeo & Juliet? Who knows and I don't care. The good news is, nobody from the general public reads Variety.:-)

(Mari) Critics should write for their audience, not for their peers... I agree, but... (Mari)...nobody from the general public reads Variety Who reads Variety, Mari? Is that a trade publication? If it is, then isn't the audience = his peers? Just curious. This article reads as if the author has an overwhelming need to impress the readers with his technical expertise of all things Wilde. A real purist who's up in arms! Not totally unexpected and, I should imagine, ODB would not be fazed. As he says : "that's what purists are for". LOL.

(Queen of Minkeeland)Who reads Variety, Mari? Is that a trade publication? If it is, then isn't the audience = his peers? Yes, it's an entertainment industry publication. When I referenced his peers, I was referring to other Wildeans--not the average studio exec, or actor, or publicist, or screenwriter who reads Variety.

RW on the Today Show this morning. Same stuff about accent. Showed the clip about engagement (RW/FOC). Only mention of ODB was made by Katie Couric...

what is BWTA? I'm new to all the acronyms:-0 Thanks

Ok. I am trying to figure out how to set the timer on my stereo (which I didn't know I had). So please bear with me if it doesn't work out, and the recording fails. I checked out the WPLJ website. Why is he doing this show?

never mind acronym ? Breakfast with the Arts! Got it!

A belated welcome Nicola. BWTA is Breakfast With the Arts on A&E. It airs on Sunday mornings 8am est.

what is BWTA? Breakfast with the Arts, Sunday mornings on A&E. Amy), I checked out the WPLJ website. Why is he doing this show? I agree! Isn't that a rock station? Or has it changed since my childhood in NY? (Mari), When I referenced his peers, I was referring to other Wildeans--not the average studio exec, or actor, or publicist, or screenwriter who reads Variety. IMNSHO, a reviewer for Variety is a contradiction in terms of "purist Wildeans."

(Variety)Pic features one of the worst examples of "funny" music in recent film." Duh! It goes with the "Keystone Kops" overall theme. I liked it, but then I'm not a purist. And no one would go see the 1952 version today. "....with only costume drama fans likely to support this on the big screen. " The Masterpiece Theatre crowd might be shocked too. Oh well, we're back to the nursing home gang;-)

I just checked out WPLJ's website, and they definitely have Colin listed for the morning show. They do have a "listen online" so hopefully that will help out anyone wanting to log on. I find it v. strange that he is doing this show-not the usual NPR venue we're used to. Then, again, what hasn't been strange with TIOBE over the last few weeks?

(Odile) Only mention of ODB was made by Katie Couric... Was she drooling? What did she say? (Moon) Isn't that a rock station? Or has it changed since my childhood in NY? It's Top 40/Pop. I thought this was an odd choice too. I read the Variety piece while surfing around last night. I was so taken aback by the review, I instantly started an email to the writer asking "Did we see the same movie?", but in the end chose not to send it. Very poor weather in NY for the premiere, but Amy, Kate, and I are checkin' it out anyway.

i was checking the WPLJ site out too. don't think it's possible to listen to the broadcast live online. if you go to the "listen live" page: http://wplj.com/PLJlive.asp it says they're working on some union issues and have stopped live streaming.

Thanks dalec, I guess I'll have to sit in the car all morning, because that is the only radio around here that picks up the station.

Very poor weather in NY for the premiere, but Amy, Kate, and I are checkin' it out anyway. Ladies you will be joined by Lora! Her husband got her tickets for the premiere as a Mother's Day present. What a great present! Look for her, she is wearing a black and pink outfit and her husband has a mustache. Can't wait for your reports. Thanks, Dale for the link. Bad news about the union issues.

thanks for the welcome and all the great advice, especially from minkee, you all crack me up i'm just dying to see TIOBE, i guess i'm luckier than most because it looks like it will hit the gateway city by the 31st of may, i'll be dragging my tortured friend along with me, please tell me colin is in almost every scene thanks for the wireimage pics, those were great, i actually preferred the head shots on the red background, but then again i was drooling over the old shots from bjd as well, to each there own

Am drowning in news. Thanks, everyone. Colin will be on NY radio tomorrow: wplj 95.5 FM tuesday, may 14 Drove to and from work for more than 10 years listening to PLJ. Don't think I can pick up the signal this far south, though. *sob* Would love to hear Scott and Todd and Colin. (Moon) I thought this was an odd choice too. Imus was booked. ;-) PLJ is definitely not for the nursing home resident set. Hurrah! So Harry Smith is doing BWTA now? What happened to Eliott?

(Trese) please tell me colin is in almost every scene Colin is in almost every scene. See how accomodating we are? ;-) Aren't you glad you didn't ask me to call you a cab. *Badabing* Have just come back from my advance screening and will post about changes on 126. (Eileen) So Harry Smith is doing BWTA now? Has he been kicked off of Biography?

YUMMY time! Oodles of Colin pics from tonight's premiere over at wireimage. Boss, any chance of enlarging any of these?:-) http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=CAL====10115&ym=200205

Not by much. Maybe 20% before they get all distorted. :-( I'll try some tomorrow. Maybe by then we'll see some full size ones showing up elsewhere. None at Reuters/AP either. They had pics from Enigma's itsy bitsy premiere...OK, Mick Jagger was there, but...

Boy, have I got a story for you! But it will have to wait until tomorrow night when I have time to type it. Kate and Amy could possibly fill in some.

FYI and much to my amazement, Colin has just been on BBC1 giving a brief interview in the breakfast programme. Included clips from TIOBE - it was a delight to see really clear pictures of the film and he looks gorgeous in it!

I've really been enjoying all the news and the pics, but Mari, you're link from 116 isn't working! :( Dorine, glad to hear you have news, but rule #1 is that you are required to stay up and post whatever you know, no teasers! Evelyn, I've emailed you a present!

I have replayed my tape from this morning's BBC1 interview and give the transcipt below: Colin: A lot of Oscar Wilde's essential points of view would still be considered dangerous now. You know he believed that asthetics were more important than morality. You know he said quite explicitly, and he was not being paradoxical here, he said that a sense of colour was more important to human development than a sense of right and wrong, and that's not something a lot of people would want their teachers to tell their children. Film Clip Tom: Because of some of the roles you've done in the past, I suppose most notably Pride & Prejudice, people often think of you as being this kind of smouldering, handsome hunk. Has that been a kind of a help or a hindrance to the kind of roles that you've got? Colin: I don't know. It's probably.......cos you can't know what would have been otherwise; and, in fact, I've been quietly diversifying. (big grin) I don't suppose anyone's particularly noticed, but I have been doing things which are different. People tend to remember me for things that are similar to what's gone before but it's never really been my problem. Film Clip ( which finishes with the voiceover saying: ........... Hollywood's tepid response to his charms) Tom: You haven't appeared in any big Hollywood movies and I'm not saying that by way of any criticism. Is that by design, or because you just haven't found that there are opportunities there, or have people not come calling? Colin: It's a mixture of all those things. It's not really by design unless one considers design as just omission and not having gone to play the town and hunted down. I could have done that I suppose. I don't know whether I would have been successful or not but I didn't do that. They haven't really come calling very much and on the occasions on which they have, it's not really been with anything very tempting. Film Clip which ends the interview

Thanks Jennie. I missed it. It will be interesting to hear if the interview going out on NY radio station is the one where CF comments about English football hooligans, Blair etc. Today�s Daily Mail has managed an almost full page spread from the six lines from �Wicked Whispers� with a large pic of Mr Darcy. The article says this came from a radio interview to promote TIOBE. There is the usual blurb about his own educational background. Additional comments reveal his dilemma over the schooling of his year old son. The child would definitely be raised in London �but how he�ll be educated is the burning question which we�re working on at the moment� His other child is being privately educated in the US

you're link from 116 isn't working! :( Grrr . . . it was working 8 hours ago. Looks like the wireimage website is down for now, maybe from all of us hitting it at once.;-) Dorine, get up and start typing! Aishling, the radio interview today is supposed to be live, so the quotes couldn't have been taken from that. Damn, we've missed something.:-( Is there any way to contact the Mail to determine on what station it aired? Jennie, is the "Tom" in the interview Tom Brook? If so, we get his show on BBC America, so maybe we'll see it on this week's show. In what sort of setting does the interview take place?

The premiere was, in a word, wet. Also cold. (OK, so that's two words) No area at all for the public to stand. There was a long walkway under tents where the press were stationed and the celebs walked by. This occupied the whole sidewalk to one side of the theater. To the other side there were barriers making a little pen for photogs. A walkway for pedestrians was created out of a lane of the street. Security would not let anyone stand in the walkway for more than half a minute. I did notice that a lot of the passersby looked at the theater, read the title of the movie and seemed to have absolutely no idea that this film exists. (Varied demographics, although no walkers or large handbags were in evidence) It didn't seem well organized. The people in charge appeared to be two officious young women, one of whom seemed to have a cell phone permanently attached to her ear. We stood behind the photogs area, which didn't seem too bad until it started to pour and all the umbrellas went up. Add to that the fact that the photogs bring step stools, and the view got worse when they opened those and climbed up. However, we were near the edge of the sidewalk and could look down the street as limos arrived. That was the only good look I got at Colin and Livia. Then they disappeared into the press tent/tunnel. She was wearing black, as usual, he was wearing a dark suit. That's all I could see. Dorine had a better look at them. Dorine chatted up a security guard who said he'd see what he could do about getting us in at the end. Since he was so nice to us, we tried to behave ourselves and not go out into the walkway or sneak into the photogs area. The photogs were mostly very nice. Two women who had arrived very early and were standing quietly in the corner of the photogs area were treated nicely by the photogs who had been standing there all along. Then, a rude photog who had been in the press tent/tunnel but needed yet another shot of Reese, shoved his way into the photogs box and yelled at these poor women and at the security guy "Where are their press passes?" So he got these two women kicked out just so he could stand there, wait for Reese, take one more shot, and leave. Naturally, he made this fuss during the time Colin was nearest us, so it became even more difficult to see anything. Amy stepped out into the walkway for just a moment, had a great shot lined up, and a security guy waved her back and put his hand right in front of the camera. We got a good look at Oliver Parker because he was one of the first to arrive and spent a lot of time talking to TV cameras (not sure who they were). Rushdie was there (I wanted to ask him where the loos were, but Dorine wouldn't let me), Stanley Tucci, I forget who else. The security guy couldn't get us in. The theater holds 450, and the guys with the little clicker counters said that 452 had gone in. (But I don't think that was a problem, as some of the photogs said that Reese and Ryan had done the walk, entered the theater, and sneaked out the back) Supposedly, 700 had been invited. We found out where the party was going to be, so we walked over to the Hudson to have a drink and check things out. Dorine and Amy were able to sneak into the party (Dorine is very good at this; I am v. impressesd); I was too slow. (stopped by Ms "I am important person with cell phone") And once you're stopped, there's nothing to do but retreat gracefully. I am not good at this kind of thing anyway. I always look guilty if I'm doing something I shouldn't. (Can't play poker) I hope Dorine and Amy have good info from the party. Am v. envious!

Kate...I loved your whole rehash events, and I'm feeling for you not getting in. Sounds like it was a little unorganized but you all were real troopers. First report of a Livia sighting in all the talk lately. Black outfit again huh? (Anxiously waiting for Dorine and Amy to post their stories of drinks with the Firths and invitations to holiday this summer in Italy!) Common girls...gotta hit the hay here in Minkeeland soon!

Kate, thanks for the early report. Sorry you were not able to get in. I know how wet and windy it was yesterday in NY. Dorinne and Amy, what great luck! Thanks for the transcript, Tamzin. The child would definitely be raised in London �but how he�ll be educated is the burning question which we�re working on at the moment� That can take up quite a bit of time. ;-) There's always the Italian school in London. Off to check out the wire images, thanks, Mari!

it's 9:22 am and WPLJ is BSing around. no colin yet. cannot tape it but will write down the best bits if possible.

Thanks for writing up the interview, Jennie. Hopefully we will get the broadcast on BBC America. (I wanted to ask him where the loos were, but Dorine wouldn't let me) Too funny but would've you have known the proper inflection to give his name? ;-D Loved your report, Kate, and am anxiously awaiting Dorine and Amy's. I'll post the wireimage photos here for those who can't get to the site.

I have now been listening to this radio (WPLJ)show for the last three hours and thirty minutes. No mention of CF all morning. I'm just about ready to take a sledge hammer and smash the radio to bits. They have played a Smash Mouth parody on botox 8 times since 6am. I will listen for the last half hour. If ODB is not on, I'm calling the station and will definitely blast off.#$&*#%!!!

So sorry you guys didn't get closer last night. Maybe I should have gone and we could have bullied our way through - strength in numbers:-} Dorine I like your style. We could be dangerous together.

Call the station now and ask what is going on, Linda. You can get the images if you go to wireimage.com and then. click on the premiere. I have the same top Livia is wearing. They both look great, I approve! ;-D

So sorry you guys didn't get closer last night. Maybe I should have gone and we could have bullied our way through - strength in numbers:-} Dorine I like your style. We could be dangerous together.

just called wplj and was told they don't even know who he is and to keep listeneing, maybe he will come on!!!! Language I used on that little snit is not respectable for a lady so I won't repeat what I said. I think I am more angry she claimed to not know who he was.The worst part is I will kep listening... for a while longer.

I just called the radio station, and asked about the interview. Their answer...Just keep listening. Thank you, very much!

Karen, thank you for the great pictures. I am behind reading all the posts because of this radio interview. The pictures have calmed my blood pressure.

Karen the pictures are great! Thanks! Oh no, now the radio is playing Sugar Ray. Will this end, oh God!!!! Where is Colin????

There is only about 12 minutes left to the morning show on plj. Still no mention,just more nonsense talk and commercials.

They are now signing off, this is a disgrace!!!

Well IMO Colin is too good for such a show anyway and I hope he blew them off and not the other way around. Still would have been lovely to hear his voice this am.

From Ananova (but no pics yet): 'Dame Judi was so intimidating', says Witherspoon Reese Witherspoon has confessed she was "extremely intimidated" by Dame Judi Dench during the filming of The Importance Of Being Earnest. But the Legally Blonde star said when she finally got to know Dame Judi she had found her "incredibly giving and bright". Dame Judi stars as Lady Bracknell in the new film which opens in the US on May 22 and is due to hit British screens this summer. [Ed note: real specific] "I was nervous, shaking in my boots, terrified to say anything above a whisper in front of her," the 26-year-old beauty at the film's world premiere in New York. She was also very thankful to co-stars Colin Firth and Rupert Everett for helping to put her at ease despite being the only American actor in the cast. The Tennessee-born star said the toughest part of her role as Cecily Cardew in the latest screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play was learning a cut glass English accent. "It was a very arduous process accumulating the accent because it doesn't come to me easily at all," she said. "I worked with a dialogue coach for six weeks, four hours every day. I really, really tried to get it on. "I had to talk in the British accent even when I wasn't on camera. Everyone was so good and so prepared that I felt it was my duty to live up to their perfect standards." Firth said the British cast had been impressed with Witherspoon's performance: "She's formidable, incredibly bright. It's remarkable for someone of her age to be so advanced in life. She's doing a lot better than I was then." "There's nothing like taking something that has an over-revered quality to it and realising that all it is is fun."

One more post on this plj thing. I am now calling the same number where I spoke to the v. nasty lady that said to keep listening. I let it ring 42 times. A message came on and said "your party is not answering" I wonder why? #@$**#. I will keep trying until I get an answer.

Here we go!!

From Sky News: Stars of the latest film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest have attended its world premiere. Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon were among the cast members to put in an appearance at the New York event. Firth said his role had been very different from other costume dramas he had starred in. "There's nothing like taking something that has an over-revered quality to it and realising that all it is is fun," he said. 'Extremely intimidated' Hollywood actress Witherspoon, who plays Cecily Cardew, confessed she was "extremely intimidated" by co-star Dame Judi Dench during filming. But when she finally got to know Dame Judi, who plays Lady Bracknell, she said she found her "incredibly giving and bright". "I was nervous, shaking in my boots, terrified to say anything above a whisper in front of her," the 26-year-old actress said. 'Arduous process' As the only American among an all-British cast the Legally Blonde star was thankful to co-stars Firth and Rupert Everett for helping to put her at ease. She said the toughest part of her role was learning a cut-glass English accent. "It was a very arduous process accumulating the accent because it doesn't come to me easily at all," she said. "I worked with a dialogue coach for six weeks, four hours every day. "I had to talk in the British accent even when I wasn't on camera," she added. Firth said the cast had been "completely impressed" with Witherspoon's performance. "She's formidable, incredibly bright. It's remarkable for someone of her age to be so advanced in life." http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30500-1051541,00.html

What a great picture of the Firths' Glad to see the Bond Girl made it. Thanks, again, Karen

don't feel bad about not getting in kate, i can't keep a secret or deceive anyone either, my face always tells all i'm kind of bummed out because i knew colin had a baby but i didn't know it was a boy, for the past couple of days i'd been day dreaming about my two-year old son marrying his daughter, i guess if they hurry up and have a girl that might still be possible, i'm a sick mother aren't i they make such a pretty couple, anyone seen pictures of their son, he must be beautiful

*ahem*... What's with Livia's top? It's nice and all... but isn's it a bit...transparent?

(Winter) but isn's it a bit...transparent? Good eyes! I didn't notice that (wonder why??) in the little ones above. You would think Colin would have his arm curling around Livia's back, snaking around to the front and providing some sort of shield. ;-D (treseg) anyone seen pictures of their son, he must be beautiful A paparazzi took pics of Colin and his son outside of his home that were printed in several UK newspapers and mags. We don't post that type of thing here. Sorry.

Lora just called me from the airport. As it turned out she arrived at the same time as Colin, ended up seating in the same row and her husband took her picture with Colin! She will post as soon as she can today.

(Winter) but isn's it a bit...transparent? I noticed that. It looks like she decided not to wear a bra. I have that top and always wear it with a black one to avoid that problem.

Sitting in the same row? Some people have all the luck! Can't wait for those pictures. Moon, Was this plane leaving NY? Where was it going? Might explain why ODB was a no-show on the radio this morning. Probably the same reason the question/answer session was cancelled for this evening.

Moon, Was this plane leaving NY? Not on the plane. They sat in the same row at the premiere. I wish! Had they been on the same plane, I'm sure Lora would have called me to greet the plane on arrival, camera ready. ;-)

Yeah for Lora! I can't wait to see the pic and hear the story! I'm ecstatic just knowing she's ecstatic!!!!

Just saw TIOBE scenes on BBCAMERICA's Talking Movies which will repeat itself tonight at 6:30 EST. have not seen much of TIOBE until now and ODB looks edible! Oliver Parker interview was ok but wish for more CF. Can't wait to actually see it in full.

Moon, Same row-plane or premiere-WOW-anyway! Back to square one on trying to figure out where he's going. Way to go Lora! Dorine-have been waiting all day to hear your story. V.unfair

That's a lovely pic from Sky, Karen. Don't ya'll love it when he goes premiering? I do.:-) Hey, I wish this critic wrote for Variety: Review by JENNIFER ALBERT American Dreamer INDEPENDENT FILM CRITIC Perhaps the most amazing thing about Oscar Wilde's plays is that they balance the absurdity of life with fairy tale notions of romantic love without diminishing either. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST features fun and fallible characters that, despite their extremely witty dissection of modern relationships, fall hopelessly, insanely in love with one another. The incomparable Colin Firth stars as Jack, a serious young man in the country with a fanciful young ward named Cecily (Reese Witherspoon). Clever Jack has invented an ill behaved, London-dwelling younger brother named Earnest in order to escape to the city as often as possible. Once there, Jack/Earnest hangs around with Algie (Rupert Everett), a gentleman bachelor of equal disrepute. Jack is desperately in love with Algie's cousin Gwendolen (Francis O'Connor), and she with him/Earnest, with one minor hitch--her mother, the Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), refuses to let them marry due to Jack's dubious parental origins. Naturally everyone ends up at Jack's country manor, where mistaken identity high jinks ensue. Algie pretends to be Earnest and falls for Cecily, Jack has to be both Jack and, once Gwendolen arrives, Earnest, and Cecily's tutor, Miss Prism (Anna Massey), falls in love with Doctor Chasuble (Tom Wilkinson) and hides a dark secret. The film ends to everyone's satisfaction and happiness, a perfect farcical romance. Perhaps THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST's highest virtue, aside from a fluffy, winning story, is that it is funny. Filled with witty dialogue and situations, music and musical interludes, colorful settings and bright, sunny light, the film appears to physically embody the ideas behind the play--be intelligent, recognize human folly, and embrace it with all the love in your heart. Brilliantly acted by Colin Firth (who looks happier while doing the unhappy scenes than he has in anything he's yet made) and Rupert Everett (reviving and revising the clever, handsome bachelor from another Wilde adaptation, AN IDEAL HUSBAND), they make convincing comic leads with sex appeal. Francis O'Connor and Reese Witherspoon also shine, and Witherspoon's British accent, while clipped, is quite good. Smartly adapted from the stage setting (scenes didn't feel confined, stagy), with lots of laugh-out-loud moments, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is an overall joy. Not to miss: the end credits, which contain two bonus scenes and an extended version of the duet Jack and Algie use to re-woo their ladies (Colin Firth and Rupert Everett singing "Lady Come Down" equals hilarious).

"incomprable" "brilliantly acted" Almost sounds as though it could be written by anyone here. ;-D Loved the emphasis on Colin.

Colin Firth (who looks happier while doing the unhappy scenes than he has in anything he's yet made) I liked this part. Thanks for posting, Mari.

Wonderful review! Thanks, Mari. This has done my heart good today.

glad to hear drool is so respectful for people's privacy obviously i need to rein in my obsession a bit before it turns fanatical great review, it makes me more envious than ever of all those here who've seen it, it definitely seems that there are more good reviews than bad from what i've seen here

i just saw reesie on rosie -- no colin, no colin, no colin. she told the usual stories about the british accent, dame judi, being a little girl from tennessee. the clip was of rw and re.

is anyone else tired of the accent story, i've must have heard it fifty times by now

(trese) there are more good reviews than bad from what i've seen here Well, Mari didn't have the heart to post this bad one from the Hollywood Reporter today, but I will on topic 126.

ya but i can't go there until after i see the movie right, i don't want to know, i'm almost positive i'll like it and that is all that really matter in my case right

Review by JENNIFER ALBERT American Dreamer INDEPENDENT FILM CRITIC Who she? Where does this review appear or is it just on line i.e. one of us moonlighting?

OK,OK! I'm sorry...that was too cruel to tease like that. Believe me, getting that much out was tough enough. (Kate) ...two officious young women ... a rude photog LOL! That's kind, but accurate I suppose. Kate neglected to mention that I was standing on the edge of a tall flowerpot outside the theater, that had some kind of bush/tree thing in it that helped brace me, that allowed me to see over the heads of the press. The security guy that tried to help us was really cool about everything. The battery in the camera (boyfriend's) I brought died so I took some pics with Kate's camera. Hope they come out OK. At the hotel, the 3 of us were standing in the hallway trying to figure if we could just jump in past security with a crowd of people in case they weren't scrutinizing everyone. About the time we decided not, I saw OP coming with a smallish crowd, and decided it was now or never. I had an open shot to him, walked up, shook his hand and said: D: Hi! I loved your movie. OP: You did? Thank you so much. D: I was going to the panel tomorrow, but it was cancelled. Do you know why? OP: Oh, the Times thing...No I don't...Do you know why it was cancelled? That's really too bad. D: No, but there were a couple of questions I really wanted to ask you. OP: Great! What is your name? D:Dorine OP: Are you going to the party? D: Yes! ;-) OP: Why don't you catch up with me later and we can talk. And he motioned me in front of him through the opening in the rope the security man made through another press gauntlet. I turned around and saw Kate walking with a group and thought she was in. Amy walked up behind me, OP and I both motioned we would talk later. Then Kate appeared in the window outside the bar and said she was stopped and was heading home :-( Colin ended up sitting at a table in the back of the room, facing the room while we sat one table over , but with brick support in between :-/. There was a line of people to talk to him (mostly women from what I could tell). At one point he got up to talk next to the table. So we stood up and when the last person there turned around to leave, I put my hand on his...back, I think...to get his attention. Something might have spilled out of his glass, because when he turned around he looked down like something had. I must say at this point that this bar has very artsy lighting (translation - very dim) and was rather loud. I shook his hand (no multiple squeezes or the like). Just one long, firm........hold. (Maybe it just seemed long. It's a wonder I let go). Amy you may have to help me with this part...I was a bit dazed here. Realize too, I might have said some things different had I known I wouldn't have more time. D: I loved your movie! CF: Thank you. D: Did you like it? CF: Yes! D: Do you always like your movies? CF: No. D: What's in line next for you? CF: Hope Springs, then American Girl.... Then he said something about Sept 11, couldn't hear very well then. I said it must have been tough to have a birthday around that time. CF: Yes, it...wait you know when my birthday is? How do you know when my birthday is? Before I could answer, some PR chick was tugging on him to go somewhere. But again he asked how I knew when his b-day was. I think he was genuinely curious and not annoyed. Couldn't get an answer out, because she tugged on him again. So I just said "you need to go I see", thanked him and he walked away. End of part 1

CF: Yes, it...wait you know when my birthday is? How do you know when my birthday is? LOL! You should have told him that you attend his party every year here at Spring. And, how he liked his kissing lessons present. ;-)))) Very good, Dorinne! Fast New Yorkers always get in. I hope you post part 2 soon.

Thanks Dorinne! waiting with baited breath for part 2!! :-)

man there is a part 2, part 1 was enough to make my heart flutter, can't wait :-)

Wanted to make sure this was going to come out ok before I finished. Part 2 Amy got his autograph, but I'm not sure at which point in the evening. At one point we saw him across the room standing and talking with several women with Livia talking to a couple of others just behind him. I went over again to talk to him...at this point I have no idea what about. Ended up talking to Livia instead. I told her that I understood that she was a documentary producer and asked if she had any projects going...that was the first thing that came to mind. She said nothing that she could talk about now...which I took as nothing at all now. I thanked her and started to walk away and she asked if I wanted to talk to Colin, who was still talking with his back to us. I said no, he's busy, I'll try to catch him later. :-/ I finally walked back to near where OP had been sitting quite a while and caught his attention. He called me by name (couldn't believe he remembered) and asked if I was ready to talk, I said in one minute remembering that he said on the way in that if I found out why the Times panel was cancelled to let him know. So I waltzed over to a group of people including Colin, FOC, OP's brother (who we would meet later). I mentioned the panel to both Colin and FOC and asked if they knew why it was cancelled and that it was disappointing. Colin's eyes got bigger, he stepped back and said "NO, I don't! It wasn't any of us." I looked over at FOC and she was shaking her head and concurring. Meanwhile, I was being very touchy-feely. When I walked up to ask, I put my hand on Colin's back and didn't move it until he stepped back. No clue where Livia was at this point. Amy and I then sat with OP for around 15 mins or so discussing editing the film, who actually had some scenes cut, etc. Actually a variety of topics. His brother came to sit down and they mentioned about a recent death of a close relative, with the funeral 2 days ago. OP is an incredibly nice man. I could have chatted with him for hours, as well. Colin came over to our table to say goodbye to OP and we left not long after. So there it is in gory detail. It was a complete blast! Something I've never done before and will probably never do again. I don't think lightning could strike twice.

OP: Are you going to the party? D: Yes! ;-) Brilliant! You are positively brilliant. Dontcha think Dorine has earned her knighthood? You're in rare company here. CF: Yes, it...wait you know when my birthday is? How do you know when my birthday is? You're a bright boy and know the answer. Don't play coy with me. *flutter flutter* [you know, that damned internet, you can find anything] Can't wait to hear the rest. Did they have you arrested for knowing Colin's birthday? ;-D OK, have finally put up a bunch of pics and figured out how to organize that section. http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/p_eye_index.html

(Moon)You should have told him that you attend his party every year here at Spring Actually my response was going to be, "It's amazing what you can find on the internet. You should try it sometime."

Oh, his brother Nathaniel. He was in Far from the Madding Crowd. Too bad we couldn't have briefed you before. While I haven't studied the credits thoroughly, it would've been fun to ask OP if he wanted to make another cameo? He can be seen in one scene of AIH. But good attempt to find about the panel discussion. Why on earth was it canceled?

You were so cool, Dorine! I crown you Dorine, the Duchess of Drool. You must fill us in with the Parker questions in the Spoilers topic. I mentioned the panel to both Colin and FOC and asked if they knew why it was cancelled and that it was disappointing. Colin's eyes got bigger, he stepped back and said "NO, I don't! It wasn't any of us." It must be Reese! heehee. Did Reese show up at the Party? Was there anyone else there, such as Jeremy Northam? Amy are you going to post?

I have to say he looks great in most of the pics from the premiere, but they REALLY don't do him justice in my opinion. Just oozes sexiness, especially when he appears to be very relaxed and in a partying mode.

That was fast, Karen! Thank you!

Yes I forgot to mention she walked by us and that was the last I saw of her. She really is beautiful. Not sure if the hubby was there, too. FOC is very beautiful as well...much more delicate that she appears onscreen. OOOOH if JN was there I would've been on him like a bee on honey, too! Just the people Kate mentioned...Stanley Tucci, who I actually wanted to meet as I do like him. He was sitting at Colin's table and left early. Salman Rushdie, Bob Balaban, the girl from The Gilmore Girls. Colin was sitting with Harvey Weinstein and chatting for a long time. I don't remember if it was Amy or one of the people we mingled with that made a comment about lack of stars. Amy, please chime in.

How tall would you say, FOC, Reese and Livia are?

(Moon) You were so cool, Dorine! I crown you Dorine, the Duchess of Drool. Thank you (she says with extreme modesty). It's amazing what chardonnay and champagne can provide as a motivator.

Dooorrrrine...AAAAAmy .....what a deal! You realize you are the envy of ten million drooling women??? Thanks for sharing. Were there many other Colin fans around?

Livia must be no more than my height at 5'4". I think her heels were pretty high and she wasn't too much taller than me, I think. Have to admit, when I was talking to her, I was splitting my attention to monitor the action on my right side. *wink, wink* Didn't see footwear on FOC or Reese, but Reese is short 5'4" or 5'5" maybe. Her head was down when she walked by and her posture is perfect which affects the perception of her height I think. FOC must be pretty tall, she wasn't small standing next to Colin...5'9" maybe.

Sorry everyone I have to rush out now to catch a train. I'll check in when I get back. Hopefully Amy will have her story up by then. ;-)

Dorine, I worship thee. I wonder what you'll do at the Hope Springs premiere. I could never carried that off as cool as you. Thanks for letting us live vicariously through your experience.

OP: Are you going to the party? D: Yes! ;-) OP: Why don't you catch up with me later and we can talk. LORD!!!!! ROFL...too funny...and the birthday bit too! Sounds like you all were in the right place at the right time with a gutsy Dorine doing a great job. I LOVE IT. BTW...looks to me like Livia has on a white bra under the sheer top...unusual choice! I'd go for the black! Finally...I have a question: What was Colin like in a party where he could relax and mill around freely? Any comments on the voice. How touchy was he? (Someone here said in LA he was!) What was he drinking? How was Livia's accent? Is she v. pretty up close??? She seems friendly. I can't believe she asked if you wanted to talk to Colin! WAIT! That was more than one question! LOL

Also, if you go to the HS opening, expect him to remember you if he spots you and have an answer ready to the bithday question!

If she goes to HS I'm tagging along this time!

I would think the HS premiere will be in LA. BTW, on the In the Public Eye page, the photos at the bottom from the Bafta/LA screening were courtesy of Marianne, who graciously sent them to me.

Dorine, Amy, Kate. Thanks for sharing your droolable moments. Duchess Dorine, Lady Amy - both of you absolutely rock! If I get a chance to go to the HS premiere - I am sticking to you like glue - through lighning, thunderstorms, hale, gale or wind ;-)

Way to go Dorine. I won't ask anymore questions-just answer Lisa's that will be enough for me. Great job, thanks for sharing with us!!!

Oh, Dorine--you are the woman!:-) There was a line of people to talk to him (mostly women from what I could tell). Quelle surprise.;-) Before I could answer, some PR chick was tugging on him to go somewhere Damn PR types, they're like guard dogs. Just oozes sexiness, especially when he appears to be very relaxed and in a partying mode. What was his general demeanor--enjoying himself? Outgoing, comfortable, or . . .? How long did the party last? Amy, we're anxious to hear from you, too. Karen, the Public Eye page looks fabulous--what terrific pics--and I know you went to some expense to get decent versions of them for us. Thanks.:-)

From Roger Friedman's Fox News column (earlier part is on Ryan P.): Phillippe was one of a bunch of stars who turned out last night for the premiere of the fluffy and delightful Importance of Being Earnest, the second successful Oscar Wilde adaptation in a row for director Oliver Parker at Miramax. Among the other guests who partied at the weird Hudson Hotel: the movie's stars Frances O'Connor and Colin Firth, plus the eternal Sylvia Miles, Tadpole star Aaron Stanford, and Phillippe's gorgeous wife Reese Witherspoon.

I just got home from work, and am VERY tired (not much sleep last night). So, I'll be brief . Glad to hear the WPLJ thing was a bust. My recording actually worked, but the thought of having to listen to all that rot was unnerving. Glad to know I don't have to! (Colin's handshake--very nice, a bit warm, skin very soft) He was drinking white wine. His wife is very pretty. He was very approachable and friendly. His voice was, what you have heard--but it was quieter (if that makes sense). Unlike Dorine, I just watched. I followed her around like a puppy. After a few drinks I got up the nerve to ask for an autograph--hoping that this wouldn't get us kicked out, but since he was by himself at his table, I took a chance. I do have to agree that Dorine is quite amazing. If any of you need to sneak into any future private affairs, I highly recommed putting her on the case. Dorine's summary tells it all. If I remember anything later, I'll post. I do have to say that he looks MUCH better in person. Those webimages don't do him justice. He is tall, thinner that in the photographs, and extremely handsome. And, as has been mentioned numerous times, has great hair. ( And we must have looked like two drowned rats...Dorine got exceptionally soaked.)

(Minkee)through lighning, thunderstorms You don't know the half of it Minkee in Minkeeland ;-)! We almost didn't make it to the premiere of TIOBE in NYC because of all the bad weather in NY on Monday. I won't go into the plane delays because they are involved. But we were supposed to land at 3pm and didn't ultimately take off until then! We finally landed at 6:15 pm and got to the Paris Theatre at 7:15 pm. But that was actually perfect timing as Colin and Livia got out of their limo. There were many times that day (Monday) that I kept hearing "Good luck, you crazy girl" and strains of "Ain't no mountain high enough" in my overly stressed head ;-/ !!! It was amazing that it happened at all... When they got out of their limo they had all the photo sessions described above, and we had to get our ticket and seats. We got great seats (maybe because we had on suits and looked official and most people were v. casual except for stars and such). We could lean over and watch Colin's reactions to the movie (he was at the end of our row). After the movie, Reese, Ryan, and Frances snuck out the back because they must have had a limo there. But Colin and his party (which also consisted of Barnaby from Ealing Studios) had their limo in the front of the theatre. That's when I got my picture with him! He was very sweet when asked to take one and I told him I really enjoyed the movie and his performance. He smiles that smile and has wonderful eye contact the whole time you speak to him. Then Barnaby motioned to limo that it's time to go and I of course let him. Dorine, I could have used some assertive lessons from you. But, of course, I was with my DH and behaved. Plus got tongue tied. Saw Salman, Stanley, and I talked to Oliver Parker about the discussion that was cancelled - but he had no explanation and acted like he didn't know what I was talking about at first. But he was very nice just the same. We went to the party at the Hudson, but only got the gift bag (lots of English products, including Charles Worthington hair products). Couldn't get by those women and securtiy guards that Kate mentioned. Also saw Isaac Mizrahi there where we were standing. It was very noisy there. We asked someone working at the hotel desk for a quieter restaurant nearby. We went there (it's called Bricco) and saw Bill Murray there! He was nice and very funny and we got an autograph... Will post more later, but wanted to submit this report since I've already done this report once before and lost it all somehow before posting it. Gah!

Funny that the Fox News column didn't mention the "others" who attended. Oh well. I think we were there for about 3-4 hours? We left right after Colin, OP was still there.

but since he was by himself at his table...AGHHHHH, surely you jest!!!!! All alone??? Good God! Sacrilege!! very nice, a bit warm, skin very soft...yummm, no manual labour for this guy! He was drinking white wine. ....makes sense, dietetic compared to other drinks and we heard, from the Canadian girls, he orders his coffees with no fat milk. Gotta watch that waistline!! ;) After a few drinks I got up the nerve to ask for an autograph....excellent, that's the way to do it Amy!!!!! V. happy you guys had a successful evening and thanks for all the details!

Go ladies, you have done very well! Keep up the good work. And thanks for posting, it makes for most interesting reading. Dorine, it sounds like you have mastered the most pleasant and effective way to overcome barriers, physical and otherwise. Most commendable. BTW Karen, your hotmail is bouncing as undeliverable...

thanks Dorine, Lora, Amy, and Kate for the sharing your experiences. thanks for the great pics Karen. Dorine, u are totally cool! mingling right up there with Colin and touching him too! how was Livia's english, did she have a heavy italian accent?

Thank you Ladies, you are amazing!!!! Dorine, you must have nerves of steel not to fall into a blathering heap on the floor. Could I beg a photo of the hand that touched CF, have you washed it yet ;~}? Has a very silly thought this morning reading all this, Could the Minkeeland premier be delayed so we could have a "proper" premier with stars? As I said an extreeeemly silly thought.

And the reports keep coming in! I think I need to add the names of all you ladies who attended the premiere and/or party to the Public Eye page, right after Reese's and Frances' names. ;-D You are celebs to us. (Amy) After a few drinks I got up the nerve to ask for an autograph Did you notice if he did autographs for any of his other adorers at the party? (Lora) We could lean over and watch Colin's reactions to the movie (he was at the end of our row). *choking* Holy cow!! which also consisted of Barnaby from Ealing Studios So, you're now on a first-name basis with him? ;-D Colin stayed at the party for 3-4 hrs? Yeah, I guess he doesn't like to attend these functions. *snort* Amy, I think I lost your email????

If you want to listen to the soundtrack, including the lovely "Lady Come Down" on two tracks, go here: http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1303972075/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/popsearch.html/clickID=tn_srch_txt

(Amy)He is tall, thinner that in the photographs, and extremely handsome. And, as has been mentioned numerous times, has great hair. He is definitely a lot thinner and a lot younger looking in person than in the photographs we have seen and than he is on the big screen. I was struck by how much. His hair is great looking, but I did notice a small white spot toward the back. Pretty sure about it...sorry to disappoint. Am getting my pictures developed tomorrow. Can't wait to take a good look at them, since everything was so surreal and like a dream in person!

Sorry, Karen, I can't remember Barnaby's last name :-/. The seating was like this: (screen) (X's mark middle of theatre) XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX DH, me (last two X's in center section are Livia & Colin) Glad the theatre is small. The right section was already filled up when we got there :-(.

The diagram got closer together after posting. The X's in italics are the seats I was refering to above.

I've made an egregious error! I have not thanked Kate and Amy for being there with me for support! Quite frankly, if they had said they were going home because it was too cold and wet, I would have done so as well, more than likely. Lora, sounds like you had a great evening, too! An especially dry one ;-D ! The stress of having the plane land late must have been unbearable!! How did your husband get tickets to this anyway? And you got door prizes! I'm sorry we missed meeting...I don't recall seeing anyone with your description. Colin was sitting at the end of your row....how many seats away? Did you even concentrate on the movie? God knows I wouldn't have! (Amy) ....since he was by himself at his table OOOh! I didn't realize or pay attention that he was by himself when I saw you over there. Good deal!! (Amy)He was drinking white wine. I knew I wasn't really noticing his drinks...and when he turned around and acted like he spilled some of his, I wouldn't have cared if it went on my shoes...they were so soaked anyway ;-). (Lisa) Sounds like you all were in the right place at the right time What was Colin like in a party where he could relax and mill around freely? He was very friendly and talkative. I think he talked the entire night non-stop...he must have been exhausted. (Lisa)How touchy was he? NOT touchy enough to me, for me, on me ;-D How was Livia's accent? Is she v. pretty up close??? She seems friendly. I can't believe she asked if you wanted to talk to Colin! It was getting harder to hear when I spoke with her (music might have been louder or...). It was certainly a pronounced Italian accent. She is VERY pretty up close...they are a very attractive couple. I can't imagine what it's like for her to have women fawn over him at parties. I imagine she must be used to it...and laughs because she's the one who gets to go home with him. In retrospect, if the setup leading into the party had been the same as the "Insomnia" premiere party, it probably would have not been as accessible. A fortuitous security "mistake". Also, a big thanks to Karen for the heads-up about the premiere in the first place!...Would never have known about it otherwise. As far as being briefed about OP's brother...who knew we'd need briefing about anything. And a special thanks to our favorite security guard who tipped us off to the party location and was very patient at the theater; (he shall remain nameless in case Colin discovers the internet and decides to have him fired for tipping us off)

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(Amy) Unlike Dorine, I just watched. I followed her around like a puppy. Except when you were engaged in a long conversation with Morgan (which Sheridan didn't seem to appreciate after a while) ;-D We were talking to these two people periodically through the evening. (Lora) His hair is great looking, but I did notice a small white spot toward the back. Pretty sure about it...sorry to disappoint. Actually it was easy to spot from my perch on the flowerpot (it is thinning quite a bit on the top, more than one may realize). I caught it when he turned to go into the theater. In the bar I didn't notice it at all, but he is significantly taller than I am. Kudos to the makeup people in "Earnest" for fixing his hair so nicely in the movie.

As far as being briefed about OP's brother...who knew we'd need briefing about anything. LOL! Thank you for answering our questions, ladies. Lora and Kate can't wait to see your pictures. (Lora),But we were supposed to land at 3pm and didn't ultimately take off until then! We finally landed at 6:15 pm and got to the Paris Theatre at 7:15 pm. But it was in the stars and you flew right through cloud 9. ;-D

I've found a new pic of Colin from the premiere, one of those with Livia glancing up at him. It's on the same page.

I must de-lurk, after just reading for so long -- you must allow me to tell you how I have enjoyed living vicariously through you New York party goers!! Amazing stuff. All I can hope for is that one day, American Girl will be shot in Toronto (sort of ironic, but a possibility...) and I can do my own detective work eventually... This board is just fantastic.

Welcome EmmaB Glad that you've decided to delurk and hope it wasn't just for this one comment. We have lots of fun here, and things go wild when we have some "up close and personal" Colin encounters.

From Cindy Adams's column in today's NY Post: AT the Paris Theater premiere of Miramax's "The Importance of Being Earnest," co-starring Reese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett, Dame Judi Dench and Colin Firth, Colin told me he's finally beginning to get recognized. "It's just sort of starting to happen a bit. Mostly what takes place is, when I walk along the streets in New York, just as I go past, one person will elbow his friend with, 'Look, there's . . . oh, you know . . . it's . . . whatsisname.' ********** Also, I understand that one of the NY TV stations (NY1 ?) showed an interview with Colin after the premiere. Maybe they'll repeat it.

From James Barron's column in today's NY Times: Speaking of Accents . . . Don't ask REESE WITHERSPOON, a star in the new and very British film version of "The Importance of Being Earnest," about being the only Yank in the cast. Wrong word, Yank. "I'm not even a Yank," she said at a party after the film's New York premiere on Monday. "I'm a Southern girl, which is even worse, because it's that much harder to get rid of your Southern drawl." . . . And Even More Accents SALMAN RUSHDIE, who went underground after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a death sentence, was out on the town again on Monday. At the New York premiere of "The Importance of Being Earnest," he sat with two of the film's stars, COLIN FIRTH and FRANCES O'CONNOR. Nearby sat HARVEY WEINSTEIN, co-chairman of Miramax, with SPALDING GRAY and BOB BALABAN. It was his second premiere (and second star-table dinner) in three days. The enduring memory of the party for "Insomnia" on Saturday was of Mr. Rushdie making BILLY CRYSTAL and ROBIN WILLIAMS laugh. So what did he tell them? "I can't remember," he said on Monday. "It's a very dangerous thing when Billy Crystal and Robin Williams are there to try and do funny accents." Mr. Rushdie does funny accents? Like Robin Williams? "At one point I did," he said, "and Billy Crystal pointed out to me that it wasn't the best funny accent he'd ever heard."

Was there anything on the entertainment news shows last night? I missed E! News Live, but did catch Access Hollywood (only Reese shown) and ET (nothing???).

(mari) Colin told me he's finally beginning to get recognized. "It's just sort of starting to happen a bit. Mostly what takes place is, when I walk along the streets in New York, just as I go past, one person will elbow his friend with, 'Look, there's . . . oh, you know . . . it's . . . whatsisname.' hmm.. what part of NY do u guys think he's mostly likely to hang out. anyone going to try their luck this weekend? certainly none of us here will give him a "what's his name".

Thank you for all the postings, ladies! Very exciting. :-) Hope springs eternal or does this lady know something we don't?! (From a Shakespeare lit.crit group) "Kronborg Castle at Elsinore was constructed on the site of a medieval fortification there. The castle seems to have four sides built around a central courtyard...... Productions of HAMLET are often done there: I think Colin Firth's doing it this year. I've never been there, but my Mum was there in 1951. Standing on one of the bastions, she asked one of the guards where the ghost of Hamlet's father had been. The guard, nodding diligently, answered, 'Yes! In the courtyard, every Summer!' :)"

(Me)Glad the theatre is small. What I meant by this was that it made it easier to see Colin. The glow of the screen made the lighting perfect, too. He laughed at the JD lines. If the theatre had been larger and wider it would have been harder to see his face. But with a larger theatre, maybe Dorine, Kate, and Amy would have gotten in!!! I'm so sorry I didn't get to meet you guys. But you accomplished amazing things at the party! Coming as late as we did made it immpossible to do anything but get tickets and seats (and stare as C. and L. arrived). It was a big blur. (I'll look for you guys in my pictures - I have some near the photo sessions! ;-)) (Dorine)An especially dry one ;-D ! The stress of having the plane land late must have been unbearable!! It was dry in the theatre for sure, but you should have seen us racing out of the airport looking for the car service that we had luckily reserved in advance (but were very late for) and looking for a taxi in case the car service didn't show - all in the pouring and very cold rain. We found the driver finally and if it wasn't for his efficiency, we never would have made it. (I think that's when my head was singing, "Ain't no mountain high enough..." But I didn't need to tell the driver to "get out" because he was driving "too slow." ;-D) Yes, Dorine, the stress was unbearable. That's when I was saying to myself, "you crazy girl" over and over again! (Dorine)And you got door prizes! I'm sorry we missed meeting...I don't recall seeing anyone with your description. Colin was sitting at the end of your row....how many seats away? Did you even concentrate on the movie? God knows I wouldn't have! The favor bags were at the party right near the security women and guards. Dorine, you were too busy walking in with OP to notice ;-D! They let us have one as one man was walking out with 8 in each hand! But they wouldn't let us into the party. But I thought DH had put up with enough already, so a quiet dinner was a good idea :-). And, yes, it was very hard concentrating on the movie and on Colin at the same time! He lauged at some of the DJD lines. Will post on 126 when I get my thoughts together about the movie. (Moon)Lora and Kate can't wait to see your pictures. They are being developed as we speak! *crossing fingers they came out well* (Moon)But it was in the stars and you flew right through cloud 9. ;-D We were so lucky that everything turned out okay. Thanks for emailing the others for me and thanks to Karen and this board for providing vital information in order to know these events are even happening! :-)

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I think that's when my head was singing, "Ain't no mountain high enough..." But I didn't need to tell the driver to "get out" because he was driving "too slow." ;-D) . . . "you crazy girl" LOL, Lora. Reading all these wonderful accounts (thanks to all of you!) I keep thinking "This really is the most incredible sh*t." ;-) Can't wait to see the pics! Was there anything on the entertainment news shows last night? No, but if there's anything at all you want to know about the Star Wars London premiere, or Rosie's baby, or Rachel and Ross's baby, or Nicole K's love life, just ask me.:-( Was just thinking that there were 3 former co-stars of CF's at the premiere--Stanley Tucci, Christopher Lloyd (remember Tales From The Hollywood Hills?) and of course Sal-MAHN.

Lora, Dorine, Kate and Amy, you guys are amazing, i doubt i'll ever have such an opportunity stuck here in the mid-west, but even if i did i'm generally so shy i don't think i'd have the guts, at least i can imagine myself there through you all, thanks for standing in the rain (and enduring late planes) for all us drooling women

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Lora, what a lovely husband you have! :) Thanks to all for the reports on the NY premiere and party. The fact that ODB, OP and Co. did not know that the Q&A was cancelled was surprising. Do they just get carted around without knowing in advance their schedules? Or could it be that they decided to close it to the public, but then who would do the Qs? Unrelated note. I went to B&N online about the Valmont DVD: it used to show a release of May 15. That is no longer the case; only shows VHS available and no release date for the DVD. Grrr!

Cannes starts today. They had the live broadcast of the opening on IFC. Missed it. Hopefully it will be on tonight too. I wonder if they will be there? Reese is on Leno tonight.

Hey, Dorine, did you remember to ask my question? And was the security guard still outside when you left? He was there when I went out. He said something about being surprised to see me. I just said, "I heard that the party was here, but I can't recall where I heard it." He laughed at that. He was sympathetic when I said that my friends got in but I got snagged. He said that you owe him two drinks. I was tempted to tip him, but I had nothing at hand, and no way to dig subtly in my bag. He was nice to us, given the constraints of his job. I am still feeling very angry at being made to feel like nothing by a little twentysomething (well, you get the idea)

I can help with this...I'm stuck home sick today, so was able to watch some, although not all, of the Cannes ceremonies. I didn't see anything *particularly* interesting, although someone else (who's not so groggy) should probably double check. The replay is one hour long, at 8:00 PM EST tonight on IFC.

(Odile)what a lovely husband you have! :) Thank you :-). He actually had a lot of fun, too. (Kate)I am still feeling very angry at being made to feel like nothing by a little twentysomething (well, you get the idea) Do you mean the girl at the rope letting or not letting people in? Don't feel angry, Kate, I thought she looked like Monica Lewinsky ;-) (and she wouldn't let us in either). She also had to ask her blonde twentysomething superior if we could have a favor bag!

(Kate)Hey, Dorine, did you remember to ask my question? To Salman Rushdie asking the location of the loos? (Kate) I am still feeling very angry at being made to feel like nothing by a little twentysomething As I said previously, you were very gracious in your earlier description of her. (Kate) He was sympathetic when I said that my friends got in but I got snagged. He said that you owe him two drinks. Kate, email me with the name of his company if you remember it. I couldn't really read it on the little pin he was wearing and don't remember what he said it was. I actually do want to track him down if poosible (subtly) and buy him those drinks; I did promise him. Been trying to figure out today how to do that. He was a very sweet man. I didn't see him out there and I would hope he would've said something if he saw us.

(Karen)I've found a new pic of Colin from the premiere, one of those with Livia glancing up at him. It's on the same page. Why can't I find this one? is it on the Public Eye page? (Mari)No, but if there's anything at all you want to know about the Star Wars London premiere, or Rosie's baby, or Rachel and Ross's baby, or Nicole K's love life, just ask me. Isn't that the truth? I can't believe that ET or Extra didn't cover the premiere. I am so totally saturated with the same stories over the last three weeks I'm beginning to have nightmares. However, I had v.sweet dreams last night after reading the reports from our very own reporters. ET, Extra-eat your hearts out! I have also been watching WB11 and News 7, both NY news shows-no mention whatsoever. Only a brief segment on the TFF last week.

...Last night I dreamt I was at Star Wars premiere again...Oh,Sorry, that was just me having another nightmare after watching the evening entertainment shows again. In case anyone was wondering if anything worthwhile was covered...You really needn't bother. I had another thought about the lack of coverage for the premiere on Monday.If ET, Extra, or Access Hollywood had been there-they most certainly would not have covered the party. Thanks to Dorine and Company we all got to go!

gosh, i hate that i get in so late from work. I too wish to thank Karen and Co. for the information. Without you I wouldn't have gotten this great opportunity. And, if you--Dorine and Kate, hadn't been there, I would have packed it all in and went home too. I am really sorry that you didn't make it in Kate. Sorry I didn't get to meet you Lora. Sounds like you have a pretty swell husband! Sorry you're ill Elizabeth.

Back to the task at hand..... About asking for the autograph. I was sweating that a bit, only because I thought that if anything would get us kicked out, that would be it. But he was sitting there, not talking to anyone (rare) next to some sort of pillar. So when I went up to him, I was between him and the pillar. It was sort of dark and I was crouched (sp?) down and asked. He was very gracious and didn't seem put out in the least. (When he asked my name though, I had to stop to remember it!) The hair, yes, it is thinning but any hair on his head is good enough for me. And since you have to look up, you don't really notice it ;^). (Kate--don't let that girl make you think you're nothing. Who was she? She had a cell phone and a clipboard. BIG DEAL.) Karen--I'll send you my email.

Odile)what a lovely husband you have! :) (Lora)Thank you :-). He actually had a lot of fun, too (Amy)Lora. Sounds like you have a pretty swell husband! I move we give Lora's DH the Hubby of the Year Award! The guy's a prince...tell'em Lora!!

(lindak) Thanks to Dorine and Company we all got to go! Indeed. ET showed about 15 secs of Reesie last night--blink and you would've missed it. Am bowing and scraping to Dorine (you GO, girlfriend), Lora, Amy and Kate. We are not worthy...we are not worthy... Am off to the bucket. Thanks for the pictures, Karen!

(Amy)About asking for the autograph. I was sweating that a bit, only because I thought that if anything would get us kicked out, that would be it. But he was sitting there, not talking to anyone (rare) next to some sort of pillar. So when I went up to him, I was between him and the pillar. It was sort of dark and I was crouched (sp?) down and asked. He was very gracious and didn't seem put out in the least. (When he asked my name though, I had to stop to remember it!) The hair, yes, it is thinning but any hair on his head is good enough for me. And since you have to look up, you don't really notice it ;^). did he write anything or just signed his name? what did you have him autograph, did u bring a picture or something? sorry for all these Qs. just reading all these reports have gotten me very excited hehe... u gals are great.

For the autograph... I had a small notebook and marker with me (planned ahead). It reads: "Amy, Best Wishes, Colin Firth X".

Amy wrote: Sorry you're ill Elizabeth. Thanks! Just a touch of fever, that is now well under control. Will wait to look at the photos until tomorrow, though, just in case! :) You got an X ! How sweet of him. Planning ahead has its rewards.

As they say on SNL, "simma down, now, simma down." ;-D I feel like I'm in the land of Italics. I know we're excited, agog, and apopletic but, if there's one thing that's really important, it's closing that tag. So I'll end by quoting Hill Street Blues: '"Let's be careful out there." I'm not sure why everybody is thanking me. I don't think I posted the original info about the premiere date (Mari probably did) and I don't provide the space here. That's courtesy of all the lovely people here (participants and lurkers) who make contributions to Terry to help defray the significant costs of running this place. I agree there's nothing like Drool. You can't have the kind of fun we do on a threaded message board or by email. This place is the best, and you all help make it that way. *clapping*

Everyone, I've been reading here for a while now (Karen, thanks for logging me in.) I've got to say that you are an amazing bunch... intelligent, articulate and amazingly creative in the ways you have to learn about ODB and even to meet him. and then sharing your EXPERIENCES with the rest of us!! Thanks so much for the detailed reports. Odile, BTW, re: Valmont on DVD. I preordered it from B&N and just got a notice tonight that it had shipped. I went back, checked that my order was indeed for the DVD. Don't know what that is about it not being available yet. I'll just have to see what arrives in the next few days.

OK!! We've got another Colin on TV appearance and just in time!! On Monday, May 20 VH1 CAST PARTY: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST VH1 hosts a cast party produced in conjunction with the movie "The Importance of Being Ernest" starring Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon. Two young gentlemen (Rupert Everett & Colin Firth) living in 1890s England use the same pseudonym ("Earnest") on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities ... (Premieres from 7-7:30p)

(Evelyn)I move we give Lora's DH the Hubby of the Year Award! The guy's a prince...tell'em Lora!! He is a prince (as in Joe, perhaps ;-)). And I told him what you said and he said he's flattered and it made his day to be honored on the drool conference center!

Okay, I'll respond by quoting Robert DeNiro in TD, "You talking to me, you talking to me? ;-) Sorry, I think I was the last one to not close the tag. But it's been quite a couple of days and you should see the dimples on the picture I got from the premiere :-)

On Monday, May 20 VH1 CAST PARTY: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Soooo . . .Colin returned to VH1, the scene of last year's crime which starred "Hugh I Can't Shut My Pie Hole Grant.":-( I hope they can persuade "the boys" to do their duet on air for us.:-) Should be interesting, thanks! Did anyone catch Rupert Everett tonight on the Daily Show? What a riot. Jon Stewart was really *on*, and Rupe had a few good comebacks too. I almost want to transcribe it--but if you're from France, you'll need to hide your eyes.;-) The show was clearly taped a few weeks back, right before the French elections. I hope we see CF on this show. Jon did mention his name, so I'm thinking he taped a show as well.

Dorine, my question was about whether he has any plans to do a play. If I had been there when he was jokingly defensive about the cancellation, I probably would have said something smart-assed about feeling a bit touchy about cancellations, and by the way, why don't you do a play and make it up to those of us who had Hamlet tix. (This probably would have made him call security) But I'd really like to see him do a play again (wouldn't even have to be Shakespeare) Sorry, didn't get the name of our friend's company. There were other guards around when I was leaving, so I really couldn't say too much. Amy, why didn't you get me an autograph, too??????????????????

Thank you all for your wonderful reports! I have just one question. Was ODB seen smoking? Have wondered how his anti-smoking resove was holding up since I understand he smokes in TIOBE.

(Kate)my question was about whether he has any plans to do a play. Sorry I didn't get to that. :-( It was to be one of the questions before the PR chick whisked him away and then the second time I admit I forgot and just asked about the panel cancellation. I wanted to know whether he'd consider doing Shakespeare in the Park. They had such a stellar cast for The Seagull last year. (Allison M) Was ODB seen smoking? Have wondered how his anti-smoking resove was holding up since I understand he smokes in TIOBE. I didn't see him smoking myself and I did glance over his way VERY frequently...but then apparently I didn't notice he had a glass of wine in his hand when standing right in front of me.

Phew! What a lot to read! CNN has really been very busy. Thank you so much to all for sharing and making us feel we were there! The anticipation for the tv appearances is so contagious - even I feel excited even though, 'cept for Lady Katie, we're not going to see any of those shows down here Sorry , it's nice to have a continent named after one's nom de drool and all that, but am too shy to write it down. ;-) (Amy)I had a small notebook and marker with me (planned ahead). It reads: "Amy, Best Wishes, Colin Firth X". I've already said "you rock" to Odile and Amy but here's another one for Amy - the Colin Firth Girl Guides award - "Always be prepared". Is someone keeping a tally of all the awards already conferred on the Golden Girls of New York? Lora - does YDH have a twin brother? Kate - don't worry about THAT girl. Do you believe in karma? Imagine the possibilities.... (Mari)No, but if there's anything at all you want to know about...or Nicole K's love life, just ask me. LOL, Mari. Ok, I'm asking. Heard she's now a cradle snatcher! But don't answer me here - the BOSS is watching! Finally, to Boss Karen - thank you for the pics, the updates etc - Drool is all a-buzz!

Question: Is BWTA CF interview a sure thing? I checked its schedule on May 19th. It says "Frederic and George". There is no mentioned of CF. BWTA on May 19 Thanks to all for the wonderful reading here in Drool last couple of days, especially to the ladies who went to the NYC Premiere, great experience and excellent reports! I felt like I went and stayed with you the whole time.

No need for concern. BWTA rarely mentions the people who will be interviewed (usually two) during the breaks from the main program.

(Karen)You can't have the kind of fun we do on a threaded message board or by email. And you can't post pics anywhere else either!! (Karen) This place is the best, and you all help make it that way. *clapping* Yeah...sure. But mostly it's *you*, Boss;-) The Bucket is the glue that keeps this place hopping. Welcome Kathy C. It's great to get so many newbies when the Colin-news is hot, but don't you all desert us this summer when the drought sets in;-) It gets pretty lonely around here.I don't want to go back to discussing cricket!!

Welcome Kathy C, and definitely let us know about the Valmont DVD when you get it! (Mari) I almost want to transcribe it--but if you're from France, you'll need to hide your eyes.;-) The show was clearly taped a few weeks back, right before the French elections. Please do post the transcription if you have time. I'm French and there was enough shame about my fellow countrymen after the first round of elections that I'm shock-proof now (it was so much my dad talked about moving to England even though he doesn't speak English :) ). One a different note: Reese on Jay Leno last night, did not mention any of the cast this time (except Rupie when introducing the clip)... same accent story but a few extra non-TIOBE related (dog having a physical trainer,...)

(Evelyn) It's great to get so many newbies when the Colin-news is hot, but don't you all desert us this summer when the drought sets in;-) It gets pretty lonely around here.I don't want to go back to discussing cricket!! i'll definitely be around as long as you'll have me, all twentysomethings aren't bad you know, (i would have been nice to you kate :-), you all will have to give me tips on which cf films to rent when things calm down welcome kathy c!

Mari spotted some online listings for Colin's TV appearances, but I've tried to get them confirmed with Miramax. All I hear is that they want them aired during the week of release (week of May 22). All but one correspond to the tentatives we had before. Anyway here they are: Today Show - Tuesday, May 21 Regis & Kelly - Monday, May 27 Early Show - Tuesday, May 28 There is also the movie review program "Hot Ticket" which will review TIOBE on Sunday, May 19, repeated early May 20. I would advise checking this one out in your own area, as it is shown late on Saturday night here, repeated very late Sunday night. Even though the Ebert & Roper listings do not show TIOBE being reviewed this upcoming weekend, it is a possibility as they typically only show the names of the "big" releases. And... Kathy C!! I too am interested in hearing about the Valmont DVD and whether there are any extras to justify the rather high MSRP. I've yet to place my order.

TV Guide has Rupert Everett listed for the Early Show Friday, May 24. Welcome Kathy C-You picked a great week to join us. I'll be here all summer too, Evelyn. Just think, we will soon be discussing HS and AG, and fingers, toes, and eyes crossed-TEoR. Of course we can always discuss cricket if we need to. Liz Smith's column in the Times this morning: For you New Yorkers who cant't get enough of Judi Dench: You'll find her May 22 in TIOBE at the Paris Theater. Judi plays a mighty mite characterization of Lady Bracknell and, as usual, is marvelous. The cast includes Colin Firth, Frances O'Conner, Rupert Everett, Reese Wihterspoon, and Tom Wilkinson. I think her little blurb sounds second hand. IMO,if she had attended the premiere or the party I think she would have said so. She didn't have a problem writing volumes on every tid bit about Liza's wedding.

The accent is on 'Earnest' By Jeannie Williams, USA TODAY NEW YORK � Southern-born Reese Witherspoon joins big British acting names in The Importance of Being Earnest. At Monday's premiere, she admitted that while shooting she was "extremely intimidated, nervous, shaking in my boots, terrified to say anything above a whisper in front of Judi Dench." But the Legally Blonde star, doing her first English accent and first "corset" role in a period film, says, "I finally worked up enough courage." Dench was "so incredibly giving and kind, and Colin (Firth) and Rupert (Everett) and Frances (O'Connor) were also helpful." Witherspoon needn't have worried. Oliver Parker, director of Oscar Wilde's Earnest romp of mistaken identities, says it's mainly about "girls pushing men around," and Witherspoon "has enormous intensity. She's a little powerhouse." Firth, who sings a delightful duet with Everett in the film, adds, "I don't consider her to be any less qualified. We're (all) fairly well removed from 100 years ago. I think if you're a brilliant actor, which she is, it's just as much in your domain." Witherspoon got the accent down with six weeks of vocal coaching, practicing ordering coffee at Starbucks. She wore a black and gold Vivienne Westwood gown to the premiere and said she'll be with hubby Ryan Phillippe (also at the premiere) this summer when he shoots The I Inside in London. The Importance of Being Earnest opens in New York and L.A. on May 22 and in other top-10 markets May 24, then goes wider in late May and June.

Nick Hornby will be Terry Gross's guest on Fresh Air (National Public Radio)tomorrow: http://freshair.npr.org/ Odile, I'll try to get to the Rupie transcription over the weekend.

From today's Variety (thanks to Lilli & Eclipse); pic is a variation of the CF/RW/FO'C group shot: A Wilde night for 'Earnest' Weinstein braves wet weather to tout Brit pic Co-stars Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Frances O'Connor reunite at the bow of "The Importance of Being Earnest." By LILY OEI Ladies, gentlemen and perhaps a handful of secret Bunburyists all braved a torrential downpour Monday night to enjoy the preem of Wildean classic "The Importance of Being Earnest." Wet weather added to the veddy Englishness of the evening, which started off with salutations from producer Barnaby Thompson, who took a moment before the unspooling to thank Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein: "I can't think of a better friend to British cinema -- long may he continue." Civility continued at the after-party at the Hudson Hotel, where polite lines formed around the bars and buffet, and no one had to be kicked out of reserved seats. "I love the process of taking something with only a narrow audience and bringing it wide," said writer-helmer Oliver Parker, on tackling such a well-known play. "Wilde was a radical populist entertainer, and now he tends to be the preserve of an elite audience -- which irritates the hell out of me." Co-star Colin Firth agreed: "It wouldn't be humanly possible to make this play more accessible than we've made it." Joining in the jubilee were co-stars Frances O'Connor and Reese Witherspoon, along with guests Ryan Phillippe, Bob Balaban, Stanley Tucci, Mark Ruffalo, Joshua Jackson, Alexis Bledel, Rosario Dawson, Paul Rudd, Salman Rushdie, Tina Brown and Harry Evans. Date in print: Thurs., May 16, 2002

karen-- i sent you a few pics. (sorry for the dust)

(Lily Oei of Variety) ...and perhaps a handful of secret Bunburyists Hmmm...Not as clever as we thought, perhaps? ;-D

Allison--definitely no smoking. Kate--sorry about the autograph. As for the secret Bunburyists...isn't that what we all are here in this conference...as it states on the header ("A Place for Ordinarily Sensible Women Who Have Temporarily Lost Their Heads Over Movie Stars")? Who would have thought Mr Wilde would have been so current as to be able to be applied to the internet?! (I emailed a friend of mine the story of sneaking in the the premiere party. She replied: "Great story, wish I could believe you."--but she doesn't know about Bunburying, I guess.)

She replied: "Great story, wish I could believe you." O she of little faith... :)

Ladies, here are Lora's pictures from the TIOBE premiere. http://www.geocities.com/davidia7/cflora.html Welcome newbies!

Those are absolutely fabulous pictures, Lora!! And Moon you did such a great job scanning and putting them up for everybody to see. I especially adore the one where Colin is standing in front of the poster, directly in front of his own image. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. Warning: To reiterate the notice on the webpage, these photos should not be uploaded to other internet sites, which includes group and community photo albums. Please respect the photo owners' wishes, otherwise no other personal photos of Colin will be posted here in the future, but will only be circulated privately. Enjoy them where they are. Thanks.

Thanks Lora and Moon! My favorite is also the one by the poster. Lora--is that Livia's hair encroaching a bit from the left on the top pic?

No, that's Lora's hair.

thanks so much Lora and Moon for the pics. Lora, did he put his arm on your shoulder for the pic?

thanks so much for the pictures, so is the one with you and colin mounted on your wall already or are you hiding it away so that you hubby won't be constantly reminded of your infatuation for another man, and what a man he is :-p~~~~, just a sec i reached a lip stick mark on my screen, i have to clean it off before i continue

(Karen) I especially adore the one where Colin is standing in front of the poster, directly in front of his own image. It's like he stepped out of the poster and into Lora's life! I also like the limo shot. Not something you see every day!:-) I'm with Dalec, we need more details about the photo shoot. Where were the hands? How tight was the squeeze? Only one take or two for safety? My thanks also to Dorine, Amy, Kate and Lora for all they have shared about their adventures.

Lora, did he put his arm on your shoulder for the pic? Yes, he did! And, what about that smile? It's Mark Darcy. Lucky Lora! I too like the poster one very much. :-D

Lovely photos! The poster one is surreal! On that note I thank Lora and Moon very much for giving me the perfect mental picture to take with me to slumber. If I die in my sleep, it will be ok. I will come back as a TIOBE reviewer ;-) Nighty night!

Ah, Lora, you lucky girl. Very nice photos. Speaking of photos, there's a new poster of TIOBE in my newspaper today. It has CF (looking more like CF than Jack) sitting on the grass with FOC's hand on his chest. Lady B is standing behind. RE is sort of lying with RW behind him. The house is in the background. It's a composite but I like it more than the 1st poster.

Lora, I love these pics, especially the poster shot! Did you plan that one in that way? How cute is that. Moon, thanks very much for the scan and link!:-)

(Karen)I especially adore the one where Colin is standing in front of the poster, directly in front of his own image. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. (Caribou)It's like he stepped out of the poster and into Lora's life! (Minkee)The poster one is surreal! It is such a surreal picture, isn't it? It's a true illustration of the whole premiere experience! Caribou, your description is exactly right! I had to pinch myself several times. It's a pleasure to share them with you all. Thanks for all your comments - it allows me to relive the experience :-)! (Karen)No, that's Lora's hair. And it's totally frizzed-out because of the weather :-/. He looked like Mark Darcy and I kinda resembled Bridge after the ride in the convertible ;-(. (Caribou)I'm with Dalec, we need more details about the photo shoot. Where were the hands? How tight was the squeeze? Only one take or two for safety? It was just one shot, and he couldn't have been more willing and sweet about taking the photo with me. He put his arm around my shoulder so I naturally put mine around his back. *sighing and gasping as I remember it all* You can see his fingers on the top of my shoulder and it was a very nice moment. It was a friendly squeeze (remember Livia was right behind us and my DDH was taking the picture!). Moon, you did such a terrific job scanning and putting them up in such a lovely sequence! Your talent for style and good taste is beyond compare :-)!!! Thank you! Karen, I went back and checked my tags! :-) ;-)

Moon, you did such a terrific job scanning and putting them up in such a lovely sequence! Your talent for style and good taste is beyond compare :-)!!! Thank you! I still can't believe that we live so close, and that we have many mutual acquaintances, Lora! It's always fun to get together. I am happy I was able to nurture your cf affliction with my video collection to the point that your DH gets you such a great Mother's Day present! Thank you for sharing them!

(Mari)Did you plan that one in that way? How cute is that. No, it wasn't planned, it was just being in the right place at the right time and snap, snap, snapping away!

Just got my A&E newsletter, and he's on there! BREAKFAST WITH THE ARTS SUNDAY MAY 19, 2002 8:00 AM Eastern Time Elliott Forrest, host **************************************************************************** Chopin: Frederic et George This week's show features the premiere of a dramatization of the love affair of Romantic composer Frederic Chopin and controversial French female writer, George Sand, whom he met in Paris. The film tells the fascinating story of this unusual couple. Artist of the Week: Julie Kent, principal dancer, American Ballet Theater, talks about her work and her upcoming role as Titania in Frederick Ashton's enchanting rendering of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." For more info, go to: http://chtah.com/a/tA85RTYADspiuAJfHqiADIUhsAu/ae1 Arts and Entertainment News: Artist James Wyeth discusses his exhibition of paintings of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev, on display at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Celebrity Interview: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE'S Colin Firth talks about his work, and his role as "Ernest/Jack" in the new Miramax film THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, co-starring Dame Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, and Reese Witherspoon. Open Book: Dominick Dunne discusses his book "Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments" and Jimmy Breslin talks about "I Don't Want to Go to Jail: A Good Novel."

Hi everyone! I guess I would be a newbie to the board, but not a newbie where Colin is concerned : ) I am loving all the stories and the pics are just incredible...*sigh*...Oh to be so lucky!Oh...and Thanks Karen!!

From Roger Friedman, Fox News: Earnest Star Says AI Ahead of Its Time Frances O'Connor, one of the stars of Oliver Parker's The Importance of Being Earnest, told me the other night that audiences simply weren't ready for Stanley Kubrick's last movie (directed by Steven Spielberg). O'Connor, you may recall, played the mother in A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. When her son falls into a coma, O'Connor and her husband adopt an android boy played by Haley Joel Osment. When the son recovers, O'Connor dumps her adopted son in the woods. "So many people came up to me and said, 'How could you do that?'" O'Connor recalled. "I guess it struck a nerve. But also, they seemed to forget that he wasn't real. He was a robot!" The actress � who also did a smashing job in Mansfield Park � agreed that A.I., like many Stanley Kubrick films, was ahead of its time. "People forget that no one liked 2001 when it was first released," she said, "and now it's considered a great classic." O'Connor recently finished a long run in London's West End playing Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opposite Brendan Fraser and Ned Beatty. Although she loves theater, she told me she turned down a chance to be directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse in London � now considered the hippest theater in town � because she has to get back to making movies. Next year she'll star in Timeline, the movie version of the Michael Crichton novel directed by Richard (Superman) Donner. The Importance of Being Earnest opens today in a limited run, (Ed.Note: Where??) and then branches out to more theaters shortly. My advice: When you see those long lines for Attack of the Clones, give Earnest a chance. The costumes are just as good, and the dialogue is a whole lot better.

Thanks Lora for making your pics available!! And Moon for scanning them :-)

Thanks Lora for the wonderful pictures and sharing your experiences-you certainly did your part in giving us the experience of a lifetime. I can only imagine how you felt at the moment he put his hand on your shoulder, and you put your hand on his back. OMG. As I said last week-You guys are killing me! Thank you, Moon, for scanning.

Possible schedule change: TV Guide had Colin listed for the Today Show on Tuesday, but this is from the Today website--Rupie on Monday, Colin on Friday (opening day for most of us!:-) MONDAY, MAY 20 7:00 A.M. ET - Garage sales Actor Liam Neeson discusses his role in the Broadway play, �The Crucible.� Tips for treasure hunting at garage sales. Actor Rupert Everett talks about his role in the movie, �The Importance of Being Earnest.� �Today�s Style� with Judy Gordon. Men and osteoporosis on the �Forever Young� series. FRIDAY, MAY 24 7:00 A.M. ET - Bryan Adams performs Bryan Adams performs live on the Plaza as part of the 2002 �Today� Summer Concert Series. Actor Colin Firth talks about his role in the movie, �The Importance of Being Earnest.� Ten things to know about car rentals on �Today�s Money.� �Al Roker�s Big Bad Book of Barbecue� on �Today�s Kitchen.�

Where's the segment on innovative uses for support hose? ;-D Thanks, Mari, this is going to be a day-to-day thing. While I'd opt for the Today Show's own listing, we experienced ones know that wasn't the case last year. Oh no, a week's worth of Today Show viewing. My, I'll be incredibly informed when it's over. Am positively on edge of seat over "men and osteoporosis."

Lora and Moon.....thanks sooooooo much for sharing the pictures. Lora, I think someone got cropped out of that first one!!!! I don't blame you if you didn't want to be plastered all over the internet, but I for one would have liked to see you too! If it were me, I'd get a real nice copy made of that picture of Colin in front of the movie poster and find the best place to send it off to him along with the absolute nicest note he's ever recieved. Betcha get something like a personal thank you back from that man. ;)

(Lora) It was a friendly squeeze (remember Livia was right behind us and my DDH was taking the picture!). LOLASMKWMH!! What I mean by that is Laughing Out Loud and Slapping My Knee with My Hand!! When I caught myself doing that I couldn't resist turning it into an acronym.:-) Do you think maybe Lora got the dimples instead of the killer Hollywood smile because it was her DH with the camera?

We-el, *I'm* gonna thank Lora's DH , the prince, who made it *all* possible! So there.. Lora...he looks soooo happy. And those outrageous dimples!!! I'm glad Rupe was MIA; he would have hogged the scene. This way ODB was the King of the Night. Lora and Moon..

Lora, thanks so much for sharing the pictures and Moon for scanning them in. I've been bouncing back and forth between your description of events and the pictures themselves. Having a wonderful time fantasizing vicariously through your experience. Your DH IS a paragon. I know it's been asked already but are you SURE he doesn't have a twin stashed away somewhere??? Mari, I guess it'll be Today all week next week. Don't want them to sneak ODB in early and run the risk of missing him. Seriously though, if the Monday schedule hold I'd catch the Liam Neeson segment too. A little off topic but for any of you in the NY metropolitan area "The Crucible" is a powerful and moving production. I recommend it highly. Neeson was wonderful and I'd love to see him walk away with the Tony for it.

All I've got to say is that Lora's M-Day present sure beats flowers, a box of candy, and a bottle of perfume.

(Karen)All I've got to say is that Lora's M-Day present sure beats flowers, a box of candy, and a bottle of perfume. Thanks, Karen. I'll take outrageous dimples and a DH who made it *all* possible over the above any M-Day! :-) (Thanks, Evelyn!) Lisa, that's a great idea about sending the poster pic with a note. But you'll have to help me write it since you're soooo creative! Any ideas about how to start it?

Argh! can't see the pictures. The georcities web page is down. :-(

It is probably down because of too much traffic within a given period. Try back later, or I might get around to adding them to The Bucket today as it is still bloody freezing here.

Silvie sends this excerpt from an interview with Caroline Rhea from the May 2002 issue of Canadian Elle (no pics): Elle: Rosie's crush was Tom. Is your's going to be Bruce Vilanch from Hollywood Squares? CR: No! he's a lovely man and I hope he'll be a guest one day, but Benicio Del Toro is my Tom Cruise. Elle: How about Colin Firth? CR: I interviewd Colin Firth when Rosie was in hospital.**He's "so" gorgeous.** I made him look into the camera and say hello to Celia, my sister, because she loves him.

I made him look into the camera and say hello to Celia, my sister, because she loves him. So do we Celia, so do we...

(Kathy C) A little off topic but for any of you in the NY metropolitan area "The Crucible" is a powerful and moving production. I recommend it highly. Neeson was wonderful and I'd love to see him walk away with the Tony for it. I have tickets for May 29th. He'll have to duke it out with Rickman for the Tony, though. *running before The Boss shoots me for the OT here*

-add bad language here- Geocities should start working tomorrow, but I want to see those photos now!

LindaK typed this up from the NJ newspaper The Times. She posted it on the Spoiler topic, but since many people won't go there until they've seen the movie, I am reposting it here: A Pairing of Opposites: Rupert Everett and Colin Firth move from Shakespeare to The Importance of Being Earnest. By Joyce J. Persico The first time actors Rupert Everett and Colin Firth laid eyes on one another it was hardly love at first sight. It wasn't even mutual admiration society time. "But I've loosened up now," the normally serious Firth concedes. "I've given in to my superficiality. "Rupert is a lot easier to get along with. He was outrageous then and now he's very funny." Everett, a flamboyant type known as much for his good looks as for his ribald sense of humor; noticed the change in the co-star he first encountered on the set of "Shakespeare In Love." "Colin was very dull in the old days,"Everett announces. "He was always strumming on a guitar; going to give his first million to charity. "I was going in the opposite direction." The two reunited in one of the few art films scheduled for release in this popcorn movie-filled season, an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." It opens Friday. Directed by Oliver Parker, it tells the story of a bachelor from the English countryside named Jack Worthing (Firth) who assumes a false identity under the name of Earnest while pursuing a carefree life in London. There are comic repercussions as Jack's friend, Algy (Everett), pretends to be Earnest in order to court Jack's niece (Reese Witherspoon.) Firth, also known for playing Mr. Darcy in the BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" and the suitor in the film "Bridget Jones's Diary," admits that he is not quite what he seems, despite his serious on-screen persona. "I wanted to be a rock star," he adds, sheepishly. "Like others of my generation, it didn't happen. "I don't know what I'm like, but I'm not Mr. Darcy. I didn't grow up with a gigantic mansion in Darbyshire." Unlike some actors who "sleep rough or learn to box," Firth simply acts the part. "I don't think there's a brilliant actor alive who works in isolation," he insists. "There was fun on our set, a sense of mischief bordering on hysteria." Everett, a scene-stealer as the gay friend in "My Best Friend's Wedding," joined in the fun, beginning with his admiration for the colorful author of "Earnest." "I love Oscar Wilde because his life is a kind of awful inspiration in a way," says Eveett, dressed in two layers of skin-tight T-shirts. "But I don't think I'd have liked him very much if I got too close to him. He was always pouring sweat. He was a great snob. But he kind of flaunted this life he knew was unacceptable. He drove toward the cliff's edge, like someone drunk on success." Everett would like to make a film based on the final two years of Wilde's life, a project slated for a time when the youthful looking Everett is a bit older. Part of the amiable ensemble cast is American actess Reese Witherspoon, who plays Jack's sheltered niece, Cecily Cardew. She claims to have been "terrified of Rupert." "But we became fast friends in a day," says the actress who won kudos last summer for her lead in the comedy "Legally Blonde." "Colin's a buddy, but I can't like him that much in front of Rupert. He gets too nervous." Calling herself "just a little girl from Tennessee," Witherspoon was concerned about doing an authentic British accent for her role. "She found it absolutely terrifying to step into the legacy of Wilde and felt everybody else could do it in their sleep," Firth explains. "It would be like me playing a biker. But she was wonderful." "She was really great," Everett agrees. "It's a pretty scary thing to come into a group of English accents and come into the culture. For an American, it's like speaking another language." Witherspoon isn't the only on who feared the outspoken Everett. Even Firth admits he "tends not to be on the wrong end of Rupert's humor." But he isn't frightened of British audiences because of some affinity they may have for lofty works. "They're not interested in Shakespeare," Firth says of his countrymen. "The English people aren't interested in culture at all." Response 1377 of 1377: Evelyn (lafn) * Sat, May 18, 2002 (10:06) * 9 lines Thank you Linda for typing up that article (CF) "But he isn't frightened of British audiences because of some affinity they may have for lofty works. "They're not interested in Shakespeare," Firth says of his countrymen. "The English people aren't interested in culture at all." Ug...such generalizations *shaking head*

V. sorry, Boss, 126-162 it's still too early for a Saturday.

For those who haven't seen Lora's fantastic pics, I've put them up here: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/earnest_nycprem.html (no red eye either) I'm going to add two pictures from Amy when I can figure out which folder they landed in.... *shaking head*

http://globeandmail.com/servlet/GIS.Servlets.HTMLTemplate?tf=tgam/common/FullStory.html&cf=tgam/common/FullStory.cfg&configFileLoc=tgam/config&vg=BigAdVariableGenerator&date=20020518&dateOffset=&hub=thearts&title=Arts&cache_key=theartsFilmHeadline¤t_row=1&start_row=1&num_rows=1 This should take you to the globeandmail.com site that has an interview with Colin today. Big page with famous 'running shoes' photo (B&W). I only found this because the woman in my library were reading it.

Thanks Bryonny....and thank your librarian too. The journalist must have picked up all the background stuff from the articles on the web. Surely , Colin didn't blab all that stuff in the interview.(Where's the St. Louis playground trauma;-) Funny, they didn't focus on Rupe; esp since he gets top billing. (CF)" He is about to help kick off an Oxfam campaign on the need for a Fair Trade movement, which educates consumers about the sources of the products they buy". Oxfam!!Hey Boss...better get that page ready for The Bucket ;-)

(Karen)Oh no, a week's worth of Today Show viewing Hey, I like Today! They only put the fluff stuff in the listing descriptions--the celeb interviews, "health" updates, etc. The bulk of the show is hard news. And our Katie is equally adept at interviewing Colin Powell and Colin Firth.:-) Anyway, my onscreen cable guide lists Friday for the Firth appearance, so, fingers crossed. (Karen)All I've got to say is that Lora's M-Day present sure beats flowers, a box of candy, and a bottle of perfume. Er . . . sounds like you were at my house on Mother's Day.;-) Lora, tell your DH that he is now in the Firth Hubbies Hall Of Fame! "She found it absolutely terrifying to step into the legacy of Wilde and felt everybody else could do it in their sleep," Firth explains. "It would be like me playing a biker. But she was wonderful." Oh, man, I'd LOVE to see him play a biker!:-) Tight leather pants and jacket, flying his colors . . .or whatever it is that they fly.;-) Many thanks for typing up the article, Linda! There's a decent sized "opening Friday" ad for TIOBE in tomorrow's Philly Inquirer--it's the one with CF in the middle, and favorable pull quotes from Rollling Stone, CBS, Marie Claire, and NY1. Linda, let's make plans.:-) Thanks for the Globe & Mail article, Bryonny!

Much smaller circulation than the Globe & Mail (thanks, Bryonny) but nonetheless, a relief for me: From Crosswinds Weekly (Albuquerque & Santa Fe): by Sharon Kayne (aka Citizen Kayne) :-) Cover Story: Summer Movies - The Sequel ....The Importance of Being Earnest The Oscar Wilde play, upon which this is based, is so brilliant that even the title has a comical double meaning. Set in 1890�s England, two men (Rupert Everett and Colin Firth) both develop convoluted ploys (which involve the use of the name �Ernest�) to woo two women (Francis O�Conner and Reese Witherspoon). Things threaten to unravel to hilarious ends. Also stars Judi Dench. Rated PG, open May 31. (Picture of Reese and Rupie).... I'm afraid bad reviews will kill TIOBE in our medium-sized market. Now, am anxious to see what Ebert has to say--am hoping he is still in favor or ODB.

Thanks LindaK and Karen (I'm one of those who will not venture into 126 for now) for the article. (CF)"I wanted to be a rock star," "It would be like me playing a biker." Keep talking Colin... I'll be busy daydreaming now... :) About the Today Show, Karen , you did not like Matt Lauer in a kilt in windy Scotland this week? ;-)

Definitely have comments on this latest article you found, Bryonny. v. interesting. Oxfam now, Ev. Give me a break. ;-D I've added Amy's premiere pics to the page if you want to take a looksie. http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/earnest_nycprem.html Thanks, Amy!

About the Today Show, Karen , you did not like Matt Lauer in a kilt in windy Scotland this week? ;-) As a rule, I don't watch daytime television, but I did catch Matt kilted out when they interviewed him on Access Hollywood, and I did see him on the beach in Rio the day that Reese was on. I'd like to see him as a biker too. Would really enhance Lisa's illustrated version of UMS.

Lora--The movie poster photo is great!

It would be like me playing a biker. Choking on Diet Pepsi...now there's an idea for a story in that somewhere. Tight leather pants and jacket, flying his colors. How about faded levis and a day's growth???? Oh, I like Amy's pics too....but why did she wear that white strapless bra??? It makes her look like she's got two targets plastered across her chest. Wearing all black, the eyes head straight there! ROTFSMKOW...Rolling on the floor slapping my knee or whatever....I love Lora2002 plastered across Colin's backside! Heeheehee Lora, that pic just hit me as being #1 very good and #2 just different enough that it probably would get to him if you sent it. After all, does he ever get photos from any sources when he goes to these things? A note about hubby's MD present and how you flew to get there would be eyecatching IMO.

Thanks, Karen for the great pictures-Thank you, Amy for sharing. ODB as a biker...I had a hard time concentrating on typing the article after reading that. Conjured up all kinds of images...probably why I posted on the wrong topic. Keep hearing the song Born to Be Wild in my brain all day. Mari, I am SO ready to see this. Lets get those plans in the works. Got the VCR fired up for tomorrow-BWTA, and Hot Ticket

Oxfam http://www.maketradefair.com Great article, thanks!

I have a quick question: Is VH1 the station or the show? Is it broadcast or cable? I should know but I don't and I just recently figured out I get Access Hollywood. So, which of CFs appearances will be cable? Hot Ticket?

Colin as a biker...Now there's a visual for ya! I think it's almost too much for my poor little heart to take...

(caribou) I have a quick question: Is VH1 the station or the show? Is it broadcast or cable? I should know but I don't and I just recently figured out I get Access Hollywood. So, which of CFs appearances will be cable? Hot Ticket? Hot Ticket is a movie review show like Ebert & Roeper. Hot Ticket will most likely review TIOBE this weekend. i think it is a syndicated broadcast show. VH1 is a cable channel, you need to look for VH1's "Cast Party" show for TIOBE. VH1 is very much like MTV but targeted for a more mature audience. thanks Amy and Karen for the pics.

Thanks, DaleC. I didn't see it listed as VH1 in the paper and I'm assuming it doesn't have any other names then. It must not be available here.

Colin sighting: A JN fan reported she was at Proof tonight[Saturday], the play in London's West End[Donmar] starring Gwynneth Paltrow and Colin and Livia were in the audience.

Mr. Darcy's Firth Cousin For Actor Colin Firth, the Privilege and the Pitfalls of a Memorable Role By Alona Wartofsky Special to The Washington Post Sunday, May 19, 2002; Page G01 NEW YORK During the course of a nearly 20-year career, British actor Colin Firth has performed in 40 films and television productions, including box-office hits like "The English Patient," "Shakespeare in Love" and "Bridget Jones's Diary." He stars in a new film of Oscar Wilde's comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest," which opens in Washington on Friday. But in the end, the role he is likely to be best remembered for is the brooding Mr. Darcy in a BBC production of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." That lavish 1995 miniseries, broadcast here on A&E and seen by more than 100 million viewers worldwide,turned Firth into an unlikely international heartthrob and produced a vast following of amorous female fans. Firth's not all that handsome -- his neutral actor's face can be substantially altered by expression and makeup -- but having a crush on Colin has become a pop-culture commonplace. The Darcymania has been a mixed blessing for Firth, whose aspirations as an actor extend beyond umpteen hours spent smoldering in mutton-chop whiskers. Greater celebrity translates into better roles. But the enduring magnetism of Darcy -- whom Firth once referred to as "a bizarre doppelganger that I've spawned" -- somehow seems to take away from his other accomplishments. Here at the Essex House Hotel, Firth has just finished a series of round-table interviews to promote "The Importance of Being Earnest." He stars as Jack Worthing, a gentleman who escapes the tedium of his country life with the assistance of an invented brother, Ernest. During the interviews, the most common question did not concern Wilde, Jack Worthing, or even Ernest Worthing. Nor did it involve Firth's co-stars in the film: Rupert Everett as the irrepressible Algernon Moncrieff, along with Reese Witherspoon, Tom Wilkinson and Judi Dench. The journalists asked about Mr. Darcy. "Some people do it with irony and humor. Some people do it earnestly. Some people are ashamed of having to ask the question," says Firth. "And every so often there will be a journalist from Swaziland who doesn't know anything about it -- wonderful." A Lot Under the Surface Firth, 41, isn't fond of giving interviews, and as he speaks, his arms rarely remain still. Again and again, he begins to cross them, and they hover in an almost-crossed position. Then, perhaps not wanting to seem unfriendly, he deliberately uncrosses them. "I'm not particularly comfortable being encouraged to give things away about myself," he says. "I don't think I'm unusual in that. I do have certain questions about what one can really say. My personal life's nobody's business; I'm not unusual in that, either. My views on world politics and the rest aren't really of interest to anybody, particularly; they're not relevant. "And talking about the work is difficult because it's the kind of work that is hard to talk about. It's hard to analyze it and it's hard to say anything sensible about it. . . . So I do find that I'm in a position where I'm doing more to mask than to reveal." Directors who have worked with Firth praise his depth. Oliver Parker, who helmed and wrote the screenplay for "The Importance of Being Earnest," says that Jack -- perhaps the least witty of the play's characters -- often turns out to be merely a foil for the other players. "I framed this adaptation in a way that Jack was central to the emotional narrative," says Parker. "So I was looking for somebody who has a certain sympathetic quality, who could be at once vulnerable and complex. And Colin, I think, is very skillful at creating an active inner life while sustaining the comedic requirements of the piece." Firth prefers to play characters who have a lot going on beneath the surface. "For obvious reasons I tend to do films about English people, and one of the defining features of English people -- at least in the mythology we have of English people -- is emotional repression," he says. "I do think that very often what is not revealed is more interesting than what is revealed explicitly. "One of the great things about the art of writing when it's good is that it expresses the difficulty of communication," he explains. "The moment you most want to pour your heart out is often the moment you're most stuck for words. I find those moments and those limitations very interesting." Firth learned his craft at London's prestigious Drama Centre, where he played Hamlet and King Lear (he describes the latter as "a hideous embarrassment"). He learned the dangers of overplaying an emotion, and the benefits of making a character credible. "Watch Rupert Everett in 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' and you almost get the sense that he's having to repress his mischief," Firth says. "He's not trying to be mischievous. That's why he's so believable -- you get the idea if you let this guy off the leash, he'd be even more outrageous." Firth made his film debut in 1984, playing opposite Everett in an adaptation of Julian Mitchell's play "Another Country." Firth's character was an angry young misfit, an embittered communist trapped in a posh English boarding school. Since then, the actor has chosen a variety of parts, mostly a combination of leading roles in small, interesting films and supporting parts in more mainstream projects. If there's a common link between his characters, it's that they are all outsiders in one way or another. His stammering Tom Birkin in "A Month in the Country," traumatized by the carnage in the trenches of World War I, could relate to no one except the wife of the local vicar. In the political thriller "Apartment Zero," he portrayed a film buff who slowly loses his sanity. Firth played the title role in Milos Forman's 1989 "Valmont," which was largely ignored in favor of the previous year's "Dangerous Liaisons"; his malevolently charming Valmont operated just outside French society. Firth suspects that he's drawn to outsider roles because of his unusual upbringing. Firth's grandparents on both sides were missionaries in India, where both of his parents were raised. His parents were academics, and the family spent the first four years of his life in Nigeria. After that they moved around England for several years, then spent a year in St. Louis before returning to England. "I am an outsider. I have always been. I'm not lamenting that fact. It does create confusion, and it is a little painful . . . but I think it's been enormously beneficial to me," he says. "I've never come from the place I've lived in. I've always been identified with the last place I came from. When I was in school in America, I was the Englishman, and then I came back and I was nicknamed the Yank. "In school I was the only one whose parents had this kind of multicultural background," he says. "I rather reveled in it to some extent. . . . I suppose I got into feeling a little bit different. . . . I saw other perspectives. "It must be there in the way I choose roles. We don't have much control, actors, in terms of what we do. We don't write the material. We don't have the perfect choice of what's available. But I think I've veered toward that." In 1997, an alarmingly lumpy Firth starred in "Fever Pitch," the film version of British writer Nick Hornby's confessional book about his obsession with the Arsenal soccer team. Firth says that even though he isn't much of a soccer fan, he identified "enormously" with Hornby's book. "I just felt he was describing me. He solved his problems with soccer, and I guess I became an actor and played outsiders." The friendship between Hornby and Firth continued after "Fever Pitch," and two years ago Hornby, whose son has autism, edited "Speaking With the Angel," a collection of short stories benefiting educational programs for autistic children. Participating authors included Roddy Doyle, Irvine Welsh, Dave Eggers and Helen Fielding. Hornby invited Firth to contribute a story. "He had often talked to me about writing," recalls Hornby. "He was right on the edge and he just needed a finger to make him jump. I thought he'd be a good writer -- he's smart -- and that there would be interest. I thought, you can make my charity a few quid . . . and we could do each other a favor." Firth's story, "The Department of Nothing," is a lot better than one might expect from a movie star with literary aspirations. In it, a lonely 11-year-old finds solace in the fantasy stories told to him by his beloved, dying grandmother. "I was almost hoping that my story wouldn't make the collection, to be honest," says Firth, but he's not being honest at all. He uncrosses his arms. "If you want to know what I was really hoping, I was hoping it would be brilliant, that it would be great and hold its own fantastically or even be the best of all of them, and that I'd be discovered, and a new literary star is born." Hornby estimates that "Speaking With the Angel" earned half a million dollars for its charities. Probably $450,000 of that, he says, came from Firth fans. The Irresistible Mr. Darcy Jane Austen's Fitzwilliam Darcy may be the most crush-worthy bachelor in all of English literature, so perhaps Firth should have expected to collect a few admirers with "Pride and Prejudice." But he was unprepared for the panting hordes. The Guardian hailed him as "our national treasure." The British tabloids scrutinized his brief relationship with co-star Jennifer Ehle (who played Elizabeth Bennet, naturally), and hounded him relentlessly even after it was over. (The Sunday Mirror once ran a photo of him bringing home a new vacuum cleaner. Caption: "Mr. Darcy does the household chores.") Then there was the proliferation of fan Web sites -- Firthfrenzy.com, afirthionado.com -- and fan clubs that include Friends of Firth and The Darcy Lunatics. For the rest of us, the most enjoyable aspect of Darcymania can be found in Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones" books. In the first one, hapless "singleton" Bridget obsesses over Darcy and Elizabeth and falls in love with a contemporary version of Darcy, a human-rights lawyer named Mark Darcy. In the second novel, aspiring journalist Bridget interviews Colin Firth for the Independent. But she is unable to control her lust, and the Q&A comes to an unfortunate end when she lunges for the actor. "I was delighted to become a popular-culture reference point. I'm still delighted about it actually, and I still find it to be weird," says Firth. "For the books to be these huge bestsellers has probably done as much to burn my name into people's minds as much as anything I've ever done, really." This is how pop culture feeds on itself: When the film version of "Bridget Jones's Diary" was made, Firth played Mark Darcy. Even if "Bridget Jones" didn't conflate Colin Firth, Mr. Darcy and Mark Darcy, some people would still have a hard time differentiating among the three. Carrie Gardiner, a Rhode Island elementary school art teacher and grandmother who is webmaster of the firthfrenzy.com Web site, says she feels a special connection to Firth and both of the Darcys. "We feel for Colin," she explains. "You want Mark Darcy to win Bridget. You feel embarrassed for Mr. Darcy when Elizabeth refuses him. This once-proud Darcy is feeling embarrassed, awkward, vulnerable, and your heart just goes out to him." Director Oliver Parker compares Firth to vintage Hollywood stars like Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. "Colin conveys a quiet reserve and strength of character. There's a natural humility matched with intelligence and wit to sustain the persona that appears onscreen," says Parker. "The more time you spend with him onscreen, the more interested in him you become." But for someone who inspires such adulation, Firth is remarkably adept at portraying unattractive characters. In "The English Patient," he played the chubby obligatory husband of the Kristin Scott Thomas character; how could we blame her for cheating on him with Ralph Fiennes's handsome explorer? Two years later, in 1998's "Shakespeare in Love," Firth's mean-spirited aristocrat Lord Wessex -- "the opposite of everything that film celebrates," says Firth -- lost out to another Fiennes brother, Joseph, who played the love-struck Will Shakespeare. "I think Colin's actually interested in acting," says Hornby. "I know that sounds like a stupid thing to say, but what I know of a lot of actors is that they're more interested in being film stars. A lot of actors wouldn't have done that part in 'The English Patient.' " Unlike Firth, who is married to an Italian film producer, Fitzwilliam Darcy is eminently eligible. After "Pride and Prejudice," Firth received a number of letters suggesting that Mr. Darcy's attraction goes deeper than sexual and romantic appeal. "The letters were from women of a certain age, who said that in some profound way, I had reminded of them of their dead father," he says. Firth began to wonder whether Darcy provided a kind of reassuring presence for women who deeply missed someone. But maybe there's another type of worship entangled in there. Firth once got a letter from a Swiss psychologist who wrote that there's some of the Old Testament God in Mr. Darcy. "Her interpretation was that there was almost a religious archetype that goes on the trajectory from the unforgiving, judgmental God that's going to reject and punish, to actually being benevolent and loving and generous." "Whatever way you look at it, I think that story does make him sort of irresistible," he says. "I read that book, and I fell in love with him." � 2002 The Washington Post Company

(WP)" In 1997, an alarmingly lumpy Firth starred in "Fever Pitch,"... In "The English Patient," he played the chubby obligatory husband of the Kristin Scott Thomas character; how could we blame her for cheating on him with Ralph Fiennes's handsome explorer? " C'mon...he looked adorable in that Santa suit. Hornby estimates that "Speaking With the Angel" earned half a million dollars for its charities. Probably $450,000 of that, he says, came from Firth fans. LOL. Not surprising. Wonder who bought the other $50 thou;-) So the junket was at the Essex House.Not too far from the Paris theatre. Harvey must be trying to pinch pennies. Thanks Mari.

Firth's not all that handsome... Excuse me?! "Watch Rupert Everett in 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' and you almost get the sense that he's having to repress his mischief," Firth says. "He's not trying to be mischievous. That's why he's so believable -- you get the idea if you let this guy off the leash, he'd be even more outrageous." Actually, I find this to be an interesting statement. Watching RE in the movie, I kept thinking frequently that his performance was the equivalent of watching him sit on his hands to keep himself in check...to "repress his mischief". Ironically, I found RE less believable because of that. When I see it again, I'll see if my opinion changes. (Evelyn) So the junket was at the Essex House. Not too far from the Paris theatre. Harvey must be trying to pinch pennies. Next time Colin does work for Miramax here, I know which lobby (or similar types) to hang out in. Thanks so much, Mari!

unlikely international heartthrob ???? not all that handsome...his neutral actor's face GRRRRRRR

Colin sighting: I can confirm this! My son was there. Apparently he had phoned earlier in the day and spoken to my DH as he had 2 spare tickets. DH refused as we were going out to dinner. **grrr, arghhh etc ** I still have to try and get more info ffom son without sounding unduly desperate. He saw him first in the ticket queue where women were asking for his autograph and he was letting them take photographs. (Have to say that I think asking for those privileges when he is at the theatre in a private capacity is bad form.

Thank you Mari I just turned on BWTA Elliott Forrest introduced the show and talked a little about each segment. No mention of TIOBE. Maybe he was only giving us what was going to be on in the first hour?

Good article. Thanks for posting, Mari, but I hear the online version has been edited down. Can anyone in the DC area let us know what the differences are and whether there are pictures? but having a crush on Colin has become a pop-culture commonplace. Really? I wonder how she arrived at that conclusion. Telephone survey? Polling? Here at the Essex House Hotel, Firth has just finished a series of round-table interviews This would certainly explain why so many have printed exactly the same thing or would know what he said to another interviewer, unlike one-on-ones. "...So I do find that I'm in a position where I'm doing more to mask than to reveal." Let's keep this in mind when we attempt to take his words too literally or truthfully for that matter. "The moment you most want to pour your heart out is often the moment you're most stuck for words. I find those moments and those limitations very interesting." As in..."what I'm trying to say, very inarticulately, is..." or "I liked you ever since...I...liked you" or"my feeling will not be repressed..." Hmmm, didn't know he thought this all. ;-D In 1997, an alarmingly lumpy Firth starred in "Fever Pitch," In "The English Patient," he played the chubby obligatory husband Lumpy and chubby!! Seems inordinantly focused on CF's weight. Wonder if she asked what he weighed now, now that he's thin as a rail. He uncrosses his arms. "If you want to know what I was really hoping, I was hoping it would be brilliant, that it would be great and hold its own fantastically or even be the best of all of them, and that I'd be discovered, and a new literary star is born." Ooooh, v. interesting. v. revealing IMO. Loved the bit about how much WE contributed to total sales of the book. Nick owes us big time. ;-) Director Oliver Parker compares Firth to vintage Hollywood stars like Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. Well, then, let's see him do more dramatic work as they did. Those guys work for me, but I'd also add young Paul Newman roles like "From a Terrace," "Long Hot Summer," or the "Young Philadelphians" and others. (Allison) he had 2 spare tickets. DH refused as we were going out to dinner. **grrr, arghhh etc ** Poor, dear. :-( I do agree with you about infringing on his privacy. Taking pictures with him too? Lordy, lordy.

Saw Hot Tickets last night and TIOBE was deemed a "flop" by Leonard Maltin and Joyce didn't like it all. She did say that Colin and Dame Judi were the only ones to "get it right" but then in Leonard's turn he said he didn't think JD had either (too heavy-handed was the term he used). So (wishfully thinking) maybe he thought Colin was fine. Strangely enough, I found the adjectives they used to describe the acting more appropriate to the old version (arch, stagey, mannered) than this. v. odd. No review of TIOBE on Ebert & Roeper and it won't be next week either, as they are showing a pretaped show since E & R are in Cannes.

Just saw Colin's interview with Harry Smith on BWTA. I thought that, too, was very revealing when he said that there wasn't anything(roles) he wanted bad enough that he would crawl through lava or molten rock.

But that statement represents a rather "extreme" case. He did go on to say there were others... Colin looked lovely, but I am wondering about his shoes. What were they? Two-tone whats? Did he ever keep his hands neatly folded in his lap!! It was like he had them rigidly glued there. They were only set free I think once toward the end. He was wearing a black shirt and black slacks...and two-tone shoes. Harry mainly asked him to explain TIOBE: who is who, why they both assume the name Ernest. I liked the behind the scenes footage that showed Colin on the street in London as the dapper Ernest. You only get to see him for a sec in the film on the street and he looks so devilishly good as he swaggers down the street on the way to the music hall. Is anybody transcribing?

And...even I wouldn't have answered that question in public because it would be splashed all over the press "Wot Mr Darcy Would Kill to Do" Far more sensible to say "No, nothing."

About the shoes...I have to admit I have those very boots (but I have had them for a few years--coincidence honestly!). They are called "Blundstone" boots. v.v.v.good in the rain--the two-tone bit is elastic. (You Aussies should know all about it.)

Colin looked lovely, but I am wondering about his shoes. What were they? Two-tone whats? Did he ever keep his hands neatly folded in his lap!! It was like he had them rigidly glued there. Black shirt, black jeans. Just don't ask about the shoes and... those brown socks! I too was amazed at the effort he made to keep still. I wonder if he's been reading our comments? ;-) He does look very thin. I woke up just in time for him! It must be my automatic cf alarm. ;-) Allison, I feel for you! Thanks, Mari for the article.

(Allison) He saw him first in the ticket queue where women were asking for his autograph and he was letting them take photographs. (Have to say that I think asking for those privileges when he is at the theatre in a private capacity is bad form. Agree. Or at Starbucks;-)He shudda worn his glasses. I didn't like the BWTA interview. I missed Elliott Forrest with his unassuming friendly manner ; Harry Smith is marginally better than Kimberley. LOL when he asked Colin what role he would walk over lava to do. Put away the Hamlet stuff, Bethan. That one isn't even on the back burner any more.He likes"unpredictability" However, I was glad he didn't go into any political tirade. Looked gorgeous. Is he taking lessons from JN and RF? That shirt seems to be getting more unbuttoned .Hmmmm. Maybe there's hope for an R-rated after all;-)

Thanks for the article Mari. Why would a reporter feel the need to comment on his looks? (Jealous?) Seems strange. As for you Allison, dinner you can have every night of your life, but.....! Your DH needs to speak with Lora's DH. (HA).

Maybe this was posted here? But I recently read an article in which he rang up Nick Hornby after reading an excerpt from AAB to say that it should be a movie...NH replied that it was already sold. Colin commented that he would've like to play the part of Will, but figured that they went with HG because they needed "someone more bankable than me". Was that an attempt at going through lava? (as much of an attempt that he would make?)

Apparently there are several new photos with the print version of the Washington Post article--pics taken during the interview. Could someone please get hold of it and scan it, or share you copy with someone who can scan?? I thought Colin did well on the BWTA interview. And Harry certainly gave the film a good plug, sayng it was hilarious and how much they enjoyed seeing Colin in it. And no, he didn't touch his face once!:-) And every so often there will be a journalist from Swaziland who doesn't know anything about it -- wonderful." Pfft! Hornby estimates that "Speaking With the Angel" earned half a million dollars for its charities. Probably $450,000 of that, he says, came from Firth fans. I love it! "The letters were from women of a certain age, who said that in some profound way, I had reminded of them of their dead father," he says. No way, no how, I'm feeling daughterly about Darcy!;-)

I agree that admitting that there is something he'd kill to play leaves him open to more publicity than he seems to enjoy. He REALLY doesn't like these interviews does he? As he has said he does "more to mask than to reveal" but in its own way I think it is revealing that he doesn't seem to have a master plan re: his career, just sees what comes along and what catches his interest at the moment it seems. Definitely NOT anxious to be a "star", or he too could employ a well-oiled publicity machine a la HG; seems rather to want to be an actor with a private life that stays that way. Really can't blame him but DO wish he were a tad more ambitious, we'd get to see more of him that way. Well, the above seems to convey what I'm thinking at the momemt, rather inarticulately. And maybe for once I can post without an egregious typo or grammatical error that I don't catch until I hit the submit button. P.S. The "Valmont" DVD arrived. Absolutely NO extras and I'm not convinced that it isn't counterfeit. No security strip along the top of the case, somewhat grainy graphics. A little "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the outer wrapping and LOTS of Chinese as it boots up. Only had a chance to watch a few minutes but the quality of the movie itself seems ok so far, although I did have to go back and turn off the subtitle default. Since I can't read Chinese or Taiwanese or whatever, it's rather more of a distraction that anything.

Ladies, remember last time on BWTA he was asked what role he really wanted to do, and he said Hamlet and that he'd be doing it on stage at year end. And we all know what happened to that. So, he wasn't about to commit himself publicly again. Don't read more into it than that.

Well, looks like this one is moving ahead; dare we hope he and Gwynnie discussed the film last night?;-) Agree it was awful for people to approach for autographs and pics on his private time. From Hollywood Reporter Focus books Plath biopic for Paltrow May 18, 2002 By Gregg Kilday and Stuart Kemp CANNES -- In its first acquisition, Universal Pictures' new specialty film division Focus, headed by James Schamus and David Linde, is striking a literary note, picking up U.S and Canadian distribution rights to an untitled biopic starring Gwyneth Paltrow as the late American poet Sylvia Plath. The project, written by John Brownlow, will be directed by Pawel Pawlikowski ("The Last Resort") and will center on the turbulent relationship between Plath, who committed suicide in 1963, and her husband, Ted Hughes, the British writer and Poet Laureate who died in 1998. Focus will be joining BBC Films, the Film Council's Premiere Fund and Capitol Films in financing the feature. Focus president of production Glenn Williamson brought the project to his company and will oversee filming along with U.K.-based Universal Pictures' Graeme Mason. It was developed by independent producer Alison Owen and BBC Films and will be produced by Owen under her Ruby Films banner. "This is something (Focus' predecessor USA Films and Schamus and Linde's company Good Machine) were aware of. And I've known Alison for a long time," Linde said. "What happened was, it was a closeable deal the day we started our jobs (at Focus). We absolutely wanted to support Glenn and the team, and so we asked them what they wanted to do." Capitol Films - which was associated with USA Films on "Gosford Park" - is co-financing and taking international rights on the as-yet-unbudgeted piece. BBC Films will handle U.K. distribution, with Focus taking the United States and Canada. Said BBC Films chief David Thompson: "It is yet another example of the films we are involved in which have great parts for actors and actresses which attract talent." "This is a company that is going to be based in relations with directors and producers," Linde said, commenting on how the project reflects the direction that the fledgling Focus will take. "When you have collaborators that include Pawel, Alison and the BBC, it is a natural fit. It's interesting because James and I have known about Pawel since 'The Last Resort,' and he's a director who we were interested in working with at Good Machine." Paltrow is appearing in London's West End stage production of "Proof" and next stars in Neil LaBute's film "Possession," which Focus will release in August in the United States. Owen received a best picture Academy Award nomination as producer on "Elizabeth," for Working Title Films. Her other credits include "Moonlight and Valentino," in which Paltrow also starred, and "Hear My Song." Upcoming projects from Ruby Films include Tom Stoppard's adaptation of "Tulip Fever" for DreamWorks and Alex Keshishian's "The American." "The fund is intended to back excellent talent such as Pawel. After our successful collaboration with Capitol Films and USA Films on 'Gosford Park,' we are delighted to be partnering BBC Films, Capital Films and Focus on the movie," Premiere fund chief Robert Jones said.

Hi everyone, I'm new here, and had to just laugh about the interview on BWTA! Not at Colin, but at myself. Had to sneek out of bed at 6AM this morning to watch about 90 minutes if the beginning, only to have my husband of 28 years (last night was our anniversary) come in at the exact moment I was going to turn on the VCR and tape it. He sits down, and asks why I was up so early, only to see Colin come on.... says "if I didn't know better, I'd think you were in love with him".... Asks me about his laundry, could I get it from the dryer, then goes to take a shower on his way to golf. Glad to have him leave the room so I could at least tape 1/2 of it. Dreams Dreams. I try to keep this secret only because he told me years ago he REALLY liked Beverly D'Angelo, and I gave him such a bad time about it, I know he would get way too much enjoyment about paying me back. Love all your comments and being able to live though you all... Keep up the excellent work ladies! I will have to wait a couple more weeks before I get TIOBE in Utah....

SANDI LOL at your Sunday AM scenario...."Ain't No Mountain Higher...." Thanks for sharing.Stick around.

Emma has scanned in the Washington Post pics and I've put them up with the article: http://firth.com/articles/washpost51902.html She's also scanned in the new display ad--IN FULL COLOR--and I'll get that up here shortly. Plus I've also put up the Globe and Mail article as well. Links are on the News page and the Articles Index, although I cudda swore I uploaded the new index page...

Thanks, Karen! That was fast as is your usual! :-) Looking more like brother Jon now. Welcome, Sandi! (Mari), Agree it was awful for people to approach for autographs and pics on his private time. I tend to disagree. They are public figures and the privileges go with the duties. It was a social situation.

And, a big thank you to Emma.

They are public figures and the privileges go with the duties. It was a social situation. Hang on! I cannot let that go by. I live in an area of London where lots of celebs live. I would not dream of approaching them in the street and neither would most people here. Going to the theatre with your wife is in the same category as going to the newsagent to buy a paper or any other personal activity. That is their private time. The reason they like living in the UK is that people generally leave them alone. Otherwise they might as well be behind security gates in LA.

There are ways and there are ways of approaching people. I would not do it but at the theatre standing in line it is a social situation.

(Evelyn) Harry Smith is marginally better than Kimberley. He was laughing his head off. Seemed ok to me. That shirt seems to be getting more unbuttoned. Hmmmm I noticed that too. You'll get an eyeful when I put up the screen caps. ;-D Maybe there's hope for an R-rated after all;-) You people getting working with those rosaries and candles! Welcome Sandi!!! Let your husband have Beverly D'Angelo, especially if that means you can enjoy Colin out in the open. This way you have more to share. ;-D (Amy) Colin commented that he would've like to play the part of Will, but figured that they went with HG because they needed "someone more bankable than me". Do you recall which article that might've been? The background on the movie, though, was that it was initially going to be set in the US. HG has indicated he had read the book and made his interest known. (KathyC) The "Valmont" DVD arrived....and I'm not convinced that it isn't counterfeit. No security strip along the top of the case, somewhat grainy graphics. A little "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the outer wrapping and LOTS of Chinese as it boots up. And Amazon is selling this? I shocked and rather disappointed. I would voice my complaints to Amazon as to why this isn't clearly labeled as an "import" at a minium. Who's label did this out under?

And here is the improved version of the display ad from the Washington Post, as scanned by Emma:

I realize now, that I read the article on (gasp) another web page. The paper cited was "Now!" (UK) dated 5/16/02 titled "Colin Firth's Advice to Renee: Put on Some More Weight" the page says not to reproduce the article...so if you want to read it it, find it here: http://www.grin.net/~meluchie/articles/02now0516 (is it proper here to list other sites?, by the way, why didn't they interview you Karen, for the Post piece?!)

Thank you Karen and Emma.[Don't go running off , Emma. Stick around, we haven't heard from you in a long time. Tell us how you like TIOBE.] TIOBE has certainly gotten more than its share of media exposure for an art-house film.Beautiful colored advert too. Why didn't Colin's agent muscle him in for an audtion for AAB.Surely agents must know when book rights are bought.NH has an agent too.They're all pretty clubby.

I remember Colin saying in some interview that there was a part he wanted, but didn't get. Could it have been something that one of the Fiennes brothers did? I don't remember it being AAB. Welcome Sandi I was wondering about those shoes too. I don't believe in approaching someone on their private time BUT he was standing in the ticket queue. I think it's good for business-he does have a movie opening next Friday. Now, once inside the theater and seated-no way.

Thanks for all the articles, Mari, Bryonny, Linda, Caribou, and Emma. So much info floating around makes it a challenge to sift through it all. (Mari)Lora, tell your DH that he is now in the Firth Hubbies Hall Of Fame! With such an honor, he may start posting yet! ;-) (Lisa)ROTFSMKOW...Rolling on the floor slapping my knee or whatever....I love Lora2002 plastered across Colin's backside! Heeheehee ROTFLOL! It's like he got a tattoo with my name on it in manner of TIOBE! *Sigh* (Lisa)Lora, that pic just hit me as being #1 very good and #2 just different enough that it probably would get to him if you sent it. After all, does he ever get photos from any sources when he goes to these things? A note about hubby's MD present and how you flew to get there would be eyecatching IMO. Thanks, Lisa, for giving my a very good start. I'm mulling it all over in my head and will let you know my progress as I make 'room for development' in this direction. ;-) (Evelyn) So the junket was at the Essex House. Not too far from the Paris theatre. (Dorine)Next time Colin does work for Miramax here, I know which lobby (or similar types) to hang out in. Wish we could have gotten some 'vibrations' about this location too! We could have all met there Tuesday morning for breakfast! Amy thanks for your pics, though Livia is practically airbourne in them! ;-) BWTA was really nice. Hope Harry asked CF if they could do a Biography on him before he left! Have been wishing for one on CF for a while... Maybe he got those two-tone rain boots at a car boot sale. They look like a pair that might be found at one of those...unpredictably ;-)! Welcome, Sandi! We have a lot of Firth fun here! Question: Is it okay to ask for a picture at a premiere since it is part of his job vs. a play he attends for leisure? I felt very nervous about it in the first place since it is such an invasion of privacy.

(Lora), With such an honor, he may start posting yet! ;-) You don't want that to happen. ;-) (Lisa)I love Lora2002 plastered across Colin's backside! Heeheehee (Lora), ROTFLOL! It's like he got a tattoo with my name on it in manner of TIOBE! *Sigh* LOL! I thought of that. ;-D (Lora), Question: Is it okay to ask for a picture at a premiere since it is part of his job vs. a play he attends for leisure? I felt very nervous about it in the first place since it is such an invasion of privacy. These are actors. Let's not get that carried away. They have a duty for their many privileges. It's not like he's with his kids in church.

(Moon)You don't want that to happen. ;-) Was definitely kidding...Nevah! (Moon)These are actors. Let's not get that carried away. They have a duty for their many privileges. It's not like he's with his kids in church. I agree with you. And I like the point that you made, Linda, about when he's outside in line (and with his movie coming out) that it's okay, but it would not be after he's already seated.

Glad to read (Now article - thanks Amy!) that he'd be delighted to do BJD The Sequel. And that he likes Size 12! (Rene *is* too thin now) And that he's doing work for Oxfam.

Thanks Karen and Emma for the article and new photos. I like the series of three different expressions. Looks like they were taken while he was being interviewed instead of a special photo shoot. Oh, these two weeks have been exciting. What's come and is to come is better than I had hoped a month ago. Yippee! Wheeee! (I love this part of the Firth Coaster!)

Here's another goodie, from today's San Diego Union-Tribune. Can anyone in SoCal get hold of this one for scanning? I'm told there are new pics with it. Thanks to Lynne: A good mind and great dimples Colin Firth's 'Earnest' about the acting life By Karla Peterson ARTS WRITER May 19, 2002 LOS ANGELES � He had Rene� Zellweger dashing through snowy London in her underwear. He crashed a plane on Kristin Scott Thomas' behalf. He turned the women of Britain into a quivering mass of human pudding. Whether he is the uptight suitor in "Bridget Jones's Diary," the half-mad cuckold in "The English Patient," or the simmering Mr. Darcy in TV's "Pride and Prejudice," love does funny things to people when Colin Firth is on screen. But playing the lover doesn't do much for Colin Firth. "I find no great joy in playing romantic characters or leading men," the 41-year-old Brit says firmly. "I find no great joy in trying to woo the audience. It's boring. For me, the fascination about being human lies in its difficulties." Like the stuffed-shirt types he fills out so well, Firth speaks with a drawing-room elegance that is both impeccably polite and confidently abrupt. The voice would be scary, if the face weren't so dimpled. And the discourse would be intimidating, if the man behind it wasn't so bent on making himself clear. As it turns out, the actor who's been called, "The Thinking Woman's Crumpet" is a thinker. And as Firth discusses a career that includes Oscar-winning blockbusters, art-film curios and at least one media sensation, he scatters quotable crumbs that never go quite where you'd expect. Take his new film. For his entry in the Summer Movie Sweepstakes, Firth journeys back to 1890s England for Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." With a top-drawer cast that includes Rupert Everett, Judi Dench and Reese Witherspoon, and a witty adaptation by writer-director Oliver Parker, "Earnest" (opening May 31 in San Diego) is a pretty tropical fish that could get lost in a sea of cinematic sharks. But if you thought this was a good time to engage Firth in a battle against the Dummies of Summer, you would be wrong. "I love dumb movies," Firth said. "I think the cinema is a great place for mindless entertainment. It's not just a place of personal expansion and stimulation and education, thank God. It's the place where you go to be taken away somewhere. I think that's very important. I'm a great champion of triviality." Lounging on a hotel couch in jeans, a plain brown sweater and sneakers, the surprisingly boyish Firth could pass for a regular guy on his way to an "Attack of the Clones" matinee. But beginning with his film debut in 1984's "Another Country," the son of two liberal-minded teachers and the grandson of missionaries has spent much of his time playing stuffy prigs and slow-boiling headcases. From the pompous Lord Wessex in "Shakespeare in Love," to the homicidal introvert in "Apartment Zero" and last year's Emmy-nominated turn as an anti-Semitic lawyer in HBO's "Conspiracy," Firth is often the man least likely to be liked. But when he played one of literature's most uptightgentlemen, a nation went just a little bit nuts. The film was "Pride and Prejudice," a 1995 BBC miniseries based on Jane Austen's beloved novel. As the very rich, very proper Mr. Darcy, Firth was snobby, imposing, vain and distant. But when he fell in love with the feisty Elizabeth Bennett (the wonderful Jennifer Ehle), the brooding Darcy melted in the most stirring way. By the end of the six-part series, the BBC had a huge hit on its hands, and a busy character actor had become a full-fledged sex symbol. "My country became a different place for me," Firth says of the flurry of press, gossip and Darcymania that followed. "I was delighted that it was happening, but it took me so by surprise, I couldn't really make sense of it. I had never focused on playing romantic characters, so I actually felt like it was happening to someone else, and I did not know how to answer for it. "When people asked me about the experience, I tended to sidestep it. And immediately that became identified as an attempt to shun it. I became, 'The Reluctant Heartthrob.' It's not that I hated it. I just didn't feel like I owned it." Never the most savvy careerist, Firth did not follow his Darcy triumph with a fleet of celluloid dreamboats. Instead, he devoted himself to fiber-rich BBC roles ("Donovan Quick," the "Nostromo" miniseries) and quirky art-house films ("Fever Pitch," "My Life So Far"). Then along came Ms. Jones. Like most British women (and the Americans who caught the hugely popular A&E airing in 1996), "Bridget Jones's Diary" author Helen Fielding had a "Pride and Prejudice" fixation. So much so, that she based the pompously attractive Mark Darcy character on Firth's version of Mr. Darcy. When the book became a movie, Firth became the 21st-century version of his 19th-century snob. Once again, he was playing a prickly, difficult man, and once again women on either side of the screen were dropping like flies. "I haven't ever seen an actor who generates the excitement, especially from females, that Colin does," says Donald Haber, executive director of the Los Angeles branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. "He transcends his technical expertise by being so very appealing. He's not just carrying his role, he is adding warmth. I think over the next 10 years, he is going to become a very major star." Meanwhile, the man behind the buzz just shakes his head. "I do not understand it," Firth says, looking convincingly baffled. "As a man, I don't dare to venture a theory as to what makes women so attracted to these characters. But I do think there must be something appealing about a powerful, forbidding figure who becomes warm and loving. That's about as far as I dare go." And that's as far as he needs to go. While it is true that Firth is a handsome man and a first-rate smolderer, women fall for his difficult heroes for the same reason he does. Because they are complicated and conflicted. Because they are stubborn and principled. Because when you truly win them over, you have truly won. "I turned down Mr. Darcy several times. And then a very literate friend said I had to do it, because no one was capable of being as unashamedly unpleasant and unsympathetic as I was. And that was the hook for me. I wanted to engage with his difficulties. He was emotionally impeded, and that's what I was going for with that performance. I just said, 'Here I am, to hell with the rest of you. Hate me if you must. I don't care.' "I enjoyed the honesty of that," Firth says, settling back with his bottled water. "I enjoy the fact that you can sometimes be more honest with that acting mask on than you can at any other time in your life." Firthomania! For an actor who has yet to carry a major motion picture on his own, Firth has a rabid and well-heeled female following. They buy his used pillowcases and gently worn sweaters at charity auctions. They attend his talks on behalf of those seeking political asylum. Earlier this month, some fans trekked down from Seattle and Portland for BAFTA/L.A.'s screening of "Earnest" and the question-and-answer session that followed. "You would think that at a certain point, everyone who was going to get excited about Colin Firth would have done it," Haber says with a chuckle. "But every time we have a Q&A with him, we have more people wanting to come. It is quite comical sometimes the length they will go to to get into the theater. All great actors have people who really follow their careers and enjoy their performances, but Colin somehow touches a deeper nerve. It isn't just a fan club, it's an emotional fan club." Obviously, Firth's fans admire his intelligent, oddball movies. But because they read that he is a devoted husband and father, a dedicated political activist and a lover of difficult novels, they admire him, too. And Firth is not sure that's such a good idea. "I get letters from people who think they've got an understanding of what sort of person I am, but it's actually a montage of snippets from interviews and the kinds of things I've chosen to say in public. People want to create an image for the human being behind the part, but that image is not recognizable to me or anybody who knows me." "I have no problem with it," he adds with an amiable shrug. "But I think it makes much more sense to piece clues together by looking at someone's work." For those of you who are keeping track, the next clue drops in the fall. In the bittersweet comedy "Hope Springs," Firth plays Colin Ware, an awkward British artist who takes an impulsive trip to the United States after being dumped by his girlfriend. Minnie Driver is the acid-tongued ex, Heather Graham is the sweetly dippy new love interest, and Firth is the man in the middle. The one whose bruised silences speak volumes. "Outsiders have always been a bit of a leitmotif in my work," Firth says, that rich voice rising smoothly above the lobby Muzak. "And it isn't an accident of typecasting that repression comes up a great deal. I'm always interested in what happens to people when they're stifled and limited in some way. Watching people try to contain tears is often far more moving than watching somebody's body fluids exploding all over the screen."

Thanks to Emma for the Washington Post scans and Karen for getting them up so quickly!:-) Don't you love a man who is down to earth enough to admit he loves dumb movies, and smart enough to use words like leimotif? Sigh . . .:-)

(CF) "I love dumb movies," Firth said. "I think the cinema is a great place for mindless entertainment. It's not just a place of personal expansion and stimulation and education, thank God. It's the place where you go to be taken away somewhere. I think that's very important. I'm a great champion of triviality." *Now* you're talking, Colin. Movies have to transport me. And not every movie has to be an Oscar winner!!It's ok to like dumb... K&L, remember?;-) Super article.Thanks Mari.

For our "international" Drooleurs and the cable-deprived, here's a transcript of the BWTA interview with a few screen caps. Sorry, he wasn't smiling much at all. (if anyone can fill in the opening few words, I'd appreciate it, as it missed a nanosecond or two while the recording cogs were engaging. ;-D http://www.firth.com/int/bwta51902.html

Karen, you are amazing. Thank you for the screen caps. I missed the opening words too. I almost missed taping the whole beginning as I was caught off guard-pouring a cup of coffee. Mari, thanks for that great article. Looks like ODB has been v.v. busy with interviews. Lounging on a hotel couch in jeans ooh!

(Amy) is it proper here to list other sites? Sure, especially those sites that respect and credit their sources. Meluchie's is A-OK. (Lora) Question: Is it okay to ask for a picture at a premiere since it is part of his job vs. a play he attends for leisure? I felt very nervous about it in the first place since it is such an invasion of privacy. The premiere is about as PUBLIC as it gets. Did you not see the pen of photographers? Plus, you can tell Livia is dressed to be photographed despite her choice of bra color. ;-D Thanks Mari and Lynne for the San Diego article. I've emailed 'Keepsie' Cathy in SD about the article and to see what she can do about it. Loved that subtitle re: dimples "I haven't ever seen an actor who generates the excitement, especially from females, that Colin does," says Donald Haber, executive director of the Los Angeles branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. And Bafta/LA's coffers are just that much more richer for the experience. ;-D For an actor who has yet to carry a major motion picture on his own, Firth has a rabid and well-heeled female following. They buy his used pillowcases and gently worn sweaters at charity auctions. They attend his talks on behalf of those seeking political asylum. Earlier this month, some fans trekked down from Seattle and Portland for BAFTA/L.A.'s screening of "Earnest" and the question-and-answer session that followed. "...It is quite comical sometimes the length they will go to get into the theater. *snort* You guys have been busted, big time. ;-D "I get letters from people who think they've got an understanding of what sort of person I am, but it's actually a montage of snippets from interviews and the kinds of things I've chosen to say in public. People want to create an image for the human being behind the part, but that image is not recognizable to me or anybody who knows me." Finally!! I feel like putting this is bold face type on the main page. Am ROTFLOL slapping my knee whatever. ;-)))))))))

Lora, why can't I find your picture of ODB with the Lora 2002 tatoo?

Linda, you will find the tatooed shots here: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/earnest_nycprem.html I swear to God, I didn't put it intentionally in the same place as either Ernest or Gwendolen's in the movie on the fourth pic. Now if Amy had gotten a butt shot, I could've double-tatooed him. *hee hee*

I swear to God, I didn't put it intentionally in the same place as either Ernest or Gwendolen's in the movie on the fourth pic. Now if Amy had gotten a butt shot, I could've double-tatooed him. *hee hee* Sure, sure Karen, I believe you! Butt shots, lounging on hotel couches-yikes-more pleasant dreams tonight!

One more thing, Butt shots, next time Amy, butt shots

Down girls, down! He had a suit jacket on--couldn't have very well asked him to, er, lift it up for me. (There seems to be no other way to type this...digging myself into a huge hole...downward spiral....) Is this the begining of another leitmotif? (word o' the day) Shall I reference you all to the beginning of BJD to satiate you all? ;^)

Afterthought-- Doesn't Lora have one (sort of) getting into a limo?

(Amy)Is this the begining of another leitmotif? No, just the end of a crazy week. I've been in a downward spiral all day! Hey, did anyone have to look up leitmotif?-just asking.

Not a good time to be away when CF is launching a movie - so much to catch up on! But thanks to all who are so prompt and generous in sharing anything and everything about CF. Welcome Sandi! Karen - thanks for thinking of us "internatinal Drooleurs" - it is an exercise in imagination dreaming up all that is described on the US television screens. Well - at least we will get "Today" down here. I think it starts at 1 am - looks lots of late night/early morning vigil coming up this week. To the other Aussies on the board - if anyone is taping the segment, is it possible to get a copy of it? I am travelling around and will be watching from my hotel rooms so won't be able to record. Please email me offlist - minkee@hotmail.com. Thanks in advance. Mari - love the San Diego Tribune article. Thanks for posting. The voice would be scary, if the face weren't so dimpled. And the discourse would be intimidating, if the man behind it wasn't so bent on making himself clear. This line could launch a thousand sighs. Never the most savvy careerist... Now don't get Mari started...LOL! (Mari), Agree it was awful for people to approach for autographs and pics on his private time. (Moon) I tend to disagree. They are public figures and the privileges go with the duties. It was a social situation. I think most of CF's fans are generally considerate and well-behaved. I tend to agree with Moon. As one who holds such a public career - he is probably prepared to sacrifice a bit of his "privacy" in such public situations. Much better that he is recognised (especially when he's got a movie to open) than not.

close tag?

sorry trying to close again

I'm a great champion of triviality." Say it isn't so! :-( "I turned down Mr. Darcy several times. And then a very literate friend said I had to do it, because no one was capable of being as unashamedly unpleasant and unsympathetic as I was. Should we take him at his word? ;-) Thanks for posting it, Mari! And thanks for typing up the BWTA interview, Karen.

That's one of the best interviews of CF that I've ever read. Thanks, Mari and Lynne! New SAT analogy question: A good mind is to great dimples as a leitmotif is to ......? ;-);-) (CF)But I do think there must be something appealing about a powerful, forbidding figure who becomes warm and loving. But also that the forbidding, snobbish Mr. Darcy learns something and changes for the better because of the words of a powerful and intelligent woman. That's what I think appeals to women and CF does it to perfection. (Amy)They are called "Blundstone" boots. v.v.v.good in the rain--the two-tone bit is elastic. I didn't mean to make light of your boots in post # 349. Did you wear them on Monday night because of the rain? Wish we had known then that he had a pair too. You could have started a conversation with them! ;-) (Amy)Doesn't Lora have one (sort of) getting into a limo? I have another as he is about to turn towards the limo from a standing position, but a woman dressed in red walked right in front of him! Gah! Hmmm, how did you know I had another? ;-)

Karen, my taping of BWTA ran continuously from the beginning to the end of Colin's interview with HS. I just reviewed the CF interview several times, and from what I read of your transcript you have it all. It was interesting hearing the P&P music played over the collaged "Earnest" scenes they showed, wasn't it? It sort of worked for some of them. Made Ernest look like he was pretending to be Darcy too!

(CF)And I probably thrive on that. I thrive on being this sort of, you know, as we call it, car boot sale, a garage sale. Not knowing what?s going to show up. You lift this up and something?s underneath it . I find that exhilarating in a way. I like to see what comes. LOL.Know who he reminds me of? Walker Janeway, the flaneur ;-) Boss you little fingers must be worn down to a nub. What a day! The BWTA transcript page looks terrific.

Time to finally de-lurk and greet you all and thank you for all the information and some great laughs. I've not been around that long, but last week was a great week to be reading over your shoulders. I know none of you but felt a kinship this morning at 7 CDT for BWTA. Also, Karen, thanks first of all for unlocking the door for me and also for the BWTA pictures and transcription, they are wonderful! I don't come totally empty-handed, Biography magazine has a small Spotlight article on ODB I've not seen mentioned here yet (no new info but a picture I've not seen before.) I can type in the text but could as easily scan it if you'd like and can let me know what format to send it in. Thanks again and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!

Barb!! So glad you're here! The heavens have answered my prayers. Another person who can scan. *Adrenaline kicking in now* [btw, you can send the pic in jpg or gif form to me at nomdedrool@yahoo.com] If you think this is a fun time, catch us on Colin's birthday. ;-D BTW, the San Diego newspaper will be in the mail tomorrow. (Lora) A good mind is to great dimples as a leitmotif is to ......? I'll bite. ...is to muffins. ;-D

Welcome Sandi & Barb! (CF)"I get letters from people who think they've got an understanding of what sort of person I am, but it's actually a montage of snippets from interviews and the kinds of things I've chosen to say in public. People want to create an image for the human being behind the part, but that image is not recognizable to me or anybody who knows me." True, but between paradoxes, evolving through the decades, and voluntarily "brouiller les pistes" (meaning: messing up the tracks), it sure makes for a fun exercise to try to analyze the guy... that is when there are no dimples in sight in public places. :) Plus he spends most of his roles being the guy we try to understand (Valmont, Darcy, Paul Ashworth, Robert Lawrence, etc...), so he should not be surprised that that's what his fans strive to do! For my part, by now I've read enough contradictory statements from him to cure me from advancing theories about him... because in the end, (he's right) I'll never get a chance to test them anyway! :-( Now back to business: on another site I saw a reference to an interview for TIOBE on the film itv site (sorry can't remember the URL), but they seem to be talking to CF v.v. briefly (he actually only gets to say thank you to a gushing interviewer) and then longer to RE and FOC. Was there something else? (I haven't seen this mentioned before here, sorry if it has). If the Valmont DVD from B&N.com was illegal, what is the official word about its release? I had read somewhere (again, must learn to take notes obviously :) ) June. Was that an official word from the studios/production?

While it is true that Firth is a handsome man and a first-rate smolderer... Since this is seems to be a general consensus, would love to hear why the writer from the Washington Post seems to be so far off the beaten path...I guess to each her own. "But every time we have a Q&A with him, we have more people wanting to come. YES! Especially in NY! (that actually take place) It is quite comical sometimes the length they will go to to get into the theater. Maybe because they cancel Q&A's in NY :-/ (Karen) You guys have been busted, big time And I thought I was invisible standing on that flowerpot, sopping wet, head and shoulders above the press. Thanks Karen and Mari for all the interviews! Welcome all newbies from a relative newbie!

Time to 'fess up with my sources: Marie-Claude on the A&E P&P message board mentioned the site with the TIOBE interview and the link: http://www.fmitv.com/movies.asp?videoid=importance_colinfirth and I got past the chopped problem by switching readers (Windows Media instead of RealPlayer). I liked the "I sing like a cat" (if he's like Thomas O'Malley, it sounds good to me ;) ) And the Valmont DVD is shown as upcoming July 2002 for region 1 by meluchie's site (FoF)

Well, I have something to report. I know, I find it hard to believe myself. I just got through scanning News headlines from Yahoo and clicked in Entertainment and upon scrolling down, there it was. Big as brass. "Mr. Darcy Hard To Shake" Very short article rehashing a bit from one of those above about Swaziland and one other point. Funny though, just below it is another of nearly or the exact same headline. Two articles in a row, one has a pic from last year's BJD opening in London. Both dated May 20th. Still, I was rather pleased to be the first to report such a 'find'. It looks so good to see CF in a headline where you usually get Madonna or Britney Spears! Yep, he's right in there between Robert Blake, the "Clones", and Liam Neeson! http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=493&ncid=790&e=1&u=/ap/20020520/ap_en_mo/people_firth_2 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=762&e=4&u=/ap/20020520/ap_en_mo/people_firth_1 Can you recall CF being a Yahoo headliner before or is this a first???? And, thanks to everyone who has posted these last few days with the multitude of info, articles and pics. I, for one, have really had a great time with it all.

(Lora) A good mind is to great dimples as a leitmotif is to ......? ...work. ;-) Welcome Barb! If you think this is a fun time, catch us on Colin's birthday. ;-D That's September 10th, so mark your calendars. :-) (Karen) You guys have been busted, big time (Dorine), And I thought I was invisible standing on that flowerpot, sopping wet, head and shoulders above the press. LOL! I was payback time. ;-D

Did anyone see Rupie's interview on Today? It just finished. Katie was gushing over Colin. Hee, hee . . .:-)

(Mari)Did anyone see Rupie's interview on Today? It just finished. Katie was gushing over Colin. Hee, hee . . .:-) I know! She really included Colin's part in the movie as part of Rupie's interview. Maybe she wants to log in, Karen! ;-) We always thought she was on our team ;-)(heehee)

Katie was gushing over Colin. Hee, hee . . .:-) HeeHee indeed! Maybe someone oughta warn Livia before Friday! She may want to escort him into the studio. :) Just what part of the program was it in then Mari??? (Gotta check when it comes on here...around midnight I think.)

Lisa, it was just past the 1 1/2 hour point. I am almost positive that Rupe's segment was pre-taped and that Colin's will be too. Hint: Katie is wearing a different outfit for Rupe's interview than she is on the news portion of the program. "Colin Firth . . . be still my heart . . .I love Colin Firth!"

Pardon me - rest of Drooleurs, please excuse the next few seconds while I try and catch Lisa's attention just in case she does not read her email..... Lisa - pretty please.... I am in a hotel in Melbourne all week and away from a VCR - if you are still up and can tape the relevant segments of "Today" - may I please get a copy from you later?

Movies: Wilde at Heart Costume comedy in the grand Miramax tradition By David Ansen NEWSWEEK May 27 issue � The best moments in Oliver Parker�s screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde�s comedy �The Importance of Being Earnest� are when the movie just sits back and lets Wilde�s supremely witty scenes play. LIKE THE ONE in which the imperious Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench) interrogates Jack Worthing (Colin Firth), who is pleading for her daughter Gwendolen�s (Frances O�Connor) hand in marriage. �To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune,� she hisses icily upon discovering his orphan status, �to lose both looks like carelessness.� The play is A total artifice, built on farcical symmetries: Jack and his ne�er-do-well friend Algernon (Rupert Everett) both have to pretend to be the nonexistent Ernest Worthing, for they have fallen in love with women, Gwendolen and Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), who insist on marrying men of that name. Probability wasn�t at the top of Wilde�s priorities. Parker, on the other hand, seems afraid that Wilde�s theatricality isn�t �cinematic.� He encourages his cast toward a sotto voce naturalism and slices Wilde�s scenes into fragments, scattering them around the �real� world to open things up. And the drawing-room settings get upgraded Miramax style: grand country estates and chambers worthy of monarchs. When the movie misfires�in the dreadful �fantasy� sequences in which Cecily�s girlish romantic dreams are staged as Pre-Raphaelite tableaux, or the jarring flashback revealing Lady Bracknell�s �secret� past as a chorus girl�Parker just gets in the way, spoiling the rhythm of Wilde�s shapely comic scenes with fussy business. This may be a less than ideal �Earnest,� but it still has delights, not least of all Anna Massey�s Miss Prism, Cecily�s dotty tutor, and Tom Wilkinson�s Dr. Chasuble, her clergyman admirer. Firth�s comic timing is subtle and seductive, and plays nicely off Everett�s jaded foppery. Witherspoon is quite at home in the English surroundings, but surprisingly misses much of her character�s humor. You�d think Lady Bracknell was a role Dench would hit out of the ballpark. She is funny (how could you not be, with these lines?), but she plays her with a severity more befitting her Queen Victoria in �Mrs. Brown.� I wish she�d had more fun with the part: she gets Lady B.�s tyrannical side, but neglects her silliness. Wilde, after all, was never more serious than when he was being utterly frivolous. � 2002 Newsweek, Inc.

Lisa, it's at the end of the program during the last half hour. Unless Today has an extended hour in Minkeeland. If so, it is in the regular last half hour. Our Today Show hours EST: 7am-9am with an extended hour until about 10am. Rupie was interviewed at about 25 minutes till 9. Hope that helps and isn't too confusing. It was definitely recorded at an earlier date because Katie had on a different outfit. Loved both your answers to the analogy, Karen & Moon. Both answers work very well and yet say something different about him. It just goes to show that it's hard to pin-point his personality ;-). Karen, your page on the BWTA interview is so well done in so little time! How do you do it so quickly? You have it all done and finished before one can say leitmotif! Welcome, Barb!!!

Lisa, don't worry about my earlier request. Found another solution so I don't have to bother you. But thanks anyway. I'll keep vigil with you tonight/this morning! Enjoy.

OMG...Minkeee, we have a new VCR that I've never tried to tape from. And, where would the tapes be??? If I have any...would you mind having the interview on a tape with Funny Farm and Coming to America? :))) I'll do my best.

Whew, good, heart rate is returning to normal.

Again, the East Coasters beat us to the punch. Shoot, I should've taped Rupe's interview, just to have Katie holding her hand fluttering over her heart and saying "Be still my heart" when she mentioned Colin. Oh, baby, I can't wait until Friday. This ought to be great. ;-) Highly recommended viewing, ladies in the western and other time zones on the other side of world. Thanks for posting the Newsweek review, Mari. At this rate, I won't have anything to put on the website, except the nice thing he had to say about Colin's performance. And he's the first to criticize the bit about Lady B's past. But why not the ending revelation? And I don't mean to leave out anyone, even though Sandi has posted on another topic so... Sandi!!

British press, picking up on snippets of Colin's printed interviews. Love Ananova's title and how out of context it is. Next headline should probably be: English are repressed and illiterate. ;-D English are repressed, says Bridget Jones star Colin Firth says the English are emotionally repressed. The actor is best known for roles in Bridget Jones's Diary and The English Patient. Firth stars with Judi Dench and Rupert Everett in a new film version of The Importance Of Being Earnest. "For obvious reasons I tend to do films about English people, and one of the defining features of English people - at least in the mythology we have of English people - is emotional repression," he told the Washington Post. The Importance Of Being Earnest is due out in the UK in September.

But he's often best remembered for his role as Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC miniseries "Pride and Prejudice," which was seen by more than 100 million viewers worldwide. Wow!! Not many English actors can top that number for a TV series! Thanks Lisa for bringing us the Yahoo links.*glowing* Barb C'mon you lurkers... y'all come! New folks bring verve and enthusiasm to our board!You don't have to bring news to jump in...just your happy face:-)) Mari, I'm encouraged by the Newsweek review. *dumming fingers..waiting for TIME*

Like most British women (and the Americans don`t forget me, fixated Finnish girl;) I have seen all kinds of Darcy comments here too, one not so nice was in a K&L review where Leopold/HJ was praised: "even beats CF`s divine Darcy"...

Exciting news...well, could be...!! Daily Telegraph has a very prominent article on page 3, from the Cannes Film Festival, with huge pics of Gwwyneth Paltrow and her mother. GP is tp lay Sylvia Plath in the BBC's film of her marriage to Ted Hughes. Filming to start in the autumn. Colin Firth and Russell Crowe are being considered for the role of Ted Hughes. It's a long article, must be online.

HI all again! thanks for making me feel so welcome.... I also have a scanner....And thanks Barb for the heads up on the biography magazine, received it but had not had a chance to read it yet, but the INSTANT I heard your comment, I grabbed it and scanned it. Who can I send this to so it can be posted? I think it might be an older picture, he has a red TN on. Iam also in the process of getting an ariticle from the LA Times living section from 05/08/2002 which I have not seen yet, will keep you posted.

(Bethan)Colin Firth and Russell Crowe are being considered for the role of Ted Hughes. Bethan, I'm skipping the candles and the rosaries and fast-forwarding to a group novena for this one. *All faiths welcome.* ;-) Murph assures me that Russell has jobs lined up through, oh, 2009, so we may have a shot at this one. *Praying that shooting of ho-hum-sounding TAG doesn't interfere.*

(Mari) Did anyone see Rupie's interview on Today? It just finished. Katie was gushing over Colin. Hee, hee . . .:-) (Lora) She really included Colin's part in the movie as part of Rupie's interview. Katie was way too cute! She's gushing just talking ABOUT him... She'll be a puddle on the floor when he's there! Bet Rupie didn't appreciate how Katie dovetailed that interview right to Colin ;-) Also, did anyone notice an inordinate amount of eyeliner on RE, or was the glare on my TV distorting my picture? Can't wait 'til Friday!

thanks for all the great articles, really liked the one from the San Diego Union-Tribune. does Ted Hughes fit into Colin's leitmotif of outsiders?

(Dorine) yes I noticed that on RE, the eyeliner... wierd. and can't wait to see Katie interview ODB!! It will be a riot I am sure! you guys are all making me forget about work, could do this 24/7!!

Thanks, Sandi, but Barb has scanned the Biography item and I'm going to post it shortly. It is *based* on an old photoshoot, but is not the exact same one that appeared in the June 1997 Vogue, when Colin was profiled to promote A Thousand Acres. This is the red turtleneck shot from when he was filming "The World of Moss," later known as My Life So Far. Here is the full Telegraph article and the url below (you need to register at the site) While it's probably a good thing Lizza is offline for this news, I am thrilled to see Colin's name up there next to RC's. ;-D Will print this off and put it in the "Rumor/No Go" file. Paltrow to star as tortured poet Plath in BBC film By Nigel Reynolds, Arts Correspondent in Cannes The short, tragic marriage of the poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, which ended with her suicide at the age of 31, is to be turned into a major feature film starring the Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow. It will be the first time that cinema has explored the painful and tangled relationship, perhaps the most picked-over literary marriage of the 20th century. The film is bound to stir controversy and reopen wounds in the families of both poets. Ted Hughes, who died in 1998 aged 68, discouraged most attempts to dramatise or to pry into episodes from his life. He would almost certainly have resorted to legal action to block any film. Plath, a beautiful, highly-strung American, and Hughes, a dark and difficult English womaniser who was later to become Poet Laureate, fell in love in Cambridge and married in 1956. They had two children but Hughes left her for his mistress, Assia Wevill. In despair, Plath killed herself by putting her head in the gas oven at their flat in north London in February 1963. Her poems and troubled life have turned her into an icon, particularly to American feminists. After her death Hughes suffered many accusations that he was a monster who drove her to suicide. The anger against him intensified when it was discovered that Wevill, whom he later married, also committed suicide by putting her head in a gas oven. Their infant daughter, Shura, also died in the incident. Many Hollywood actresses, including Meg Ryan, have aspired to play Plath. But previous attempts by studios to show her life on screen foundered on Hughes's opposition and because Americans do not like unhappy endings. The new �7 million project, so far untitled, is to be made by BBC Films and several partners. The producers have approached Nicholas and Frieda Hughes, the children of the marriage who inherited Plath's literary estate after their father's death. It is not thought that they will attempt to block the film. It is probable that Paltrow's mother, the actress Blythe Danner, will play Plath's mother Aurelia. Paltrow, who was desperate [Ed note: crawl through molten lava?] to win the Plath role, is said to be very keen to act with her mother on screen for the first time. The role of Hughes has not yet been cast, although Colin Firth - whose latest film The Importance of Being Earnest has just opened in America - and Russell Crowe are among names being considered. David Thompson, head of BBC Films, said yesterday that the film would be a "very respectful" portrait of the marriage, with its highs as well as its lows, seen principally through the eyes of Plath. Mr Thompson was also responsible for the film Iris, about the illness and death of the novelist Iris Murdoch. He said: "What we don't want from this film is any sense of Hollywood schmaltz. It won't be glossed up for cheap entertainment. Everybody is concerned to do this in a very responsible way that illuminates their lives. "The story has a terribly sad ending but I think we can show that the marriage had many strong points and that the film can, in a way, be life enhancing." Frieda Hughes, a poet who lives in south London, said yesterday: "I am not commenting. The BBC has informed me but I have no involvement with the project." For Paltrow, 29, an Anglophile who is currently in the West End play Proof and who won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love, playing the tragic poet could be one of the most significant roles of her career. BBC Films announced the plan in a rush at the Cannes Film Festival at the weekend as soon as the actress agreed to star. Shooting will start in the autumn and the BBC hopes that by moving quickly it will kill off four other possible Plath-Hughes films. Mr Thompson said that Paltrow was ideal for the part. "She has the perfect physical aspects, she's very intelligent and she has the right sort of fragility and vulnerability." Hughes has recently emerged in a better light. Shortly before his death he published Birthday Letters, a collection of his poems that showed the depth of his love for Plath over many years. And a new biography of Plath, written by a friend and published this week, claims that Hughes may have wanted to leave his mistress to return to live with his wife. Jillian Becker says in her book, The Last Days of Sylvia Plath, that Plath may have met Hughes on the eve of her death. The biographer even suggests that the late Poet Laureate's attempt at a reconciliation could have led to Plath's suicide. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2002%2F05%2F20%2Fwcann20.xml

(Dorine) yes I noticed that on RE, the eyeliner... wierd. and can't wait to see Katie interview ODB!! It will be a riot I am sure! you guys are all making me forget about work, could do this 24/7!!

(Bethan)Colin Firth and Russell Crowe are being considered for the role of Ted Hughes. (Mari) Murph assures me that Russell has jobs lined up through, oh, 2009, so we may have a shot at this one. OMG!! You *know* Gwynnie will go for Colin. ...incense is going, joss sticks..... * bowing towards the east on my prayer rug* (Sandi) you guys are all making me forget about work, could do this 24/7!! Like I said...welcome to the club;-) Hey, Katie just saying "Be still my heart" sent a million people to see "Earnest"

(Dorine) yes I noticed that on RE, the eyeliner... wierd. and can't wait to see Katie interview ODB!! It will be a riot I am sure! you guys are all making me forget about work, could do this 24/7!!

Yikes, was refreshing my screen, sorry about the multi posts!

Hughes, a dark and difficult English womaniser Well, what has CF been saying about the characters he likes to portray??? Surely those comments weren't a smokescreen to the real man! although Colin Firth - whose latest film The Importance of Being Earnest has just opened in America - and Russell Crowe are among names being considered. Yes yes, RC is considered for anything and everything if they can get him. We all know that. God help us if they add HG's name to the list. If he would just tune in here, there would be an unlimited amount of valuable advice for him to draw from as how to proceed with obtaining this part. But a dark and difficult Englishman seems right up someone's alley. And, he was a Gwynnie connection. Maybe she will insist on a certain co-star! :)))) (And, I don't think the Today show is coming on...it's 2:15 here!)

Karen I just ordered the San Diego 05/19 paper, will advise oyu when I get it..

That pic is a variation on one we've seen, but I like this one much better. *Running mouse over that cleft in his chin.* Thanks, Barb and Karen. And a warm welcome to all our newbies! But previous attempts by studios to show her life on screen foundered on Hughes's opposition and because Americans do not like unhappy endings. Yes, in the American version, Sylvia sticks her head in the oven, but sets it on "Hold Warm." Ted arrives home from a hard day of writing poetry, and is alarmed at the scene before him. However, Sylvia emerges from the oven freshly coiffed; seems it was an economical way to dry her hair. Sylvia finally convinces that gosh-darned Ted to give her more allowance money for a proper hairdresser! Tune in next week for more adventures from these wacky kids in "Sylvia Slashes Her Wrists." "Golly, Ted, I only did it 'cause it felt so good when I stopped!" ;-)

Helpful Hint: Unlike message boards, you can't Refresh or Reload to get new messages. In fact, if you've posted a message, it will do it again. In order to see if there are new, hilarious and educational entries, you need to reenter the topic via the url--either go to the main Drool page: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/browse/drool/all/new to see which topics have new messages or hit the current url [enter key] in the location box at the top. [I give up trying to get all the !@#$$% tags right!!] Here's the Biography pic, courtesy of Barb, and the text, usual bio stuff: Claim to Fame The reserve, refined British actor became the obsession of millions of American fans as dashing Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennett's [sic] aloof but honorable love interest in the 1995 A&E miniseries Pride and Prejudice. "I can't understand it," he marveled. "I've never tried harder not to be sexy in my life." Current Role Learns the importance of being honest in The Importance of Being Earnest, a film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners and mistaken identity. Firth plays Jack Worthing, whose use of the sincere-sounding pseudonym Ernest gets him in absurd trouble. Prominent Parts Moved into modern roles in last year's hit comedy Bridget Jones's Diary, playing Mark Darcy, the title character's aloof but honorable love interest. Portrayed a Nazi bureaucrat in Conspiracy, an HBO film about the planning of the "final solution." Appeared in two Best Picture Oscar winners: 1996's The English Patient (as Kristin Scott Thomas' cuckolded aristocrat husband and '98's Shakespeare in Love (as Gwyneth Paltrow's malevolent aristocrat fianc�). Portrayed the amoral title character in Valmont, Milos Forman's oft-overlooked 1989 film version of Dangerous Liaisons. Beginnings Born September 10, 1960, in Grayshott, Hampshire, England, to a history professor dad and religion professor mum. Spent his early years in Nigeria, where his parents taught. He returned home at around age 3 and warmed up to acting while playing Jack Frost in a Christmas skit. After high school, he enrolled at the prestigious Drama Centre acting school. Spotted in its production of Hamlet, he was hired to replace Rupert Everett (his Earnest co-star) in the play Another Country. Breakthrough: the 1984 film version. Home Front Lives in London with wife Livia, a film producer; they have a 15-month-old son. Also has an 11-year-old son by Valmont co-star Meg Tilly. Modesty Becomes Him "I have a kind of neutrality, physically, which has helped me. I have a face that can be made to look a lot better-or a lot worse."

re the Telegraph article and the possibility of Colin playing Ted Hughes (fingers crossed), I wonder if it was discussed when Colin went to see GP in Proof at the weekend, well you never know!!

(CF) I can't understand it," he marveled. "I've never tried harder not to be sexy in my life." That's the key, Colin! Don't work it! I like this pic better, too. Ooooo...those eyes, that stare...the cleft, that hair!!!!! Oh God! I hear a cold shower beckoning..... ;-D

Oh, I LOVE that picture! Thanks to Karen and Barb! The role of Hughes has not yet been cast, although Colin Firth - whose latest film The Importance of Being Earnest has just opened in America - and Russell Crowe are among names being considered. He better NOT blow that one. (Lisa), If he would just tune in here, there would be an unlimited amount of valuable advice for him to draw from as how to proceed with obtaining this part. Very wise words.

Welcome Barb! Thanks everyone for the articles today. I have only been gone a few hours this morning and I can't believe how much I missed. Wanted to post after RE's interview. I immediately thought after the hand to the chest gesture, that Katie should be posting here. She would fit in so perfectly. Remember to watch her feet when she interviews CF. She was flirty with HG last week, but the feet were still. Mari, when are you starting the group novena? I'm in.

You're all very welcome on the pic, I was just glad my husband did not wake up at 12:30 am to find me scanning it in. The only reason I was that late anyway was because I was catching up on Drool fic -- it would just be harder and harder to explain! He's been amazingly tolerant, even to the point of bemoaning the loss of an old pair of riding boots he had, but can't push my luck. ANYWAY -- on that note, thanks for posting the picture here Karen, I have to say, coming on it unaware here had almost the same effect as at home! (Though probably more dangerous as I'm at work now!)

Welcome Sandra and Barb. LOL at Katie this morning. Loved the "Be still mu heart, excuse me, I love Colin Firth." From the look on Rupert's face i wouldn't say he was too pleased.

Dorine, it seems that you are a bit of a poet...."Those eyes, that stare...the cleft, that hair". How suddenly highbrow we have all become, especially with the introduction of 'flaneur" courtesy of Evelyn. Lora--no offence with the boots! People make fun of my choice of footwear all the time (HA). And I did have them on that night....how did you know?;) It seems lately that Russell Crowe has been getting bad press due to his bad behavior. Maybe this will work in Colin's favor. So much to comment on.....!

BTW, did anyone nothice that all of a sudden the listing for E!'s red carpet show for today 5/20 is gone? Now it list's SNL?

LOL, Barb! We're going to have to call you the Midnight Scanner. Gee, Mari, I'd pay 'ready money' to see the American version of Sylvia's life. But I'm thinking maybe it would be better in a teen/high school setting. I'm thinking, Virgin Suicides meets I Love Lucy. ;-D

(Lucie) From the look on Rupert's face i wouldn't say he was too pleased Yes, I noticed that, too! (Amy) Dorine, it seems that you are a bit of a poet.... I seem to be finding all kinds of new facets to my personality in the past week. (Amy) It seems lately that Russell Crowe has been getting bad press due to his bad behavior. Maybe this will work in Colin's favor. Good point, but unfortunately RC is still yet another "more bankable" actor.

Russell Crowe....pah. BTW, I didn't see 'Today" today (sniff) but in other pics of RE (especially on the ifilm website clips), it seemed to me that it looked as if he had had some (wink) 'work done'...i.e. some touching up around the eye area. Could this be a reason he hasn't been seen much around lately? (how many puns can I get in here?!)

Hello everyone! I can't tell you how happy I am to have found this place!!! Much thanks to Karen for helping me get started here. I thought I was the only person in the world who has a borderline obsession with ODB, but I see I have lots of company. Will be posting more in the future, I'm sure!!

Ok Dorine....how did you read my mind about the cold shower thing?? >: )~ Gorgeous pic....*sigh*

Waves at moonstar! *waves* Glad ta see ya here...and no, you are NOT alone!

Hi ya' Moonstar!

(amy) Russell Crowe....pah. i just remembered something about Russell Crowe. one of those entertainment shows did a piece on him. apperently he has gained alot of weight recently and has to lose at least 20-30 lbs for his next movie, whatever he has lined up next. i taped Today just in case there was a colin mention. can't wait to see it tonight.

I think this is new. Video interviews with the cast. Enjoy! http://www.hollywood.com/multimedia/detail/media/1109104

Got this week's "New York" magazine today--TIOBE only showing at 2 theaters in NYC. It is also listed with no star being that is is "too broadly directed..." but the cast, "which includes...Colin Firth...is excellent". Maybe the Today show will help. Belated welcome to all the newer lurkers (than me). There are too many to mention! Good going!

Mari, thank you for the video interview. Welcome, moonstar-keep your seatbelt fastened, it's going to be another bumpy week. I already posted about Katie Couric's interview. I went back and watched again, she also looks like she lost her breath a little when she mentions her love for Colin. I agree, too, that RE did look like his eyeliner got a little out of joint with her comment. I don't think it phased Katie in the least.

Karen--I am sending you a new article. (aren't you glad? HA) :)

The 2 pictures from the SD newspaper are: CF as JW, actually if you had seen the Today's show interview w/ RE, the snippet they showed had what was probably the CF still that was shown in the paper ... very elegant, manly, mmmmm... CF & FO'C embracing or just about to, I'm pretty sure it's when she goes to his estate Sorry, don't have a scanner.

(lindak) I don't think it phased Katie in the least. That's because she was too busy thinking about her interview w/ Colin. :) Ya know there's no way she'll let Matt get that interview. Hee, hee. If I were her, I would have been shouting MINE MINE MINE as soon as they booked him.

LOL, Barb! We're going to have to call you the Midnight Scanner. Yeah, and you can sing it to the Rolling Stones' Midnight Rambler. ;-) Welcome moonstar! Thanks, Mari!

One of our MIA Droolers in San Diego is mailing the newspaper to me today, but what is truly hysterical is that I just got an email from the woman who wrote it and she told me that she'd done a lot of her research at The Bucket's article archives. Is there anything you'd like me to ask her?

LOL!!! Cast Party on VH1! Imitation of Colin kissing!! ROTFLOL slapping my knee and whatever I can find!!!!!

Moon!! Have you been channeling Rupe! Boy, was he going after Colin's kissing. Said was like a chicken pecking. What a riot!

Is there anything you'd like me to ask her? Ask her if he looks at his websites, and in particular has he ever seen yours? Ask her for the notes of stuff she didn't use for the article. VH1 Cast Party is a riot!! Rupie accuses Colin of wearing a lace jock strap. that's about the level of discourse. This is the first time I think I've seen Colin laughing out loud spontaneously. Must-see TV!

I've been reading lots of past posts and am surprised that all you rabid CF fans missed this: I saw Spiderman a couple of weeks ago, and as I was leaving, looked up at the closing credits, and stopped so fast I caused a traffic pile up behind me. Credited as one of the children was an actor named William Joseph Firth.... Hello??!!! Another actor in the family?? Or perhaps I'm wrong???

Moon, I think RE has been lurking around here. I was waiting for him to mention to Colin that he would be getting a video of kissing instructions for his birthday. Pecking like a chicken? Hilarious. However being pecked by CF might just be "perfectly delightful" Glad to see ODB more talkative and relaxed since the BJD cast party. I noticed that he never really answered questions directed to him-except for the music ones.

OH OH OH....we don't get that show here. I'm sure about that! #@$*!#& Damn! Watch it if he was answering music questions, I remember an old thread I read about his musical tastes! Sorry, I cannot think clearly, have just viewed most gorgeous man smoldering wickedly in a *sigh* red turtleneck. I have my own ideas what's in his head. **gets down on her knees** Thank you for scanning and posting it! Karen, well done, The Bucket being rumaged through for articles. I'd like you to ask her where your nod of appreciation was as the source of information. :))) Now, I have to nap as I foolishly stayed up until 3am trying to find the Today show!

(Karen), Moon!! Have you been channeling Rupe! Boy, was he going after Colin's kissing. Said was like a chicken pecking. What a riot! (Linda), Moon, I think RE has been lurking around here. I was waiting for him to mention to Colin that he would be getting a video of kissing instructions for his birthday. Well... I hope he's learned something! LOL! I haven't seen it yet, but Lora is taping it and I will see it tomorrow! Waving at Rupe. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :-D *smoosh* (moonstar), Credited as one of the children was an actor named William Joseph Firth.... Interesting. I think you've discovered something.

Karen, I like Mari's questions. Also, has anyone asked him about the end?

OMG, I'm dieing. Cast Party was too good. The imitation of CF's kissing, thought I would die. Trying to get dinner, feed DH and son, and watch, it just is not fair. Was not ready with video tape, ended up sacrificing old children's Duck Tails video to get some of it on tape (he'll never notice it's missing!) Some lovely, unguarded, laugh-out-loud-full-dimple smiles. Some great lines. Not sure, is it ok to share openly or are some still waiting to see it? (Don't want to spoil it for anyone!) Menfolk are gone to Boy Scouts, house to myself, think I'll go watch it again!

Now, in fairness to Colin, Moon;-) the context was the scene where Jack is almost kissing Gwen before telling her they must get married. He *claims* he was only following directions.:-) How about the goofing around about the makeup? Too funny. "He came out looking like Bette Davis in Elizabeth I." LOL! Don't want to say too much and spoil it. Barb and anyone who missed taping, it will be repeated a few times this week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I think. Check the VH-1 website. Karne, ask the Post lady if she really and truly did not find Colin handsome. If she says yes, ask her if she's a dyke.;-) Seriously, ask her how she'd compare him to other actors she's interviewed--easier, more difficult, about the same, more or less forthcoming, etc. Also, ask her if there was anything he refused to answer. Ask her how the interview came about; what gave her the impetus to interview him. Ahhh, just ask her to log in here.;-)

(moonstar), Credited as one of the children was an actor named William Joseph Firth... It's possible. His stepfather (or ex-stepfather) is head of Sony Studios, and Spider Man is a Sony film.

(Mari) Ask her if he looks at his websites, and in particular has he ever seen yours? That would be interesting to know, but.....on the other hand I like the mystery sometimes of not knowing. Karen, how about asking if she started making up questions just to keep him there when she'd finished asking all the ones she planned ;-) (Lisa) Watch it if he was answering music questions, I remember an old thread I read about his musical tastes! On first viewing I caught Coldplay and Ryan Adams (not Bryan Adams). RE said Coldplay first if I'm not mistaken and he went along with that. Reese seemed quite clueless with this question. Other observations: They all seemed quite stiff until about halfway through when they seemed more relaxed and interactive. Possible reasons for more relaxed manner: 1. People sitting in giant bed in the other room told them to lighten up and pretend they're having fun...Acting! 2. Finished off that wine they were drinking 3. Finished off that case of leftover champagne they bought for the crew (who didn't show up) after wrapping the movie....couldn't let it go to waste! My sad first attempt at a list...help me if you can :-}

(Mari) If she says yes, ask her if she's a dyke.;-) LOL!!!!!!! Was kind of curious about that, too ;-D

Ask her for the contact sheets from her interview. She owes you that at least!

Was watching the Oxygen station. There was an ad for "The Importance of Being a Woman" which was somehow a tie-in with TIOBE. They showed a clip and interviews. I can't figure the connection...yet!

Please ask for the contact sheets. I'll let it go now.....

OK, The only coment I have from the VH1 Cast Party is: Was Rypert a little excited at the thought of Colin in a Lace Jockstrap? He really was sending Colin a lot of Zingers and poor Colin seemed unable to defend himself because of laughing. Poor FOC didn't get much air time IMO but I think she's lovely. RE and RW seem like the best of friends. They say Colin has no manners. Would never thought that. His smile is like sunshine though!! Very happy woman here. DH taped it for me while I was out. Think he's come to terms with my unrequited lust....as long as its unrequited (a girl can dream, and he does like size 12s).

On first viewing I caught...Ryan Adams (not Bryan Adams).... got that tag... Most definitely not! Squares very well with Townes VanZandt, too. Couldn't tell you who or what about that other band, but Ryan Adams is fabulous IMO, both in Whiskeytown and after. Check him out, beautiful 'alt-country' stuff. Heh, I'll bet I own a stack of CDs that would grab his ears. And should I ever encounter him, I have a rock solid line of chat! I missed the VH1 thing (tied up at work) so appreciate the info on the reruns.

Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown/Coldplay....v.cool.glad to hear it wasn't Celine Dion. To bad no one mentioned Neil Finn..... VH1 repeats: Tuesday 5/21 @4:30pm and Friday 5:30pm (double check though)

I second Amy's dates and add one more; Saturday 1:30pm (all those are east coast time - I get them 4 hours earlier so check in your local TV guide). I don't have cable, but this one seems worth it to me: I called up yet another friend and exposed this ODB obsession some more... (obviously could not call back the other cable-owning friends I've bothered before ;-0 )

I just saw Colin interviewed on BBC America's Talking Movies show with Tom Brook. Wearing a gray collarless shrt and dark jacket and looking incredible. Talks about the Darcy effect, getting offered more roles for "smoldering people," etc. This show is repeated a number of times this week; check your local listings! Jennie, I'm wondering if this is the same interview yhou saw onthe BBC.

I just saw Colin interviewed on BBC America's Talking Movies show with Tom Brook. Wearing a gray collarless shrt and dark jacket and looking incredible. Talks about the Darcy effect, getting offered more roles for "smoldering people," etc. This show is repeated a number of times this week; check your local listings! Jennie, I'm wondering if this is the same interview you saw onthe BBC.

Sorry 'bout the repeat. Anyway, I'll use this space to say that there is a new interview in today's Newsday also. When we hit the dog days of next winter and there's nothing Firthwhile going on, somebody slap me when I complain.;-)

LOL, Mari! At least I'm here and not in Italy to catch it all! (Mari), Now, in fairness to Colin, Moon;-) the context was the scene where Jack is almost kissing Gwen before telling her they must get married. He *claims* he was only following directions.:-) Fairness? There's more to this than we know. Sorry but he's got a portfolio dating back quite a few movies, Mari. ;-) (Amy), To bad no one mentioned Neil Finn..... I love Neil Finn. But why did you bring that up? Has Colin mentioned Neil before?

(Mari)there is a new interview in today's Newsday also. You mean this one? "Mr. Darcy' Hard to Shake for Firth" http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/wire/sns-ap-people-firth0520may20.story That was a wire story yesterday...even hit my little rural newspaper...front page.LOL Hey...this guy is goin for it...big time!Way to go Colin!

OK You're right Mari...another new one today in Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/printedition/ny-p2page32714528may21.story?coll=ny%2Dentertainment%2Dprint

Here it is: Firth Class In England, he's a man for all reasons By Steve Dollar Steve Dollar is a Brooklyn-based freelance movie and music writer. May 21, 2002 There will always be an England, and as long as there is, there also will be a Colin Firth. He may not have the stateside profile of his sometime co-star Hugh Grant (who rivaled him for Renee Zellweger's affections in "Bridget Jones's Diary"). He may not command the hipster regard of Rupert Everett, or have roared in simian drag as Tim Roth did in "Planet of the Apes." And he hasn't registered, as has Ralph Fiennes, as the emotionally tormented romantic lead in any sweeping Hollywood epic du jour. What Firth does, however, he does better and more specifically than any of his peers. Between his earliest roles - in crumpet-laden Merchant-Ivory fare such as "Another Country" - and more recent splashes, including an award- winning turn in the BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," Firth has become a repository for certain notions about English manhood. That's consistent, whether it's the iconic appeal of those "mutton- chop sideburns flying through the air," as the London-based Observer noted of his Mr. Darcy, or his tight-lipped portrayal of that other Darcy, wriggling loose of upper- crust decorum to chase Bridget Jones. Mention this to Firth - who is amiable and talkative over fresh cups of coffee in a hotel suite with one of those ridiculously postcard- like vistas of Central Park - and he has to laugh. He can't pretend otherwise, even though he scarcely comes to it naturally. No sniffy blueblood, he was born in Africa and spent major chunks of his formative years roaming the globe with his peripatetic family. Strange factoid: He attended junior high school in St. Louis. True Brit? No, true actor. "That Mr. Darcy stuff does nothing for me whatsoever," says Firth, who is 40, and lives in London with his wife, Italian filmmaker Livia Guiggoli. "We're all English but we're not particularly focused on England as a family. And for me to come to represent to English people a kind of quintessential mythological Englishman - which really does not exist outside that mythology - is ironic. And great, because I suppose I latched onto that as an identity, because I wanted to have that to get me somewhere, at quite a young age. And I was shocked, because I didn't really expect that to be the way to go. It was a very profitable thing." And continues to be so, as Firth takes the lead role in a bubbly screen version of Oscar Wilde's aristocratic farce, "The Importance of Being Earnest" (which opens tomorrow in Manhattan, adds more theaters on Friday and rolls out wider on May 31). There's a twist, though. Firth, perhaps given a boost by "Bridget Jones," has begun to indulge his funnybone. "What's interesting about Colin now is he has a new kind of confidence," says "Earnest" producer Barnaby Thompson. "Early on he was stuck in straight roles. But he has a twinkle - a very sly comic timing that comes out of a truthful manner. The obvious actor to compare him with is Grant, who is very funny but much more flip. With Colin you find it comes more from the soul." That element lends some crucial underlying gravity to "Earnest," whose ensemble cast - Dame Judi Dench, Reese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett, Tom Wilkinson and Frances O'Connor - seems psychically attuned to a perfect comic pitch. But one that is deceptively delicate. "How would you sell this?" Firth asks, revealing part of what, besides working with director Oliver Parker, aroused his interest. "You can't really. This guy lives in the country, and he's got this girl - not his daughter - who he kind of looks after, and he goes to town and changes his name when he's in town and meets this other guy, his friend in town who does the same thing. He wants to marry the daughter of a woman who is this dragon. You can't tell it. It doesn't have that kind of plot where you can sell it in a nutshell. "The texture of it, this is inviolate," Firth continues. "You can interpret it to death, it's a very substantial play. But it's all very elusive, and all in the playing of it and all in the language. If those moments don't work scene by scene, the whole thing is going to collapse." Despite his evident pleasure in partaking of the sporting verbal frolic that is "Earnest," which Firth claims was laugh-from-the-gut funny enough to impress even his 19-year-old brother-in-law, the actor continually hankers for a drama. In fact, he uses words such as "hankering" to emphasize his desire in this department. Until one comes along, however, he's enjoying family life. Yet, as suits a fellow who's made a career implying all manner of complexities jostling behind a crisp veneer, life is not as simple as mere enjoyment. "I'm as close as you can get to a bourgeois life," he concedes, passing on a second coffee refill. "I have a stable marriage and a new baby and a car and a nice house. I have all that in place. I don't get to be in that house that much. And I don't get to spend all that time with that family. But I love having it all in place, and I love the fact that they can accept the life. I like the idea of that comfort, but I couldn't give into that completely. It just wouldn't happen." Copyright � 2002, Newsday, Inc.

Welcome newbies and de-lurkers!!! and thanks once again for all those who shower us with info. Lisa - I was a traitor to the cause last night. Too tired from travelling, fell asleep and missed Today. Are you saying that I did not miss anything after all? Too sad if that's the case. ;-(( Thanks for heads up, Mari re BBC Taling Movies - now to translate that to Minkeeland times : On Foxtel - Talking Movies is on BBCWorld at 5.30 AM (yes, AM - as in dawn) today Wednesday , 22 May. Repeats on : Friday 24th May at 02.30; 17.30 and 23.30 and Saturday 25th May at 14.30 The BBCWorld write up : Talking Movies This week on Talking Movies� Christopher Nolan follows up his critically acclaimed film Memento with the new crime thriller, Insomnia starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. With a stellar cast and a talented director, can Insomnia be anything but a hit? Find out from Tom Brook. Richard Gere, Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez turn up the heat in director Adrian Lyne�s - Fatal Attraction, 9� Weeks - new adultery drama Unfaithful. Talking Movies catches up with the stars at the film�s NYC premiere and Laura Metzger brings you up to speed on Lyne�s latest work. Colin Firth jumps back into a period drama with his starring role in the The Importance of Being Ernest - a tale of mistaken identity based on the Oscar Wilde play and directed by Oliver Parker. Tom Brook sits down with the actor to discuss this latest role and his reputation as a handsome on-screen hunk. The independent feature 13 Conversations About One Thing uses shifting time sequences and intersecting stories to examine the impact strangers have on one another. With an ensemble cast that boasts among others, Matthew McConaughey, Clea Duvall, John Turturro this film asks the fundamental question: what makes us happy? Get the details when Laura Metzger talks to the stars.

Tom Brook sits down with the actor to discuss this latest role and his reputation as a handsome on-screen hunk. Oh, sounds like "Must See TV" to me. When are the repeat times in the US. Maybe I'll just drive over to sister's house where they get BBC America, with videotape carefully concealed in a haaaaaaaaaandbag. Getting back to that Cast Party, were there torrential showers that day in NY? Flooding in the streets? Must have been the reason for the high water pants Colin was wearing. *slap me* No, he's worn them before! Apartment Zero, Femme Fatale, vacuum cleaner shopping.... Am going to replay the credits at end. It must have been somebody's job to deal with wardrobe and makeup issues who was asleep at the wheel, and he/she needs to be severely chastised.

(Sandi) I am also in the process of getting an ariticle from the LA Times living section from 05/08/2002 which I have not seen yet, will keep you posted. That should be the article about the fans who traveled from near and far to attend Colin's Q&A at the Bafta/LA screening of TIOBE. The article (sent to me by Marianne) was posted here and the pics are up at The Bucket's "In the Public Eye" page, at the bottom, under the premiere stuff.

Mari asks: I just saw Colin interviewed on BBC America's Talking Movies show with Tom Brook. Wearing a gray collarless shrt and dark jacket and looking incredible. Talks about the Darcy effect, getting offered more roles for "smoldering people," etc. This show is repeated a number of times this week; check your local listings! Jennie, I'm wondering if this is the same interview you saw onthe BBC. Yes Mari, I'm pretty sure it's the same interview. In any case he is wearing the same clothes and looking incredible. Wonder whether you have any extras on your version though, ours was pretty short. Whilst writing thanks to everyone for their experiences at the NY premiere, all the pictures and the articles that have been posted. What an amazing couple of weeks we have been having.

Incredible reports here lately! And my contribution, you ask? Well, Amazon just wrote me to say that Secret Garden has just been released on DVD. They must not realize that this is the last CF film I want to own :-) Maybe it's a sign that FF or WoF are soon to be released! AZ? Playmaker?

I too just saw the interview on BBCamerica, and it is listed again in an hour. I will check it out to see if it is the same interview again and let you all know. Karen, I saw your comment about tags, am I entering my comments correctly? I do not have a great knowledge of HTML, but do know some basics. Let me know if I am leaving something open.

Did I hear someone say Neil Finn?? I am such a HUGE Neil/Crowded House/Split Enz fan! Oh to think Colin and I could like some of the same music...*swoon*.

TIOBE review from People (5/16/02) Oscar Wilde's 1895 comedy unfolds in a world in which the oxygen has been pumped out and a lighter, dizzying element pumped in. The plot -- something to do with two Victorian playboys, a terrifying pillar of society named Lady Bracknell and a baby in a handbag -- is close to Dada, and the dialogue pings back and forth in a volley of arch, nonsensical epigrams. ("All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.") It's brittle fluff. Not something Oliver Stone would want to get his mitts on. Instead Earnest has been adapted and directed by another Oliver, surname Parker, who does plenty of rough damage on his own. Parker jollies things up, doling out the play's action into a number of randy period settings, including a gambling club -- and a tattoo parlor! Even with a cast as sharp as Everett as ne'er-do-well Algernon Moncrieff, Witherspoon as moony young Cecily Cardew and Dench as Lady Bracknell, the performances blur in the hurly-burly. (PG) Bottom Line: Misguided walk on the Wilde side.

Karen and everyone, here's the Talking Movies schedule for US. I couldn't get a tape in fast enough, so hopefully they're showing the same episode tonight! Talking Movies airs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30, 7:30, and 9:30 am/et, and 12:30 and 6:30 pm/et, and Fridays at 6:30 pm/et. You can view the current show at the bbcamerica.com website--but I have no idea how long it would take to download.

Ok...I just have to say that after reading Dorine's report I am total jelly...and it didn't even happen to me! : ) How you remained so calm I'll never know...but I certainly bow to your greatness *grins*

Cindy Adams, again, in today's NY Post: Reese Witherspoon on attending the Oscars: "Five people got me ready. One did hair, another makeup, another chose the dress. I take no credit. I just showered and showed up. All I did was pick the soap." . . . Rupert Everett on his future aspirations: "Actually, I'd really like to go on Dolly Parton's tour bus." . . . Colin Firth on his rendering a song in "The Importance of Being Earnest": "Its real importance is releasing my singing voice to the world."

The Toronto Star picked up on the Washington Post story, and today publishes a piece of it, weirdly focusing on The Department of Nothing. It's called "Firth's Foray Into Writing", won't type it up as it is basically the same as the WP thing. No picture. Managed to get in a 'IOBE opening Friday' and a AAB reference in to it, also spelt Hugh Grant's name wrong though.

Mari, thanks for the heads-up on times for BBC America. Colin looked great. I'll pop the tape into the vcr in my office and try to trasncribe it.

Just checked BBCAmerica website and downloaded Talking Movies for this week and all they had on it was Star Wars. Downloads pretty quickly though on a 56k modem. Will try to catch the show tonight. Thanks for the heads up.

BBCAmerica, Talking Movies TB introduced the interview by saying that TIOBE is counter-programming against the Star Wars movie. {ed: something for the nursing home crowd?} [clip of CF telling FO'C that he doesn't much care about the name of Ernest; then other clips while TB gives a brief summary of the characters and plot.] TB: [voiceover about TIOBE] It was subversive then, and Firth thinks Wilde's observations still have currency and remain subversive today. CF: I think that a lot of Oscar Wilde's essential points of view would still be considered dangerous now. He believed that esthetics were more important than morality... that uh, you know, he said quite explicitly, and he wasn't being paradoxical here, he said that a sense of color was more important to human development than a sense of right and wrong. And that's not something that a lot of people would want their teachers to tell their children. So I think that, actually, he still is... he still does have an edge. [clip of CF declaring "Mother! more bits of the film, with TB talking about modernizing the play; mention of RW as only American in cast, there to bring in literature-phobic American audience (my words, not TB's)] TB [voiceover]: But, for Colin Firth, it is another period drama, which brings back memories of his defining role as the brooding leading man Mr. Darcy [show B&W shot of Darcy] in the TV series "Pride and Prejudice." TB: Because of some of the roles you've done in the past, I suppose most notably "Pride and Prejudice," people often think of you as this smoldering, handsome hunk. [cut to CF who has neutral expression on face at the smoldering bit] Has that been a help or a hinderance to the kind of roles that you've got? CF: [smiling] I don't know. It's probably, because you can't know what would have been otherwise. Um, it's helped me get more scripts sent to me where the requirement is for a smodering person. And it's possibly diverted my career from things that might have been interesting otherwise. It's a really impossible thing to judge. I don't regret anything. And in fact, ah, I've been quietly diversifying. I don't know if anyone has particularly noticed [smiles] but I've, I have been doing things that are different. People tend to remember me for things which are similar to what's gone before, but it's never really been my problem. TB: [voiceover behind TIOBE clip, then BJD clip of shooting the rowboat scene] Firth, who is widely regarded as one of hte most talented actors of his generation, hasn't made much headway in mainstream studio films. He did enjoy commercial success last year in the hit "Bridget Jones's Diary," but a Hollywood profile has proved elusive. TB: You haven't appeared in any big Hollywood movies, and I'm not saying that by way of any criticism. Is that by design, or because you just haven't found the opportunities there, or have people not come calling? CF: It's a mix all of those things. It's not really by design, unless one considers design as omission and not having gone to play the town and hunt it down. I could have done that, I suppose. I don't know whether I would have been successful or not. But I didn't do that. I wasn't interested in doing that. I enjoyed my life in England and what was happening for me there so I stuck with it. TB: Why is it then, do you think that you don't have marketability with Hollywood? CF: I have no idea. It's uh, it's actually completely beyond almost anybody's comprehension. You could discuss it for hours. It's not due to conventional good looks. There are plenty of people up there who don't have that. It's always been the case. Um, it's... some of them are extremely talented. Some of them are not. It's a mystery. And a vast, overwhelming majority of people who go into the profession don't have it. And uh, in fact, an overwhelming majority of people in the profession don't work at all. So I think the secret it to try and keep it interesting, really. [clip of "Ever since I met you I have admired you..."] [the end] This seemed like an abrupt ending, but all these things are very short. Why is it that Colin's seem so short compared to others? Colin looked good, wearing gray t-shirt, black jacket, I think jeans. Had his hands clasped loosely on his knees most of the time, made little gestures, no nervous face-touches. He seemed relaxed and comfortable. The clips were the same ones that have been all over. Press kit, no doubt. would want teachers telling their children

I laughed throughout most of the VH 1 Cast Party. What a treat! RE was on a roll. When they were asked to explain what was behind their interesting names he cracked, "I'd rather look at the behinds for (something, something) names." I loved that CF was asked whether anyone ever called him "Colon" ("Only in the US," I think he said, "...and I wish they wouldn't.") ODB had to hide his face behind his hands he was so embarrassed after RE ribbed him (maybe about the kissing) and it looked like he was shaking he was laughing so hard. Wish all interviews were this much fun. For making ODB laugh, I now love RE inspite of his oversized weirdly-shaped head. Welcome Newbies! Thanks to all who have posted articles, photos, and TV times.

(Ruth), I am such a HUGE Neil/Crowded House/Split Enz fan! Me too! And don't forget brother Tim. Bottom Line: Misguided walk on the Wilde side. LOL! And People also totally ignored CF. [clip of CF declaring "Mother! I hated that part. :-( Thanks Kate, for typing it up the BBC talk. I look forward to seeing it later today. And thanks, Karen for the Newsweek. Is he revealing a secret at the end? ;-)))

(moon)Me too! And don't forget brother Tim I could never forget Tim Finn...one of the first men who ever made me swoon!I was just listening to a Tim Finn cd here at work *grin*

Thanks for the BBCAmerica transcript, Kate. He looked so droolable, I didn't catch all the comments when I watched it.;-) I loved that CF was asked whether anyone ever called him "Colon" ("Only in the US," I think he said, "...and I wish they wouldn't.") Some people here tend to think of Colin Powell who does indeed pronounce it "Colon." Reese asked him very tongue in cheek if she could call him that. He said something like, "I'd rather you didn't," very wryly. Is he revealing a secret at the end? ;-))) I was wondering that, too, Moon.;-) And People also totally ignored CF. Did you read the review? They did him a favor. Seriously, they seem to look out for him. (Diane)and it looked like he was shaking he was laughing so hard. Wish all interviews were this much fun. For making ODB laugh, I now love RE inspite of his oversized weirdly-shaped head. LOL, agree with all of the above, Diane! How about the part where Colin and Rupe are doing impressions of how Reese said goodbye to the cast on her last day of shooting. "Ooh, you guys, I'm gonna cry!!" "I have to go now--or I'll just cry!!" As Colin said on BWTA, it was every man (and women) for themselves on that set. Seemed like they genuinely enjoyed each other.

I'll blame this one on Janet, who forwarded this to me. From the AP: Rating: E-FC (Eyes - Firmly Closed) By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer The most important thing about an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" is to present characters who bring a sense of, well, earnestness. Oliver Parker's latest take on Wilde manages that only about half the time, mainly with female leads Reese Witherspoon, Frances O'Connor and the wonderfully imperious Judi Dench. The keys to the whole works � Colin Firth and Rupert Everett as the two men alternately pretending to be an imaginary chap named Ernest � come across as glum and listless. They should be deliriously assaulting Wilde's spicy dialogue, but their muted readings deflate Wilde's outrageous, Shakespearian premise of mistaken identity. Parker directed the 1999 crowd-pleasing Wilde adaptation "An Ideal Husband," whose charm hinged largely on a buoyant performance by Everett. But Parker is unable to light the same sparks with "The Importance of Being Earnest." Unlike Anthony Asquith's outstanding 1952 version, a fairly straightforward transformation from stage to screen, Parker makes bold but miscalculated choices in expanding the story cinematically. Quick cuts, especially early on as the principals and their interrelationships are introduced, butcher the pacing of Wilde's playful speech, which would have been better served by lingering to let the verbal fireworks mount. Parker also punctuates the wordplay by inserting the characters into brief fantasy images, clever renderings of the classical tableaux common to Victorian society types who would dress up as knights and damsels and Roman lovers for entertainment. Yet here, the images are so curt and dramatically inert, they jar the audience out of the story. They're an unnecessary gimmick to visually gussy up a story that can stand just fine on its rich verbiage alone. Firth plays bachelor No. 1, Jack Worthing, a wealthy, respectable bloke charged with the upbringing of his romantically fanciful 18-year-old niece, Cecily Cardew (Witherspoon). Jack periodically travels from his country estate to London, telling his household he must mop up the latest mess left by his ne'er-do-well brother, Ernest. In truth, Ernest doesn't exist; he's Jack's excuse to blow off steam. While in London, Jack becomes Ernest, stiffing restaurants on dinner bills, hanging out with rash and wild bachelor No. 2 Algy Moncreef (Everett) and otherwise giving gadabouts a bad name. As Ernest, Jack has fallen for Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor), a daring modern woman fixated on marrying a man named Ernest. Jack's fictitious persona aside, all seems well for the couple until his prospective-bridegroom interview with Gwendolen's autocratic mother, Lady Bracknell (Dench), who dashes his hopes when she learns of his mysterious origin (Jack was found in a handbag at Victoria Station as an infant, with no decent relations to claim him). Running from creditors, Algy visits Jack's country home, posing as the master's wayward brother and ending up in his own Ernest-challenged romance with Cecily, a prelude to the farcical unraveling of just who is and who isn't Ernest. Dench barks Wilde's dialogue with wicked glee, while Witherspoon (copping an impressive British accent) and O'Connor bring an air of elated silliness to the heroines. Tom Wilkinson as the local parson and Anna Massey as Cecily's tutor spice things up as a clumsily enamored couple, roles Parker beefed up from a rare four-act version of Wilde's play. Firth and Everett appear ponderous and dull next to their cast mates, as unrascally a pair of rascals imaginable. If Parker's failed attempt to augment the play for the screen undermines the heart of "Earnest," the lethargy of Jack and Algy finishes it off. "The Importance of Being Earnest," a Miramax release, is rated PG for mild sensuality. Running time: 94 minutes. Two stars out of four.

Unlike Anthony Asquith's outstanding 1952 version, a fairly straightforward transformation from stage to screen, Parker makes bold but miscalculated choices in expanding the story cinematically. If Parker had re-made the 1952 version, with the same arch, artificial delivery,and straight from the stage immobility, the UK critics would have torn him to shreds. (They probably stll will do so - it's a no win situation). Delivery is much more natural now, and conventions are always being challenged. Masterpiece Theatre - not! When they market TIOBE for the UK market, IMO it should be promoted as "the first new Ealing comedy in 50 years (based on Oscar Wilde's TIOBE)" . How come Baz Luhrmann gets away with it?

Gee, I can't wait to see the NY Times review in the morning.:-( How come Baz Luhrmann gets away with it? Moulin Rouge got mostly negative reviews here, and didn't do that well at the U.S. box office. And I think few were sure of exactly what story MR was supposed to be based on.;-) It really is a no-win situation, as you say. Had they stuck to the theatricality and followed the play exactly, the critics here may have liked it (thought then they'd probably complain about how dated it was), but few members of the public would have wanted to see it, IMO.

AAH! Our digital cable is out and won't be fixed until Sat. Called the cable co.and realized my voice was becoming very high-pitched, sounding v. much like a lunatic. The guy at the other end said "I'm really sorry, you must really need to see something important." Anyway, I logged on to BBC America online, but it's the Star Wars episode. I think they run a week behind. Does anyone know? Must see the grey shirt!!! I almost said that to the cable guy. Thank you, again, Karen, Mari, Janet Welcome everyone.

Thanks so much, Kate, for the transcript. Great job! (TB) mention of RW as only American in cast, there to bring in literature-phobic American audience LOL! What Spider-man is not literature? ;-D (BTW, if the kid had a credit, that means he had lines to speak, i.e., not an extra) (CF) I don't know if anyone has particularly noticed [smiles] but I've, I have been doing things that are different. Oh, we noticed, honey, that the fleet's in! ;-D (CF) It's not really by design, unless one considers design as omission and not having gone to play the town and hunt it down. I could have done that, I suppose. I don't know whether I would have been successful or not. Wonder if that's the same approach he takes at garage sales, or maybe he just doesn't go to them either?

Don't blame me , I'm just the messenger.... Review from the June issue of MOVIELINE MAGAZINE (hard copy) "The play's the thing in this adaptation of the Oscar wilde classic, for the cast is far from ideal. Judi Dench seems altogether too sensible to play the dithering Lady Bracknell, Colin Firth misses the slyness of Jack Worthing and the usually delightful Reese Witherspoon seem ill at ease munching cucumber snadwiches. Rupert Everett and Frances O'Connor are more at home in the Wildean universe, but the best performance comes from Tom wilkinson, who turns the role of Reverend Chasuble in a comic truimph . Even in this uneven production, Wilde's wit breaks through , and the lavish sets and costumes beguile the eye."

(CF Newsday)"I don't get to be in that house that much." So where you be ,honey, in the past 5 months? Not workee;-)

(BTW, if the kid had a credit, that means he had lines to speak, i.e., not an extra) He's stuck in a skytram and yells "Help!" or the equivalent. It was too hard to make out his face, but the age is right. How cool would it be to have the Green Goblin coming at you and then Spidey rescues you?

amazon.com has the 1952 version of TIOBE listed as coming out on DVD sometime in june. what a "coincidence" that they decide to release a DVD version this summer.

Quick note-- I mentioned Neil Finn (he wasn't mentioned by CF) in an act of my wishful thinking. I guess that topic may be better served on odds and ends? He is playing in NYC in July. Hmmmm, what can Dorine do in that situation....! Thanks for the new articles everyone. Repression, repression, repression......

LA Times Review: 'Earnest' Forsakes Wilde Ways Director Parker's style is sometimes at odds with the playwright's, but the film builds up steam in time for the classic comedy's intricate finish. By KEVIN THOMAS, Times Staff Writer Since Oliver Parker so successfully directed and adapted Oscar Wilde's "An Ideal Husband" to the screen in 1999, there was every reason to hope that he would do the same with "The Importance of Being Earnest." But this time he chose not to stick with the visual elegance and crisp, taut direction that worked so well the first time around, taking a freer and easier approach that's at odds with Wilde's epigrammatic dialogue and tight construction. After a steady start, this "Earnest" commences losing energy and pace, so crucial to keeping Wilde alive, and the film tends to meander until it begins to build tension again for its hilariously intricate denouement. In short, Parker's larky approach too often jars with the precision of the material, a feeling reinforced by Charlie Mole's score, which evokes 1940s swing music that, while pleasant and lively in itself, has no connection with an 1895 comedy. The result is a film " that is at best highly uneven and perversely at odds with itself. Luckily, Wilde's delicious sense of absurdity and peerlessly witty dialogue are pretty indestructible, and "Earnest" itself remains a peerless comedy of manners. Rupert Everett is Algernon Moncrieff, the foppish, chronically but imperturbably insolvent man about London, and Colin Firth is his best friend, John Worthing, whose decision to call himself Ernest in town and Jack in the country, the better to facilitate his moving between high society and low life, triggers the plot's myriad complications. Problems multiply when the name Ernest becomes so crucial to the attraction Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor) feels for Jack--and also in the way Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon) responds to Algy, who has also appropriated the name Ernest for himself. Judi Dench has some of Wilde's funniest lines as the very grand, obtuse and frivolous Lady Bracknell, who at one point declares, "The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the way the chin is worn. They are worn very high, just at present." It's the kind of pronouncement that fashion arbiter Diana Vreeland would make--but with a deliberate sense of outrageousness. The entire cast is enjoyable but Anna Massey as Cecily's tutor, Miss Prism, and Tom Wilkinson as Reverend Chasuble, who love each other from afar, capture the delicious spirit of Wildean foolishness most fully. Not surprisingly, there are some glorious sets and costumes--Lady Bracknell's London mansion is but a tad less grand than Buckingham Palace--but this "Importance of Being Earnest" is not as glorious as it should be. * * * MPAA-rated: PG, for mild sensuality. Times guidelines. Sophisticated family fare. 'The Importance of Being Earnest' Colin Firth: John (Jack) Worthing Rupert Everett: Algernon (Algy) Moncrieff Frances O'Connor: Gwendolen Fairfax Reese Witherspoon: Cecily Cardew Dame Judi Dench: Lady Bracknell Anna Massey: Miss Prism Tom Wilkinson: Rev. Canon Chasuble A Miramax Films and Ealing Studios presentation in association with Film Council and Newmarket Capital Group of a Fragile Film. Writer-director Oliver Parker. Based on the play by Oscar Wilde. Producer Barnaby Thompson. Co-producer David Brown. Executive producer Uri Fruchtmann. Cinematographer Tony Pierce-Roberts. Editor Guy Bensley. Music Charlie Mole. Costumes Mauriizio Millenotti. Make-up & hair designer Peter King. Production designer Luciana Arrighi. Set decorator Ian Whittaker. Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes. Exclusively at the Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 477-5581; and the Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 848-3500; opening wider Friday.

NY Times review: May 22, 2002 By STEPHEN HOLDEN In translating a play into a movie, a filmmaker can easily lose sight of the fact that the essence of a great play resides in its language and not in a movie's ability to go on location or add cinematic frills. In opening up Oscar Wilde's 1895 comic masterpiece, "The Importance of Being Earnest," the director Oliver Parker, whose more straightforward adaptation of Wilde's "Ideal Husband" three years ago found an agreeable balance between period lushness and linguistic precision, has gone overboard. What would Wilde have made of the embellishments Mr. Parker has tacked onto the play like a reckless dressmaker tarting up a Chanel suit to resemble a Versace gown? Those additions include fantasy sequences, a ragtime band, a hot-air balloon and a horse-and-carriage traffic jam. An aggressively buoyant score (by Charlie Mole) washes through the movie, giving it a perky vo-dee-o-do flavor that feels more 1920's than 1890's. As much as possible, the play has been moved outdoors to intoxicate us with the rarefied air of an English country estate. And what of the language in a work where the refinements and ambiguities of speech are everything? Wilde's famous epigrams remain intact and are reasonably well spoken. But the extra visual accouterments have a profoundly distracting effect. They interrupt the rhythm and retard the momentum of brilliantly silly banter that could be described as incisive nonsense. When Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), the play's ur-snob, declares, "Ignorance is like a delicious exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone," she conjures a privileged, cucumber-sandwich world where a devotion to the superficial is a code of behavior and proof of social superiority. The genius of the play is the brilliance with which it simultaneously embodies and sabotages its concept. While celebrating brittle badinage as a comic art form and willful superficiality as the ultimate revenge on a cold cruel world, it makes its garrulous, dissembling aristocrats look ridiculous. Its twisty artificial plot, in which the characters' assiduously cultivated lies turn out to be true, and the putting of the concept of "earnestness" through the comic wringer support Wilde's contention that "we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality." Half a century ago, "The Importance of Being Earnest" was made into a classic, unabashedly stagy movie, directed by Anthony Asquith, with a cast led by Edith Evans as Lady Bracknell. It dispensed Wilde's aper�us with a brittle insouciance that is largely missing from this souped-up version. If this film, which opens in New York and Los Angeles today and in other cities Friday, has a blue-ribbon cast that more than matches its forerunner in name value, it misses its high-toned elegance. Rupert Everett, that pouty, spoiled princeling who exudes a Wildean hauteur tinged with a Wildean depravity, is Algernon Moncrieff, the debt-ridden charmer who spends half his life evading creditors by dashing off to the bedside of an imaginary friend. Colin Firth exudes a bogus stolidity as Algernon's friend and comic adversary, Jack Worthing, a foundling discovered in a handbag, who is now the legal guardian of Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon), the dewy granddaughter of the man who adopted him. When visiting London, Jack plays his own charades, passing himself off as his own nonexistent brother, Ernest, to win the hand of Lady Bracknell's daughter, Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), who is fixated on the name Ernest. But Jack's obscure origins become an insurmountable obstacle. As Lady Bracknell famously puts it, "You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter - a girl brought up with the utmost care - to marry into a cloakroom and form an alliance with a parcel." Ms. O'Connor plays Gwendolen as a mischievous refugee from screwball comedy, while Ms. Witherspoon, affecting a passable English accent, is every inch the simpering rosy-cheeked ing�nue. Since Cecily is also fixated on the name Ernest as the only suitable name for a husband, Algernon also lies about his name, and the confusion between the bogus Ernests sparks more than one hissy fit. But the movie is so romantically insecure it inserts over-decorated fantasy sequences in which Cecily imagines Algernon as a knight in armor. Its biggest gaffe, which lasts barely a second, is a flashback revealing Lady Bracknell to have once been a music-hall floozy dandled on the lap of her future husband. As tantalizing as it may be, the suggestion that many of the world's grander dames have shady pasts simply doesn't belong here. Dame Judi's Lady Bracknell is certainly redoubtable. But her level-headed, realistic portrayal of the play's comic linchpin and ultimate mouthpiece only hints at the absurd grandiosity that can make Lady Bracknell laugh-out-loud funny. I kept wishing I was hearing Maggie Smith reel off the same speeches edged with the acid she infused into her curdled aristocrat in "Gosford Park." Rounding out the principal performances, Anna Massey, as Cecily's tutor, Miss Prism, and Tom Wilkinson, as Dr. Chasuble, a discreetly enamored clergyman who fawns over Miss Prism, give careful understated performances in the same realistic key as Dame Judi's. The whole tone of the movie needed to be ratcheted up a note or two higher. For all its distractions and additions, "The Importance of Being Earnest" is still a reasonably entertaining costume comedy. Wilde's satirical voice may be muffled, but at least it is audible.

LOL! These reviews boggle the mind. Sometime I wonder if each has seen the same film because of the different ways they describe the exact same thing. Well, at least both of these Times haven't out and out panned it. (Amy) I guess that topic may be better served on odds and ends? Or the Music Conference... Terry would love for more people to use the other conferences. They don't bite. :-)

Well, at least both of these Times haven't out and out panned it. True, and the LA Times one is mildly positive. At least Miramax can squeeze some pull quotes out of both of them: "Entertaining--a blue ribbon cast!" --New York Times "A peerless comedy of manners!" --Los Angeles Times You think I'm kidding? Where is David Manning when we need him . . .;-) ;-)

(Karen) LOL! These reviews boggle the mind. Sometime I wonder if each has seen the same film because of the different ways they describe the exact same thing. Not having seen it at all, I am really becoming confused as to the nature of this film. What are they seeing...? Some are complaining it's too frivolous, others complaining its too serious. Some saying the action is 0TT and now ODB and RE are .. what was it? .. sluggish or something like?? I'm so **confused***!!! Have they created different individual versions for each of these reviewers, or are the color of the critics' glasses *really* that intense and overpowering over what is in front of their eyes?? I can hardly wait to find out which version I will get to see (whenever...)!

Regardless, they each feel something is wrong with the approach, and it is so difficult to pin it down.

Village Voice review Justify Your Existence by Jessica Winter Subtitled "A Trivial Comedy for Serious People," The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde's airiest confection, a bite-sized meringue delectable with melt-in-your-mouth epigrams. Though its tart center tastes of class resentment and the exhaustion of necessary dissimulation, the play draws the sweetest of conclusions�namely, that self-invention is a natural phenomenon, and worthy of celebration. Winkingly focused on a pair of bachelor dandies juggling double identities, Wilde's drawing-room farce was also something of a cryptogram, and it happened to debut on the London stage the same year the writer's own design for living was so cruelly condemned. Earnest triumphantly opened in February 1895 and sheepishly closed in May, during Wilde's trials for "gross indecency"; weeks later, he entered Reading Gaol, and never wrote another work for the stage. For Oliver Parker, the importance of adapting Earnest lies in the text�not the context, and certainly not the subtext. Much like his previous Oscar screener, An Ideal Husband, Parker's rendition�the first production to be released under the Ealing Studios banner in 57 years�is a proficient skim of the Man With the Green Carnation's wit and wisdom, piped by an able crew of quick-tongued ventriloquists. (The hits don't quit: "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune . . . to lose both seems like carelessness." "In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing." "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. . . . No man does. That is his.") Jack (Colin Firth) maintains separate personae in town and country, as does his friend Algy (Rupert Everett), a form of social compartmentalizing that the latter curiously dubs "Bunburying." (The Bunburyist's predilections are left unspecified in the play; the film pegs them as cigarettes and cancan dancers.) In the guise of is alter ego, "Ernest," Jack is smitten with Algy's horny cousin, Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), while Algy, appropriating the Ernest mantle for himself, falls for his buddy's bright-eyed ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon). The women become rivals, then allies when they discover their mutual entanglement with lovers that dare not speak their names. Parker pads Earnest's avowedly slight figure with fantasy sequences, flashbacks, chase scenes, even an ill-fated trip to the tattoo parlor, and the stuffing shows. Indeed, for a handsomely financed Miramax production, the movie is ribboned with crooked seams: muddy sound, glaring continuity errors, a mischievous boom mic, Everett's suddenly AWOL mustache. Though Parker ranges far from the the play's series of confined spaces, there's no visual wit or blocking savvy�surely no one was minding the bakery when a comically foolproof contretemps between Jack and nervous eater Algy entailing 12 invocations of the word "muffins" was allowed to collapse on the screen like a traumatized cake. Tonally, however, Earnest boasts perfect pitch, thanks mainly to the blithe, nimble actors. Everett and Firth's ruefully affectionate, roughhousing chemistry feels decades lived-in (actually, they co-starred as fellow Marxist misfits in Another Country nearly 20 years ago), Witherspoon's matter-of-fact daftness keeps daydreamy Cecily tethered to earth, and you will know Judi Dench by the trail of dead (as imperious Lady Bracknell, the mother of all mothers). Parker's Earnest certainly doesn't get in Wilde's way, but neither does it justify its own existence�what's the point of a mere face-value appropriation? Shakespeare gets a cine-update every other week, so isn't Oscar Wilde ready for his 21st-century close-up?

New York Observer review �Ernest� Tattooed On Her Bum by Rex Reed Whatever they�re saying, chances are Oscar Wilde said it first. Strangely, he didn�t say much in The Importance of Being Earnest, his most popular and enduring comedy, and a lot of what he did say is regretfully missing from the glossy new movie version by Oliver Parker, the same writer-director who put a fresh coat of varnish on Wilde�s An Ideal Husband. Despite the many liberties he takes to adapt Wilde�s arch style and dialogue to a movie for mass consumption, the delicious cast and a lot of cinematic "opening up" (gilt-edged theaters, posh caf�s, jazzy music, the lush green English countryside and even a tattoo parlor!) conspire to turn a classic Victorian drawing-room comedy of manners into an enjoyable romp. Alas, it still pales in comparison to Anthony Asquith�s famous 1952 film version. Purists will insist that Mr. Asquith�s dry, stagy, eccentric but riotous film was the definitive one. Mr. Parker�s spin is so busy that it assumes a chirpy tempo of its own, more in keeping with the demands of modern audiences, but it loses a lot of the wit, attitude and elegance of Wilde�s subtle mastery of the language. And no matter how hard they try to knock themselves out being frisky and charming, the new cast can�t hold a candle to Michael Redgrave, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin, Michael Denison, Margaret Rutherford and especially Dame Edith Evans� titanic aria as the maddeningly eccentric Lady Bracknell. Still, let us leave that landmark film in its resting place, preserved in memory and on the shelves of video stores, and concentrate on the 2002 remake. It offers pleasures of its own. Say what? Despite numerous Broadway revivals and even a musical version called Ernest in Love, you don�t remember what The Importance of Being Earnest is about? Utter silliness, that�s what. The fanciful plot�which even in 1895 gave new meaning to the word "contrived"�is a farce concerning two dashing, irresponsible London bachelors who both assume the name Ernest to woo the objects of their confused affections. Country squire Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) seeks the hand of the genteel but impulsive Gwendolen (Frances O�Connor) and comes to town to propose, but since she has always been attracted to the virility of the name Ernest, he passes himself off as a fictitious younger brother of the same name. Meanwhile, his arrogant, vain, extravagant cad of a pal, Algernon Moncrieff (Rupert Everett), also posing as Jack�s brother Ernest, heads for the country to romance Jack�s 18-year-old ward Cecily (Reese Witherspoon, with a brilliant and unaffected British accent that never falters). Clearly it�s impossible for hem to be in the same place at the same time. They can�t both be Ernest, although both ladies mistakenly think they�re engaged to the same man. A high point of the film occurs when the willful Gwendolen and the angelic Cecily pool their feminine wiles to bring their men to heel. Meanwhile, the delicate sauce of a plot thickens to pudding when the imperious Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen�s mother and Algernon�s aunt, dismisses Jack as a suitable candidate for her daughter�s hand because he was a foundling abandoned as an infant in a handbag in Victoria Station. When everyone descends unexpectedly upon Jack�s country manor, mistaken identities are revealed, scandals erupt and chaos ensues. The mystery of Jack�s birth is also solved, but not before Judi Dench�s Lady Bracknell�precise, intolerant, and snobbish to the manner born�has a cherished moment of regal hilarity when she looks down her nose and declares, "To lose one parent � may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." She is fine, and God knows she can act, but to hear Dame Edith Evans say that same line in the 1952 film is to feel suddenly the full impact of Oscar Wilde�s treacherous wit and wisdom, and the weight, too, of Victorian class-consciousness, circa 1895. There are splendid turns by Anna Massey as Cecily�s pickled tutor Miss Prism, Edward Fox as Algernon�s long-suffering, underpaid butler, and Tom Wilkinson as the local rector who timidly pursues the sullen Miss Prism. What a tribute to his diversity and range. Curiously, Mr. Wilkinson also appeared as the beastly, violent, homophobic Marquess of Queensberry, who was responsible for Oscar Wilde�s downfall and imprisonment for "gross indecency," in the excellent biopic Wilde. Now he�s here playing one of Wilde�s shy little subsidiary characters with an amour fou of his own. Wilde might have enjoyed the newfangled camera work and even the jazz duet performed by Mr. Firth and Mr. Everett (unnecessary to the plot and utterly anachronistic), but I doubt he would have approved of the added bit where the ladylike Gwendolen has "Ernest" tattooed on her bum. Oscar Wilde aimed for truth over illusions. The eye candy in Oliver Parker�s version seems to favor style over sincerity. The film is a fragile frolic, but the real theme enjoyed by countless audiences through the years�the importance of being earnest instead of deceitful in matters of the heart�still shines through the frosting.

It offers pleasures of its own. And I intend to enjoy everyone of them. Cheers!

I'm so confused about this movie. I'm to the point (actually was there days ago) where I can't read another review. I swear the critics are willfully trying to confuse the public regarding this film. Can't take it anymore! Will concentrate on ODB's personal appearances :) !!!! BTW, saw Episode 2 last night, & have realized how lost I am to P&P. ****SPOILER ALERT**** Anakin goes back to Tatooine (sp?) b/c he feels his mother is in danger. Upon arriving he learns that his mother has been kidnapped by some bad guys. So what do I immediately expect to hear next? "What's being done to recover them?"!! **Sigh** I am SO far gone.....

New York Post review CRAWL OF WILDE By JONATHAN FOREMAN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 22, 2002 -- OSCAR Wilde's masterpiece, "The Importance of Being Earnest," may be the best play of the 19th century.It's so good that its relentless, polished wit can withstand not only inept school productions, but even Oliver Parker's movie adaptation. Writer-director Parker inflicts far more damage here than with his entertaining 1999 version of Wilde's "An Ideal Husband," starring Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore. Partly, this is a matter of disastrous casting. In the key role of Algernon, the preening, charmless Rupert Everett fails to move his upper lip enough to enunciate. He swallows, mumbles or otherwise destroys line after brilliant line. Parker also mishandles "Earnest" by trying to add action and visual scope, throwing a wrench into the play's rapid rhythms and threatening to turn it into a lame farce. The tedious process begins with the introductions of Algernon, an upper-class man about London first seen running from thuggish creditors, and his friend Jack (Colin Firth), who has come down from the country to get engaged. As they take tea, Algernon discovers that his friend has been leading a double life. In London, he is called Ernest; but in the country, everyone knows him as Jack, a serious fellow burdened by a rascally younger brother named Ernest. Algernon himself has invented a character named Bunbury, an ailing friend whom he uses as an excuse to avoid social obligations. These inventions have always worked well for the two young men. But when Jack/Ernest proposes to blue-blooded Gwendolyn (Frances O'Connor), and Algernon turns up at Jack's country house pretending to be Ernest and falls for Jack's ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), things start to get complicated. Witherspoon pulls off a perfectly adequate accent and captures Cecily's combination of ingenuousness and candor. O'Connor more than redeems herself after "Bedazzled," investing the worldly Gwendolyn with a confident sexuality. Firth is fine as Jack, and you can hardly do better than Judi Dench as the snobbish Lady Bracknell. Unfortunately, Anna Massey and Tom Wilkinson go over the top in their roles as the prim governess and shy chaplain. Some of Parker's additions - hot-air balloons, anachronistic early automobiles and ragtime music - do no real harm. But the tattoo parlor, the hooker-infested dance hall - a labored effort to illustrate Victorian sexual hypocrisy, as if the play's dialogue didn't already do that exquisitely - miss the point that the play is supposed to be merely brilliant surface. Fortunately, enough of that brilliance shines through to make even this compromised "Earnest" a comic delight.

New York Daily News review Wilde's Comedy of Era scar Wilde's late comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest" was first adapted on film 50 years ago, but the jaunty new version by Oliver Parker more closely resembles � in spirit, at least � Woody Allen's "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy." That minor 1982 Allen film, for which the Woodman was accused of besmirching both Shakespeare and his idol, Ingmar Bergman, follows a trio of dysfunctional couples at a woodsy New England farmhouse. The characters' various states of sexual agitation and confusion feed Allen's facile gag-writing impulses. "The Importance of Being Earnest" places its major characters � two gentlemen and two ripe young ladies eagerly responding to their fumbling courtships � at a country estate, where they feed Wilde's equally unique verbal wit. But, bound by the mores of the Victorian era in which it was written, "Earnest" keeps its sexual ardors under the starched collars of Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) and Algernon Moncrieff (Rupert Everett), and beneath the bodices of Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor) and Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon). It is, nonetheless, very sensual, and a far more modern thing than Wilde could have imagined. Parker has not so much opened up the play as he has aired it out. The movie opens with the ne'er-do-well dandy Algernon plinking ragtime on a piano, and soon moves into the airy expanse of the country, where he and Jack and the two ladies carry on their comic dance. The story's running joke is that Jack, who enjoys genuine wealth, and Algernon, a freeloading debtor, each have invented imaginary characters as social conveniences. Jack assumes the identity of a nonexistent older brother named Earnest for his social forays into London, while Algie uses the made-up invalid friend Bunbury as an excuse to avoid such nuisances as receptions arranged by Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), his stuffy aunt. Now, pay close attention. Trouble brews when Jack, in the role of Earnest, falls in love with Lady Bracknell's daughter Gwendolen, who is so enamored of his assumed name that she has it tattooed on her derriere. Meanwhile, Jack's young ward, Cecily, also has become infatuated with the idea of Earnest, as described by Jack, and when Algie shows up at the estate claiming to be Earnest, Cecily immediately falls in love with him. At this point, there are two women in love with Earnest Worthing, who is actually two different men, neither one of whom is really Earnest Worthing, though both are earnest and at least one is worthy, if you get Wilde's drift. Written to skewer the upper class of its time, the script is now just a broad joke-fest, clever lines batted back and forth like badminton shuttlecocks. To that extent, it's dependent on the play of its cast, and Parker has done well by his ensemble. Firth, with a certain starch in his manner, is perfect as the vulnerable, love-struck Jack, while Everett's late-blooming comedy skills suit the winsome loser Algie. O'Connor and Witherspoon, managing an acceptable upper-crust accent, are ably ardent, and the reliable Dench makes the greedy crab apple Lady Bracknell a villainess with mitigating heart. Important, "Earnest" is not, but if you're looking for a break from the popcorn features dominating theaters, you may find it worthy. Original Publication Date: 5/22/02

From TV Guide Online. Check the URL too, because there's a sweet pic that I don't think we've seen before: http://www.tvguide.com/newsgroup/insider/020522b.asp Colin Firth Sings in Earnest Wednesday, May 22, 2002 Attempting to woo his beloved in The Importance of Being Earnest � opening Friday � Colin Firth's character serenades her. Of course, we're dying to know: Was the handsome Brit crooning with his own voice in the film? "I'm very flattered that you even ask [if it was me]," Firth tells TV Guide Online. "If they got a professional voice in [instead], it would have sounded a lot better than that. "I didn't really prepare very much except in my bedroom once or twice," the 41-year-old adds. "It was a fairly unprepared thing, but I think that was the spirit that was required. I was rather hoping it would all be dubbed!" Firth has a very different opinion when it comes to the vocal performance of co-star Reese Witherspoon � whose part calls for her to utter Oscar Wilde's witticisms with a British accent. "I certainly think that nobody could have been better in the role," he gushes. "We all had to make a bit of a reach... No one speaks like that. [The play]'s a hundred years old and most of us English people are fairly detached from that culture and that way of speaking now." It's one thing for Brits to return to their roots, but can an American do it as well? "I think that the nationality and the origins of the person really come second," he asserts. "I'd rather she even got the accent wrong than have a perfect English rose who can't act." In fact, Firth has a happy track record of acting opposite U.S. starlets playing UK beauties. Besides Witherspoon, he's also co-starred with Ren�e Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary and Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love. "Every time an American actress has come to do a film in England, I've usually been there in the film as well," he laughs. "So, I've always heard all the talk. But I don't know if there's really been a fuss about it. It may be more of a problem [in the States] than it is in England. We don't particularly care." � Angel Cohn

(moonstar)I'm so confused about this movie. You and me both. Not only do the reviews go in a hundred different directions, while noting many of the same faults, or strengths, depending on the reviewer, the actors are repeated sighted as either good, bad, miscast, perfectly cast, stiff, or silly. The director is blasted for taking the original play and modernising it and at the same time that is what makes it worthwhile for us to see in 2002, although the 1952 version is better! :))))) I have never read TIOBE and I'm glad. I can go into the movie if/when it ever gets to my little corner of the world and watch is with an empty mind while looking for some trivial entertaiment and delightful eye candy. I would like to say thanks and thanks again for all the posts of these confusing reviews!!!! On another note, William Joseph Firth in Spiderman??? I'm sorry, that is a blatant case of nepotism, or I should say, step-nepotism. (If the Sony connection reported here was correct!) I'm sure my 12 yr old son could have yelled "Help" just as loud and looked just as scared, and probably just as cute as WJF did. But, would he have had an equal chance at competing for the part?? This mother wonders!!!!! :))))))

Rounding out the principal performances, Anna Massey, as Cecily's tutor, Miss Prism,and Tom Wilkinson, give careful understated performances in the same realistic key as Dame Judi's. The whole tone of the movie needed to be ratcheted up a note or two higher. And... Unfortunately, Anna Massey and Tom Wilkinson go over the top in their roles as the prim governess and shy chaplain. Don't you love it!? ;-) At least this movie is getting reviews everywhere, which is more than I can say for "Human Nature" a movie I loved.

Nice interview in the LA Daily News. Karen, there are 2 new pics that are gorgeous. Grab 'em!:-) Published: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 A man of some importance No matter what the setting, Colin Firth is a fine actor ... period By Evan Henerson Staff Writer A few years ago in a film called "Fever Pitch," Colin Firth played a soccer-loving English teacher attempting to juggle both a budding relationship with a woman and his passion for the local football team. Right, that Colin Firth, the guy in "Valmont" and "Shakespeare in Love." The man whose screen alter-egos have never encountered an unstarched collar, played "a feckless drifter, a bit of a slob." No, really, he did. "It was interpreted as a reach for me," recalls the 41-year-old Firth. "The life of the guy I was interpreting was very close to my own. I was playing someone my own age who lived in the same postal district that I live in, who supports the same soccer team that I support, and who speaks in very much the same vernacular that I and my friends would speak in. "Whereas it wasn't considered a reach to play the richest man in England who rides around on horses with thousands of servants, and commands thousands of acres of estate." That would be Mr. Darcy, the icy but good-hearted hero of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" that Firth played most famously in a 1995 BBC miniseries. Last year, in a kind of casting slam dunk, he played Mark Darcy, a stuffy lawyer in the film adaptation of Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones's Diary." The fictional Jones -- a "Pride and Prejudice" fan -- had openly lusted after Firth as Darcy in her two novels. One of the 50 Speaking of lusting, not long after the film came out last year, Firth was named one of People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people. Now Firth is back in suits and lush acreage in Oliver Parker's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." Playing Jack Worthing, the love-struck gentleman in search of a name and an identity, he's the straight man to Lady Bracknell (played in the film by Judi Dench) and her debt-riddled nephew Algernon Moncrieff (Rupert Everett). Through an elaborate ruse, Jack takes on the name Ernest Worthing in order to be able to visit London. There he falls in love with Lady Bracknell's daughter, Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor), who is convinced she must marry a man named Ernest. Back in the country, Jack has a beautiful young ward named Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), an enormous estate and -- big surprise, since Firth is playing him -- beaucoup bucks. Maybe it's that magnificently eloquent speech that falls so easily off his tongue that makes casting directors and producers scream "gentleman." Spend a few minutes listening to Firth, and any sane individual would think the Hampshire-born son of two university professors should only be playing teachers, attorneys and well-heeled members of the gentry. Or maybe it's the fact that Firth, dressed in jeans and a light sweater for an interview, tends to look so dashing in period duds. Ask Firth about his penchant for period pieces, and the actor doesn't bristle. British actors who project working class often get the modern stuff while the more aristocratic either end up as villains in American films or high-bred gentlemen in films set in the past. "It's interesting. These are ways we interpret ourselves, and one is rather nostalgic perhaps, a celebration of our own classic literature," he says. "So I guess with the way I speak, people are going to think Jane Austen rather than 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.' " Which is acceptable? "I don't give a damn when the film is set or what the costume is," he returns. "I have an enormous love of language. It doesn't have to be archaic, and it doesn't have to be old-fashioned, but when something is beautifully written, it's a joy to work with that. "Any limitations can carry some frustrations, I suppose. I am not of the class I represent. It's not that I've never done modern stuff, and it's not that I've always played Englishmen. But my profile has always been higher when I have." Versatile gentleman Firth began his career in the 1930s-set adaptation of Julian Mitchell's "Another Country." He played the title role in "Valmont," Milos Forman's take on "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Later, he was Kristin Scott Thomas' jilted husband in "The English Patient" and Lord Wessex, Gwyneth Paltrow's unloved betrothed, in "Shakespeare in Love" -- an earlier teaming with Everett and Dench. Villains, stuffed shirts and dashing rogues -- Firth excels at them all, says his "Earnest" director, Oliver Parker. "I think he has the ability to bring a type of vulnerability and complexity to a role," says Parker. "I planned in the adaptation to take us more and more to Jack, and it was important to have somebody who could keep the emotional through line going as well as match up to the cut and thrust of Algy's dialogue." While the current "Earnest" may be set in the late 19th century, Parker has tweaked Wilde's script and given it a contemporary sizzle often for comic effect. Stuffy, this "Earnest" is not, what with such elements as Jack and Algy's singing duet and the security check Lady Bracknell drops on Jack before letting him enter her house. And what might Wilde -- for all his irreverence -- have made of Jack and Gwendolen patronizing a tattoo parlor? Parker and his cast say the playwright would have appreciated the subversiveness. Firth certainly did, says his director. "He leaped at it, actually," says Parker, whose earlier Wilde adaptation, "An Ideal Husband," wasn't quite so frisky. "I was very impressed with his enthusiasm, at some of the bolder bits of adaptation. You're never quite sure how people are going to respond to it." Irreverent reverence Better to be gamely grimacing while face down in a tattoo studio, says Firth, than to treat a work of literature as a sacred text simply because too many generations of English teachers insist on calling it a "classic." "Oscar Wilde quite clearly stated that he wanted this to go off like a pistol shot, and I've never seen it do that on stage," says Firth. "I always felt its status as a great play, or as a classic, weighed down on it a little bit. There's absolutely no point to worshiping at the shrine of a famous play. In order to be faithful to the spirit of the original, you have to run with it. You have to make it yours. You have to own it." Even a year later, Firth still finds himself bemused about his role in the "Bridget Jones" phenomenon. Firth was dimly aware that he was frequently being mentioned in the Bridget Jones column in the newspaper, the Independent, when "Pride and Prejudice" was airing in England. Fielding visited Firth on the set of "Fever Pitch" and later conducted an "interview" with the actor that appeared in the second novel, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" and as a cover story in the Independent. "By this time I thought, 'I've been immortalized as a cultural reference point,' " said Firth, "which is quite a thrill." Talk of a film, and Fielding asked Firth if she could spread the word she hoped the actor would appear in the movie if the project came to pass. Firth agreed. When he was cast, "Bridget" director Sharon Maguire told the press that, since the character is based on Colin Firth playing Mr. Darcy, it was very hard to visualize anyone else in the role. "From my perspective, it became reality very suddenly," says Firth. "Suddenly there was a film script and people financing it and people behind it. The biggest surprise to me was what a success the film was, how well that worked. It really has become a monster."

(Mari)Check the URL too, because there's a sweet pic that I don't think we've seen before: Checked the URL but could not find the picture :-( It just kept sending me to the index. Is it possible to show it here?

Give this a try...hope it's the one. http://www.tvguide.com/newsgossip/insider/020522b.asp

Or maybe it's the fact that Firth, dressed in jeans and a light sweater for an interview, tends to look so dashing in period duds. True, but he doesn't look bad in the jeans and sweater, either! Moon, I was struck by the same pair of comments about Massey and Wilkinson. It's not unusual to have differences of opinions about the leads, but EVERYONE in this thing has been declared brilliant by one reviewer and dull by another. (Except Fox as the butler) So, how many versions of this film are out there????????? Karen, loved your suggested ad quotes. I think the PR dept sometimes does a more strained "adaptation" than the script writer does.

Thanks for posting all the reviews from the coasts, Mari. The "embrace" pic (in TV Guide) was one of my new ones I alluded to weeks ago, but only posted a couple of days ago. Sorry. :-( From various descriptions given to me, I thought it belonged with the San Diego (dimple) article. ;-D Love the new ones of him sitting on the grass in the LA Daily News. They are certainly all over the spectrum. But at least I will have something to put on the Review page of kind comments. Kicking aside the reviews to concentrate on the LA Daily News article on Colin... (CF) I was playing someone my own age who lived in the same postal district that I live in, who supports the same soccer team that I support Not at the time he made Fever Pitch. "I have an enormous love of language. It doesn't have to be archaic, and it doesn't have to be old-fashioned, but when something is beautifully written, it's a joy to work with that. Finally, an answer to the Question of the Century regarding L-dum. ;-D

Here are the pics, Allison: (Kate) loved your suggested ad quotes I'd love to take credit, but that was Mari. (Kate) It's not unusual to have differences of opinions about the leads, but EVERYONE in this thing has been declared brilliant by one reviewer and dull by another. Seems very reasonable to me, considering the scope of the reviewers' knowledge and what they seem to expect out of this film.

I find not only are the reviews all over the place, I find almost every review/reviewer to be contradictory within their own piece. Does that make sense? Total confusion, eyes v. blury!

One point they all seem to agree on is a dislike for OP's little additions. I think it natural to disagree on actors' performances, but they universally agree that OP's direction was completely off the mark and that thankfully some of the underlying material (OW's witty dialogue) rises through the muck enough so to make it OK-ish entertainment. (That's the message I'm getting in 100 words or less.)

NY Daily News" Shakespeare gets a cine-update every other week, so isn't Oscar Wilde ready for his 21st-century close-up?" Hooray...that's what I say. Sorry, the play is dead-dull. (CF) "Every time an American actress has come to do a film in England, I've usually been there in the film as well," he laughs. "So, I've always heard all the talk. But I don't know if there's really been a fuss about it. It may be more of a problem [in the States] than it is in England. We don't particularly care." ROTF.Now we know...he doesn't read the newspapers...they savaged poor Reneee when she got the role of Bridge..."A Texan"?, they screamed. Thanks Mari for all you reviews sleuthing.I don't think they're all tht bad. It's an entertaining film ; no one trashed it completely. He sure has gotten a lot of publicity mileage out of it too!!

After that lovely "Firth Class" article yesterday... here is the voice of Long Island, from Newsday: This Is the Unimportance of Being 'Earnest' By Jan Stuart (1 1/2 STARS) THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (PG). Oscar Wilde, tarted up and dumbed down for the young and the restless. The royal Miramax cast does exactly what we expect of them, but director Oliver Parker turns a grand charade into a game of "Clue." And, yes, Reese Witherspoon does a game British accent. With Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Judi Dench. 1:34. Opens today at the Paris, Angelika Film Center, Manhattan. Opens in selected area theaters on Friday and wider on May 31. Judi Dench makes her final entrance as Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest" swaddled in fox pelt and bird feathers. Why Lady Bracknell would want to dress like a hunting lodge is anyone's guess. Is it the costume designer's sly wink at the audience, letting us know that he knows that underneath this consummate society snob is a wild and woolly chorus girl who married well? More likely than not, someone simply decided that it looked like something. The misplaced impulse to look like anything at all informs this forlorn remake of an Oscar Wilde masterpiece that was never begging to go before a camera in the first place. Director/screenwriter Oliver Parker, obviously feeling the need to movie-up a resolutely talky 19th century play for a restless contemporary audience, has filled his adaptation with meticulously wrought visuals. But showy period decor invites the same trap as futuristic special effects: You can throw all the money you want at fabulous manor houses or rocket ships, but it doesn't amount to a hill of beans if the picture has no soul. The soul of "The Importance of Being Earnest" is in its language and its attitude: the unstinting decorum and solemnity with which a cluster of privileged folk have sport with commonplace social contracts - you know, little things like getting married and telling the truth. To ensure the language is covered, Parker has hired on a bevy of Miramax's British luminaries much in the way MGM once summoned its prestige players for literary projects: Dench, Rupert Everett (Algernon), Colin Firth (Jack), Tom Wilkinson (Reverend Chasuble), with Reese Witherspoon and "A.I.'s" Frances O'Connor thrown in as Cecily and Gwendolyn to sweeten the deal here in the colonies. Everyone seems right on the face of it, but the attitude is wrong and the dream team disappoints. Is there any more pleasure or knowledge to be gleaned from watching Judi Dench do imperious one more time? Not really. Does it matter that Everett and Firth, both in their early 40s, are much longer in the tooth than Wilde intended for his identity-faking rakes? Well, yes, it does. Parker accommodates his casting by upping Jack's age to 35, which in 1895 would have been significantly closer to the grave and hardly worthy of Lady Bracknell's endorsement as "a good age to be married at." More seriously, though, Everett and Firth are too past their prime to embody the Peter Pan-like buoyancy and recklessness that render their characters' compulsive lying charming. As they catch each other out in their various pretenses or woo their young ladies with elaborate songfests, they just seem silly. And perhaps a bit backward. Parker may have seemed like a natural choice to bring "Earnest" to the screen, having scored an unlikely art-house bull's-eye with his adaptation of Wilde's "An Ideal Husband." Parker trimmed that play's considerable fat to reveal the melodrama at its core; melodrama plays well in films, especially when you've got Julianne Moore to snarl it up as house villain. In lieu of melodrama, Parker tries to pretend there is real juice in Jack and Algernon's late-revealed identities. He chokes the wit with ostentatious Edwardian tableaux vivant and manic, anachronistic jazz music that makes us feel as if we've time warped into one of Woody Allen's pastiche mysteries. What Wilde regarded as "a trivial comedy for serious people," Parker has made over into a trivial comedy for trivial people.

Parker has made over into a trivial comedy for trivial people. Hence Colin's comment on being a champion of triviolity? ;-) "I have an enormous love of language. It doesn't have to be archaic, and it doesn't have to be old-fashioned, but when something is beautifully written, it's a joy to work with that. (Karen), Finally, an answer to the Question of the Century regarding L-dum. ;-D Did you hear that, Eileen? ;-) Thanks for posting all the reviews, Mari. He looks so thin in those pictures.

You don't like the ones sitting on the grass, Moon? What about his footwear, surely you have a comment?;-) Karen, is it possible to get larger versions of those for your website--or would you need the LA Daily News?

Karen, I wouldn't put *that Newsday one* up on The Bucket. " More seriously, though, Everett and Firth are too past their prime to embody the Peter Pan-like buoyancy and recklessness that render their characters' compulsive lying charming." "Long-tooth" again.... Aw...they didn't see the "splendor on the grass" pic;-)

Do you see reviews from Variety, Screendaily, or THR up? Due to lack of space, I find that I cannot reproduce all reviews at The Bucket... *snort* I plan to be selective and excerpt.

Here are the pics, Allison Thank you!

Karen, I like your objectivity, and approve wholeheartedly!:-) (Evelyn)Aw...they didn't see the "splendor on the grass" pic;-) LOL! Don't worry, nobody reads Newsday anyway. Oh, except for that nice interview yesterday.;-) ;-) I don't think they're all tht bad. It's an entertaining film ; no one trashed it completely. Agreed. After those first few from the trades, I thought they'd all be like Newsday, but they're not. Will be interesting to see how differently, if at all, the reviews will come in from other cities on Friday. (Karen)One point they all seem to agree on is a dislike for OP's little additions. I think it natural to disagree on actors' performances, but they universally agree that OP's direction was completely off the mark and that thankfully some of the underlying material (OW's witty dialogue) rises through the muck enough so to make it OK-ish entertainment. I think that's a fair statement.

(Karen) Due to lack of space, I find that I cannot reproduce all reviews at The Bucket... *snort* I plan to be selective and excerpt. ROTF. You've been hanging around Harvey too long;-) Steel yourselves for the Brit press reviews. They read ours. Let's hope they adopt an opposite tactic.

(NY Times review)Wilde's contention that "we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality." This statement reminds me a lot of what Seinfeld did in every one of his episodes, and really an updated TIOBE would have made a very funny Seinfeld (perhaps this comparison was mentioned already). Both have lots of coincidence, wit, and irony. And both treat trivial things seriously, and serious things with triviality. Can't you just hear CF saying, "It's Seinfeld, really," just like he said SIL was like Dallas and JR. ;-D And that's really what OP did with TIOBE. He made it into a movie that modern audiences could enjoy and get. I think the wit is less detectable in the 1952 version for most audiences today, unless you're a purist or an English professor, imvho. So Lisa, Linda, and whoever else is v. confused, you have the right idea to just go see it when it comes and have a lot fun with it. Though sometimes, I guarantee, you'll be the only one laughing in the theatre ;-D. Evelyn, after reading the TV Guide interview above I am kicking myself that I didn't think to tell CF that he sounded like McCartney and Lennon when he was reaching the high notes (didn't you say that on 126?). He would have loved that!

(Karen)Will be interesting to see how differently, if at all, the reviews will come in from other cities on Friday. There aren't any other cities...doesn't it just open in LA and NY? And only the Angelika and Paris at the latter. Note to self: go to Paris Theatre when in NY next week to boost BO;-)

It expands to the next top 10 cities on Friday.

I just want to say thanks to everyone for posting all these great articles. I signed up for Yahoo News Alerts, but I get more and better news from you guys here!!! Thanks again for keeping those of us who live in the boonies well-informed...

Thank you so much everyone for all the great stories, pics, links, articles etc. It really made all the difference for me, since I'm come from Zero-ColinNews-Land (Minkee and Lisa (love your story, Lisa), the next time you think that Minkeeland has little Colin coverage, just remember people like me! I don't even know if TIOBE will come here. Sob!) (Lora) Evelyn, after reading the TV Guide interview above I am kicking myself that I didn't think to tell CF that he sounded like McCartney and Lennon when he was reaching the high notes (didn't you say that on 126?). He would have loved that! Lora, I was thinking the same thing, abt ODB sounding like Sir Paul, from the little segment that I heard on the web (Karen, thanks for posting the link). But I thought that I was too bias. Glad that some of us here thinks the same. I remember there was an earlier comment that he looks like Paul in some of the pics. Well well, look and sound like McCartney! Maybe ODB can consider a music career in his spare time. ;-) Thanks again ladies for all the great things here! You are the best! Just hope that someday I may contribute something here too.

(Lora), And that's really what OP did with TIOBE. He made it into a movie that modern audiences could enjoy and get. So he dumbed it down? ;-) Modern audiences don't get high ratings from me. I am kicking myself that I didn't think to tell CF that he sounded like McCartney and Lennon when he was reaching the high notes I thought it was more like Lennon and George Harrison. (Mari), You don't like the ones sitting on the grass, Moon? What about his footwear, surely you have a comment?;-) I'm trying to be nicer than some reviewers today. ;-) (Karen) Due to lack of space, I find that I cannot reproduce all reviews at The Bucket... *snort* I plan to be selective and excerpt. (Evelyn), ROTF. You've been hanging around Harvey too long;-) LOL! The girl has learned a trick or two. (I bet Scorsese will do as he pleases after those 20 mins of "Gangs" and the standing ovation he got in Cannes.)

(Andie) I don't even know if TIOBE will come here. Sob!) Whoa!! Don't you live in the home/region of bootleg VCDs? Surely, it'll be available on a street corner nearby shortly. But you may have to put in a special request, as they usually concentrate on bigger films.

This one is from the Newark, NJ daily--one of the few reviews to mention the Ealing connection: Oscar unworthy: Playful version of Wilde classic lessens importance of 'Being Earnest' Wednesday, May 22, 2002 BY STEPHEN WHITTY Star-Ledger Staff The new version of "The Importance of Being Earnest" bears two studio titles, Ealing and Miramax. It's an intriguing marriage. Ealing, formed in England at the turn of the century, reached its zenith in the early '50s with small, carefully wrought, fully British films. It effectively ceased to exist in 1959. Miramax, begun in America during the go-go'80s, reached its peak in the'90s, with cannily commercialized art films. It's part of Disney now, and pays careful attention to stars. "Earnest" is a logical product of their union. The classic Wilde play is the sort of thing Ealing might have made -- in fact, Rank, an Ealing competitor, did make it, brilliantly, in 1952. Its current cast is practically a Miramax honor roll: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson among them. Unfortunately, while the Ealing side still holds up nicely -- "The Importance of Being Earnest" may be the funniest play ever written in English -- the Miramax side rather regularly lets this marriage down. There are failed attempts at modernity. (Cecily, the ingenue, now has corny daydreams of Rupert Everett as a knight in shining armor -- like Shirley Temple had of Cary Grant in "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.") There is also some distressing pandering to the middlebrow. (Director Oliver Parker starts the film with a chase scene, throws in some comic violence and even adds half-hearted slapstick and a flash of nudity.) The cast can't help but pale a little, compared to that first version. This version has Rupert Everett and Colin Firth as Algy and Jack, those two roguish London bachelors, and they do at least as good a job now as Michael Denison and Michael Redgrave did then. Anna Massey's wonderful Miss Prism almost makes one forget the first film's Margaret Rutherford. But, pretty as she is as Gwendolyn, Frances O'Connor can't begin to compare with the original's Joan Greenwood, a woman whose very voice was immoral, and Reese Witherspoon is sadly out of her depth as Cecily. And while Judi Dench is formidable as Lady Bracknell, that role demands the sort of dinosaur dowager caricature Edith Evans nearly invented; Lady Bracknell is many things, but believable is not one of them. Parker's instincts have failed him before with casting and classical material; although his version of Wilde's "An Ideal Husband" was fine, his drastically revised "Othello" foolishly let Kenneth Branagh try to make Iago likable. Here, however, he's at least wise enough to leave much of the text alone, and Wilde's brilliant wit floats off the screen, carrying this mismatched cast aloft with it. There is the marvelously absurd concept, for example, of two women determined to marry men named Ernest, and two men not named Ernest endeavoring to deceive them. There is that perfectly re-created feel of Shakespearean comedy, as witty couples clash and uncouple under England's pale summer skies. And then there is the dialogue. "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means." "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his." But putting Wilde's words on the screen, however faithfully, is not the same as understanding them. Wilde was an aphoristic genius ("The only thing worse than being talked about, is not being talked about") and he crammed so many witticisms into "The Importance of Being Earnest" it becomes a veritable Bartlett's. Yet he also knew there was more to his work -- and himself -- than clever irony. For all its mistaken- identity jokes, "The Importance of Being Earnest" is more than a light comedy; it's a drama about the absurdity of labels, a cry against the hypocrisy of society and an appeal in defense of unorthodoxy. It is a position that Wilde -- an Irishman living in London, a poet at work in the popular theater, a gay man married and with two sons -- knew all too well. The true message of "Earnest," Wilde once wrote, is "that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality." But Wilde's best work always quietly wed style and sincerity. This overly clever "Earnest" doesn't. And by tarting up the style -- and badly faking the sincerity -- it loses the earnest importance the play so richly deserves.

, (Rex Reed) the new cast can�t hold a candle to Michael Redgrave, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin, Michael Denison, Margaret Rutherford and especially Dame Edith Evans� titanic aria as the maddeningly eccentric Lady Bracknell. Oh yes, they can; they are the ones who aren't dead! :-D

To tell you the honest truth....I'm enormously proud of the quality of jounalism out there. This guys knows the play, ...and actually took the trouble to check out the 1952 vid.He compares other OP productions,and seems to know where Wilde stands in the canon of English lit. Although his opinions doesn't coincide with ours, he's not just reviewing this by the seat of his pants. This review has substance. And some might think even merit. Okay...now shoot me;-)

(Evelyn) Okay...now shoot me;-) Nah, not going to shoot you (especially since I haven't seen the film yet!). I'm just ASTOUNDED at the wide range of critical reactions to TIOBE. Perhaps it is because this is a new adaptation of a much-loved play, and the critics have gone into the cinema expecting one thing (apparently the 1952 version, re-done) and have received another? Dashed expectations have befuddled the critics!! :) Seriously, I'm having a hard time coming up with other films that had such a wide range of critical reactions that the public can't use any of them as a guide!! Does anyone have any theories?

Hello from another delurker. I'm in my 40's and live in North Carolina, where TIOBE will not likely be shown until after June 1st. Humph! I have posted on the BJD and the fanfic conferences but never here. Have been enjoying all the news!

What IS it with Colin and shoes? At least the ones in the park don't have the white laces. Maybe Livia should pay more attention to his wardrobe. She always has nice shoes.

Is anyone else having trouble getting into the tv guide article and pictures? Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for the articles and pictures today.

(Kate) She always has nice shoes. Are you sure about that? ;-D BTW, I enlarged the two pics from this a.m. since I know everybody wants to be able to read the brandnames... http://www.firth.com/images/gen/ladailynews2_lrg.jpg

(Kate) She always has nice shoes. Are you sure about that?(Karen) Maybe Colin bought them for her at a garage sale. Did get into the tv guide site. Love that pic of CF and FOC Thanks, Karen for the enlargements

What IS it with Colin and shoes? I agree, the best shoes in the world are Italian. And, the clothes aren't bad either. I didn't mind the sneakers....they look like what I see whenever I hit a sports store. Do the lawn pics look like the same outfit from the interview from the hotel in NY??? How does all this publicity compare to other film releases of Colin's? I wasn't around for BJD, did he get generally good reviews from the press? Also, I found it interesting that I saw only one mention of Conspiracy as a credit for him in all these reviews! I'm having trouble finding the Today show on the TV here. We used to have it on about 12 or 1am here, live or close to it. Now I can't even find it on the schedule. (Did see David Letterman for the first time in ages though.) Minkee...oh Minkee...did you get the show taped the other day? What do you know about all this? :))))) BTW...Karen...when I was logged in early this morning I was reading posts with no tags, but now, they've all come back!

**Note** Those blue shoes couldn't be Italian. LOL Karen!

Pardon while I lol...bwahahahaha!Whew....the shoe thing is killing me!I have to give it to Lisa...definitely NOT Italian : )

Welcome Kat! Love the pictures Karen, thanks! Long in the tooth indeed! No way!

Sorry to repeat, I posted the New York Post's review on the spoiler's board. Mari, you are fast! It is interesting that that reviewer didn't seem to enjoy AM and TW performance.

Love the pics of the shoes. LOL I liked the blue ones; they could have been bought in the UK. *grin*

I kind of like the blue shoes :)

Welcome, Kat I can almost deal with the blue, and the gold thong types, but what in the world are the ones in the third picture? Karen, surely you jest. Actually, the blue ones look like they're attached to wooden legs.

Hi! Yet another new member here... I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed all the articles and pics the last few weeks! And to think I thought I was all alone. Silly me. So glad to have found this place! Like going home... I live in the Philly area and can't wait to see TIOBE Friday night with the hubby! (Is three a crowd?) Taking a half day just to make sure I get there on time. (Pathetic?) Now let's hope I can find a babysitter for the kids... Happy to be here! :))) And thanks again Karen for your help!

(Meg) I live in the Philly area and can't wait to see TIOBE Friday night with the hubby! So, is TIOBE opening in Philly this week? In that case, I just may get to see it before it opens here, because I'm going up there for my vacation on Saturday. Wow... *big grin* Now, if only I can convince my cousin to take me! Which theatre will it be showing in?

Welcome Kat! Where in NC? I lived in W-S many moons ago for a couple of years. Welcome Meg! I lived in Philly, too (The Northeast) for a couple of moons after NC while going to college. Missed it there while I lived in FL, but not after moving to NY. I kind of like those gold sandal things, not so keen on the other ones...but I am NO shoe connoisseur. Give me sneakers, Birkenstocks, and black boots during the winter and I'm set! Saw a little blurb in the NY Times today on inside page of Metro Section about Colin and Rupert. Do they put that stuff online? Pull Outs(?) from the ad in the Times today: "A FREEWHEELING COMEDY! Rupert Everett & Colin Firth are delightful! Reese Witherspoon adds sparkle! Judi Dench is hilarious!"- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone "A MUST SEE!"- Julia Dahl, Marie Clare "THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS!"- Neil Rosen, NY-1 "ENORMOUS FUN! Absolutely A+!"- Sandie Newman, CBS-TV Surely there are positive comments from reviews from higher profile publications and broadcasts that could be used... although does it really matter?

Welcome all newbies (and especially those from the Philly area!:-) Linda and I are seeing it at the Ritz on Friday if anyone wants to meet up. E-mail me privately if interested (or just to say hi). (Dorine--my hubby grew up in your old neighborhood--small world, eh?) (Meg)Taking a half day just to make sure I get there on time. (Pathetic?) Not as pathetic as moi, who is taking the whole day.:-) You might say "I'm Colin in sick" . . .;-) (Dorine)Surely there are positive comments from reviews from higher profile publications and broadcasts that could be used... although does it really matter? Since the reviews from the NY and LA papers didn't come out until today, they wouldn't be in today's ads. They'll use some of the new quotes in the weekend ads, for sure.

Mari, ROFL Arrrggg, can't believe I have to wait another week!

(Mari) Linda and I are seeing it at the Ritz on Friday The Ritz! Went there once to see "Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown" HA! Guess that describes us over the past couple of weeks! (Mari) Not as pathetic as moi, who is taking the whole day.:-) You might say "I'm Colin in sick" Took mine last week ;-D

(Lisa) How does all this publicity compare to other film releases of Colin's? I wasn't around for BJD, did he get generally good reviews from the press? By "other" what do you mean? Pre-BJD, he would've hardly gotten a mention in the big movies he's appeared because of his supporting role (SIL and TEP). You would have to go way back to his earlier days for reviews that really focused on his acting, like Apartment Zero. Fever Pitch hardly played in the US. He was virtually ignored in A Thousand Acres. We all know about the Valmont experience. For BJD, many of the reviews still focused on HG. You can take a look at the BJD reviews. Another Lisa and I had a good time critiquing the reviewers a la Bridget. ;-) (they still make me chuckle) http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdrevsum.html BTW, she wore the gold thongs to the Relative Values premiere in London. *eyebrow raised*

For those who missed Cast Party on VH1, here are two more rebroadcast times (all Eastern): Friday 5:30pm Saturday 1:30pm

(mari) "Colin in sick" ! That one is too good to only stop at one pun. More please....

Saw about a boy tonight. Ho-hum predictable movie. Was not HG's best work but could not see ODB pulling it off as well. ODB has a sort of gravity and intensity that the character deliberately lacked. The character even admitted he's shallow. ODB is made of finer stuff and IMO the silly, affable, irresponsible role doesn't suit. Obviously I am not a fan of Fever Pitch. Very similar character to Paul. IMO FP not Firth's best work. nowhere near.

Took mine last week(Dorine) You sure did! But how worth it was it!!!! Hello, Meg, Welcome I saw AAB last Sat. I agree with you Nica. I thought it would have been neat to see ODB in a cameo during the Amnesty Int. phone-a-thon scene.

(Dorine) Welcome Kat! Where in NC? I lived in W-S many moons ago for a couple of years. Actually, I live in W-S! Were you at school here or what? I am originally from the LA/Hollywood area in California but have also lived in VA, London, UK and DC.

Hello to everyone new and keep posting!!!! Post nonsense, post extraneous news, don't make me the only one!!!! Hello Kat! I'm originally from LA/Orange Co. Now in Australia. But, I know Hollywood like the back of my hand from my university days! LOL :))) HI AGAIN!!!!!!

You guys have been talking about Katie....Did I miss the Today interview????? I thought it was Friday!!!???? Someone help me out here!!! Thanks for posting the Cast Party rebroadcast times, although now I'll have to reveal my ODB obsession to someone who has cable. Oh, well, maybe I'll win a convert! :)

(Mari) Not as pathetic as moi, who is taking the whole day.:-) You might say "I'm Colin in sick" . . .;-) I can't believe you said that... :-D Glad you said it firthst. I'm not originally from the Philly area, but have been here for over 20 years now. First movie I saw at the Ritz was Another Country. Didn't fall for ODB that time though. Anyone else going to the 3:50 show? Or are you going to all 4??? Actually, the Ritz website no longer is listing times, which has me a bit nervous... I'll have to call I guess.

(Lisa)I'm having trouble finding the Today show on the TV here. We used to have it on about 12 or 1am here, live or close to it. Now I can't even find it on the schedule. (Did see David Letterman for the first time in ages though.) Minkee...oh Minkee...did you get the show taped the other day? What do you know about all this? :))))) Lisa - taping unsuccessful - sorry. I called my daughter from my hotel in Melb, who pre-set the tape. Apparently she got visuals but no sound. Am not back home in Syd til Fri night so won't be able to check til then. "Today" show is on Channel 7. I just checked the online guide (www.i7.aol.com.au). It is referred to as "NBC Today". Starts around 1.40 am and goes through til 3.30 am. If Colin is sked to come on Friday morning US time - then that must be the Sat 1.30 AM one down here. If CF is featured again on the Weekend Today show (is there such a thing - oh dear US Drooleurs?) then that must be the one that is shown on early Monday morning here. Don't forget the replay of Tom Brooke's Talking Movies - 3 times tomorrow (Friday) on Foxtel BBCWorld 2.30 am, 5.30pm and 11.30 pm, if I remember correctly. Happy hunting to all down under.

Oh by the way welcome to Meg, moonstar and others, I may have missed : whether semi or permanent de-lurkers. The more, the merrier!

Three online film critics have posted reviews. They are all bad, but I will only post this one, as it has substance. The other two were basic and 'trivial.' One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek): D Less an adaptation than a bastardization, Oliver Parker's frantic reworking of Oscar Wilde's 1895 masterpiece is a misfire of the first order. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is quite simply the wittiest play in the English language, a piece so flawlessly fashioned and deliciously phrased as to provide ample pleasure even in a mediocre stage production; it's one of those rare works of art that, if only presented honestly, is virtually indestructible. Though it boasts a promising cast, however, Parker's treatment is an almost unmitigated disaster. This is rather a shock, since Parker gave us a generally estimable film version of Wilde's "An Ideal Husband" in 1999: he made alterations to the script, to be sure, but that play doesn't approach the perfection of "Earnest" in the first instance, and in any event the changes weren't destructive. With "Earnest," however, his choices are almost always wrong; indeed, he seems perversely to have gone out of his way to destroy the piece's basic strengths and replace hem with a kind of loutish vulgarity that's completely foreign to the original. To anyone who loves this play, he result will be painful to watch. Parker's initial error was to treat Wilde's brilliant deconstruction of nineteenth-century British class and cultural mores (played out in the form of the "romances" of two duplicitous men with the women they seek to marry) in a generally naturalistic way. The very essence of "Earnest" is its exquisite artificiality, its foppish dismissal of the slightest hint of realism and utter embrace of mannerism. As one of its characters retorts when something's he's said is criticized for not having any meaning, it's style, not the truthfulness, that matters. Parker has misunderstood this essential fact and tried idiotically to make his picture accessible to modern audiences by dampening the wit in favor of ham-fisted farce and "opening up" the action (presumably to make the film seem less talky and wearisomely "cultivated") by introducing such extraneous elements as chase , romantic hallucinations, and even a crassly foolish musical number. Instead of an elegant play of words, we're given something like "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Manor." But while vaudeville slapstick was quite appropriately applied to Plautus, Wilde is entirely another matter. In the process the delicate brilliance of the original is crushed and in its place we get merely a sloppy, amateurish burlesque. (A brutally cute and obtrusive music score by Charlie Mole only adds to the sense of crudity.) There are some glimpses of what might have been in the pithy gem-likes lines of Wilde that continue to shine even in a context like this one (when you can hear them amidst the hubbub), and in the work of the talented, but mostly misused, cast. Rupert Everett, as the wonderfully wicked Algernon, and Colin Firth, as the staider, parentless Jack Worthing, could conceivably succeed in these roles, but under the stress of Parker's sledgehammer direction and a battery of unflattering close-ups they appear o be working far too strenuously; these characters need to appear snootily detached and virtually plastic, but here they sweat, smirk and groan all too obviously. The women of the romantic quartet are better. Frances O'Connor makes a suitably chilly Gwendolyn, and Reese Witherspoon an amusingly ditzy Cecily. Best of all is Judi Dench, who recites her speeches magisterially and manages to retain the dignity of the redoubtable Lady Bracknell even when Parker requires her to run about in the wild toward the close--something we know inherently that this overweeningly imperious figure would never do. Edward Fox also contributes a few good moments as Algy's impossibly proper butler. Tom Wilkinson could probably have made a wonderful Dr. Chasuble, but Parker forces him to employ so many tics and sniffles that his performance is buried in them. And Anna Massey slips too easily into pathos as the reverend's intended, Miss Prism. Astonishingly, Parker chooses to play her final "revelation" scene--one of the most arch y outrageous recognition scenes in theatrical history, perhaps rivaled only by the equivalent episode in Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro"--almost seriously. Even at this most wonderfully artificial point, Parker blunders disastrously into realism. Happily, there are alternatives. Anthony Asquith's 1952 filmization might not be precisely calibrated, but in Edith Evans it has a marvelous Lady Bracknell, and it's at least true to the play's nature. Even better is the 1981 television version by Michael Linday-Hogg (based on Michael Attenborough's London stage production), with Wendy Hiller and Jeremy Clyde memorable as Lady Bracknell and Algernon; its candy-cane colored ambience and mannered style capture the piece's tone of elegant absurdity almost perfectly. (There are probably other good versions out there too, but I haven't encountered them.) Unfortunately, those who come to know Wilde's masterpiece only through this misbegotten venture will have to be forgiven if they scratch their heads and wonder why "Earne t" has been held in such high regard by so many connoisseurs for more than a century. An amateur local production will be a better introduction to Wilde's wonderful wit than this.

Thank you Karen. At least the cast seems to be getting generally some level of absolution, the critics preferring to lay the shambles at the feet of OP. It's a shame. :-( Nevertheless - I know I'll still be "Colin in sick" many, many times to savour the "battery of close-ups" - no matter that the critics think they are "unflattering" - nevah!

Showing solidarity, I would say. ;-D From THR: Miramax makes Fragile deal May 23, 2002 CANNES -- Miramax Films has sealed an exclusive first-look co-financing deal with Ealing Studios and its production label Fragile Films, headed by independent producer duo Barnaby Thompson and Uli Fruchtmann, the parties said Wednesday at Cannes. Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein announced the deal with Ealing Studios' chief Barnaby Thompson. Fruchtmann was also present alongside Miramax's Rick Sands and Buena Vista U.K. chief Daniel Battsek. Through the deal, Miramax get first-look for film and television projects developed and produced by Thompson and Fruchtmann, who are both co-owners of Ealing and Fragile principals, for English speaking territories. The projects that come through the deal will be released under the Miramax and Ealing Studios banners. Fruchtmann said the deal will initially run for two and half years and that Miramax will fuel overhead and development costs. "I'm thrilled to be in business with one of the U.K.'s most talented and prolific producers," Weinstein said. "We are very excited about playing a role in the revival of the Ealing Studio banner--which highlights our continuing love affair with British films and the European film business." Thompson said to operate as an independent producer in the U.K. it has become important to have a strong American partner and compared Weinstein to the late British movie mogul Alexander Korda. "What we can do through this partnership is give British talent a home, give them a chance to make movies and give them great distribution," he said. Charles Layton, exec vp in the office of the chairmen, and Stuart Ford, senior vp of acquisitions and international operations, negotiated the agreement on behalf of Miramax with the assistance of Karen Hogarty, head of Miramax UK business and legal affairs. Attorneys Craig Jacobsen and Stewart Brookman, of Hansen Jacobmen Teller Hoberman Newman and Warren negotiated the agreement on behalf of Fragile Films. The trio have worked together three times previously with Miramax partnering the duo on the upcoming "The Importance Of Being Earnest," directed by Oliver Parker, which will be the first film for 43 years to be released under the Ealing Studios banner. The parties have also worked together on "An Ideal Husband" and "Lucky Break." First in line for the new agreement, is a film noir working titled "Fade To Black," based on an Italian novel of the same name. The project is budgeted at around $15 million and is a thriller set in Rome just after the end of the Second World War. Parker is currently working on a new draft from a script by co-writer John Sayles. Thompson said he would show Weinstein a new draft over the coming days. [Ed note: I forget, has this been cast yet? C'mon, Harvey and Uri, give Colin this role!!]

(moonstar)although now I'll have to reveal my ODB obsession to someone who has cable. Oh, well, maybe I'll win a convert! :) Or you may find another secret Firthette. You never know. Just reveal your secret to another WOMAN. I asked my best friend's husband to tape RV for me, and he is still teasing me mercilessly about Colin, particlarly since he thinks Colin was not *acting* when he played that part. Hmm, must find a friend who can program the vcr for herself! (Mari)"I'm Colin in sick" . . A perfect expression, I should have used that last week. Must try that on my boss, who doesn't understand my obsession, but is at least amused by it.

There was a snippet of CF and RE singing in tiobe on Extra yesterday. I know some people (Spokane, for eg.) get this a day late in case you want to check. From Response 507: "I didn't really prepare very much except in my bedroom once or twice," the 41-year-old adds. Why can't I get this out of my head? "Lady come down....."

Thank you Karen for the online review. V. well resourced,but indicting. "... but under the stress of Parker's sledgehammer direction " Ouch!Like Minkee said, at least the cast comes out clean.

From the Toronto Sun http://www.canoe.ca/JamMovies/may23_firth-sun.html Colin Firth: Hidden star Brit actor content with anonymous success By LIZ BRAUN Toronto Sun NEW YORK -- Few adult women were surprised when Helen Fielding based the hero of her book, Bridget Jones' Diary, on British actor Colin Firth. If we have to explain the actor's appeal, then you must be a guy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. ENSEMBLE OUTING Firth, who went on to play Mark Darcy when the book became a very successful film, is currently starring in The Importance Of Being Earnest, an ensemble outing courtesy of Oscar Wilde with a cast that includes Dame Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon and Frances O'Connor. He says of Earnest, "I do find light comedy is the hardest thing to do. There's nothing to fall back on. And the whole identity thing ..." Well, yes, the identity thing. In Earnest, Firth plays Jack Worthing, a man who pretends to be one person when he's in the country and quite another person when he's in the city. In the country, what's more, he watches over his ward (Reese Witherspoon) and in the city he courts a woman (Frances O'Connor) whose mother forbids a marriage. The film is very funny and very much about language. At 42, the actor and author ("It's a rare occurrence I get anything into print. I need a deadline and a threat") says he first became an actor at the age of 14. "Because everything else didn't seem to be going anywhere." His choice was moved along by a complete academic inability at math, chemistry or physics. On one chemistry test, he scored 3%. "And the teacher did mention giving me two points for writing my name correctly. It was a dead end. My physics was 1%. I just wasn't getting off the ground in that area." As English and music were going well, however, a career in the arts was born. "It wasn't a choice, really." From the get-go -- his first West End stage role in Another Country -- Firth found success. He picked up his Another Country role when the play became a movie, and went from there to such films as Apartment Zero, Valmont, A Circle Of Friends, Pride And Prejudice, The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love and of course, Bridget Jones' Diary. (After Valmont, Firth lived for a time with co-star Meg Tilly. They have an adolescent son together; currently, he is married to Livia Giuggioli, and they have one infant.) Success seems surprising to him still. That's because, says Firth, he's never had any expectations. 'BRILLIANT ACTORS' The grandchild of missionaries and the son of a history teacher and religion professor, Firth says, "I didn't expect to be in a movie, I didn't expect to be in the West End, either. I didn't expect to be in movies because that was another profession completely, for movie stars." In England, his movie star thoughts are not unusual. "Look at Stratford -- all those brilliant actors. Not a film role among them." Firth points out that he's been almost 20 years in the business without any sort of real presence, thus far, in the American movie-goers consciousness. "So, if it does not embrace me -- I can keep working and it's fine."

(Meg)First movie I saw at the Ritz was Another Country. Really? That's great. Linda and I will be going to the NJ Ritz; I assume you'e going to the one in Philly? I work near there, so if you're ever up for a loooong lunch break, let me know.:-) Parker is currently working on a new draft from a script by co-writer John Sayles. Thompson said he would show Weinstein a new draft over the coming days. Um, ya think OP can improve upon a Sayles script?!

I'm back and bit more sober this time. Lisa & others down here - my alarm clock worked and just saw a quite delectable ODB on BBC World Talking movies. Yum! You must go and check it out - on again at 2.30 pm and 11.30 pm today Friday 24 May. Foxtel Ch 37. Thank you to our US Drooleurs for telling us. If the posts are showing in small font on your screens, I think it may be my fault from a couple of drunken posts earlier (rightly and promptly zapped by the Boss! LOL!) So mea culpa to all on the board. But am not sure what I have to do to get the font size back to normal again. Shall I try this? Otherwise, we will have to wait for the Boss to weave her magic to make it right. sorry

Looks like it worked. Font size seems ok now. Hope it's the same for everyone else.

(Colin, via Toronto Sun) "Look at Stratford -- all those brilliant actors. Not a film role among them." Thanks for posting this, Bryonny This ties back to what he said in the Talking Movies interview. There are a lote of "working actors" who never find fame. That seems to be what he expected from his own career at the start. On one hand, it's nice to know that he isn't suffering great resentment that fame hasn't chased him. I wonder if a marriage and small child help him keep that persective? On the other hand, it would be nice if he chased a few roles a bit more. A film noir set in Rome sounds like a nice fit. So, while I wouldn't want him to trample anyone (and I'd hate to see him burn his hands and knees while crawling through lava), he could be a bit more aggressive. Maybe Livia knows someone who knows someone at the publisher? (HG claims to have first seen AAP in galley proofs, maybe that's the way to snag a story) Does anyone know if Fade to Black has been tranlated into English?

Mari�Yup, the Philly Ritz. Just reserved the tickets. (But would have camped out...) Soooo excited! I recently dug out an old Films In Review with a blurb on A Month in the Country (when it first came out). Is this something anyone would be interested in reading? If so, I'll type it in here tonight.

Type away Meg! I would like to read it! : )

alright it took me until yesterday to catch up on all the posts from the weekend, don't know what i'll do after my week long vacation in the beginning of june, i'll never be able to catch up after that i fear, note to self: must get access for home computer since work is not reliably slow enough to drool all day how this for sad: my mom-in-law just saw BJD for first time she invited me to the viewing since i've been raving about it for months, it was a nice wine drinking evening while my father-in-law occupied a wound up two year old for the entire time, unfortunely she said she didn't think colin was that handsome, i had such grand plans for her to finance trips to meet CF at premieres like other lucky admirers we all know, i guess i'll have to think of another way to fund my obsession okay so this is old but i'm so glad the famous "colin stepping out of the poster" photo was reposted because it didn't show up the first time i viewed them on my computer, image is amazing, now i know what everyone was raving about counting the days until the 31st because i think that is when TIOBE opens in st. louis, all i know is what was on the amc theater website, i'm planning on making a mad dash to the theater before the week long vacation, don't know what i'll do if it isn't there

Lordy, thank goodness someone explained the small font. Thought my eyes decided to give ut on me after all the required reading around here this week. FTB sounds perfect for ODB. Location is right up his viale.(boulevard) I couldn't remember the word for alley (vicolo?) Sorry, Moon

(Trese) maybe you should have started her off with P&P?

Here I go again, responding to my own posts (trese)she said she didn't think colin was that handsome It is your mother-in-law,BTW. Maybe she doesn't want her son to have to compete with ODB.

lindak, i was going to have a little tea party with her one day and use her dvd player (since i don't have one) to watch my new p&p dvd, she agreed to watch it but i keep having visions of her snoozing through dr. zhivago when we got rained in at their country house, i don't know if she thinks he'd be competition, though i was gushing all throughout the movie, we are very open with each other (possibly too open because she thinks i'm a martyr for putting up with her son sometimes), i'm thinking she definitely needs to see p&p and just get more exposure to colin

FTB sounds perfect for ODB. Location is right up his viale.(boulevard) I couldn't remember the word for alley (vicolo?) Sorry, Moon LOL, Linda! FTB e un buon vicolo per lui. I hope he fights for that part. Of course, he should have already convinced OP he's the right one for the job, but has he? I've been so very busy and catching up with everything here! Thanks to everyone who is posting reviews and welcome newbies! BTW, it's nice to see other people on the fashion patrol. ;-D

Hello everyone, I'm out from lurkdom for a minute ;-) (Lisa)I'm having trouble finding the Today show on the TV here. We used to have it on about 12 or 1am here, live or close to it. Now I can't even find it on the schedule Lisa/Minkee I taped an episode of the Today show on Channel 7 a couple of mornings back, but it all seemed to be news/current affairs related. I admit I did fast forward most of it, but I'm sure there was no *entertainment* interviews, and definitely no Colin. Its was on from 1.00am to 3.00am. Many thanks to everyone who has posted interviews/reviews/photos etc over the past few weeks; its greatly appreciated.

(from resp. 572) First in line for the new agreement, is a film noir working titled "Fade To Black," based on an Italian novel of the same name. Sounds right up ODB's alley, though noir is difficult for directors to do well. Would love for CF to do a noir with David Fincher. Anyway, I hope he's thought of for this role!!! (from same resp.) Parker is currently working on a new draft from a script by co-writer John Sayles. I don't think I would have the guts to try and mess with a Sayles script. IMHO, of course.

I don't think I've thanked and welcomed everyone for making this such a wonderful place to "lurk" in the last couple of weeks. I should say extra-wonderful, because it's always great. I've loved reading about the personal accounts, seeing the pics, and meeting de-lurkers. We are not alone! Have to admit, I'm glossing over the reviews. They are making me v. dizzy. I know when TIOBE finally reaches NC (there are several of us here, I see), I'll enjoy it, even if it is trivial. What's that old saying about listening to someone (or watching) reading the phone book. Karen, The Bucket is overflowing with good stuff. And thanks so much for the up-to-the-minute TV schedule. Cast Party was a complete hoot and delight, and not being of that demographic (or maybe I *am* VH1 material?) I would have missed a treat. VCR is primed for the Today show Friday AM. Also am "Colin sick" (sorry, I just love that). Have my fingers crossed for the Daily Show. Speaking of the boonies, Karen, have you ever run across a list of markets? IOW who are the "top 40" or the second tier of cities after NY/LA, after the 10, etc. I know we're the last, but am curious what the middle level is.

Hi everyone, You are all amazing. Thanks for all the great posts on newspaper articles, TV appearances, and premieres. I am so envious. Nothing seems to be happening on this side of the pond. - Roll on September when TIOBE opens. - I hope he makes as many TV appearances over here!! Does anyone know if any of the programmes mentioned air in the UK? I've just had satellite TV installed this week, and don't know my way round the many channels yet. Any help would be great. Keep up the great work!!!

(Meredith) have you ever run across a list of markets? Nope.

(trese)and just get more exposure to colin I If you want her to have more exposure to Colin might I suggest PM-uh it had better be a real open relationship for that tea party. (Moon)BTW, it's nice to see other people on the fashion patrol. Next time the shoe police make fun of ODB's choice of footwear, check out Robin Williams shoes at the premiere of I last night. Funky lookin things. Just want to remind everyone to keep voting for the MTV film awards. I saw a special the other night where they reviewed the awards over the last ten years. Throughout the show they mentioned this year's categories and nominees. They also gave updates on which nominees had accepted to appear. I got to see the kiss clip but no mention of CF or RZ. They did say they would continue to update the acceptance list.

Tonight, in 1 hour (9pm eastern), on the Mystery Channel here (Ontario, Canada) which I get on digital cable: Master of the Moor part 1. Not sure if this is helpful to others, as I don't know if they do the same programming in other markets.

Welcome, Cathey Why come out of lurkdom for just a minute? Once you're out, you're out! Stick around and join the fun.

Great review in the Washington Post: 'Earnest': It's a Wilde World By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, May 24, 2002; Page WE43 IN "THE Importance of Being Earnest," Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) is a respectable man. He takes care of an 18-year-old ward, Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon), at his palatial home in the country. And he's constantly traveling to London to take care of his worthless brother, Ernest. One small detail: This brother doesn't exist. Jack has to set a high example to his ward. And without Ernest, why he'd be visiting those fashionable watering holes of London for no reason. When he visits these places, Jack calls himself Ernest. Welcome to Oliver Parker's smart, sassy interpretation of the Oscar Wilde play, in which staying ahead of trouble is a gentleman's true calling. Jack's friend, Algy Moncrieff (Rupert Everett), who lives in the city, is a truth spinner himself. He claims to have a friend named Bunbury, who's constantly falling ill. As a devoted friend to this fictional Bunbury, Algy is forever using him as an excuse to get away from such regular occupational hazards as overwhelming debt, skipped checks at the restaurant, that sort of thing. You know, trouble. In this spirited movie, both men fall in love under the assumed name of Ernest. Jack proposes to Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor), Algy's cousin, who knows Jack only as Ernest. She loves "Ernest," but she's stymied by her mother, the dread Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), who demands the right to interview all suitors. And when Algy skips to Jack's country home and meets the attractive Cecily for the first time, he falls in love too. He tells Cecily he's Jack's scoundrel brother, Ernest. Two women are madly in love with someone called Ernest. May the farce be with them. Writer-director Parker, who also made "An Ideal Husband" (which featured Everett), has made a roundly entertaining comedy about man's apparent inability to be comfortable with the actual truth. He has drawn much source material from an original four-act draft which included more of the subplot between characters Miss Prism (Cecily's prissy tutor) and Rev. Canon Chasuble (the local vicar). The latter characters, played wonderfully by Anna Massey and Tom Wilkinson, have eyes for each other. They struggle mightily to contain their inner passions but, well, this is an Oscar Wilde drama. Speaking of withholding, it's virtually impossible to resist sharing a little Wilde wit. "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune," says Lady Bracknell, appalled at Jack's revelation that he's an orphan. "To lose both looks like carelessness." Whether or not the right people end up with their intendeds is almost immaterial, although the performances from all are so good, you actually do care. The real importance of "Earnest" is the thrill of brilliant repartee. And as we laugh, an amazing thing happens: Oscar Wilde comes alive.

Chicago Tribune review; great one for Colin! Movie review, 'The Importance of Being Earnest' By Robert K. Elder It remains one of the tragedies of the English language that Oscar Wilde didn't leave us with more plays. Shortly after the 1895 London premiere of Wilde's stage masterwork, "The Importance of Being Earnest," the 40-year-old wordsmith found himself in prison for being unfashionably homosexual in Victorian England. He was dead five years later, a broken writer suffering ill health after two years in poor prison conditions. "Earnest" represented Wilde at the height of his literary powers, his rapier wit carving away moral hypocrisies while still leaving hope for love in otherwise absurd human relationships. Director and screenwriter Oliver Parker seems to understand this and harnesses the raw genius and comedy of "The Importance of Being Earnest" through a cinematic parliament of fine performances. At the same time, Parker adds to works that require little ornamentation. Much like Wilde's "An Ideal Husband" (previously adapted by Parker), "Earnest" embraces the comedic possibilities of romance attempting to take flight in London's tiny social cage. But Jack (Colin Firth of "Bridget Jones's Diary") has found a way through the bars. A well-to-do gentleman of the country, Jack escapes his mundane manor and spirited young ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), by frequenting London under the pretext of looking after his black-sheep brother, Ernest. Jack, of course, is Ernest in the city and Jack in the country - until he falls in love as Ernest with young Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), whose overprotective aunt, Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), won't hear of marriage until the matter of his mystery heritage comes to light. Jack himself is no help - having no memory of being left in a railway station's cloakroom, tucked inside a baby-sized satchel. Of even less help is Jack's city friend and Lady Bracknell's nephew, Algy (Rupert Everett), a master of duality himself, who complicates matte s by showing up at Jack's country estate posing as Ernest. "The Importance of Being Earnest" reteams Parker with Everett, who led 1999's "An Ideal Husband." Here, Everett offers flashes of Algy unhinged as the flamboyant playboy, sick in love with Jack's young ward. He's almost garishly cartoony in Algy's manic mischief - eyes bugging out and smile stretched beyond a sneer as Jack rings his neck for complicating his overtures of marriage. Luckily, Firth adds stability and genuine charm not only to the film but to the role of Jack and his strained relationship with Algy. Nothing endears the sexes to one another as grace under fire, and Firth never wilts - even under the glare of Dench's powerhouse Lady Bracknell. In "Husband," Parker streamlined Wilde's word orgies, exercising restraint after rewriting Shakespeare in much of his "Othello," starring Kenneth Branagh and Laurence Fishburne. In "Earnest," Parker delivers a few inspired additions to the play but staples on a fantasy element to Cecily's daydreams, putting Everett on a white horse and in shining armor in between his scheming and prancing. Other than daydreaming, Witherspoon doesn't have much to do and spends the film over-pronouncing her dialogue in an English accent. All of this subtracts from Jack, whose situation provides the core conflict and velocity of the story. While it's easy to understand Parker's move to make the movie adaptation more of an ensemble piece, Jack remains the ensemble lead. Besides, Wilde's sparkling dialogue comes through best when unadorned, and Parker's additions often play like lace curtains on a stained-glass window. Still, the actors amplify Wilde's sense of timing and satire. "The Importance of Being Earnest" resonates and inspires rapid-fire bouts of laughter, perhaps even a few giggles from the author himself, whom posterity has rewarded the last laugh.

Interesting--the reviews outside NY and LA seem much more positive.:-) 'Importance of Being Earnest' is not a Merchant/Ivory period drama Jeff Strickler Minneapolis Star Tribune Published May 24, 2002 As movie trios go, Rupert Everett, Oliver Parker and Oscar Wilde have not achieved the fame of, say, the Three Stooges. But if they keep their relationship intact, they inevitably will establish their own following, Two years after collaborating on a delightful adaptation of Wilde's "An Ideal Husband," actor Everett and director Parker are back with the playwright's most famous comedy, "The Importance of Being Earnest." It is not the resounding success of the earlier film, but a strong ensemble cast and Wilde's zingers provide more than enough buoyancy to carry viewers past a middle act that sags a bit. The plot involves parallel cases of intentional mistaken identity. Cecily (Reese Witherspoon) and Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor) have their minds set on marrying men named Ernest. Eager to please them, Algy (Everett), who is interested in Cecily, and his best friend, John (Colin Firth), who is in love with Gwendolen, both assume the name Ernest Worthing. The ploys work until Algy, with creditors a step behind him, takes refuge at John's country estate. Suddenly there's one too many guy named Ernest. Wilde's absurdist comedies thrive on energy. Witherspoon ("Legally Blonde") and O'Connor ("A.I.") get into the spirit immediately. It takes Everett and Firth ("Bridget Jones's Diary") a bit longer to get up to speed, but they find their stride for the frantic third act. Judi Dench steals the half-dozen scenes in which she's involved. She brings a wicked edge to her reading of Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen's pompous and autocratic mother who is determined to chase away any of her daughter's suitors considered unworthy -- all of them, in fact. The sets are marvelous, and the costumes are elaborate, but this is not about to be mistaken for a Merchant/Ivory period drama. There's too much silliness afoot for that. The only earnest thing about it is the pseudonym used by its protagonists.

Different movie . . . Films in Review August/September 1988 A Month In The Country A month in the country can mean many things to many people depending on time and place. It can be merely a period of rest that enables us to sort things out�or it can be a period of great decision, a fresh view that time and distance from our normal lives suggests. It is a frequently used device in film and literature which doesn�t necessarily tarnish with use�and doesn�t at all in this especially fine British film. The time is just after World War One in England. The protagonists are two British soldiers who have recently returned from France in a war in which enormous numbers did not. All of the men have been profoundly affected by their experiences in muddy trenches almost face to face with the enemy. Many of the soldiers, bathed in poison gas and bombarded by exploding shells, have caught the new diseases of the twentieth century�gassing, shell shock and existential malaise. A large number have returned to England almost guilty that they have survived, wondering why they did. The two male �heroes� meet in a church in the Yorkshire countryside where they have come to spend a month working. One has been set the task of uncovering and restoring a religious wall painting in the ancient Anglo Saxon church. The other, something of an archeologist, is using the churchyard as his digging site. Each man bears his individual war wounds. The restorer�s is more evident in his stutter and facial tics. Colin Firth is outstanding in the role. The restorer�s month is more clearly delineated than the archeologist�s. The simple people of the community make gestures of friendship toward him. Two children, hungry for stimulation in their flat environment, bring a victrola to the church and watch him work on his scaffold. The lovely minister�s wife provides apples and a blanket in the cold church tower which poverty forces him to use as his bedroom. This restrained, childless young woman is magnificently underplayed by Natasha Richardson whose every movement is almost balletic in its suggestion and grace. Her acceptance of frustration is profoundly moving. She is the quintessential heroine of the era. Her reference to her large empty house suggests the loneliness and emptiness of her own life. Her husband, a religious zealot, is equally alone in his frustrated attempt to move his irreligious congregation Patrick Malahide is very well cast in the part. This slice of life of Yorkshire, with its limited homey joys and frustrations, works its special influence on the two returned veterans. In addition, during their work, each man appears to arrive at some aspect of individual truth that enables him to return to life in an England that has won the war, but like its soldiers, lost its sense of self. By the end of their labors, both men have achieved a level of self acceptance that has calmed their ravaged psyches and enabled them to come to relative terms with themselves. The film is beautifully paced and accurate for its time. Director Pat O�Connor captures the attitudes and feelings of the repressive era that D. H. Lawrence and James Joyce were doing their best to discredit. A Month In The Country is very British in its poetic restraint and superb acting. It is also particularly thoughtful in its suggestion that it is sometimes necessary to accept the inevitable frustration of living at any time or any place. Eva H. Kissin Sadly this publication is no longer active. Think I'll have to scour the flea markets for other reviews of Colin's earlier films.

(Kat) Actually, I live in W-S! Were you at school here or what? After graduating from Jr College, moved there with a friend who was going to go to School of the Arts (theatrical lighting design--he now actually lives in NYC, too working for a prominent performing arts company). I decided to finish college 2 1/2 yrs later and moved to Philly (then back to FL, WA, CT, and NY). (EmmaB) Tonight, in 1 hour (9pm eastern), on the Mystery Channel here (Ontario, Canada) which I get on digital cable: Master of the Moor part 1. Not sure if this is helpful to others, as I don't know if they do the same programming in other markets. Apparently not. On my digital cable it was in the middle of Drowning Mona at 9pm. :-( Was just looking at some of the pics taken of Colin over the years...do I imagine correctly that someone on this board somewhere has mentioned how much he resembles Tim Robbins in a few of them. Or is it just me? Also, when more people see TIOBE, will we be discussing it somewhere? I plan to see it again in the next couple of weeks (....and again and again....) ;-)

Along with Tumbledown,AMITC is one of my favorite of all of Colin's films.Thank you Meg: Eileen posted a short version of NEWSWEEK review on #126: Movies: Wilde at Heart Costume comedy in the grand Miramax tradition By David Ansen NEWSWEEK May 27 issue ? The best moments in Oliver Parker?s screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde?s comedy ?The Importance of Being Earnest? are when the movie just sits back and lets Wilde?s supremely witty scenes play. LIKE the one in which the imperious Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench) interrogates Jack Worthing (Colin Firth), who is pleading for her daughter Gwendolen?s (Frances O?Connor) hand in marriage. ?To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune,? she hisses icily upon discovering his orphan status, ?to lose both looks like carelessness.? The play is A total artifice, built on farcical symmetries: Jack and his ne?er-do-well friend Algernon (Rupert Everett) both have to pretend to be the nonexistent Ernest Worthing, for they have fallen in love with women, Gwendolen and Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), who insist on marrying men of that name. Probability wasn?t at the top of Wilde?s priorities. Parker, on the other hand, seems afraid that Wilde?s theatricality isn?t ?cinematic.? He encourages his cast toward a sotto voce naturalism and slices Wilde?s scenes into fragments, scattering them around the ?real? world to open things up. And the drawing-room settings get upgraded Miramax style: grand country estates and chambers worthy of monarchs. When the movie misfires?in the dreadful ?fantasy? sequences in which Cecily?s girlish romantic dreams are staged as Pre-Raphaelite tableaux, or the jarring flashback revealing Lady Bracknell?s ?secret? past as a chorus girl?Parker just gets in the way, spoiling the rhythm of Wilde?s shapely comic scenes with fussy business. This may be a less than ideal ?Earnest,? but it still has delights, not least of all Anna Massey?s Miss Prism, Cecily?s dotty tutor, and Tom Wilkinson?s Dr. Chasuble, her clergyman admirer. Firth?s comic timing is subtle and seductive, and plays nicely off Everett?s jaded foppery. Witherspoon is quite at home in the English surroundings, but surprisingly misses much of her character?s humor. You?d think Lady Bracknell was a role Dench would hit out of the ballpark. She is funny (how could you not be, with these lines?), but she plays her with a severity more befitting her Queen Victoria in ?Mrs. Brown.? I wish she?d had more fun with the part: she gets Lady B.?s tyrannical side, but neglects her silliness. Wilde, after all, was never more serious than when he was being utterly frivolous.

sorry about the "????". The elves are at it again.

Dorine---- Didn't OP mention something about an upcoming project set in Italy (or something to that effect)? FYI: As per the previous shoe discussions, those who get the Sundance catalogue should check out p.29 bottom lower right (not so bad, eh?).

(Amy) Didn't OP mention something about an upcoming project set in Italy (or something to that effect)? Yes, vaguely....would've been helpful to be "briefed" about this beforehand as well. Again...who knew we'd need it!

Thank you for typing up the review of AMITC, Meg. The reviewer is right, Colin is "outstanding" in that role and it is a lovely film. We'll be eager to see anymore of your flea market finds in this area. Chicago Tribune review...By Robert K. Elder Who is this guy? He's not even second string. Must be holding down the fort while everyone else is in Cannes. ;-D But he has good insight (either that or he's been watching the 1952 version): All of this subtracts from Jack, whose situation provides the core conflict and velocity of the story. While it's easy to understand Parker's move to make the movie adaptation more of an ensemble piece, Jack remains the ensemble lead. Very true, but OP I think gives slightly more focus to Algy. Besides, Wilde's sparkling dialogue comes through best when unadorned, and Parker's additions often play like lace curtains on a stained-glass window. Pretty much sums it up.

Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer Published: Friday, May 24, 2002 In the fussy hands of writer/director Oliver Parker, The Importance of Being Earnest is a punishingly funny (emphasis on the pun) Oscar Wilde bonbon that arrives wrapped in an abundance of tissue and ribbons. Despite the sparkling source material in the 1895 farce subtitled A Trivial Play for Serious People, despite pitch-perfect performances by Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor and Reese Witherspoon, despite good taste and good will, this romp through Victorian parlors frequently falls flat on its rump. Parker, who made the lovely 1996 adaptation of Wilde's An Ideal Husband, errs in "opening up" Wilde's most famous play, a satire of theater conventions - and the artifice of social intercourse - that benefits from a highly theatrical staging. The film's Sherlock Holmesy opening, with its chase scene through the streets of London, and its emphatically jazzy score make for a confusion of tone and time period. Jazzing up Wilde, who composed syncopated rhythms in wordplay, is a textbook example of lily-gilding. Still, there are the slope-shouldered Everett and the square-jawed Firth as the fortunate men unfortunately in love with New Women (respectively Witherspoon and O'Connor) who prize, above all, a future spouse with the name of Ernest. And there is that human bull terrier, Judi Dench, as Lady Bracknell, barking at everyone's heels. While it is not the most important Earnest (that remains Anthony Asquith's 1952 version), it does, amid the frippery, convey Wilde's moral that to enjoy life and love, the importance is being frivolous.

One of the best ones yet: First-rate cast and material make 'Earnest' a worthy film By BRUCE WESTBROOK Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle While megaplexes rumble and flash with summer action flicks, a different kind of dazzle awaits those who prefer deft dialogue and a debonair air. It's The Importance of Being Earnest, a dream movie with a dream cast. The latest film version of Oscar Wilde's play comes from the same writer-director, Oliver Parker, who adapted Wilde's An Ideal Husband in 1999. Again, he has Rupert Everett for his lead, and again, the British actor proves indispensable. His suave bearing and rakish charm suit Wilde's comic mix of manners and mayhem to a high tea. Here he plays Algernon, a gentleman who runs up debts while enjoying mild hedonism in 1890s London. Algy's best friend -- almost a brother -- is Jack (Colin Firth), a country squire who comes to town seeking a lady's hand in marriage. She's Gwendolyn (Frances O'Connor), the well-bred but amorously eager daughter of the stern Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench). Since Jack's ancestry is in doubt, Mum disapproves. Eventually, all wind up at Jack's estate, where he and Gwen spar while Algy falls for Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), Jack's well-off young ward. Comic complications ensue, triggered by the fact that both Jack and Algy have indulged in alternate identities with the same name: Earnest. Rarely has a cast been so suited and tuned to the material, melding vivid individual turns into a crisp ensemble. In effect, they all steal the show without detracting from each other. Firth is a portrait of handsome, conflicted civility -- wrestling to balance his sense of duty with his passions. Alongside Everett, he's stuck with the stuffy part, as he was with Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones' Diary. Yet Firth and Everett often share a boisterous camaraderie, skewering the decorum of polite society. The scornful Dench is even more of a straight woman, though she's entwined in the men's comic discomfiture. Edward Fox plays Algy's droll butler, and recent Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom) is a quietly lustful vicar. O'Connor, unimpressive in Bedazzled and A.I., ably embodies a readiness for romance tempered by smart self-protectiveness. She and Witherspoon make a fun, sisterly team. The latter is radiant, as always, and has a credible accent (the Nashville native is the cast's sole American). As Cecily, her conceit is bodice-ripping daydreams about shining knights. Everett's roguish, impulsive Algy is hardly such a hero, but oh -- how he'd look in a suit of armor! Besides, it's not bad to be spontaneous -- not as long as he loves her. As Algy says, the very essence of romance is uncertainty. Purists may carp at the liberties Parker takes, from hot-air balloons to ragtime bands. But such freshening doesn't detract from Wilde's wit or signal irreverence toward an irreverent playwright. Besides, while the play's the thing -- on stage, at least -- this is a movie. As such, it needs its own life, not the taxidermy of a strict translation. Accenting absurd but delightful coincidences, Parker keeps things light and lively, and the cast never trips over Wilde's eloquence. This is a film where "Tis rather quixotic of you" sounds as natural as "pass the peas." Production design is handsome, the cinematography lends a sunny air, and there's a spry, faintly contemporary score. Part of the music is performed on-screen. Algy loves playing the era's budding ragtime on piano, and he and Jack stage ridiculous serenades to woo their peeved ladies. How can they resist such charm? Indeed, how can any of us? Grade: A

Muchas Gracias for the info about the TV times here. Welcome Cathey, don't slide back into lurkdom!!! I have sneakily asked my husband if we have any blank videos and if he ever read about actually taping on the new VCR!!!!! He did ask why and received vague, noncommital answers that eventually made him lose interest. ;)))))) In the midst of all this info about TIOBE, I have the littlest bit of news about Hope Springs. Hey, don't get your hopes up this may not really even be news, but, as I was checking Yahoo, (yes, my only source for news besides Drool) I clicked onto their TIOBE link, then on to CF link and got a list of his films. Well, there it was, HS, so of course, I clicked!!! They have a message board and some people have been to a preview somewhere in LA, this looks to have been about two months ago, but, a couple of comments posting just how good it was. There was mention of a confidentiality clause in seeing the film and the fact that it was grainy (poor quality). http://messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=&tid=hv1807776052f0&sid=12172484&mid=1

Good morning, Today in NY gave TIOBE v. good review this morning. Sedate, Witty and Sly. Praised the cast.

OK, Post # 609 - Again, he has Rupert Everett for his lead, and again, the British actor proves indispensable. His suave bearing and rakish charm suit Wilde's comic mix of manners and mayhem to a high tea. why does this reviewer consider RE to be the lead? Just a little annoyed at CF's low profile and his being snubed. Glad it's an overall god review though.

sorry, thought closed tags

Not bad...I'd still want to see it! THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2 Great play, great cast, mediocre movie. Writer-director Oliver Parker's last picture was the absolutely charming AN IDEAL HUSBAND, which was based on an Oscar Wilde play. Trying his luck again with another Wilde comedy, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, the director shoots and just misses. It's a fine line, but Parker makes Wilde's dry, sardonic wit just a bit too dry and too silly. The killer cast of this comedy of manners and fake identities includes Rupert Everett (MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING), Colin Firth (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY), Reese Witherspoon (LEGALLY BLONDE), Judi Dench (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE), Frances O'Connor (A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) and Tom Wilkinson (IN THE BEDROOM). All of the actors do everything that is asked of them, including some bizarre fantasy sequences set in Medieval Europe, which manage only to look weird. Wilde's one-liners are terrific. "I do not approve of anything that interferes with natural ignorance," is one of the thoughts that Lady Bracknell (Dench) shares with Jack Worthing (Firth), a.k.a. Ernest, when he is applying for the position of future husband of Gwendolen Fairfax (O'Connor). Since the women in the story have taken a liking to the name Ernest, Algernon Moncrieff (Everett) tells Cecily Cardew (Witherspoon) that Ernest is his name. Like a slightly wet firecracker, the movie needlessly fizzles more often that it sizzles. I can't quite recommend it, but, if you go, you'll probably enjoy at least parts of it. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST runs 1:40. It is rated PG for "mild sensuality" would be acceptable for all ages. The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, May 31, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.

A thumbs up from Roger Ebert! THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST / *** (PG) May 24, 2002 Algernon Moncrieff: Rupert Everett Jack Worthing: Colin Firth Cecily Cardew: Reese Witherspoon Lady Bracknell: Judi Dench Gwendolen Fairfax: Frances O'Connor Rev. Chasuble: Tom Wilkinson Miss Prism: Anna Massey Lane: Edward Fox Miramax Films presents a film written and directed by Oliver Parker. Based on the play by Oscar Wilde. Running time: 100 minutes. Rated PG.(for mild sensuality). BY ROGER EBERT Chicago Sun Times Be careful what you ask for; you might get it. Two weeks ago I deplored the lack of wit in "Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones," which has not one line of quotable dialogue. Now here is "The Importance of Being Earnest," so thick with wit it plays like a reading from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. I will demonstrate. I have here the complete text of the Oscar Wilde play, which I have downloaded from the Web. I will hit "Page Down" 20 times and quote the first complete line from the top of the screen: All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. Now the question is, does this sort of thing appeal to you? Try these: Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness. It appeals to me. I yearn for a world in which every drawing room is a stage, and we but players on it. But does anyone these days know what a drawing room is? The Universal Studios theme park has decided to abolish its characters dressed like the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy, because "a majority of people no longer recognize them." I despair. How can people recognize wit who begin with only a half-measure of it? Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a comedy constructed out of thin air. It is not really about anything. There are two romances at the center, but no one much cares whether the lovers find happiness together. Their purpose is to make elegant farce out of mistaken identities, the class system, mannerisms, egos, rivalries, sexual warfare and verbal playfulness. Oliver Parker's film begins with music that is a little too modern for the period, circa 1895, following the current fashion in anachronistic movie scores. It waltzes us into the story of two men who are neither one named Ernest and who both at various times claim to be. Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) calls himself Jack in the country and Ernest in town. In the country, he is the guardian of the charming Miss Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon), who is the granddaughter of the elderly millionaire who adopted Jack after finding him as an infant in a handbag he was handed in error at the cloakroom in Victoria Station. When Jack grows bored with the country, he cites an imaginary younger brother named Ernest who lives in London and must be rescued from scrapes with the law. This imaginary person makes perfect sense to Jack's friend Algernon Moncrieff (Rupert Everett), who lives in town but has a fictitious friend named Bunbury who lives in the country and whose ill health provides Algernon an excuse to get out of town. I have gone into such detail about these names and alternate identities because the entire play is constructed out of such silliness, and to explain all of it would require--well, the play. In town Jack is much besotted by Gwendolen Fairfax (Frances O'Connor), daughter of the formidable Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), Algernon's aunt, who is willing to consider Jack as a suitor for the girl but nonplussed to learn that he has no people--none at all--and was indeed left in a bag at the station. Thus her remark about his carelessness in losing both parents. Algernon in the meantime insinuates himself into the country estate where young Cecily is being educated under the watchful eye of Miss Prism (Anna Massey), the governess; eventually all of the characters gather at the Manor House, Woolton, where there's some confusion since Algernon has taken the name Ernest for his visit and proposed to Cecily, so that when Cecily meets Gwendolen, they both believe they are engaged to Ernest although Cecily of course doesn't know that in town Gwendolen knows Jack as Ernest. But now I have been lured into the plot again. The important thing about "The Importance" is that all depends on the style of the actors, and Oliver Parker's film is well cast. Reese Witherspoon, using an English accent that sounds convincing to me, is charming as Jack's tender ward, who of course falls for Algernon. She is a silly, flighty girl, just right for Algernon, for whom romance seems valuable primarily as a topic of conversation. Frances O'Connor is older and more sensuous as Gwendolen, and gently encourages the shy Jack to argue his case ("Mr. Worthing, what have you got to say to me?"). Judi Dench keeps a stern eye on the would-be lovers, and a strong hand on the tiller. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is above all an exercise in wit. There is nothing to be learned from it, no moral, no message. It adopts what one suspects was Wilde's approach to sex--more fun to talk about than to do. As Algernon observes, romance dies when a proposal is accepted: "The very essence of romance is uncertainty." Wilde takes this as his guide. When the play's uncertainties have all been exhausted, the play ends. The last line ("I've now realized for the first time in my life the vital importance of being earnest") takes on an interesting spin if we know that "earnest" was a vernacular term for "gay" in 1895. Thus the closing line may subvert the entire play, although not to the surprise of anyone who has been paying attention.

'Earnest' isn't all it could be � but that's still quite a lot By Moira Macdonald Seattle Times movie critic If the cast of Oliver Parker's movie of Oscar Wilde's celestial trifle "The Importance of Being Earnest" were to assemble on stage, it would easily be the theatrical event of the century. I'd happily plunge myself into the depths of debt for a front-row seat. Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell, intoning, "A handbag!" like a dragon breathing fire? Rupert Everett in a smoking jacket, caressing lines of dialogue as if they're kittens? Reese Witherspoon in late-Victorian garb, looking like a grown-up Alice in Wonderland? Colin Firth, casting debonair glances at a breathy Frances O'Connor? They're all here, and they're all impeccable. But alas, we aren't in Wildean heaven here, exactly. Parker, by necessity, has had to truncate the play considerably, and some of us may find our favorite lines of dialogue vanished or infuriatingly trimmed to the bone. Why include Cecily's line about her diary ("it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and impressions") without its brilliant capper ("and consequently meant for publication")? Was it really worth saving the two seconds, Mr. Parker? And Parker's "opening-out" of the play isn't always successful. The settings are lovely, and some of the additions (Algernon, here, is constantly pursued by creditors � inspired, presumably, by the line "Half the chaps who get into Bankruptcy Court are called Algernon") are funny and apt. But other Parker innovations, including one about a tattoo that I shudder to recollect, just seem absurd. Somewhere in aesthete heaven, Oscar Wilde is raising an eyebrow. So this "Earnest" is a mixed bag for Wilde purists. But for those who haven't yet been introduced to the play, enough of the original work remains to make delightful entertainment. The play is by genre a romantic comedy, with two couples nicely paired up by the end, but really it's about language and cleverness. Its whirl of words seduces the listener � it's like a heaven-sent Victorian parlor game. The sheer silliness of the plot � love, deception, mistaken identity, two women determined to marry men named Ernest, and a mysterious tale of an abandoned baby � keeps the movie ticking along even when Parker's adaptation is less than graceful. Oh, and did I mention that cast, who bring moments to "Earnest" of such captivating pleasure that you'll forgive Parker all his infelicities? Dench, encased in satin, steals the movie (did you think she wouldn't?) as the stentorian Lady Bracknell. Witherspoon and O'Connor, demure as they sit side-by-side reading each other's diaries, are perfectly adorable, and their counterparts, Everett and Firth, personify debonair decadence. Anna Massey and Tom Wilkinson, as a governess and minister, are splendid in smaller roles. And, really, all criticism I might have had falls away when recollecting the joy of hearing once again of that handbag found in the cloakroom of Victoria Station. Even half-baked, "Earnest" is still delicious.

Aahh, a "name" reviewer who liked the film!! I believe Rex Reed liked it, too, so Miramax will have some recognizable reviewers to work with for marketing. Can't WAIT to get home this afternoon! Friend is taping Today, and will beg to have her tape the rebroadcast of Cast Party on VH1. Woo hoo!!!!!

(Seattle) Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell, intoning, "A handbag!" like a dragon breathing fire? Have they reshot the movie? 'Cause this doesn't happen in OP's version. She does the exact opposite of DEE's famous delivery, by nearly whispering the line. Not a single laugh in my audience at this line. Note: While it's great that Drool is really hopping with all of Colin's activity and news, I'd like to explain, especially to our newbies, that Drool is not like a chatroom. Back-and-forth personal messages should be carried on by email. Posting a one-liner and then coming back a minute later with another just uses up our finite messages within the topic (1999). These practices not only increase our bandwidth (which costs money) but makes using Drool more difficult for readers, who will be confronted with 100+ messages and then will wade through them only to find nothing worthwhile to read. We used to have a chatroom here, but it was eliminated due to website restrictions. I don't wish to put a damper on our fun, but please keep to the topic. Comments on Colin's articles, reviews, news, etc., are what we do here. If you have any questions, email me at nomdedrool@yahoo.com.

-100

Here is the review from the Dallas Morning News: By Chris Vognar Grade C+ Film adapters of classic literature are in a bind the minute they decide to take on a legend. From one camp: "Put your own personal stamp on the work. Don't just regurgitate it." From another camp: "You have to get the original tone right. Don't monkey with the classics." And from still another: "You mean The Importance of Being Earnest was a play?" The third group should get the most enjoyment out of Oliver Parker's Earnest, a mixed bag of a film that will give all camps something to grumble about. Colin Firth and Rupert Everett approach their lead roles with curious detachment and a minimum of Wilde's larkish glee, sure to disappoint those who like staying close to the text. Yet the look and tone of the film aren't particularly daring; this is by no means a wacky modernist interpretation. Instead, it's a pretty, bucolic and kind of bland modernist interpretation. Earnest is the ultimate example of Wilde's love affair with artifice and the trivial. Jack Worthing (Mr. Firth) splits his time between country, where he's Jack, and city, where he's Ernest. His friend Algy Moncrief (Mr. Everett) has an alter ego of his own, a perpetually ill fellow named Bunbury who seems to need particular care when Algy owes money. Jack is hot for Algy's cousin, Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), while Algy wants Jack's ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon). And both girls have always dreamed of marrying someone named Ernest. That's all fine for them, but Mr. Parker should have told his leads to be a little less earnest. Both Mr. Firth and Mr. Everett are a bit pouty given all of the surrounding shenanigans, perhaps reflecting an effort on the director's part to make the proceedings more edgy and modern or to cut the gaiety with a touch of emotional realism. Originally designed as a speedy serving of artifice, this Earnest is slowed down to a half-court pace, even when the word play should be keeping spirits high. It's nigh impossible to kill the wit of Earnest, and Mr. Parker has no intention of doing so. But he does make the narrative into something strangely literal, a tact that saps much of the play's comic oomph! Earnest was made for zipping about and having shameless verbal fun; it's the one-night stand of Wilde's plays. This version is competent, but it's also weighed down by the requirements of its big Miramax logo. The Importance of Being Earnest doesn't need to be made more accessible than it already is; it doesn't need the lush, wide-open spaces of a prettified art film. It doesn't need to be cute, and this film is. Of course, you can afford to get a little cute when you've got Judi Dench, one of the advantages that comes with that big Miramax logo. She may get an Oscar nomination every time she sneezes, but she also creates small wonders out of bit parts. Her Lady Bracknell is a vivid gold-digging spitfire who also brings out Mr. Firth's best work, as Jack stops just short of groveling for Gwendolen's hand. She has the spirit to compensate for her male co-stars' habit of swallowing their lines. Mr. Parker also adapted Wilde's An Ideal Husband in 1999, and that play seemed a better fit � its plot actually matters, where Earnest's is just a worthy excuse to get absurd. The film doesn't take enough advantage of that opportunity; it would rather endow its characters with small touches of gravity. This Earnest misses the play's biggest joke: There's nothing the least bit earnest about any of it. Published in The Dallas Morning News: 05.24.02

Thanks Mari for the mixed- bag of reviews.Getting better.(What time did you get up;-)) (Dallas Morning News)Her[JD] Lady Bracknell is a vivid gold-digging spitfire who also brings out Mr. Firth's best work, as Jack stops just short of groveling for Gwendolen's hand. Huh? Hey Sue...let's send this dude a copy of AMITC.

Here is a link for Rotten Tomatoes where you can keep track of many (26) of the reviews that were done on TIOBE. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheImportanceofBeingEarnest-1114078/

CF on Radio today-New from a lurking friend (and her DH) http://www.npr.org/ All Things Considered Check your local listings Friday, May 24, 2002 Oscar Wilde's comedy play, The Importance of Being Earnest, has returned to the big screen in a movie that stars, among others, actor Colin Firth. Friday on All Things Considered, hear a review of the film and a conversation with Firth about his role and its challenges.

(Moonstar)Miramax will have some recognizable reviewers to work with for marketing. They already do. Remember my prediction on #498 above on the pull quotes to be used? So this appears in today's ad: "An entertaiing comedy with a blue ribbon cast!" --Stephen Holden, New York Times Can't WAIT to get home this afternoon! Friend is taping Today, Don't rush, he wasn't on. Katie was off today, and I suppose it would have looked weird to put on a pre-taped interview (which is supposed to look "live"). I'm guessing next week.

Thanks for the info, Meredith. It says the audio for the program will be online after 10:00 pm EDT.

Thanks, Meredith! You can search at that website for your local station carrying NPR. (Evelyn) What time did you get up;-)) Too early.;-) Meg, thanks for digging out that AMITC review. It's a pleasure to read about his dramatic roles--back in the days when he did a lot of them . . .

Ok...what the *bleep* happened with the Today Show? Not a trace of Colin anywhere : ( *sniff*...Just a little sad...

i cant believe that we were deceived so cruly! Where is he? He is scheduled to be on Regis and Kelly on Monday-that i heard this morning while watching the show. maybe because katie was off today and she wanted to inteview him( she reportedly has a crush on him also) it will wait til next week. keep the faith!

This happened the last time he was supposed to be on too. :-( Wasn't he listed on the TV Guide? These early morning programs are a torture to watch. Thanks for the all the reviews. When it opens wide next weekend the Ad will have plenty of great quotations.

very happy this morning. went to see TIOBE at the paris theater last night. now i can make my way to 126, have been trying to avoid it until i saw the film. kept trying to imagine where colin sat in the paris theater. will go to see it again in another theater next time. don't really like the theater, not much of slope so if u have someone sitting infront of you it really s*cks, head in the way and shifting in seat to try to get a view :( but i sill enjoyed the film immensely. pretty big crowd, there were alot of moments the audience just downright LOL. so colin was not on Today. is the Regis and Kelly show live? i haven't tuned in to that show in ages so i don't remember. thanks to all for the reviews/articles/links.

I thought that the interview with Katie would be taped, so wouldn't matter whether she was there or not. Of course, she might have wanted to introduce the bit, being such a fan... Although, last time, didn't it turn out to be live when he eventually made it on Today?

Regis named Colin as one of the guests Monday.

so colin was not on Today. But the frogs were so interesting! :) Nope, although it's good to know my VCR is working well now. I just wasted 30 minutes of my life fast-forwarding through the tape; should have checked here first! I'd like to know when they'll be running that, if anyone finds out. It should be good for a chuckle or two. I'm going to the theater on my day off today, and I was dreading the traffic coming back out of town. NPR will make it more bearable, no doubt. Karen, thanks for the info on the VH1 replay, I'm hearing that one's a must-see.

Who knows something about this "All Things Considered" radio program? In looking at the various times it plays around the country, the length of the show varies widely. Sometimes it is an hour. Sometimes two hours. Here, it is THREE hours. This is going to cut severely into my planned activities for this afternoon if I have to do another hurry up and wait routine. Gaaah!

You can get a realaudio playback of it at http://www.npr.org usually. They repeat a lot of the same stuff every hour. I programmed my tivo as a keyword search for "firth" so it records every program automatically. You can sometimes check what's on my tivo on the front page of http://www.spring.net.

Karen, I wonder if there's anything we in the Eastern time zone can do in the way of a heads up. Ours is 2:30 starting at 4pm EDT. I think they intersperse local news, etc. I always thought of it like "Morning Edition" in the afternoon. ;-)

Thanks Fran....I'm keepin' my chin up! : )

The Importance Of Being Earnest Peter Howell Movie Critic ** (out of 5) Bringing Oscar Wilde's The Importance Of Being Earnest to the screen should be as easy as making tea and crumpets. You take the best play by one of the wittiest of scribes, cast it with talented actors and start the camera rolling. Hilarity ensues. Which is pretty much what Anthony Asquith did in 1952, with the first, and still definitive, film treatment of Wilde's "trivial comedy for serious people," set in the town and country of 1890s England. Asquith was so confident about the material, and so blessed with thespian resources -- notably Edith Evans as the insufferably snobby Lady Bracknell -- he made little attempt to remove it from its stage cradle. Indeed, the film opens with a couple taking their seats in a theatre box, watching as the curtain rises for the show. Along comes another filmmaker, a half-century later, with the somewhat radical notion of wanting to bust the play loose. Oliver Parker seeks to free Wilde from his stage restraints so he can gambol among the hills, ramble inside the manors and revel in the fantasy lives of Victoria's reign. Ordinarily, this would be worthy of applause, since it's the rare stage play that translates directly to the screen. And Parker has already demonstrated his affinity for Wilde with his deliciously rendered An Ideal Husband (1999), which also featured Rupert Everett in a key role. Yet he's dropped the cricket ball this time, by concentrating more on the seriousness of Earnest than its trivialities. With a title based on a pun, and a plot that implausibly involves two dandies with assumed identities, two love-struck ladies seeking a mate named Ernest and a meddlesome matriarch to stir everything up, Wilde never intended for the story to get in the way of the hilarity. The dialogue is the thing: the breezy exchanges that are cloaked in social correctness, sheathing the barbs within. As when the imperious Lady Bracknell observes that "a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing," and then inquires of her daughter's suitor which type he is. With its plumy English accents and adroit word play, Earnest is as much a joy to listen to as to watch, something Parker seems to have forgotten in his headlong rush to tell a story. He has excised many of the choice exchanges in the play, deeming them inessential to the plot, and he has added scene changes and fantasy elements -- knights rushing to fair maidens, and an anachronistic trip to a tattoo parlour -- that seem inspired by Ally McBeal episodes, not Wildean invention. Parker is on firmer ground in his casting, the only criticism being that most of the players are just too obvious. The charmingly insincere Everett plays Algernon, the calculating ne'er-do-well who never misses a trick or a free meal. The stolid Colin Firth is the faithful and befuddled manor lord Jack Worthing, who has imagined himself into all sorts of trouble. Judi Dench plays Lady Bracknell, as she has before on stage (perhaps too many times before). Frances O'Connor (Mansfield Park) makes a fetching Gwendolyn Fairfax, daughter of Lady Bracknell and one of two ladies harbouring Ernest desires. The other is Cecily Cardew, the idealistic ward of Jack Worthing. She's played by Reese Witherspoon, the only American in the cast and the only surprise among the lot, especially in her facility with an English accent. With a cast as capable as this, and material as strong as this, it would be impossible for The Importance Of Being Earnest to be a complete failure. And so it isn't: there are moments of hilarity to be had. Still, the film lacks something of Wilde's amused worldliness and sly one-upmanship. It is important when filming the man that one not be too earnest, as Lady Bracknell would surely say.

sorry, that was from the Toronto Star today, forgot that part of the review

(Meredith) Ours is 2:30 starting at 4pm EDT. Great! If you can say when the Earnest segment shows up, that should help a bit. But I had wanted to go to the first screening of Earnest today, which is at 4:30. I'm thrilled, however, that they've switched theaters here, and Earnest is now playing at the one a block away.

in st. louis area looks like all things considered is 4-7pm with marketplace in between (6-6:30), a lot of our programs here are split into segments i think, it will be tricky tonight because cast party starts here at 4:30pm, will have to rush home and figure out vcr while listening to radio, i'm keeping fingers crossed that "school" will be let out early to day for the long weekend, thanks for all the reviews, one week to show time if my calculations are correct as to which level of market stl belongs

"All Things Considered" seems to be produced in 30-minute segments. In my area, it starts at 4 PM, after an hour of "Fresh Air", and they repeat some of the segments immediately after the full broadcast, for a total of 2.5 hours of ATC. Three hours almost certainly includes some repeat segments, Karen. It's meant for drive time, so it's very office-listenable, but usually winds up attracting my total attention for a story or two. Makes me wonder if he sat down for a talk with Terri Gross again, too...

My cohort has created a streaming audiofile of the entire serenade sequence from the film and I've linked it on two pages (main Earnest and the serenade page). There will be a gap but that is from how it is done in the film; the boys take their musical instruments inside and resume singing.

Welcome all newbies from a relative newbie. What a river of news and reviews, still swimming through it... :) Thanks for the news about npr (makes up for watching part of Today :( before checking in here): I called my local station to have show time for All things considered: 5:30-6pm here in Interior Alaska (in case we have lurkers from here!)...

A note for UK viewers: Talking Movies will be shown on BBC News 24 on Saturday at 5.30 am, 3.30 pm and 10.30 pm and on Sunday at 3.30 am(!). As it seems to be shown here a few days after in the US, this should be the edition featuring CF.

Radio Program note for our friends outside the US, many Public Radio stations have online streaming--for those of you who want to stay up (or is it get up early-guess it depends ;-) Here are a couple of examples in Eastern Daylight Zone: http://www.wfu.edu/%7Ewfdd/ http://wunc.citysearch.com/ Look for the "Listen Now" or similar button. There's also a station lookup at the NPR site. http://www.npr.org/members/

Thankyou Barbara for the tip-off, although there is a chance that it may not be CF's interview as, as Jennie reported it was shown on the BBC Morning News recently, but there is no harm in checking in. BTW re the discussion on Colin's choice of shoes, I loved the black loafers he wore last year for the BJD TV interviews, very smart, very italian. Thanks also to everyone for the news, interviews, am very envious as I cannot imagine Colin doing any interviews on UK TV, we just do not have the right shows, so we in the UK must live vicariously, through the kindness of our American friends. Still there is always the UK Premiere to look forward to in September.

Glad I checked here before watching my tape of "Today." Guess I'll rewind and try again...when? Does anyone know the next likely time they'll show the tape? Am having flashbacks to last spring, when I watched "Today" needlessly waiting for Colin's interview. Monday is Memorial Day. Will Regis be "live" or will they show taped interviews?

(in nyc) 93.9fm (npr) is now broadcasting "All things Considered"

For those planning on taping--the first hour of NPR is a bust. Yesterday at work, Chris O'Donnell came in. My Boss said "Who was that?" I said, "He was in 'Circle of Friends'." boss: "I never heard of that movie." I need to expand my frame of reference.... *update* CF is coming on in this hour.

Oh, yum, have just heard a snippet of the NPR interview!

Sounds like it might be on at the end of the second hour because that's the order it was mentioned in, but there was a teaser of him speaking about being exposed to Wilde and Coward as he was growing up during the intro.

Nice review in the Boston Globe: The Importance of Being Earnest 'Earnest' adaptation upholds original Victorian comedy By Loren King, Globe Correspondent Boston Globe Published: 05/24/2002 To hear Oscar Wilde's stinging lines springing from the mouth of Judi Dench is alone worth the price of a ticket to Oliver Parker's second Wilde adaptation (he made ''An Ideal Husband'' in 1999). American audiences would not have very many opportunities to see Dench onstage in a Wilde play; this film version is an adequate substitute, showcasing sharp performances and a literate script that never has to resort to cheap humor to be sidesplittingly funny. Parker ''opens up'' Wilde's peerless drawing room comedy, taking the film outside as much as possible. But the film works best when the comedy of manners is played out in parlors, music halls, and on the grounds of estates, where Wilde's elegant dialogue and perfect-pitch orchestrations are allowed to flow unencumbered. Colin Firth's Jack has invented a ruse where, away from his country estate, he poses as ''Ernest'' in London. There he courts Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), daughter of the formidable Lady Bracknell (Dench). Dench wisely doesn't try to imitate Edith Evans's memorable Lady Bracknell in the excellent 1952 movie version, which more or less re-created the stage play. Rather, she offers her own inimitable spin on this delicious character, and, as always, nearly walks off with the film. Rupert Everett, who delivered a defining role in ''An Ideal Husband,'' plays Jack's friend Algernon, the layabout and very broke nephew of Lady Bracknell. Algy's fictional sick friend Bunbury provides Algy's own excuse for escaping dinners with his aunt and cousin and dashing out of the city generally to squander his time and money. In true Wilde fashion, the centerpiece scene mixes mistaken identities and revelations as the characters all wind up at Jack's country house. There, Algy pursues Jack's lovely young ward Cecily, and Reese Witherspoon matches her accomplished British co-stars with a smart and frothy performance. Meanwhile, Tom Wilkinson does a delightful about-face from his grim dramatic turn in ''In the Bedroom'' with a sparkling, broad comic creation as Dr. Chasuble. His comic timing is matched by that of Anna Massey's Miss Prism, Cecily's tutor, who holds the key to Jack's past and his hopes for a future with Gwendolen. Parker's decision to play Wilde broadly falters sometimes, mostly when he inserts flashbacks and fantasy sequences, seemingly in an attempt to spring his version from being stagebound. But the cast, not to mention Wilde's hard-to-botch dialogue and characters, easily and routinely rise above directorial missteps. This ''Importance of Being Earnest'' is a delightful alternative to most current multiplex fare, which wouldn't recognize a juicy bon mot if it tripped over one in the aisle. The Importance of Being Earnest - Directed by Oliver Parker. Screenplay by Parker (from the play by Oscar Wilde). Starring: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench. Movie Showtimes Movie Showtimes for Friday, May 24 Coolidge Corner 290 Harvard Street Brookline, MA 3:15, pm, 5:30, pm, 7:45, pm, 10:00, pm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loews Harvard Square 10 Church Street Cambridge, MA 2:20, pm, 4:40, pm, 7:00, pm, 9:45, pm

NPR just announced that it's on after the 5:30 pm local and national news. That's about the last 20 minutes more or less of the program (ATC).

for those playing a long at home--tune in , well, now. (about 1hr and 35min into the show)

Wow, this is an excellent interview, catch it if you can. I don't think I'd be planning a crossover album, either....:)

Interview over--15min?

Good interview on NPR. He really is good at this stuff (but then, I'm a relative newbie-only 4 years of CF watching). An item I hadn't heard before about Paul Scofield. Note to self, must rent "Man for All Seasons". Saw it in the theatre when released. Gah! Am ready for nursing home!

Excellent interview! Well done, Colin and well done, NPR.

NPR is an ideal format for ODB. He fits right into it. When he tried to be thoughtful and intellectual on VH1 it fell flat, but on NPR it's just right and he really shines. (Meredith)An item I hadn't heard before about Paul Scofield. Note to self, must rent "Man for All Seasons". I thought the same things. His retelling of his experience upon first seeing the Rocky Mountains during his year in America was great stuff too.

His retelling of his experience upon first seeing the Rocky Mountains during his year in America was great stuff too. That's when I tuned in! Did I miss much? I really liked what I heard. I hope to hear again on-line. :-D

i only caught the last few minutes, when they were talking about colin's singing. on npr.org it says the program will be available online after 10 PM ET. will have to wait till then to hear the whole thing.

From the NPR website, a description of the review and show. Looks like the whole segment ran 12 minutes. "The Importance of Being Earnest" NPR's Bob Mondello brings us a review of the latest movie version of Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Earnest." He says Wilde's script is full of quick wit and this film's new approaches - songs performed by the actors, for example - don't detract. (3:45) The Importance of Being Spontaneous Actor Colin Firth plays the role of Jack in the new film version of "The Importance of Being Earnest." He says Oscar Wilde's comedy could be killed if it were analyzed too much. The script requires a certain ability to go with the flow. He talks with Robert Siegel about this new version of Wilde's play and the challenge of performing the musical aspect of it. (8:15)

Don't miss the the NPR interview-two thumbs up! He was very funny when talking about the singing in TIOBE. I love when he said he really studied playing the guitar for the duet to make up for his short-commings on the vocals, and it just turned into one big short-comming. I'm thrilled he did this interview. I really enjoyed last year's with Terry Gross. This was very much like that, but more discussion on what shaped his career and lots on TIOBE. I bet most of us will have perfect grilling parties this weekend now that we have all of Al Roker's recipes!

The great island continent in the south, awoke to dense fog. But this was nothing to the fog that had already gripped the hearts and minds of certain inhabitants, those who had stayed up last night. They knew this fog would come to grip those who were at the moment rewinding their VCRs. For the game was up when Ann in a stripped dress and biege cardigan, appeared on the screen. Excellent reporter she may be but it was not the outfit for a certain interview. Take pity and be kind to these ladies, for they have no TODAY to come only tennis, and tennis and more ffing tennis for the rest of the week. Ohhhh Victor Paul home shopping and Danoz Direct will follow the tennis, but retail is not the therapy that is required. Some will walk into the desert, others into the sea, I will try the absolut. Life really is cruel and unjust

(Meredith)An item I hadn't heard before about Paul Scofield. Note to self, must rent "Man for All Seasons". Ditto ;) (and thanks for spelling out the name; I couldn't quite catch it) I bet most of us will have perfect grilling parties this weekend now that we have all of Al Roker's recipes! LOL! Indeed after an initial bust, this turned out to be a fairly firthiful day! - I enjoyed the Regis & Kelly mentions of their Monday guest: Regis: "fine British actor CF", then the voice-over with the almost-kiss clip: "British heartthrob CF", but the next time toning it down (did CF call?) "actor CF". - Got to see Cast Party and really enjoyed all the smiles, and when he said they're all ganging up on him: who wouldn't, he's so cute when on the defensive :). - Then there was NPR (did anybody else hear a review of Greg Brown new album in the segment before - he's one of my favorites): the review before the interview was "thumbs up" and then CF: talking about coming upon the Rockies and seeing the mountains for the first time and at sunset and understanding why people would climb them (BJD connection anyone?) or paint them; the best was hearing him say the name Colorado (I'm going there next summer and will keep that in my mind -- I must say I'm such a sucker for his voice, his intonation on that word or "culture"...); another great plus, the interviewer made him laugh... So run to the online version... Connected question: like Reese, I must say I didn't know any of the artists that RE and CF mentioned, but when they showed clips, it didn't look like jazz; yet once again on NPR, he mentioned jazz. You would think he listens to it, not just mention it in interviews. :)

If you're looking for CF's NPR interview, go to this URL and scroll down until you find "The Importance of Being Spontaneous." http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm?PrgDate=05/24/2002&PrgID=2 It's a great interview -- thanks for mentioning it, everybody! As a former St. Louisan, I got a kick out of the diplomatic way he managed to avoid talking about what a miserable year he spent in St. Louis in junior high school. He managed to quickly change the subject to the Rocky Mountains. Despite diligent searching on the Web, I've still never managed to discover which junior high he went to in St. Louis. I guess there is some information that eludes even the Internet! Since I'm de-lurking for the moment, I'll take this opportunity to thank all of you for being a great source of info on my secret obsession, which no one I know understands . Liz

You might try classmates.com Liz, I hear they can find anyone!

Time to wake up early again!! Another sighting of Colin will be repeated tomorrow morning. MTV broadcast a half hour show about the Tribeca Film Festival tonight and Colin was shown and he made a couple of comments about TIOBE. The program will be aired again Saturday morning at 9:00am., Tuesday at 6:30pm, and Wednesday at 2:30pm. Loved the NPR interview today. I thought it was better than the Fresh Air one. Colin seemed more relaxed and having a bit of fun. His dad's remark. LOL! I can't imagine what he was talking about there being no demand for his album. How much of Speaking with the Angels' total take came from Firth fans? ;-D (bring on Thomas More)

Anna - LOL - if despair can make you blurt out such verbal acrobatics on 665 - what would you be like if you found yourself in the presence of the One and Only? I was a bit kinder to myself last night - I set the alarm clock to wake up at 1.30 am but found out from Drool that I just needed to go straight back to bed. Though I had the VCR on - I still could not resist the temptation to watch Katie interviewing the cause of her heart palpitations. But instead of running to the TV room - I went online to Drool first because I know our US sisters would be all over the place commenting on what they saw. Well - there it was in black & white - No Katie ergo no CF. So switched off the VCR and went right back to sleep. Many many many thanks to all our US drooleurs. Off I go to NPR site now.

Oh my! - thanks everybody for the link to the NPR interview. Fresh Air last year was very good as it was quite exhaustive (as it was allowed to be) and it presented his intelligent and thoughtful nature. But he also sounded so serious and a bit self-conscious especially when talking about the motivations for the Department of Nothing (Remember his line? "Surely there must be a better answer to this.") But in this current interview at only 8 mins long - he sounded so much more relaxed and confident. I think he is really starting to enjoy himself and maybe he won't find it too difficult anymore to "play the town". Gives us a bit of hope, don't you think Mari? Bring on Ted Hughes! Even another go at Thomas More, Karen? Rupie's remarks about ODB during the shoot of Another Country reminds me of the TV interview during the UK promo for Tumbledown. He came across then looking like an earnest commie...a serious self-conscious young man without much sense of humour. I can understand Rupie's remarks. Gee - his public persona has come a long way since - developing like a good vino. All the more for us to savour. slurp ;-P~~~`

Hello Everyone - another Firth fan de-lurking here... I'm living in "Minkeeland" and am wondering if any others in the Sydney area would like to get together for the premiere of TIOBE on July 4. Please contact me via email if you are. Loved the NPR interview - couldn't believe him saying "Noone would have me." Nothing could be further from the truth! *lol*

Why oh why? I tried to listen the NPR interview online, and then..."the format is not supported" !!! I`m missing so much...I just have to imagine him on that VH1 interview...and on those talk shows...and on radio...

http://www.msnbc.com/news/TODAY_Front.asp Today has posted it's schedule for next week. *I* didn't see any mention of CF.

Soledad O'Brien just said something about Colin Firth and I didn't catch it all. This was on Weekend Today. Maybe she said he'll be on next week? Or tomorrow? Gah. This was right at the end of the show--maybe someone in a later time zone can catch it and tell us.

Colin's interview will be on tomorrow-Weekend Today Sunday. I had to rewind and make sure that's what she said.

Finally saw Cast Party yesterday and heard the NPR interview last night. While Cast Party has the obvious advantage of letting us see as well as hear ODB I have to say that I enjoyed the NPR interview more. Is it only me or did anyone else feel that CF was not at ease in the format? It seemed so artificial to me, the four of them sitting around laughing and joking about their experiences on the set and trying to be amusing. Now, don't get me wrong, I think they may very well have had a great time on the movie set but I felt that it (Cast Party) was forced for the camera. RE seemed over the top (so for him probably natural), RW young and cute and clueless, F'OC faded into the background and CF (being the good soldier that he is) going along with the banter. I'd really love to be a fly on the wall when they are together off-camera. Then I'm sure we'd get to see the silly side of CF without the self-awareness of being "on stage".

Yes, Kathy C, I definitely agree with you about Cast Party! Matter of fact, I was bordering on boredom for the first 10 mins or so (yes I know that's sacrilege :-} ) because they all seemed so stiff. RW acted like she did on Leno to me, overemphasizing little silly things. They all seemed like "What the hell are we doing here? and What are these stupid questions?" They did start to loosen up quite a bit later. It started to pick up for me when RE did the imitation of ODB kissing LOL!! (lindak) Colin's interview will be on tomorrow-Weekend Today Sunday. Thanks! Watched the whole show until the Pet Shop Boys and never went back. Did pick up a great grilling idea with the Beer Can Chicken, though! On the MTV Tribeca FF show, Colin was only on for maybe 6 or 8 secs tops in the first 5 minutes after HG's comments. The rest of the show was actually interesting to me to see what was going on at the comedy/rock concert while I was at the screening of TIOBE. Everyone in the US have a great holiday! Those everywhere else who are celebrating some kind of holiday, have a great weekend!

(LindaK) Colin's interview will be on tomorrow-Weekend Today Sunday. Let's not get confused. There was *always* to be two interviews: one on Today and one on Weekend Today, at least that is what I was told by Miramax. I watched the MTV special on the Tribeca FF this a.m. and Colin is shown twice in the first 5 minutes or so. He looks oh-so-lovely, wearing a black T-shirt. First, he's responding to why he's there and he says something about NYC, and the second bit is a focus on the films at the fest and he explains the plot of Earnest. And... Welcome Jane!! You're among many other Oz Firth fans.

Welcome to all new Drool Firthettes ! (Karen)I thought it was better than the Fresh Air one. Colin seemed more relaxed and having a bit of fun. His dad's remark. LOL! Thanks to Karen , and the telephone...I was able to listen to the interview. Yes...much better than the Fresh Air interview( no death-talk !) LOL at Dad's remark about TIOBE: "That old thing again". Hey, dad lots of us agree with you;-)

(Linda)Colin's interview will be on tomorrow-Weekend Today Sunday. I had to rewind and make sure that's what she said. Great--thanks, Linda! (Karen)He looks oh-so-lovely, wearing a black T-shirt. Mmm, looking oh-so-scrumptious sitting out by the harbor. He says that "everyone is rooting for New York" and something about that it's everyone's favorite city. Thanks for the reminder about this one.

Let's everyone e-mail NBC and find out when the weekday Today Show interview will be on: today@nbc.com

This may have been posted.... This web site seems pretty accurate (not much in the way of morning talk show listings though). http://www.interbridge.com/lineups.html

Re Talking Movies on BBC News24 in UK Have just watched 3.30pm edition and CF interview IS included. - Will be repeated tonight at 10.30pm.

Saw this movie scheduled to play June 26/27 on Lifetime movie network: "Fatal Woman"--Is this "Femme Fatal"? Are there two versions?

Yes it is Femme Fatal. Welcome newbies! And thanks for the link to the NPR interview. I agree with everyone, it is vg.

It is Femme Fatale, but edited down a bit. And it is those missing bits that we crave. Get the real thing unless you prefer your world PG.

Aaaargh! Just discovered that Optus TV in Sydney is carrying useless BORING French Open tennis day after tomorrow, instead of Today show with Colin Firth interview! Aaaargh!! Don't they have any women working there??? Morons!!! Will now have to wait interminably long time for friend in the US to send me videotape of CF's US tv interviews in order to see anything except "Talking Movies". Thank goodness for US Firthettes - without them we'd get almost nothing of Colin here!

Just saw the interview with Soledad O'Brien and CF (pre-recorded). She was completely clueless about him--made me squirm. I normally like her. He was *lovely*! Dimple alert! Sure hope the interview with Katie is for real and will be shown. She is not clueless.

He looked v. bored, I thought. Still yummy inthat always present black shirt. I'm sure he gets tired of rehashing the same questions and movie clips. I thought he was cute when he pretended not to know he was a heartthrob!

So right, that Soledad is no rocket scientist. The very first time he was mentioned, she said his love interest in the movie was Reese. Colin looked v. nice and handled himself v. well under the circumstances. How better to make your guest feel ill at ease than to start out with the "hottie" remark. Yuck! But then I have comment on Colin's rather sexist remark: 'someone's mother or friend or secretary.' Surely he could think of another profession for a woman other than that? [No offense to anyone who is one.] BTW, I thought the shirt was deep blue, and the film clips are pretty much always going to be the same. These programs are provided with what is called a 'B roll' of clips and they always show the clip that features their guest. Do you have any idea of how many times we saw the "I like you just the way you are" speech from BJ? ;-D

He looked scrumptious in that blue shirt and jeans.Relaxed, hands folded in lap. I didn't think he looked bored, and she was cute. Hey, at least she didn't ask "How come you aren't a bigger star",like the BBC's Talking Movies. He looked rather pleased when she called him "American's Hearthrob" remark; the little "blue soup " smile surfaced. If you have to be defensive that's a good one to be assualted with. Nice way to start a Sunday. Now to Regis tomorrow.

I have one quibble about his remark about "why don't I meet these people" who are such big fans. Liar, liar, pants on fire! ;-D We know many people who have put great effort in to meeting him. ;-)

Thank you very much for the alert. Now I *will* get out of bed and turn on TV and hope that they do show Weekend Today here (our TV guide says they do). It's 40 mins past midnight and it's freezing here - oh the life of a CF-er! Thank goodness for the US drooleurs who help ease it a bit ;-) Evelyn - the BBC Talking Movies guy did make me squirm (and noticeably, CF too) with that question. Gaahh! But still - whatsisname did make a mention of "heartrob" and CF looked as if he was trying to suck his cheeks in. I hope Chevy Chase is not on Regis tomorrow. That episode was another squirmer ;-( Everytime I think of the placenta....ugh!

Well, I had much better success today than last week of hiding my secret obsession from DH. Was able to leave the room with tape on when being asked to get his clothes from the dryer so he could go golfing! I did like this interview, he looked lovely as always. I did however really like the NPR radio interview, one of his best I think. Am truely going crazy now, as adds have been appearing for the movie and I don't think I will get it here for another week or so (at least). DH asked me if I wanted to go see it today as well. I quietly said that it wasn't out yet, in which he replied "but the adds are on". I had to hold my distress! Oh well, I now have 5 hours before his return, just enough time to watch P&P!!!

Karen, Evelyn, Sandi, Meredith, Fran - anyone... Is Weekend Today only a one-hour show? I just checked our guide - it's on free-to-air (Ch 7 to all Sydneysiders who are still awake) from 2 am - 3 am. I think I can't stay up that long but certainly won't try if it's not likely to be the "Soledad" version. It better be - this is our last chance for ANY Colin TV sighting. Not a #$%$^@$ chance to see the KCD ("Katie Couric Drooling"). For the next 2 weeks, The Today Show has been replaced by live coverage of the French Tennis Open - not likely to have a Colin sighting there ;-( but will still stay up for tennis

Yes, it is a one hour show. Colin is on during the second half of the program. Meredith, I had the same reaction to that comment. He's met them. By the hordes. Who is he kidding? ;-D

I thought for sure that Katie herself would do the interview. What is a major star like ODB doing on a Sunday morning Today! R&K better do a much nicer job! Love that blue soup smile!!!!

As I said, way back when, there are two different Today Show interviews. There is another one for the weekday program that should air at a later date. And there's nothing wrong or abnormal about having this appearance. Many actors appear on weekend television shows. Colin was on last Sunday's BWTA. That's the nature of the publicity. It's 7 days a week. :-)

May be wishful thinking, but I'd expect to see the KC interview on Today later next week. I believe you mentioned this, Karen. When the movie goes "wide", it would be a natural to show it. I *think* next weekend is wide (or at least moderately broad ;-) Or, is it two weeks until all markets (translation boonies)? Argh!

i think may 31, next friday is when TIOBE goes wide. maybe Today will wait till next friday to air colin's interview. praying hard here.

Hello All, I'm a new delurker and I just want to thank all you alumni Firthettes for all your eye catching moments and info. I'm out here in the midwest USA. I called the two theatres here and neither one has heard of TIOBE. So at this rate I may be waiting to this film on video tape. I hope not. But I have thuroughly enjoyed reading all the info hear. For a couple of months now I've been glued to this place of drool and my husband asks me what I'm laughing at while on the computer and I have to invent a funny email to answer him. I've rather new to this obsession just since seeing "BJD" last January and that did it for me and now I'm collecting CF movies by the gross. Including P&P. Thanks to all for letting me share in this adoration for a simply sweet man to put it mildly. And thanks to Karen for helping to put my two cents into the pot, which is growing by the moment by the way.

My pleasure, and welcome to our little sandbox of fun, Jory. Again, for the sleepy heads who missed the Weekend Today interview early this (yawn) morning or our international Firthettes, I've transcribed it and it's up at The Bucket: http://www.firth.com/int/weekendtoday52602.html Also, the far better, 'All Things Considered' interview is there as well (sorry, no pics) ;-) http://www.firth.com/int/atc52402.html

Thank you Karen for the tip that he is in the 2nd half of the show. Got there just in time. Soledad looked fine but was not drooling as much as KC. I didn't think he looked bored - he looked delectable and all *alert* and ready to please - couldn't keep the dimples down. But he looked so thin - the small head seemed out of proportion somehow. I see now what you mean about that "haven't met those people" bit. Surely - he jests! Hint of false modesty there? *splat* ducking for cover from rotten tomatoes But then again what could he have said instead? Better appear modest than otherwise! LOL! Next time any of the Drooleurs meet him - better give him your business cards so he knows that many of the moms, sisters and secretaries who admire him so have also got degrees, businesses, professions etc. No offence meant but only an observation on the narrow frame of reference. What a strange thing to say from he whose nearest female relations are a mother and a wife with their respective PhDs and a sister who went to university. *shaking head*

We should be grateful he didn't say grandmother, instead of "mom, friend or someone's secretary" ;-D Of course, it is false modesty. But what concerns me is that he's had to endure 6 yrs of that kind of focus by the UK press (Wet Shirty) and it might have been rather refreshing NOT to have that kind of baggage when he started doing interviews here. He could talk about other things. His acting, for one. But if they're going to focus on heartthrob, it can't be easy to listen to this crap again.

Karen, thanks for the transcription. I had the VCR ready to go this morning but forgot that we have this little thing in central Indiana called a 500 mile race and Today was pre-empted for coverage. Have these people got a distorted sense of priorities or what?! ::::very heavy sigh::::: Now, for Regis tomorrow!

IIRC, wasn't there a comment last round from a media type who didn't know who he was until his/her 'secretary' raved about him? I didn't see the interview myself; thanks for the transcript! So I can't speak to the intonation or expression of the administrative assistant remark. Of course it stands to reason that he'd *see* more of his US fans if he did more PR or public appearances here Is that a big enough hint? :) I count two interviews so far, and I've probably missed some, with zero mention of wet shirts or P&P. And one of my favorite things about him is his apparent lack of overt public egotism, so, although I adore Darcy, I call this progress. ITA about the PR burden of being a heartthrob. Must be quite tedious if you have even half a brain.

Hi ya Jory!

just got my TIOBE soundtrack and there's an extra sticker that says: Includes Rupert Everett and Colin Firth's hit performance of "Lady Come Down" as heard in the film. we hava a hit! ;)

(Ev) Nice way to start a Sunday. I'm with you, Evvie! Despite being seriously, unforgivably behind in Drool posts (am trying to speed read through more than 500 on this topic alone), I managed to catch ODB on the Today show this a.m. Sure, he wasn't as loose and relaxed as he was on Rosie and LWTUI [Live With Two Utter Idiots] last year, but he did fine. He did sound like he was working on a cold--either that, or he had a very late night before the taping. ;-) Greetings to the newbies! Greetings to the oldbies! Sorry I couldn't help out with the Wash Post--wouldn't you know we didn't pick one up last Sun.? :-/ A big thanks to all the sleuths, review and interview posters and TV/radio appearance transcribers. We former full-timer droolers appreciate your efforts! Mari, I agree with something you wrote oh, about 400 posts ago--let's repost some of these interviews and good reviews when we're in the middle of one of those 'he's fallen off the earth' Firth droughts.

He is correct: he has never met the women who drool. From my experience he has only met classy women who never dared mention his looks (gorgeous or not) but instead concentrated on complimenting him on his acting talents.

(Evelyn)He looked scrumptious in that blue shirt and jeans.Relaxed, hands folded in lap. I didn't think he looked bored, and she was cute. Hey, at least she didn't ask "How come you aren't a bigger star",like the BBC's Talking Movies. He looked rather pleased when she called him "American's Hearthrob" remark; Minkee)I didn't think he looked bored - he looked delectable and all *alert* and ready to please - couldn't keep the dimples down. I agree! I thought it was a nice interview and he seemed very relaxed and *confident.* And what else was he going to say when she told him she was always running into women who liked him? "Yeah, I know, I'm gorgeous, they just love me." C'mon, that's not his style. I thought his remark was sweet and characteristically self-deprecating and it didn't offend me at all that he didn't use "NASA astrophysicist" as an example of his fans.;-)

You got it, Mari!

YOO HOO, LA ladies--how about someone scanning the new pic that I'm told is with this interview in today's LA Times?:-) Thanks to Marie for spotting: Los Angeles Times Sunday, May 26, 2002 Skipping to the Head of the Cast After an unlikely big break, rising actor Colin Firth is getting lead roles in films such as a new Oscar Wilde adaptation. By ELLEN BASKIN It is a truth universally acknowledged that a journeyman actor in possession of leading-man good looks must be in want of a breakout role--or so Jane Austen might have said, were she writing about Hollywood rather than Hampshire. Colin Firth had no idea he'd landed such a role in 1995, when he was cast as Mr. Darcy in a BBC miniseries production of "Pride and Prejudice." The English actor was by then a veteran of more than a dozen film and television appearances, including the title role in the 1989 film "Valmont," and considered himself far more "a jobbing actor" than a dishy screen star. But attention was paid, especially by the female population of the English-speaking world. Firth's smoldering presence and intense gazes in the direction of Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth Bennet so dominated the dramatic goings-on that the program could well have been retitled "Pride and Prejudice: The Darcy Chronicles." It didn't end there. In Helen Fielding's 1998 novel, "Bridget Jones's Diary," a comic modernization of Austen's classic, Firth showed up as both himself and via his interpretation of the fictional hero. What's more, Fielding dubbed her novel's male lead Darcy as well. As if all that wasn't confusing enough, the irony ante was upped yet again when Firth was cast as Darcy in last year's hit film, which starred Renee Zellweger as Bridget and Hugh Grant as Firth's rival for her affections. "I'd appeared as a character in the novel," Firth explains with deadpan wit. "And now the actor that appeared in the novel was playing the guy called Darcy from the novel, who is based on the guy I played on television." By the end, even Firth had trouble keeping track of which version of himself he was supposed to be at any given moment. A more literal game of who's who is played out in Firth's latest film. He co-stars with Rupert Everett in "The Importance of Being Earnest," a new film treatment of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners, mores and mistaken identity among the British upper crust. It opened Wednesday in Los Angeles. "Earnest" premiered on stage in London on Valentine's Day 1895 and has remained a theatrical staple. But this production, directed by Oliver Parker, is only the second major film adaptation. Anthony Asquith directed that 1952 version, with Michael Redgrave in the role Firth has. ("Earnest" has been done several times for television, and an independent production with an African American cast was filmed in 1992.) "You jump at something like this," Firth says of the opportunity to play Jack Worthing, a reserved suburban gent who often must journey to London to deal with the exploits of his troublesome brother Ernest--who, by the way, is a fictional creation whose made-up predicaments allow Jack to escape the genteel confines of the countryside. As Ernest, Jack woos the lovely Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor)--that is, when he's not teaming up with suave ne'er-do-well Algernon Moncrieff (Everett) and going out on the town. The plot, such as it is, thickens when Algernon takes on the Ernest title and takes off for the country to court Jack's naive ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon). In the midst of all this, Jack must also contend with Gwendolen's mother, the imperious Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench). Much witty havoc ensues. "My job is entirely language-dependent, and it doesn't get much better than this," Firth says of Wilde's sparkling dialogue. "But it throws down the gauntlet, because it has been tried and tested and proven to work. You can't blame the author if it doesn't." Wilde's works have never strayed too far from the cultural consciousness, but in recent years, particularly, he has been in vogue. Parker first directed Everett in 1999 in "An Ideal Husband." Wilde himself has emerged as a character in a number of film and stage works, including Tom Stoppard's 1997 play "The Invention of Love," the film biography "Wilde" (1997), starring Stephen Fry, and Moises Kaufman's acclaimed play "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" (1998), which focused on the libel trial that ultimately resulted in the writer's personal and professional downfall. "He was an avant-garde figure in his day, and I think if you are avant-garde and also have substance to your work, you remain relevant," Parker says of Wilde's continued audience appeal. "The conventional image of Wilde is of someone who's brittle and rather too clever. But, in fact, his work is continually probing and also pleading for a tolerant worldview. Beneath the surface of a lot of these apparently simple, glib comments is a great humanity. And I think he's at his most powerful and insightful when his touch is at its lightest." Firth shares his director's observation that Wilde is not exclusively about clever wordplay and sharp wit. "You can also talk about 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol' or tell the stories of his other plays and make them sound like heart-tugging dramas," he says. "There is enormous dimension to him, and I think he's relentlessly applicable." But the wit is formidable, and it can be as laugh-out-loud funny today as on opening night at London's St. James Theatre. "If you can laugh at comedy a hundred years after it was written, I'm pretty sure you'll be laughing 500 years later," Firth declares. "Comedy usually dies with the era. It doesn't cross over very easily. But this has. Anybody who speaks English can find these lines funny." Firth, 41, made his film debut in 1984 in "Another Country," in which he also co-starred with Everett. The two played sparring schoolmates in that film, their on-screen antagonism mirrored somewhat when the cameras stopped rolling. "We didn't get on particularly well the first time around," Firth admits. "I was far too--if you'll pardon the pun--earnest for him at that time, and he was far too sophisticated and worldly for me." Both actors also appeared in 1998's "Shakespeare in Love" (Firth was the villainous Lord Wessex, Everett the writer Christopher Marlowe), but they shared no screen time. So when they met in preparation for "Earnest," it was the first time they'd seen each other in nearly 20 years. "They got on like a house on fire," director Parker reports. "Their banter on the screen was often eclipsed by what went on off-screen." "There is something that works between Rupert and myself," Firth acknowledges of their rapport. "People have even said it should be a franchise now, like Lemmon and Matthau." Born in England, Firth spent several years of his early childhood in Nigeria. His parents are teachers, and the family moved around a lot, with Firth even spending one year of junior high in St. Louis, Mo. He lives now in London with his wife, Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli, and year-old son, Luca. Firth has an older son, William, 11, who lives in Los Angeles with his mother, actress Meg Tilly (Firth's "Valmont" co-star). In person, the indeed handsome and charming Firth is self-effacing and almost apologetic about his sex-symbol status. "I will take it on as my achievement," he allows of the "Pride and Prejudice" phenomenon that redefined his career. "But it is completely and utterly an achievement of my having done that job properly." By the time the miniseries aired and the media storm hit, Firth was out of town, on to his second post-"Pride" assignment. When confronted with the unexpected attention, he was "a bit dazed. I simply did not know how to react." Next up for Firth is "Hope Springs," based on the novel "New Cardiff" by Charles Webb, author of "The Graduate." Firth co-stars with Heather Graham and Minnie Driver in the story of an Englishman who travels to a randomly selected small town in the States to get over an unhappy love affair. Written and directed by Mark Herman ("Little Voice," "Brassed Off"), the film is due this autumn. Before "Bridget Jones," Firth had mostly played dramatic roles, often sporting the ruffles and flourishes of period costume. "I'd been wanting to do comedy for many years, then it finally came, and when it rains it pours," he says. "Since 'Bridget Jones,' I have been doing, and I think I will be doing, English guys in romantic comedies for a while." As for what it's like to have become a cultural reference point, "it actually felt rather good," Firth confesses. "There is something about being immortalized in a novel that's rather different than having done a film or being written about in a magazine." * * * Ellen Baskin is a regular contributor to Calendar. Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times

Sad, sad day here. Not only did I not realize that there would be a weekend Today show, but now I find out that tennis is pre-empting the regular Today show. Chancing for even one Colin sighting in this fenzied midst is becoming slim indeed. :(((((

this little thing in central Indiana called a 500 mile race Hey, I think Helio's kind of cute, especially when he cries. And the fence-climbing is a nice way to show off the rear view. :) You have a better excuse than I did...I had a late night videotaped film-festival at my house and simply slept through the whole thing. I would be lost indeed without the transcriptions. A thousand thanks.

"There is something that works between Rupert and myself," Firth acknowledges of their rapport. "People have even said it should be a franchise now, like Lemmon and Matthau." As someone who LOVES Lemmon and Matthau, I heartily second this. I'm not sure I'm ready to see him play a "Grumpy Old Man" but the dynamic certainly seems to be there. (First time I've tried tags, hope I didn't mess 'em up.)

older son, William, 11, who lives in Los Angeles with his mother, actress Meg Tilly So they did stay in LA. Thanks for the LA Times article, Mari. Looking forward to seeing that picture. :-) Karen, thanks for transcribing the Today show. I was one of those sleepy heads that missed it. Welcome Jory!

(CF)" There is something that works between Rupert and myself," Firth acknowledges of their rapport. "People have even said it should be a franchise now, like Lemmon and Matthau." Yikes...we have "Earnest II" to look forward to??? Oi...let's not get carried away with this, ole boy;-) Liiiiisaaaa...quit looking at television;-)

that the program could well have been retitled "Pride and Prejudice: The Darcy Chronicles." LOL! Isn't that we have going here? ;-D "People have even said it should be a franchise now, like Lemmon and Matthau." "Since 'Bridget Jones,' I have been doing, and I think I will be doing, English guys in romantic comedies for a while." Ooooowww, getting out the voodoo dolls. NOooooooooooooooo!!!

Thank you Karen for the Weekend Today show transcript. I missed it as well :-( Here is my TIOBE experience: I've been really busy on my research lately and couldn't get off work until 7:00 PM on Friday. I went directly to the only theater in town that shows TIOBE for 7:20 show. I was shocked when I saw a long line (over 100 feet at least) in front of the ticket office. When it was my turn at the window, it was sold out! I've never seen such crowd in an art house theater. I thought it might be some kind of event since I saw people seemed in groups (many of them were gray hairs - lots of gray hairs). Because I was booked all day on Saturday. I tried today again. When I got to the theater, I realized that I made a big mistake for not buying a ticket in advance on Firday. The line was even longer! The lady behind me informed that the line was always there when she drove by in past two days. I was a bit of anxious since it would start in less than 15 minutes and there were at least 50 people in front of me in the line. Luckly, the theater manager decided to delay the schedule in order to get as many people in as possi le. So I finally found a seat and settled myself for the enjoyment. It was full house. The atmosphere was delightful, the audiences were laughing and warmly applaud at the end twice. I enjoyed the movie very much and felt light headed happiness when I walked out of the theater ;-) ODB was so funny and adorable. I thought that he was very good in comedy when I saw MLSF, but this was much better. I've had earwarms of "Lady Come Down" since I was out of that theater. I couldn't help to sing the melody all day long ;-). I'm off the box now ;-)

(Karen)Since 'Bridget Jones,' I have been doing, and I think I will be doing, English guys in romantic comedies for a while." Ooooowww, getting out the voodoo dolls. NOooooooooooooooo!!! There goes the Le Carre... As soon as I read that remark, I couldn't wait to see your post, Karen. I knew you were going to have a fit. That certainly is good news about the number of people at the theater. Caught the Today show interview. He looked great. SOB,(her initials are bad too),I agree, was clueless. I was not thrilled with the hottie remark. C'mon Katie. Please, pray that interview is on fairly early in the week. I cannot deal with anymore recipes. Also hoping if it happens to be tomorrow, it's on before the third hour and doesn't conflict with Regis. If it's on Tuesday then it may conflict with the Early show. At least we have conflicts to worry about. Fire up VCR#2.

Karen, thanks for the Today and All Things Considered transcripts. Oi, he's such a nice boy!:-) Some very early box office estimates for the 4-day holiday weekend, from Hollywood.com: "This weekend also saw the arrival of Miramax's PG rated comedy The Importance of Being Earnest to an encouraging ESTIMATED $0.53 million at 38 theaters ($13,809 per theater). (Miramax estimated its three-day gross at $0.37 million.) "Directed by Oliver Parker, it stars Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson."

Karen, thanks so much for the transcripts of NPR and Today. Knowing that whatever I missed on the air would soon be available is the only thing that kept me a somewhat attentive host this weekend. There are barriers even in the US but Drool always comes through! Mari, you have been a wonder! Thanks for all the reviews and interviews! My dream come true: more articles than I can read in a day! This movie is much smaller than BJD but the PR for CF seems more abundant or is it just me?

I was reading this tv magazine and then, there it was: big photo of his smiling face!(and again, it`s my humble translation) Sex symbol against his will (Katso 22/2002) When British actor Colin Firth (Bridget Jones`s Diary) recently visited Los Angeles promoting Oscar Wilde movie The Importance Of Being Earnest, he met a herd of drooling women. The father of 2 children, married a couple years ago, Firth,41, smiles awkwardly to the sex symbol thing that started from BBC`s Pride & Prejudice. And when he played Mr. Darcy again in Bridget Jones`s Diary, the legend was born. -I still can`t understand all the fuss with the transparent shirt, which supposedly glinted to my body shapes, which I don`t even have. The idea of jumping to the pond was not even planned, but afterwards men wrote to me asking how I did it. Honestly, even my wife wouldn't get excited if I`d go home wearing a dripping shirt. In costume dramas confidently working Firth plays Jack who`s suffering from an identity crises in soon to be seen love farce The Importance Of Being Earnest with famous cast including for example Reese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett and Judy Dench. - You have to be little insane if you want to be an actor. You have to suffer from many illnesses to be good in that. I bet that the ability of playing someone else convincingly comes from unhealthy sources. So we`re all more or less nuts, says Firth with serious face. The star waits BJD sequel with mixed feelings. Ren�e Zellweger has announced that she won`t gain weight again, so maybe the movie makers have to find a new Bridget. -If they wait 10 years with the sequel, it won`t be a problem to hire someone else to play Bridget. They did that for example with Silence of the Lambs. But now people remember the movie so well that it`s going to be difficult, even impossible, Firth guesses.

wake up! wake up! i know it's a holiday and everyone is probably sleeping in. in my half asleep state i turned on the Today show and heard(i'm pretty sure i wasn't dreaming) katie mention colin will be on today.

You got that right....people get up and turn those sets on. I have no TV Guide...but I think a fellow Oz-er said we are being pre-empted by the French Open here. (Lleyton Hewitt is playing today!)

Yes it is true--this 1\2 hour on Today show. (8:30am, EST)

I think it's very bad news for us here. The program is listed as NBC Today and it is only on for an hour at 2am. Tomorrow we have tennis all night. Is there a chance this NBC Today is the other show you have been talking about with the SOB lady????

(He has on the same outfit as the Weekend Today interview)

All righty girls, it is over. (I'm sure someone will transcribe it all!) Katie (and Colin) were all smiles. She played with her hair a lot. Clips form BJD and TIOBE. She did ask about a sequel to BJD--He said he "Could neither confirm or deny it" and that he reads the gossip columns to find news about it. BTW--His hair is looking a bit odd--especially at the top. Could it be.....?

I can't believe I missed most of it! Will be looking forward to a transcript. Alert to our friends in Central Mountain and Western time zones!

Katie was certainly all flustered! How many times did she mention that it was good to see him! And right at the start, didn't it look like their feet were touching? Was THAT on purpose, Katie dear? I was having a good giggle over it. As per usual, Colin was very articulate and full of smiles!

Blast it! And I thought he was on Regis today! There will be an uproar, all of us watching on Friday and so very few today! Who knew?! :-@

He is on Regis (right now actually). Why Oh Why does he do this show???? (Talking about is being a hunk.) Yikes!

OK, it has taken a more redeeming turn (concession). Are chatting about some more personal type things that haven't been mentioned lately. He is being a good sport.

Was wearing black blazer/grey t-shirt/rolled jeans. Maybe he does Regis because Regis goes off on some strange raving tangent and he and Kelly discuss it while the guest (CF) sits there and watches...and thereby doesn't have to answer embarrassing questions. (they opened the show with the singing bass fish on a plague)

Boy, that must have been a fast clothes change between studios! Liked the grey t-shirt, jacket and jeans look on "Regis". You are so right, Amy - he was being a very good sport! I thought he was quite funny, especially since a large part of the interview had to do with his being a sex symbol. Thought there was a lot repeated from the Chevy-Kelly interview of last year - the baby, the Italian family, the scholarly parents... They really should get better researchers to add more variety to these interviews - especially before "Hope Springs" hits theaters in September. Anyhow, what a wonderful day to be home sick (in Canada, not Memorial Day here) - 2 early morning tete-a-tetes with Colin!

Myou--it had to be prerecorded. He has been seen in that outfit (and versions of it) on all the PR interviews. Didn't he have that very ensemble on during 'Cast Party"? Yes, hopefully when HS comes out they will all have to do some work. What, they have 3 months to get to it...unless they rely on this conference (and Karen) as one reported recently admitted....get ready Karen.....

As it seems like few people are even around this morning, I am now taking bets on how many droolers will stumble in here later and lament about missing these shows. :))))) 1 to 4 droolers......Even Money 5 to 9 droolers......3 to 1 10 to 15 droolers....10 to 1

yes, regis and kelly are so clueless. i liked the bit about luca walking. colin said something like luca was not really walking yet at 13 months because he's really lazy, very cute.

I caught both, but almost missed the Today show since he was not mentioned until the beginning of the second hour. He had on the same outfit as Weekend Today with SOB. I can't believe Kelly started off the interview with the Sexy Colin Firth thing again. Ugh! Show was taped-Regis and Kelly had on different outfits with each guest. Interview did get better as it went on. Katie looked v.happy again. Her feet were still at the beginning, but by the end they were doing the old 360's. Still thinking about the "quietly diversifying" comment...then the comment that he will be playing the romantic comedies for awhile...ODB does seem have a talent for being able to, very quickly, paint himself into the dreaded undiversified corner.

OH!OH!OH! Missed Katie interview. Panting away for transcript!! Please daughters of Drool help me out!

(Lisa) I am now taking bets on how many droolers will stumble in here later and lament about missing these shows. :))))) Not those of us with phones! As I putting a toothpaste-covered brush in my mouth, the phone rings and Evelyn's there, telling me Colin will be on in the next hour. I rush downstairs and get the tape and TV ready, although barely able to discern screen without contact lenses. Fortunately, everything came together during the commercial breaks. ;-D The interview was good and Colin looked very comfortable and relaxed. He didn't really say anything new, except to comment that his relationship with Rupe was similar to that of Algy and Jack. He elaborated on the unusual performance of JD as Lady B, and this time he mentioned he *had* seen a repertory production of TIOBE (minor case of amnesia before, huh?) I expect we will be seeing the headlines about how Colin isn't interested, in the abstract, about doing the BJD sequel. But really, what is he going to say? Yes, I'm dying to do it? Katie didn't appear as ga-ga as she did before. Will scrutinize tape for hidden body language.

Oh Happy Day! I caught both interviews! Katie was adorable...she is soooo smitten..hhmm...sounds like some people I know ; ) Colin was just incredible, as per usual!

The Today Show usually puts up the video of various segments. While the site hasn't been updated yet for today's show, keep checking at: http://www.msnbc.com/news/TODAY_Front.asp to see the interview online. I don't see anything either at the Weekend Today site. http://www.msnbc.com/news/weekendtoday_front.asp?ta=y I don't get Regis & Kelly until 1:00 a.m. (no market for those guys here), so will have a long wait to hear the cute stories.

Caught CF on Live. Thought he was a little reserved--no doubt waiting for the odd 'eating placenta' comment or two. Thought Reeg and Kelly were their typical selves; however, Regis actually segued nicely into the reason CF was there. CF had a few funny one-liners, but again I thought he was not as relaxed as he was on the shows last year. I did miss Today, however. Am sure he had more fun with Katie. ;-)

Ahhh, manage to catch both interviews today! Talk about Firthabundance!!!:-) Katie was so sly, slipping in the BJD2 question--her newswoman's instincts.;-) He's clearly very comfortable and relaxed with her. And believe it or not, even the Regis & Kelly interview was good. As goofy as those 2 are, it set Colin up for some very funny retorts, which went over really big with the audience. He got a lot of laughs. Must have been some fans in the audience, as I saw flahsbulbs go off at one point. One thing I do like about the R&K show is that they dare to ask personal questions--it's not just sell the movie and you're off. Colin mentioned that his father keeps a scrapbook of all his work and his interviews. He also said that his parents came to terms with his acting career, and his dad said that with the travel and exposure to different people and roles, that was as good an education as one could hope for. Dad sounds like a good guy.

Didn't you like how his face lights up when he speaks about Luca....LOL. "who is too lazy to walk, at 13 months. Has a v. irritable look on his face when we try to stand him up to walk. "[Colin putting both hands up imitating standing up baby]. Cute show. He seems v. relaxed on these shows now. Wouldn't be surprised if he tackles one in the UK.

Don't forget the Early show tomorrow. I know it is listed on the Bucket, but if you are like me-I keep forgetting to check. Does anyone every watch this show? Please give us a heads up when the celeb interviews take place. First hour or second? I noticed on the Today Show all celeb interviews took place between 8:20 and 8:40.(est) I should know after 10 days of watching times 3hrs. a day.

Loved Katie. It's obvious she's a (cough, cough) drooler. I like both interviews. Laughed at the remark about having to wait in line if he wants to play with Luca when they're in Italy.

Just watched the Today interview again. At the very beginning, Katie literally slips the toe of her show under Colin's shoe. It remains there for more than half of the interview. That's why her feet were so still until the end. I wouldn't have moved mine either if I were in her position.

Colin mentioned that his father keeps a scrapbook of all his work and his interviews. He also said that his parents came to terms with his acting career, and his dad said that with the travel and exposure to different people and roles, that was as good an education as one could hope for. Dad sounds like a good guy. Didn't you like how his face lights up when he speaks about Luca....LOL. "who is too lazy to walk, at 13 months. Has a v. irritable look on his face when we try to stand him up to walk. "[Colin putting both hands up imitating standing up baby]. I just love both these comments! His dad does sounds like a nice (and proud) dad! Colin normally seems to talk about his mum...so it's good that Dad gets a mention! Thanks for all the updates and news.

I thought these were both great interviews. Regis has a way of making people comfortable, even when it's obvious that Regis doesn't know who the guest is :-). He usually shows photos from an actor's career but showed Colin's magazine photos instead. Loved the joke about the shed in the background of the Vogue pic. I think R believed him! Finally Colin handled the "sexy" comments the way I want him to. Just go along with it and laugh. I realized during R&K that I've rarely seen CF laugh normally. Such a treat!

(Mari)Katie was so sly, slipping in the BJD2 question--her newswoman's instincts.;-) He's clearly very comfortable and relaxed with her. And believe it or not, even the Regis & Kelly interview was good. As goofy as those 2 are, it set Colin up for some very funny retorts, which went over really big with the audience. He got a lot of laughs. Must have been some fans in the audience, as I saw flahsbulbs go off at one point. I agree with Mari. It looked like a regular conversation with Katie, not so self aware of cameras like at the Cast Party, except for BJD2 carefully worded reply. Oh well, Katie tried. I also liked the R&K interview; I agree that the audience was definitely entertained and so seemed Regis (which is no small feat). The only problem I had with it was the makeup: abit heavy on the reds on my screen and definitely made his eyebrows disappear completely. But the smiles and better the smirks (especially with the Hugh Grant jokes)...

I'm looking forward to staying up late to catch R&K and then getting up early again for the Early Show. I might need Rupe's shovelfuls of makeup. ;-D Here are some fun pics: http://www.firth.com/earnest_castpartygal.html (Sorry, if I haven't kept up.)

I never thought I would be so happy to be unemployed right now - today is complete overindulgence...first Today, then Regis and Kelly, and I just returned from a 1:15 showing of IOBE (to which I drove 35km each way and went on my own, the lengths I will go to...). I mostly just sat there with a stupid grin on my face, it was great. I really like him in all of it, but particularly in the last scenes, very amusing. There was only about 10 people in the theatre, but lots of giggles from some younger folks (meaning around my own age). In the bathroom afterwards, two older women were discussing his natural reddish hair colour and how it is always curly, too funny. And tomorrow, the Early Show and I get part 2 of Master of the Moor. Wow - I must remember these times when we are in drought, as has been said!

i just watched the regis and kelly interview agian. it was a good interview, colin pretty much went with the flow of things. this was one of kelly's comment's, "they refer to you as britain's sex god screen idol, is that a heavy title for you?" colin, "no... i've always felt that way about myself."(then nice smile from colin). i have a question. for those who've already seen the interview or will be seeing it, does anyone know one of the magazine articles that regis held up. not the one recent vogue one, the other one where there's 4 pics on the page which included cary grant, colin(believe this is an old pic we've seen), hugh and prince william. anyone know this article and what it's about?

Dale, the magazine you're referring to is Town & Country. So far, so good on the box office front. Finally weekend stats from the AP: "In limited release, a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" opened solidly with $470,000 in 38 theaters. Directed by Oliver Parker ("An Ideal Husband"), the film stars Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon, Frances O'Connor, Colin Firth and Judi Dench."

Sounds good. Was walking around 57th st. today and there was a huge line outside the Paris theatre....mostly elderly people, (could this be attributed to, er, slowness in transactions?) but a line neverthless! :^) (Or all the viewers of morning talk shows?)

Wow! I've been thoroughly Colonized this morning! I caught both interviews by the skin of my teethe. TWO Colin exposers within an hour. You can't beat that with a stick. well maybe you can but, Thanks to Karen and all of you getting the info out so we can be alert. I have so enjoyed this month and all of your posts. (Dribble Dribble!) oops! better go clean up this puddle.

Blast!!! Have missed Today. Oh well, thanks to everyone who have posted. The box office tally sounds great--from the total that Mari saw, an average of $12,368 per screen, which means LOTS of butts in the seats. Woo hoo!!! (Pining) Now, if it will only come to my neck of the woods.....

was Colin on the early show on cbs this morning? if, so was it in the first hour? my local affiliate does not start until the 8 am hour. if so did anyone see it?

Looks like he will be on shortly. He and Rupe were announced for the next half hour (we're one hour behind the East Coast). Also, Colin is shown for the Daily Show on June 3rd at 11:00 pm (repeats at 1 am and the next day)

Sorry, I meant Frances O'Connor and Colin. This could be really cute.

On the east coast, Colin and Frances O'Connor's interview was just after 7:30. I enjoyed this one because it was different to see the two of them together. It was fun to see the two of them exchange looks to see who would answer the questions. I love the clip they showed-one of my favorite scenes in the movie. No startling revelations, more of the same type of questions. Looks like Jane watched Katie's interview and picked up on TEoR question. Colin, I think, really doesn't have an answer to this as he did say "it has gone very quiet". Hopefully that means--we're operating under the radar screen. (Just wishful thinking on my part). The Town and Country magazine that Regis showed yesterday...does anyone know what issue it is?

Oh my! As a result of all my Colin viewings/tapings this weekend, he has hit ODB overload. He was under control when I taped SOB's interview, but exclaimed, "Colin Firth again! Are you in love with this guy?!" when Katie mentioned him on Monday (and I promptly got up to put in a tape). All I could give in reply was a sheepish grin as I hit the record button again ;-D . To make matters worse, he was forced to watch all the interviews since we had only one TV available and I had the remote! Ironically, he was the one who commented that Katie was "preening" by touching her hair a lot. I had already given him a heads-up about how much she loves Colin and mentioned her interview with RE. I noticed that it looked like her feet were right on him too. They do seem to have a rapport like old friends almost, compared to any of his other interviews. My boyfriend also seemed to enjoy the R&K interview. My favorite line from that show was "Englishmen play hard to get even when nobody wants them". (or something to that effect...haven't had a second viewing of anything yet). Didn't Colin use that same story about having to stand in line to hold his own baby last year on R&K? At least no placenta discussion! I don't normally watch The Early Show on CBS, but thought Jane whatshername did OK. I thought Mark McCuen usually did the celebrity interviews. FOC seemed to like to lob the ball to Colin a bit. I thought he was pretty relaxed and she seemed more uptight. To comment on a post from several days ago....Can't really blame SOB for screwing up about who Jack pursues in TIOBE...she's reading from a teleprompter and the director may have thought it unimportant to correct it until it was mentioned in the interview. What a great Colin holiday weekend!

Hi Linda, It is the current issue, it has Mathew Broderick on the cover. Aside from the picture, there is only one or two sentences mentioned. I read it at Barnes and Noble

The Early Show interview was pretty good, as these things go. Having the two of them there seemed to take much of the pressure off Colin, except when FOC didn't want to answer. Good, polite boy that he is, he bore the burden of having to answer most things. Can't really criticize the Q&As, as most viewers are like ourselves and have this stuff over and over again. (What was it like to work with JD? Was it as fun to do as it looked? etc.) I will reserve my criticism to those rolled up jeans. ;-D I thought Colin was making a serious attempt to be clever and funny here and on R&K. Rege surprised me (mainly because I don't watch him ever) as being fairly decent. But did they watch the tape of last year's program and decide to ask him the same exact questions, about the parents being scholars? C'mon, let's mine some new territory, folks.

But I did like that they showed a clip from Another Country. Thumbs up for their doing a little more homework than your average show! Colin was definitely trying to be funny with this one on how he was now more sophisticated like Rupert.

I find this pretty amusing, the adjectives used by THR to describe the box office returns for the smaller films opening this past weekend:In the limited-release arena, Miramax's "The Importance of Being Earnest" had a promising start as the romantic-comedy-drama debuted in 38 locales and took in an estimated $470,000. Based on the Oscar Wilde play, "Earnest" averaged a strong $10,454 per theater and has grossed about $491,000 since its opening Wednesday. Sony Pictures Classics' "13 Conversations About One Thing" debuted in New York and Los Angeles in nine venues, grossing an estimated $98,061. The Jill Sprecher-helmed drama averaged a hopeful $10,896 per theater. UA's "CQ" opened in seven theaters and grossed an estimated $56,000. Directed by Roman Coppola, the Paris-set drama averaged a stout $8,000 per theater.

karen how far into the show is the interview? I am about 40 mins and not mention, did I miss it?

Amazon says the LE DVD is finally out today. If anyone actually gets this elusive DVD, please let us know. I want to watch AC again after seeing the clip on CBS. What a pile of hair!

(Bryonny)Amazon says the LE DVD is finally out today. If anyone actually gets this elusive DVD, please let us know I have the VHS edition. I too, would like to know if it is worth getting the DVD, if there are any extras?

I just checked Amazon, and there aren't any extras listed for the DVD edition of LE. Three discs, Amazon price $44.96, running time 416 minutes, ships in 4-6 weeks (?!). Wonder why it takes so long to ship???

By now, my response about when Colin's appearance on the Early Show would be too late., but you probably got it, as he was in the 7:30-8:00 segment.

I just checked Amazon, and there aren't any extras listed for the DVD edition of LE. Three discs, Amazon price $44.96, running time 416 minutes, ships in 4-6 weeks (?!). Wonder why it takes so long to ship???

Ack!! Sorry for the double post; not sure how that happened...

If you hit Reload or Refresh, you will double-post. Can't do that type of thing here. To check for new messages, go out to the main Drool page and, if they are there, then the topic will show up, having "new" messages.

I've just read that, on May 20, HBO Films and the BBC won a Peabody Award for Conspiracy. The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished achievement and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. This is considered amongst the highest honors in the broadcast field.

On R&K, Regis asked if Luka was named after Luka B??? I don't know the name; did anyone get this? Did Colin? ;-) Luka or Luca?

Luca

He meant Luca Brazzi(sp?) from the Godfather movie.

I am thrilled to not be the last person to see CF on Today, Live, and Early! I couldn't help but notice what else was being shown. On Today, they also did a segment on roller coasters but I don't think the Firth Coaster was highlighted. How did they miss that one? They did however say, "We have enough thrills, chills and spills for all of you." That sums up Firthdom for me. :-) On Early, they were also doing a segment on managing depression. Probably should have taken notes that would help in, say, about six weeks. ;-) He looked so much like Jess of ATA. The shirts he had on and the haircut seemed to be similiar. But, on the other hand, it may have been the "I'm in America--must remember to smile" thing.

From the UPI wire; good news at the end for those of you waiting for it to expand: Wilde comedy may challenge audiences By Pat Nason UPI Hollywood Reporter Published 5/28/2002 4:35 PM LOS ANGELES, May 28 (UPI) -- Actor Colin Firth tried to tell a friend the story behind his new movie, "The Importance of Being Earnest," but he gave up when he realized the real appeal of Oscar Wilde's comedy masterpiece isn't the story -- it's the chance to see people at their most ridiculous. "You can't pitch this movie," said Firth. "I try to explain it, and I realize there's no point. There's this guy who has a boring life so he pretends to be someone else -- as soon as you hear yourself explaining it, you give up and just say, 'Go see it and listen to the way it will make you laugh.'" Firth -- best known to American movie audiences for "Bridget Jones's Diary" (2001) and "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) -- said the story is there more or less to provide characters with opportunities to deliver some of the wittiest dialogue Oscar Wilde ever wrote. "In all of the other Oscar Wilde plays, you can tell a very compelling story," he said. "'A Woman of No Importance' has plot and conflict. You can tell that story without raising a single laugh. 'An Ideal Husband, 'Lady Windermere's Fan,' all could be told as serious dramas." But try to get serious about "Earnest," said Firth, and it "flips out of your hands like a bar of soap." For the record, the story goes like this. Two young gentlemen in Victorian England decide to twist the truth to make their lives more exciting. Jack Worthing (Firth) has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as a pretext to leave his dull country life and visit the ravishing Gwendolyn Fairfax (Frances O'Connor) in London. Algernon Montcrieff (Rupert Everett) appropriates the fictitious identity to get somewhere with Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily Cardew (Reese Witherspoon) at the country manor. When all four young lovers wind up together, Jack and Algernon have some serious explaining to do if they don't want to lose their ladies. Oliver Parker ("An Ideal Husband") adapted Wilde's play and directed the movie -- adding some physical comedy that some critics have found objectionable. The physicality is intended to transform the piece from a "talky" play to the kind of visual experience that moviegoers expect. "I think this film definitely plays to a crowd," said Firth, who counts himself as a Wilde fan of long standing. "I can barely remember a time before I was a fan," he said. "He's just sort of in the air in the English-speaking world. Quotes float about." Even with Parker's approach, "The Importance of Being Earnest" faces a stiff challenge breaking into a marketplace dominated by movies that appeal to the widest possible audience. "I'm not even sure I would be rushing out to see it if I didn't know it was good," said Firth. "I am hoping word of mouth will help." Audiences seemed to respond to the movie in limited early release. Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, it grossed $470,000 at 38 theaters, for a solid average of $12,368 per theatre. It is scheduled to expand to 40 markets this Friday. Copyright � 2002 United Press International

(Bryonny) I don't know the name; did anyone get this? Did Colin? ;-) Oh, I'd bet it wasn't the first time someone mentioned the Luca who sleeps with da fishes. ;-) (Caribou) But, on the other hand, it may have been the "I'm in America--must remember to smile" thing. That's right! We smile too much here. :-D (Neeson) Wilde comedy may challenge audiences Which part of the muffin fight won't they get? said Firth, who counts himself as a Wilde fan of long standing. From the cradle we'll hear next. I've posted a new pic of Colin taken by the Newsday photographer and printed with the article, which was kindly sent to me by KathyC. http://www.firth.com/articles/newsday52102.html The Sunday LA Times should be winging its way here tomorrow...

One new insight--The Early Show did provide a clue to CF's nickname "Frothy". (It was nice to see him in a different pair of pants!)

(CF)"I'm not even sure I would be rushing out to see it if I didn't know it was good," said Firth. "I am hoping word of mouth will help." We're trying dahling, we're trying! (Amy)One new insight--The Early Show did provide a clue to CF's nickname "Frothy". Certainly conjurs up very different images than the "biker" remark.

can we still expect to see colin on the Jon Stewart Show on june 3?

"I am hoping word of mouth will help." And I'm hoping Miramax puts a few bucks behind the advertising and starts running commercials! They are so cheap. The stars--primarily Colin--have done more than their share on the publicity trail, and are the reason for that "solid" opening weekend. Time for the studio to get behind it. I've posted a new pic of Colin taken by the Newsday photographer and printed with the article, which was kindly sent to me by KathyC. Thanks, Karen and Kathy. Not his best one, but I've never net a Firth pic I didn't like.:-) Karen, do you have the originals on the LA Daily News pics--the ones taken on the grass? Which part of the muffin fight won't they get? LOL! Now now, it *is* v.v. confusing. Who started the fight? It's not clear. Also, what flavor are the muffins? The audience is left totally to its own devices. And here's my biggest quibble: why do the crumbs seem to ball up and stick to their faces and clothes instead of dropping to the ground? Why do the laws of gravity applicable to my kitchen not seem to be in effect at that estate? ;-) ;-)

(Karen) Oh, I'd bet it wasn't the first time someone mentioned the Luca who sleeps with da fishes. ;-) LOL, what a family for names! Colin has been known to make remarks about his own first name. And then his wife has the name of an infamous Roman empress. (anyone ever see "I Claudius"???) Just got back from holiday weekend and checked my tapes (thank God I have two VCRs). I think Colin definitely seems more relaxed in the taped interviews. I wonder if it's because there's less pressure, especially compared to live TV. Live TV, especially Today, which is made of snippets, must be driven by the clock. That creates a tension that can become contagious. I don't know how the anchors can remain so chipper with a director screaming in their earphones. ("We're out of time! We're out of time!") I hate to bring up the hair thing, but is it just me or are those curls less, um, dense?

Just in case anyone is interested...I logged onto Bravo's website and they have a place to contact them. I asked them if they would consider interviewing CF for Inside the Actors's Studio. I got an answer back which, I'm sure, is standard issue, but they did say they would forward my request to the programming dept. It's worth a try. http://www.bravotv.com

For the others who missed BBCAmerica Talking Movies, they have updated. Scroll down and click on watch this week's episode. TIOBE and CF is the third one after Insomnia and Unfaithful. http://www.bbcamerica.com/genre/movies_specials/talking_movies.jsp

(Amy)The Early Show did provide a clue to CF's nickname "Frothy". Oh my, what is the clue!? I was wondering about how he got that nickname from Rupie on the TIOBE set. Sorry to say that I missed the Early Show, Regis & Kelly, and Today Show interviews :-(. "I'll be sacked!" ;-) (Mari)And here's my biggest quibble: why do the crumbs seem to ball up and stick to their faces and clothes instead of dropping to the ground? Why do the laws of gravity applicable to my kitchen not seem to be in effect at that estate? ;-) ;-) LOL! It's got to be because of Rupie's inch thick make-up which, according to Colin is 18 years worth and when scraped down, is from "Another Country!" (heehee, I loved that line of his from the VH1 cast party...I had to listen to it twice before it suddenly hit me that he meant the movie they did 18 years ago and not France or some other country ;-D). Colin also said that Rupie's make up got all over his suit during the muffin fight. So that must be why the crumbs stick there too ;-)! When it's that old it must be really sticky! ;-);-)

Lora-- on The Early Show (I am paraphrasing here) he answered a question or made a comment about the 'era' or the dialogue (someone must remember!)...and did some sort of impression of the way words were spoken...and said it was "frothy". I know wrong conference, but wasn't RE eating the bread and butter? It didn't look like he was eating the muffins. (to be continued @ 126?) sorry!!!;^)

Amy, thanks for the "Frothy" explanation. Didn't he do that sort of impression for (toward) Rupie on the VH1 cast party when he responded to Rupie for misinterpreting him when he said that he (Colin) was in the "Raining Men" video? Rupie thought Colin had said that Rupie was in it. And Colin was making fun of Rupie for claiming the distinction (that didn't belong to him). He did it with great froth. (Amy)It didn't look like he was eating the muffins. At first I thought the same, but perhaps they were all English muffins. After all, what other kind would there be? :-) And now back to our regularly scheduled topic ;-).

(Amy)It didn't look like he was eating the muffins. At first I thought the same, but perhaps they were all English muffins. After all, what other kind would there be? :-) Yes, they were not what we call muffins, but it's like the line in Relative Values about horseback riding. The 'horseback' is understood. ;-D

Ah yes. Makes sense now....(except I didn't think english muffins were actually "english"). BTW Is there some pun/hidden meaning in this muffin segment that I am missing? OK! Enough! Yes, back to the studio, er, 162.

Horrors: I just checked the movie schedule for this weekend here in Central NJ-no sign of TIOBE. A small art house theater in Princeton is showing it just about 10 mins. from me, thank goodness. I am extremely disappointed that none of the multiplex theaters in the area have it listed. Is this still a limited opening weekend? Why? Karen, can you help answer this v.disturbing question? How are people supposed to see it-commercials for it are numbering ZERO,and I'm in the Phila/NY viewing area. Maybe Miramx should provide camels so we can cross the great divide to try and see this film. If it is left out there to swing in the wind...we know who will get the blame.

TIOBE is being released as an art house film. Do not expect it to show at the big multiplexes, unless one theater within those is designated to show art house films. It is playing in the big cities, and this weekend's expansion is to more "bigger cities" not the suburban areas. If they decide this film has wider appeal and can sustain more screens per metro area, then it will go beyond a city's main art house cinema. At least, that's my take on it. However, my complaint is that the reel they have playing in my town is damaged; it gets all fuzzy during the Gwendolen attacking Jack scene. Another example of Miramax's lack of quality control. There were problems with prints of BJD all over the country too.

i had to double check myself to make sure tiobe would be here tomorrow, i nearly had a fit when i could not find it listed at any of the usual theaters i frequent, thank heavens it is at one theater: PLAZA FRONTENAC for any lurkers in the stl area, i just have to see it before my week in the sun, a little bit of cf will be just the trick to get me through a week with my hubby's entire family

(Karen), TIOBE is being released as an art house film. Do not expect it to show at the big multiplexes, unless one theater within those is designated to show art house films. It is playing in the big cities, and this weekend's expansion is to more "bigger cities" not the suburban areas. If they decide this film has wider appeal and can sustain more screens per metro area, then it will go beyond a city's main art house cinema. Enigma is showing in three big multiplex theatres by me, this was a surprise. I am hoping the TIOBE will take over those screens when it opens here tomorrow.

I think it depends on the type of theatres in your area. The multiplex nearest me, which is showing Earnest, is part of a 4-theatre chain and shows a combination of niche films, indies, foreigns and adult-oriented studio films. All their theatres are gorgeous. http://www.ritzfilmbill.com I do agree with Linda about the commercials (or lack thereof).

The only "Earnest" theater reasonably near me is a small multi, and it tends to show a combination, but mostly niche and indies. I remember that it was the only one in my area where I could find "Much Ado" when it first opened. And the ad in the NJ Star Ledger (stop laughing, Eileen) has an ad that's so tiny, they couln't put any text in the space inside the question mark! Sheesh! No respect! But then, given the knowledge base of the population...A friend of mine watched R&K on Tuesday, because that's when she thought Colin was supposed to be on. She learned that she had missed him when they mentioned him in the trivia question ("Colin Firth was a guest yesterday. His new film...") The question was who wrote TIOBE. The woman they called said that it was Shakespeare. :-(

(Lora)It's got to be because of Rupie's inch thick make-up which, according to Colin is 18 years worth and when scraped down, is from "Another Country!" (heehee, I loved that line of his from the VH1 cast party That was funny: "Oh, LOOK who'd talking!" As I recall, that was in response to Rupe's assertion that Colin spent 3 hours in makeup and emerged looking like Bette Davis in Elizabeth I. Loved that. Rupert is an instigator. I like instigators.:-) Speaking of the Rupe, he will be on Regis & Kelly on Friday (tomorrow). Likely pre-taped.

I think most of us are having the same problems with the theaters. I have 14 in my metro area, and only 1 is showing Earnest... I won't even go into how much I think that stinks..

There have been (well, I admit I only saw one, but I don't really watch the channel) commercials on the "Oxygen" station. Are they marketing TIOBE for women? And as for 'big cities' it is only showing at 2 theatres here in NY. Another and....I (not an endorsement) have been keeping eyes peeled for various and sundry 'items' on makeshift tables in Chinatown and have not spied a thing.

there were TIOBE posters under "coming soon" in hallways of 2 big theatres(Loews and UA) in NY. but don't know when that coming soon will be, tomorrow... maybe?

I just checked out : http://www.777film.com And after today TIOBE is expanding (in may area) to Brooklyn, Queens and other misc NY areas. So you all should check out your zip codes! may the force be with you.....t

It opens in Austin at one theater tomorrow.

Looks like it's going from 2 theaters to 4 in my general area. I think I read somewhere they were adding 120 screens tomorrow in 40 markets. Still limited, but I'd imagine that anyone in or near a largish city would have no trouble finding it. It is, as Karen said, a typical platform release which gets rolled out sloooooooowwly, with each expansion dependent, at least in part, upon the previous week's business.

FYI...not sure if anyone caught this letter to the Arts editor in the NY Times this weekend. `EARNEST' Missing Wilde's Point To the Editor: Re "The Importance of Being Wildean but Also Cinematic" by Sarah Lyall [Summer Movies, May 12]: After reading about the efforts of Oliver Parker to turn Wilde's irreverent classic "The Importance of Being Earnest" into a "plausible movie," I ran to find that dusty old bottle of cooking sherry. Poor Oscar is once again put on trial by the very Philistines he sent up so brilliantly. Reese Witherspoon on the flighty ingenue, Cecily: "She's a very modern woman in the sense that she thinks, `You're not going to take advantage of me; I'm going to take advantage of you.' " The point the actress-psychologist misses is that Cecily is totally clueless, in the same way that Lady Bracknell is totally heartless. To portray them any other way is to make travesties of parodies. Then there's Colin Firth: "This is the only way we could do it without being utterly stilted." Mr. Firth is unaware that being utterly stilted is exactly what Wilde had in mind for his craftily pixilated characters. All this earnest jive about making "Earnest" more relevant sounds like everyone is protesting too much. Isn't it simply a case of marketing a classic play for a dumbed-down audience that wants more comic book pablum like "Spider-Man" and "Scooby-Doo"? Once again, to paraphrase Oscar, when we see a spade, let's call it a spade. He was lambasting the very audi- ence that flocked in droves to catch his latest London hit, in much the same way Joe Orton would decades later. He was parading a character with a dual lifestyle on stage, while he was hiding in plain sight of a homophobic public. That was the most challenging farce of all.

That letter to the editor says it all, and explains why any serious critic, who knows his/her stuff, would give it a bad review. It has been dumbed down and is being marketed for the "anti-intellectual" or "anti-purist." That's the party line being spouted by everyone, including YKW. Anyway, with LA Times hot in hands, I've uploaded the article and pensive, square-jawed pic: http://www.firth.com/articles/latimes52602.html (Don't bug me now. Am in foul mood as I've discovered every street is undergoing repair and I've been driving all over creation.)

Thanks Karen for the link. I must concur with many posts here. The man is hair-challenged. That photo from an article that was up last week, (red-turtleneck) was gorgeous. The man should take a lesson from the stylist that did him up for that pic. (It's not that hard Colin. Only few minutes time out of your day!) I also agree with whoever said any photo of him is welcome! :)))

But the red turtleneck pic was taken 5 years ago before the onset of (shush) MPB.

I've uploaded the article and pensive, square-jawed pic: LOL! Thank you, Karen, for being so good to us. It has been dumbed down and is being marketed for the "anti-intellectual" or "anti-purist." That's the party line being spouted by everyone, including YKW. It is annoying to hear the excuses. On the one hand, he wants to do it because it's Wilde, Master Wordsmith, every actor's dream and on the other hand he wants to do it because it's anti-purist. (?) Jeeves, bring me my diet coke, please. ;-)

Jeeves, bring me my diet coke, please. ;-) But the words are just so hysterical on the page. Watch out for that coke making a nasal exit! ;-D

You know I was just reading old posts on another board (Topic 143, starting at #15, Feb '01) about when you picked up the news about casting/filming TIOBE...when only RE and JD were cast. I have to say I was struck by how prescient many subsequent remarks were. And as always, very amusing, too! :-)

This one had some interesting observations.;-) From the Richmond, VA daily: This 'Earnest' film is Wilde at heart BY DANIEL NEMAN TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER May 31, 2002 The makers of the new version of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" boast that their movie is "96 percent Wilde." That means it is 96 percent perfect. One could argue - to heck with the third person: I will argue - that "The Importance of Being Earnest" is the wittiest play ever written, at least in English. Others may be funnier, though certainly only a very few. But nothing else has the razor-sharp wit, the elegant artifice and the wicked satire of "Earnest." All it takes to turn it into a perfectly delightful film is an exquisitely chosen cast and a minimum of interference from the filmmakers. The cast is indeed the Right Sort of People, with Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Frances O'Connor and Judi Dench as the inimitable Lady Bracknell, who gets all the best lines. Even Reese Witherspoon, who one might fear is too American for the production, works out well as the bright-eyed ingenue. There is somewhat more than a minimum of interference from the filmmakers, but not enough to do any lasting damage. Firth - who it has been noted should never be allowed to wear modern clothes - plays Jack Worthing, a man of leisure and great wealth who leaves London periodically to look in on his wayward brother, Ernest. In fact, he has no brother, but when he goes to the country he behaves disreputably and calls himself Ernest. The name is important, because he is in love with Gwendolen (played by O'Connor), and she wishes only to marry a man named Ernest. Everett plays Jack's friend and Gwendolen's uncle, Algy, a man of leisure but no money. Algy is a flirt, which is why Jack wants to keep him far away from his ward, Cecily (Witherspoon). Algy is especially eager to meet Cecily. Complications develop. But the complications are of the frothiest, airiest kind. One of the more delicious secrets of this work is that the characters live in a parallel universe, where satiric excess is taken as the norm and where every nonsensical statement is delivered and received with gravity. When told that a ne'er-do-well has died, a prim character says, "What a lesson for him. I trust he will profit from it." Another character in another situation says, "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train." And perhaps most famously is Lady Bracknell's response when Jack tells her that he lost both of his parents: "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness." Few mots are as bon as the ones spoken by Wilde and his characters. As dropped by this talented cast, they sound as light and timeless as a feather. Oliver Parker's direction is not quite feather-light. He encourages occasional bouts of roughhousing, and engages in Ally McBealesque flights of fantasy - Cecily thinks in romantic terms, and we see her visions of knights in shining armor. Parker, who is also credited with the screenplay, is so concerned with opening up the play and making it more visual that he tends to overwhelm the dialogue at times. But it hardly matters. The dialogue of "The Importance of Being Earnest" is so sparkling that it easily shines through a few well-meaning, misguided choices. One note: This movie has been released under the Ealing Studios banner. The venerable studio known for sophisticated English comedies stopped making movies in 1959. It has just been revived, and this is its first release. It is a worthy work to carry the Ealing name.

(Moon), Jeeves, bring me my diet coke, please. ;-) (Karen), But the words are just so hysterical on the page. Watch out for that coke making a nasal exit! ;-D LOL! That's part of it, my dear. ;-) Firth - who it has been noted should never be allowed to wear modern clothes I've been saying that for years. :-D

Why qualify it with 'modern'? *tsk tsk* Obviously a newer fan. ;-D Looks like the Washington Post article has made its way down to Melbourne: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/05/31/1022569824335.html

TIOBE got first class treatment from The Miami Herald. It made the cover of the Weekend insert, plus there's an interview/article with OP. Unfortunately it did not make those big megaplexes that had Enigma. Lora and I will have to go to Miami Beach. So it definitely on the arthouse circuit. Here's the review: The wit flies in `Earnest' BY CONNIE OGLE In remaking Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, director/screenwriter Oliver Parker gets to indulge in the giddy, almost slapstick comedy he was only able to touch on in his previous feature film. An Ideal Husband, also based on a slightly schizophrenic play by Wilde, is more like two stories than one. Parker had on his hands a serious story about honor and honesty that flirted with farce, which made for an inconsistently paced film. With Earnest, which boasts an intriguing cast, Parker accentuates the farce, and while the pacing is sometimes inconsistent, overall a manic sensibility prevails. Those who prefer the play as a gleaming comedy of manners may object, but viewers who enjoy more physical humor are likely to revel in the film's deliciously barbed dialogue and frenetic chemistry. That the best chemistry erupts between Algy (Rupert Everett) and Jack (Colin Firth) is one of Earnest's funniest jokes. Algy, whom we first see fleeing the law in a Keystone Kops manner, is a man about town who has invented an invalid friend in the country to escape dull evenings in the city. His friend Jack has invented a younger, troublesome brother, Ernest, who helps Jack escape dull evenings in the country. A series of confusing and hilarious events conspires to flush out these secrets and further imperil the heroes' happiness. Jack wants to marry Algy's cousin Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), who thinks Jack is Ernest, but her imperious mother (Judi Dench) refuses to allow the match. Algy, meanwhile, has his eye on Jack's young ward Cecily (Reese Witherspoon) and arrives at Jack's manor claiming to be the incorrigible Ernest in order to win her heart. The cast also includes Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson as the stuttering Dr. Chasuble, happily miles off course from his tortured role in In the Bedroom. Parker has adjusted the ages of Algy and Jack upward to accommodate Everett and Firth, both in their early 40s. Their acting styles clash violently -- Everett is relentlessly, clownishly over the top, while Firth plays deadpan without blinking -- and yet their boyish bickering clicks, whether they're fighting over muffins, flowers in the forest or who's going to pay that hefty bill from the Savoy. Witherspoon's appearance smacks of stunt casting, and although she holds her own in this formidable group, there is something vaguely disturbing about the huge age difference between her and Everett. Better suited to her role is O'Connor, whose Gwendolen takes on the air of a berserk sexual predator. And Dench was quite obviously born to play the haughty Lady Bracknell. Hearing Wilde's pithy lines in her mouth -- ''London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained 35 for years'' -- is worth the ticket price. In the end it's Dench who reminds us of the importance of enjoying Oscar Wilde. *** THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Here is the link to the TIOBE article/interview: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/3367080.htm

But the complications are of the frothiest, airiest kind. Frothiest... as in Frothy? New word of the week, perhaps? Firth - who it has been noted should never be allowed to wear modern clothes Or, at times, maybe none at...sorry, just in drool mode thinking about seeing TIOBE again, tonight. --is worth the ticket price. Absolutely, if you know it's out there, and if you can find a theater within 50 miles!

Holy Cow!!! I take back my previous words. Earnest has expanded greatly in my area. It is now playing at two downtown theaters, plus 4 in the nicer suburbs. Only one of the theater complexes (a new one I had no idea even existed and drove right past it two days ago) is a typical multiplex, showing the blockbusters and niche type films. It is still on two screens at my theater.

(Moon)TIOBE got first class treatment from The Miami Herald. It made the cover of the Weekend insert, plus there's an interview/article with OP. Unfortunately it did not make those big megaplexes that had Enigma. Lora and I will have to go to Miami Beach. I think that's the first interview with OP I've read that finally explains his reasons in full for "opening up" the piece when doing it cinamatically. I like what F O'C has to say about that too. Guess we would have gotten more of that at the "Classics to Film" discussion if it had taken place. Maybe they were afraid of purists causing a riot and that's why they cancelled it ;-). Moon, I can't believe we have to schlep to Miami Beach ;-). With all the great publicity it got today, you'd think it could have been shown in one more theatre in the southern end of town! Do you think Connie Ogle got an actual interview with OP or was it info she picked up from an associated press release? Would love to think that a Herald reporter was there behind the scenes. Btw, she's got a great last name for a review of a CF movie, though it's Rupie's picture with RW not one of CF on the cover - and a there's a smaller version of it on the bottom of the actual front page hyping the review in the weekend section. Like the way F O'C is interviewed a lot in the interview and, at last, mentioned in the review. Though in the review...see below... (Herald review) Better suited to her role is O'Connor, whose Gwendolen takes on the air of a berserk sexual predator. ...I wouldn't exactly call her a berserk sexual predator!? I'd say she's just adorably revealing her repressed desires.

(Karen)Earnest has expanded greatly in my area. That must mean that it did well when it was playing in a limited number of theatres and that there's a demand to see it! Hope that happens here. Otherwise, I'm not confident about being able to experiece multiple viewings :-(.

(Lora), Do you think Connie Ogle got an actual interview with OP or was it info she picked up from an associated press release? Would love to think that a Herald reporter was there behind the scenes. She interviewed. Remember that great Woody Allen interview the head critic got last month? Moon, I can't believe we have to schlep to Miami Beach ;-). With all the great publicity it got today, you'd think it could have been shown in one more theatre in the southern end of town! I know! :-( At least the hip-hop festival is over. Maybe we'll get lucky like in Chicago and more theatres will show it in June. I still can't believe that Enigma landed such great theatres.

(Lora) Do you think Connie Ogle got an actual interview with OP or was it info she picked up from an associated press release? None of the quotes from either OP or F'OC are in the presskit. ...I wouldn't exactly call her a berserk sexual predator!? I'd say she's just adorably revealing her repressed desires. I wouldn't call her berserk (who would, when the object of her desire is Colin). I thought her character was supposed to be more like one of the women's rights types (as we had in The Winslow Boy), a Pankhurst follower, a liberated woman of that period, smoking cigarettes, etc. I would call her a "tad forward" that's all but I liked that interpretation.

I wouldn't call her berserk (who would, when the object of her desire is Colin). ROTF! This is where all our husbands come in. ;-)

Salon's review by Stephanie Zacharek: No adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play should go wrong when it stars Rupert Everett: He simply gets Wilde in his bones, without being hamstrung by an urge to somehow freshen the material or make it feel more "modern." He was bliss to watch in the 1999 "An Ideal Husband" -- his lines always hit on just the right beat, but more important, he also knew that Wilde should be played mostly with the eyebrows. What Everett doesn't say, and how he doesn't say it, represents the purest interpretation of Wilde possible. So it's hard to understand how "The Importance of Being Earnest," which also stars Everett and was adapted and directed by Oliver Parker, the same man who made "An Ideal Husband," goes so wrong. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a much more preposterous play, designed to feel more outlandish and unreal with each plot twist: It's the story of a resolute, carefree bachelor-scoundrel named Algernon (Everett) and his pal, the more buttoned-down Jack (Colin Firth), who have both fallen in love with women who are mad about the name Earnest. Algy's inamorata is Jack's excessively romantic and silly young ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon); Jack is eager to win the affections of Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), a ridiculous society girl who can't raise her parasol without attracting the scrutiny of her overprotective, glowering mother, Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench). There's also a local clergyman (Tom Wilkinson) who's secretly in love with Cecily's spinster governess Miss Prism (Anna Massey), as well as a missing baby in a handbag, which gives you some idea of the effect Wilde was after. The problem with Parker's "Earnest" is that each successive absurdity is telegraphed more and more loudly, lest the audience somehow miss the joke. At times the movie is gentle to the point of inertia; worse, though, is the way Parker punctuates what should be the story's funniest, most over-the-top bits with jazzy horn riffs or drippy, whimsical music, instead of letting them ride the wave of their own understatement. If there's one play that doesn't need sparking up, with music or anything else, it's "The Importance of Being Earnest." What's odd about the movie is that all the actors seem to know that intuitively, and still, the overall effect falls flat. Everett does every line just right (both the spoken and unspoken ones), and looks fabulously proper for the part every minute, like a daddy-long-legs in silk dressing gowns and impeccably tailored sports clothes. Firth plays along with the right amount of nervous, jittery would-be elegance. Witherspoon and O'Connor whip the vapidness of their characters into a just-sugary-enough meringue. And yet their interactions still feel like an all-too-elaborately staged dance, when Parker really needs to make it feel like a lark. When O'Connor lets loose with one of Wilde's most famous lines -- "I never travel without my diary; one should always have something sensational to read on the train" -- it has the effect of being properly tossed off. And yet you can still feel the quotation marks hanging in the air around it. "The Importance of Being Earnest" feels as if it's been primped and fussed over almost to the point of garishness, like an overdecorated cake that sags under the weight of its own frosting. That's not what Wilde intended. He wanted the whole thing to feel careless, loose and free, and somewhere along the way we'd pick up on the ridiculousness of the rich and the excessively bored. Parker underlines everything that Wilde left unsaid, and his movie suffers for it. He's got the right baby; he just put it in the wrong handbag. http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2002/05/31/importance_earnest/index.html

Lots of very good reviews out there today from all over the country: Orlando, Denver, Hartford, Providence, New Orleans, Arizona, as well as nationals like Christian Science Monitor and US magazine. Some mixed ones too, but even those are good for the cast for the most part. Thanks for the Miami Herald review and interview. I liked this part especially, quoting OP: "Wilde had the ability to satirize the audience he was entertaining. That satire was more urgent then; the upper classes were a particular bunch of hypocrites worthy of his attention. People are more aware of this now, so I tried to tilt the central theme toward the human condition . . ." Well said, Oliver! This shift in focus works for me.

Closing tags

Grrrr

(Kate) And the ad in the NJ Star Ledger (stop laughing, Eileen) has an ad that's so tiny, they couln't put any text in the space inside the question mark! Naw, I won't laugh at that (but I did take note that their reviewer Steve Ihateeverything Whitty didn't like TIOBE). Last Sunday's Wash Post also ran a teensy tiny ad, but I liked it because it had 'Firth and Everett are hilarious' at the top (snippet artfully quoted from otherwise lousy NYT review). Hmm, I would think ad space in the Post costs a few more pesos than in the Ledger. :-/ There was a glowing TIOBE review in my local DC suburban paper. Will try to post the link next time, though there wasn't too much new about it (looks as though reviewer read everyone else's reviews and recycled comments previously made, but I won't quibble since they were favorable). Thanks for the article, Karen. Ahh, yes, the saga of MPB. Hair today, gone tomorrow, back again the next day (hurrah! :-)).

(Karen)Holy Cow!!! I take back my previous words. Earnest has expanded greatly in my area There is hope, then, for NJ and the rest of the free world (Mari)This shift in focus works for me. Me too. Thank you, Karen for the article. Uh, and why would anyone be laughing at the NJ Star Ledger?

Good interview with Colin and Rupe. I've bolded some quotes for the purists.;-) THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FRIENDS Two British actors find a kindred spirit in each other By Shawn Levy-The Portland Oregonian One is a cheeky gadabout, droll and killer handsome and openly gay and famed for his wicked past, his fabulous friendships with the likes of Madonna and the razor wit that he displays in parlays with the press and in published works of his own hand. The other drier, lower-keyed, more traditionally attractive has made a name playing characters who exhibit such stereotypical traits of his nationality as emotional reserve, deference, politesse and the stiff upper lip as well as making a subspecialty of fellow named Darcy. Say hello to Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, stars of the new adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' which opens Friday and as pleasant a pair of fortysomething actors as you could chat with on the phone from the New York hotel where they're promoting the picture. Nearly 20 years ago, the two made another film together, 'Another Country,' a drama about English college students being drawn into Marxist fervor and illicit homosexual romance. They both made a big impression in the picture but, to hear Everett tell it, "We didn't really get on." They went on to their own things. Everett gabbed attention in such smoldering fare as "Dance With a Stranger" and "The Comfort of Strangers" and then spent a few years working in Europe, returning to English-language movies reborn as a delicious light comic talent in such films as "The Madness of King George," "My Best Friend's Wedding" nd "An Ideal Husband." Firth embarked on a series of somber roles in "Apartment Zero" and "A Month in the Country," then a career as the other man in such films as "The English Patient," "Shakespeare In Love" and "Circle of Friends," and finally found himself cast as the guy who gets the girl in the BBC "Pride and Prejudice" and its mod sister "Bridget Jones's Diary," in both of which playing a putative priggish Mr Darcy. Now, however, cast as Wilde's roguish upper-class heroes, dining out on nerve and dash, running from creditors, wooing women under false pretenses, even singing old-timey courtship tunes with their own guitar and piano accompaniment, the two actors seem to have found in each other kindred spirits, one-time young hotshots who've mellowed into knowing and exquisitely crafty pros. "We got on really well and had a great rapport when we worked together now," Everett concedes. "He's a very good person to tease, Colin. He's quite earnest." Firth, too, was grateful to behold a familiar face on the set of Oliver Parker's adaptation of the Wilde chestnut. In part, he says, it was simply because acting with someone you know is so much easier than the alternative. "Knowing each other's steps, so much of what you might otherwise have to struggle for can be assumed," he explains. "You already trust them; the barriers have been broken down; there's recognition between each other. In a film you're usually having to manufacture an intimacy with somebody whom you don't know at all, and you have an enormous task of suspending disbelief in order to act properly." But in part, the familiarity Firth had with Everett-and with each other "Earnest" co-stars as Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson-made him more at ease with the broad changes that Parker instituted in the play. While the structure is essentially that of the original and most of the precious lines of dialogue are untouched, Parker has injected the film with modern touches, flights of fancy and, yes, some rewrites, in an effort to enliven Wilde for an audience who may not have been raised, as earlier generations were, on a steady diet of the play. "It had become this iconic antique," admits Firth, "dead as a doornail. And too often the productions I've seen have been an homage to aphorisms and epigrams and great literature, and it's been really dull. It's become a ritual where already converted Wilde devotees sit there and nearly laugh before they hear the lines. This one had to be given some freshness, and because it's so rich, when you appropriate the words, it was surprising how easily it felt like your own speech." The invigoration of a Wilde classic, according to both actors, is part of a general rehabilitation of the writer, who was celebrated at the end of the 19th century for his outrageous talent but condemned-and even imprisoned-for flouting Victorian sexual conventions concerning homosexuality. With this film, Parker's 1999 admirable adaptation of "An Ideal Husband," the 1997 biopic "Wilde" with Stephen Fry in the lead role, and dozens of recent stage productions of works by and about the playwright, we're in the midst of a full-fledged Wilde renaissance. "It's about time, is all I can say," declares Firth, who ascribes the newfound interest in Wilde to the excessive doting on the author's works in generations part. "One generation may have seen dozens of productions of his work and then they got tired of them and so he was put back on the shelf," he explains. "And then you have a generation of kids whose parents aren't particularly interested in it and they get to discover it. I think it goes in cycles like that. I spoke to a girl of about 17 who said the kids at her school had heard there was a film of 'Earnest' coming out and they were dying to see it and wasn't it cool? "And when I told my dad what I was doing, he said "Oh, they're doing that again?" As it we'd been doing nothing but 'Earnest' year after year." For Everett, the revival of interest in Wilde has to do as well with the writer's ill treatment at the hands of the English establishment. "Oscar Wilde is still an unresolved question mark," he says. 'He's a kind of local figure in one sense, in that he's part of English literature, but he's an international figure in another sense, because he's kind of a punctuation point in the human rights movement. He was a martyr." But Everett is quick to add that the contemporary taste for Wilde's works has as much to do with their content as with their author's sensational life. "His central theme, which is how camouflaged we all are compared to what we're like underneath, is a good one," he reckons. "What obviously amused him was looking at upper-class people and seeing how their surfaces were completely different from what they were like underneath. And that's what he was like as well." Everett warned to his own theme. "He was presenting one thing on the surface and being something else underneath. And I don't think that's changed, really. Even though we look more relaxed, we're still constrained by morality about what we are to be and how we are to be. "And quite often what we really are inside is this corseted thing that lies in there festering because it really hasn't ever been allowed to reveal itself." Firth agrees that the Wildean theme of hidden reality is for him, one of the play's chief appeals. "I find reserve interesting," he says. "Whenever people describe uptightness, they always refer to the emotion that's underneath, the emotional story that's being told through a filter. The suggestion is always so much more powerful than having to be explicit." Such duality, he explains, can mean the difference between an exhausting experience of watching a film and an engaging one: "I've sat in a cinema and watched a person totally alienate me because they had done all the work. I was just being screamed at. Congratulations on being so free with your emotions, but nothing's happening to me; I don't get to interact; I'm just being lambasted." For the lucky audiences that catch up with "Earnest," however, there's plenty to do: Have a good laugh, enjoy some of the sharpest dialogue ever written, and watch Everett and Firth, a couple of accomplished actors with skill and talent to spare, delight in their mutual company.

(linkdak) There is hope, then, for NJ and the rest of the free world Yes, well hope springs et.....well never mind about that. Earnest is in only two theaters in northern NJ, but at least the Montclair one has Earnest on two screens. I just hope they're bigger than my TV screen. Will find out this weekend. Glad to see some good reviews surfacing. Firth agrees that the Wildean theme of hidden reality is for him, one of the play's chief appeals. "I find reserve interesting," he says. "Whenever people describe uptightness, they always refer to the emotion that's underneath, the emotional story that's being told through a filter. The suggestion is always so much more powerful than having to be explicit...I was just being screamed at. Congratulations on being so free with your emotions, but nothing's happening to me; I don't get to interact." Ah, yes, acting that requires the audience to PAY ATTENTION. What that man can do with a flicker of emotion! I read somewhere (ages ago) that Minghella cast Colin as the husband in TEP because he knew Colin would be perfect in the scene in the taxi where he figures out what his wife has been up to. No dialogue, just the changing expressions on his face.

Thank you, Mari for the uplifting article. IMO, the good seems to be slightly outweighing the bad-at least for the cast. I won't uncork the vintage just yet, but I'm getting close. I love Colin's take on the pure.

This is the first review in Spanish, ladies, I just had to post it. Unfortunately, he distroys the film and everyone in it. :-( 'The Importance of Being Earnest': Engendro enfurecedor RENE JORDAN Cr�tico de cine/El Nuevo Herald Rupert Everett y Judi Dench en 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' es una comedia exquisitamente construida, una de las m�s brillantes filigranas del teatro ingl�s o de cualquier parte. Pero en esta abominable demolici�n cinematogr�fica, el gui�n del director Oliver Parker admite estar solamente ''basado'' en la obra de Oscar Wilde. Y muy de lejos, porque, con los mismos personajes, Parker ha perpetrado un vodevil de la m�s crasa vulgaridad. Por ejemplo, quien conozca el texto se asombrar� ante un espurio flashback en que la augusta Lady Bracknell aparece, antes de casarse con el Lord, como corista de cabaret... y de contra, embarazada. Del mismo modo, la primorosa damisela Gwendolen se va a un antro chino a tatuarse el nombre de su amado Ernest en la nalga izquierda. Y, al final, �l le corresponde grab�ndose el nombre de ella en el trasero. Dirigidos con p�simo gusto por el imperdonable Parker, los actores est�n uniformemente mal. (1) Colin Firth y Rupert Everett se deshacen en morisquetas y aspavientos. Frances O'Connor es una Gwendolen estupefacta y Reese Whiterspoon es la nada brit�nica Cicely, enfurru�ando la nariz igualita que en Legally Blonde. Tom Wilkerson se denigra como un equ�voco Reverendo Chasuble y la Miss Prism de Anna Massey es una calamidad ambulante. En l952, Anthony Asquith dirigi� el definitivo Earnest, con reparto de insignes muertos: Michael Redgrave, Edith Evans, Dorothy Tutin, Joan Greenwood, Margaret Rutherford, Miles Malleson. Est� en casete y se impone alquilarla para comparar aquellas actuaciones mod�licas con estas infames caricaturas. Ni siquiera se salva Judi Dench, tan preocupada por no repetir las gloriosas exageraciones de Dame Edith Evans que reduce a Lady Bracknell de drag�n a lagartija. La opulenta producci�n tiene todo lo que el dinero puede comprar menos inteligencia y la partitura es un foxtrot que suena a musicanga de caballitos. Pululan por ah� muchas malas pel�culas, pero �sta es un engendro enfurecedor que se arrastra a cuatro pies entre el sacrilegio teatral y la blasfemia art�stica. Si es verdad que los muertos salen, Oscar Wilde se vengar� de Oliver Parker hal�ndole, en el silencio de la noche, el dedo gordo del pie.(2) (1) Directed with very bad taste by the unpardonable OP, the actors are uniformly bad. (2)If it's true that the dead come out at night, OW will take revenge on OP, by pulling on his big toe.

Even though we look more relaxed, we're still constrained by morality about what we are to be and how we are to be. Really? I've seen those pictures of you in chains, Rupi. ;-)

I find CF's comment: "I find reserve interesting," he says. "Whenever people describe uptightness, they always refer to the emotion that's underneath, the emotional story that's being told through a filter. The suggestion is always so much more powerful than having to be explicit" pretty much how he seems to be--although I have to emphasize seems. Thanks for the article. BTW, what is MPB?

MPB is Male Pattern Baldness. I have to say, he is SO gorgeous, who cares if he is thinning a little on top? - And I don't think it's as severe as some others believe. Anyway, I like him just as he is!!

(R. Jordan) If it's true that the dead come out at night, OW will take revenge on OP, by pulling on his big toe. LOL! What an interesting idiom. Far better than saying OW is turning over in his grave. ;-D (Janet) And I don't think it's as severe as some others believe. Some of us have seen it with our own eyes, in person. But then again, hasn't everyone seen that patch in the back in P&P, in DQ, and many others.

Interview of the week: Firth and Everett By Karen Butler From the Life & Mind Desk Published 5/30/2002 6:56 PM NEW YORK, May 30 (UPI) -- After meeting actors Colin Firth ("Bridget Jones's Diary") and Rupert Everett ("My Best Friend's Wedding") recently, journalists in New York understood why the dashing Brits were cast as friends who behave more like bickering brothers in the new comedy based on Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." Polite and funny, in a quiet, guarded way, Firth seemed comfortable discussing the appalling literacy rate in England, the decline of high culture and the performance of Prime Minister Tony Blair, while his more flamboyant co-star kept reporters in stitches, chatting about drag queens, Victorian rave parties and the performance of Madonna. (Don't even get him started on why there won't be a gay James Bond in his lifetime!) Everett insisted that he and Firth are great friends now, but recalled a time when the differences in their personalities created tension on previous film projects. "He was very serious in the old days," Everett told United Press International of his "Shakespeare in Love" co-star. "He was always strumming on a guitar and he was very left wing and he was going to give the first money he had to charity." Everett also acted opposite Firth in the 1984 film, "Another Country," which marked both actors' film debut. Serious in the old days, huh? "Oh, was he serious today?" Everett feigned surprise. "Well, see, no, you have to wind him up, the point being, he's a really good person to wind up. As soon as you've wound him up, he's really funny." Everett went on to say that he and Firth hadn't interacted much over the years, mainly because "we didn't really get along very well during 'Another Country.'" "Well, it was my gig, I must say. I had done the play originally," he argued. Reminded that Firth had also appeared in the stage version, Everett sniffed: "Yeah. But, I discovered it." "I had flogged it around the provinces and then brought it into the West End and my best friend was the guy who brought it into the West End and it was also my best friend who produced the movie and we were looking for a new guy to play the other part and so he was... he wasn't number two, but it was my gig and we didn't really get along," the actor explained. He then added, "We had such a laugh doing this film, I must say... I love him now." Firth's serious demeanor has served him well over the years. He became an unlikely sex symbol as Mr. Darcy in the smash BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice," then starred as haughty, unscrupulous men in "Circle of Friends" and "Shakespeare in Love" before landing the role of an austere, yet appealing barrister in "Bridget Jones's Diary." Everett followed up his scene-stealing turn in the Julia Roberts blockbuster, "My Best Friend's Wedding," with a critically acclaimed performance in another Wilde play-turned-movie, "An Ideal Husband." In "The Importance of Being Earnest," Firth plays Jack, a responsible bachelor who adopts a roguish alter-ego (Ernest) in an effort to chase away the doldrums of country life. Everett plays his trouble-making friend, Algy. Despite their differences, both Firth and Everett professed a deep appreciation for Wilde's timeless wit and wisdom. "I think its frothiness is extremely deceptive," warned Firth. "I think that its triviality is very defiant... This was his last play. It's generally considered his greatest and there is a paradox about him being his deepest when he is at his most trivial and I think that's the case with this. I think that it is so witty it can only come from a mind with a great deal of aggression... It's perverse and it's self-contradictory and I think that Oscar Wilde's point of view on things would still be considered extremely upsetting to people now. "If you let this guy loose on your kids, he'd be teaching them stuff... You think school prayer causes problems. He'd be kicked out of schools right across this country and in England, too. He'd be telling kids that having a color sense is better than having a sense of right and wrong... He preached against family, marriage and private property. He was full of self-contradictions and stuff that would certainly upset the conservatives in any country, so he loved stuff that pulled the rug from under [people,]" he concluded. "I think it does have contemporary resonance," Everett agreed. "I think the whole Wildean thing has contemporary resonance, the Wildean thing being his obsession with, you know, what's on the surface and what's underneath the surface. You know, this was before (Sigmund]) Freud and (Carl) Jung really had even made us aware that there was something beneath the surface because when he was writing -- and this is one of the extraordinary things about him -- there was no such thing as sub-conscious, really... "He was obsessed by the front of these English upper-class people and how rotten to the core really they were inside and the funny way of explaining it. And he came into England when England was at the center of this empire, at the high point of this empire and the English thought they were the fairest, most lenient ... They're very proud of their law, the way they behaved, they thought they were the most fantastic people, but actually they were hideous monsters! They ruled the world with a will of iron. They didn't let anyone do anything. "They had this front, you know? Very high moral codes, ethical codes, but underneath that... and provided you kept that front, you could do anything you wanted underneath it. You just have to look at the ledgers of Queen Victoria's pharmacists' bills... She used to have laudanum and cocaine and heroine, major doses of them. So, underneath this Victorian austerity were kind of chill-out rave parties, so it was a world of real double standards and probably because Wilde was one thing and pretending to be another, it was the thing he immediately clocked into with the English upper classes. "So, you have 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' which is the kind of comedic resolution of it and then you have 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' which is the subtly more macabre version that society is represented as this beautiful young man who has got everything ahead of him, but actually inside he is rotten to the core and I think these two ideas are still really resonant now because, actually, in the Calvin Klein structure that we have today, anything is possible, provided you have the right outward signs of being behind the country, behind doing the right thing, having the right ideas, but inside, society is in the same position, just as shady, so I think there still interesting ideas," he explained. Everett can next be seen in the P.J. Hogan's ("Muriel's Wedding") bizarre comedy, "Unconditional Love" (also known as "Who Shot Victor Fox,") co-starring Kathy Bates, Julie Andrews, ("Oh, I'm getting Alzheimer's!" Everett exclaimed,) Jonathan Pryce, Peter Saarskard, ("Who is the singer who sang 'Mandy'?") Barry Manilow and Sally Jesse Raphael. Asked to describe the plot, Everett takes a breath and stated dramatically: "There is no other film like this film. It's a thriller. It's a musical. It's a comedy. It's a love story. It's got all these different things in it." Okay, but what's it about? "Kathy Bates, who is this agrophobic house-wife... is married to Dan Aykroyd. The morning the film starts, this famous, famous singer, played by Jonathan Pryce, who is a kind of crooner, who has a huge, huge fan base of over-weightish, middle-aged women, who just love him. He always sings with a glass of champagne in one hand and he always dances with one woman from the audience and Kathy, he is her life. And the morning that he's coming to Chicago to play a concert, the radio offers six free tickets if you ring in, she's about to ring in and as she's ringing in, her husband comes in and he's decided to leave her and as he says that, as she's holding on for the concert... He leaves her and she gets tickets to the concert. Anyway, the point is, what happens is that the singer, who is loved by all these women is killed by this serial killer who is loose in Chicago and she goes to the concert and she finds out he's been killed, her husband left her and she has nothing left. She, also, her son is married to a d arf," he said. ... played by Sally Jesse Raphael? "No, she plays herself... Anyway, she decides, this agrophobic woman, decides to go to her favorite singer's funeral, which is in Wales, in England, because she's got nothing left... She goes to his funeral, she's never been anywhere, the whole family and the dwarf are running after her, saying, 'You're crazy.' Even the husband comes back because he's so worried. She's never, ever left the house in 30 years. She's been ironing and doing cooking. And she goes to Wales and she goes to the house where the singer lived and she keeps hearing about this singer's valet and she discovers that not only was this singer not a heartthrob to women, but he was a drag queen," he said. So, what does Everett play? "I'm his boyfriend of 20 years, who is being shut out of the house because no one ever knew this guy was gay... The family wanted to [keep it secret] because they wanted to make more money. They didn't want anyone to ever know the singer was gay. They want me out of the house, so they can open it and make it a tribute museum," Everett went on. Firth, on the other hand, is busy fielding questions from fans about the possibility of another Bridget Jones movie. Helen Fielding, the author of the book that the immensely successful film was based on has written a follow-up, which, interestingly (not Sally Jesse Raphael and a dwarf interesting, but interesting enough,) features Colin Firth, the actor, as a character. Asked the status of the next Bridget Jones movie, Firth cautiously hedged: "I can't really answer that question informatively. I don't know. As far as I'm concerned it's all rumor... They have [spoken to me about it,] but then it's sort of gone quiet again. I just think it's probably a very difficult thing to mount--three actors [Firth, Hugh Grant and Renee Zellweger] who have to be available at the same time and a script that would have to be good enough." Firth said that if he did agree to appear in a film sequel, he would reprise his role as Mark Darcy, not play himself. "(Colin Firth) won't be a character,)" he deadpanned. "He'll become George Clooney or something." "The Importance of Being Earnest" is in theaters now. Copyright � 2002 United Press International

"The suggestion is always so much more powerful than having to be explicit." Hear, hear. No dialogue, just the changing expressions on his face. My .25 here, indexed for inflation, YMMV. I have to admit that, although I love his looks and adore the timbre of his voice, this attribute is one of his greatest attractions. I need another viewing of TIOBE just to appreciate it properly. :)

(Elizabeth) I need another viewing of TIOBE just to appreciate it properly. I just came back from my second viewing. Tried to take in everything I missed the first time. Will appreciate it properly tomorrow. The good news- I expected the theater to be empty 5:00pm on a Friday in Princeton with the whole town gone quiet. People were waiting to buy tickets when I arrived. The theater was about half full. Everyone laughing and having a good time. v.favorable comments from the audience as they left. I felt like some secret reporter. Counting heads etc. I thought tomorrow I'd take a fake microphone and kind of interview people on the way out.Yessss,I'm going back tomorrow. Just lied to the neighbors on why I have to leave surprise birthday party early.

From the Knoxville News-Sentinel, many of the same quotes we've been reading over and over again, but a few new items: (I too have added some emphasis for purists) ;-D Firth may play lover, but never earnestly By Betsy Pickle, News-Sentinel film critic May 26, 2002 "Bridget Jones's Diary" fans, stay calm. Colin Firth exposes himself in "The Importance of Being Earnest" -- in a manner of speaking. "You're exposed here because everyone knows these lines, and everyone knows they can be funny," British actor Firth says of the new big-screen adaptation of the Oscar Wilde comedy. "It's up to you to be funny as well. You can't blame the script." "The Importance of Being Earnest," which opens Friday, May 31, at Downtown West, marks the first time Firth has gone Wilde, but he says it's his favorite of the Victorian rebel's plays. "I think it's head and shoulders away from the rest," Firth says by phone from New York, where he's in the middle of doing press for the film. "I think it's that Wilde paradox about how he was at his most profound when he was at his most trivial ... "This has no pomp about it and no pretensions to carry a message. It deftly avoids all earnestness, ironically. ... It's a masterpiece of flippancy." Firth much prefers flippancy to earnestness himself. "I think that earnestness can easily be self-inflated and pompous," he says. "Ironically as well, the word earnest was gay slang of the period for 'gay.' That was his little joke on Victorian society, to have that written up in lights on the West End of Victorian London." In "Earnest," Firth and Rupert Everett take on false identities -- as young men named Ernest -- in order to win the hearts of Frances O'Connor and Reese Witherspoon, respectively. It's the second feature-film role in a row to cast Firth in a romantic light, following his Mark Darcy in last year's "Bridget Jones's Diary," but the actor who made Britain -- and eventually America -- swoon with his portrayal of Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy in the 1995 miniseries "Pride and Prejudice" doesn't mean to perpetuate the trend. "I would die of boredom if I spent my life playing romantic leads," chuckles Firth, 41. "I can hardly bring myself to do more than one every few years really. It's not very interesting work usually. "Actually, the Darcy thing isn't conventionally romantic, in my eyes anyway. The guy is emotionally challenged." That's why he wasn't averse to playing Mark Darcy in "Bridget." "The guy might as well have come from the 1800s," Firth says of the character, whom novelist Helen Fielding was inspired to create after seeing Firth's Darcy in "Pride & Prejudice." "He's not a particularly typical Englishman of today.... Most English guys of that age probably owe more to John Lennon than to the Duke of Edinburgh." The son of teachers and grandson of missionaries, Firth trained on the stage and wasn't interested in becoming a sex symbol, but that's what happened when he sparred with Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice." "You just give it its quarter and get on with your life," says Firth, who had an off-screen romance with Ehle before marrying Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli in 1997. "I can't spend my life playing into it." Firth has been as likely to play a loser at love. He was famously betrayed by wife Kristin Scott Thomas in "The English Patient" and fianc�e Gwyneth Paltrow in "Shakespeare in Love." "The directions I take are somewhat eccentric and oblique, but I can only do it as I see it," says Firth, who spent the first four years of his life in Nigeria. "I daresay there are a lot more cuckolds and losers and stuffed shirts on the way." Well, maybe after his next role. In "Hope Springs," due this fall, Firth plays an artist who flees England for the United States to mend his broken heart and winds up with both Minnie Driver and Heather Graham vying for him. Firth, who has a 14-month-old son with his wife and an 11-year-old son with Meg Tilly, his "Valmont" co-star, approaches work the way a husband and father would. "You can't quite indulge the artistic choices that you might have when you were younger," he says. "You hope you can get a well-paid job in something that's also good. That's not always an option. "Peter O'Toole (his co-star in 1990's 'Wings of Fame') used to say to me, 'One for show, one for dough.' I said to him, 'Which one are we doing now?' He said, 'Dough.' " Firth is "unemployed" at the moment and enjoying life at home in England with his wife and son. "As a young person, like most young people, I would have utterly shunned the idea of anything comfortable and bourgeois, but as time has gone on, I've started to feel a need for it really," he says. He doesn't do anything really outrageous, like dusting or gardening. "I kind of want to have it there already and have somebody else do it all," he admits. "I think it's Raul Julia in 'The Addams Family,' when his child is born, who says, 'The exquisite joy of having children and then paying somebody else to raise them.' " Firth says he's perfectly willing to relax when he's not working and not look for creative outlets other than acting. "My ability at anything else is so limited that it's embarrassing to even talk about it," he says. "I have my little hobbies just like everyone else. I like to play the guitar badly. I play the piano even worse. I read, slowly and laboriously. I try to write. It's not how I spend my days, trying to do other creative things." Ironically, director Oliver Parker made him play guitar and sing in "The Importance of Being Earnest." "I actually desperately hoped it might lead me on another career direction," he says dryly. "I would get discovered and the world would fall in love with my singing voice. The offers for the 'Oklahoma!' revival would come rushing in. It hasn't worked out. "I studied very, very hard and very intensely on the guitar ... to try to distract from the limitations of my vocal abilities. It didn't work really. The whole abiding impression is of one big limitation. But I studied very hard, and Rupert caught me at it and mocked me mercilessly." Firth had worked with Everett before, way back in his 1984 film debut, "Another Country." "Rupert's got a memory of me playing the guitar endlessly when we worked together the first time," says Firth. "I don't remember this at all. I do not believe I ever brought a guitar onto the set of 'Another Country.' "His memory of me is as a kind of earnest socialist hippie, endlessly strumming the guitar and determined to give the first $500 that I ever earned in my life away to charity. Nothing could be more ghastly."

In another phone interview with Rupe, she writes" However, if they really did have a fight, there's no question who would win. "I would, easily," says Everett. "I'd win, pants down, or whatever they say. He's weedy." ~~~~~~ What does weedy mean?

weedy = limp, somthing you would pull out from amongst the lettuce. and IMO RE wishes in his dreams Is the focus here only on CF or other particpants in the film? I get the impression that CF is carrying the can for this movie espacially from the above post, and generally e.g. "you are the hottie of the moment" (Soledad on Today). And the movie is not doing well according to critics from postings here How has the focus been in the states over all the actors and director? Does the film suck? Hired Heather Graham's "Committed" last night and daughter said "she can't act" and I thought OMG "New Cardiff" will it be appreciated? CF is a fine actor, appreciated after viewing TEP twice But he is beautiful, esp those long legs spilling across the studio floor, without KC's feet And the BBC Movie interviewer should be shot for banality, imo

I know one should not read too much into what gets printed from interviews but: Most English guys of that age probably owe more to John Lennon than to the Duke of Edinburgh." When CF says this which he does often I think he rather exposes himself to having a rather limited view of life; such a ridiculously stark choice of role models. But then he redeamed himself "I kind of want to have it there already and have somebody else do it all and 'The exquisite joy of having children and then paying somebody else to raise them.' " I rather liked the stark honesty of that. He has come a long way from his guitar strumming hippie days after all ;-)

(CF)"I kind of want to have it there already and have somebody else do it all," he admits Well that's fine for the outrageous things like dusting and gardening, but not good for finding roles, DB. Maybe that's why...Firth is "unemployed" at the moment Thank you, Karen. More of the same, but some new things thrown in as well.

Hey Karen - I sent you an email the other day - have you had the chance to read it? I have apparently been having a few email problems, as I couldn't read the email of one of the people who wrote to me about meeting up for the Sydney premiere of TIOBE - so if you wrote me before, and you haven't heard back, it was probably you. And if you haven't written, but you'd like to meet up for the Sydney premiere, then please write to the email address you get when you click on my name. :-) Not too much to report on from here in Minkee-land. Still no publicity for TIOBE except what few crumbs we get through cable on American tv. It's all very sad, really....

Thanks Karen for the interview stuff. It makes me wonder if he and RE had to spend their days in NY staying at the hotel, answering interview phone calls... I would rather be gardening (not dusting though). Let's hope they didn't have muffins for room service :) About the unemployed: isn't filming for TAG supposed to start soon? Do we have clues on location? (I still can't believe parts of Insomnia were filmed on location in Alaska... had I known)

(Colin, News-Sentinal article) "I daresay there are a lot more cuckolds and losers and stuffed shirts on the way." In rom-coms? Didn't he say he was being offered rom-coms these days? (What happened to the days of wanting to play masturbatory village idiots?) FINALLY got to see TIOBE. Went to a matinee. Nice weather today, so not well attended. Expected the nursing home crowd, but there was a nice mix of people. and they laughed. Almost everything Judi Dench said got a laugh (Lady B does have lots of good lines). A while back, someone posted that the audience seemed to laugh in anticipation of the better known lines. I heard a little of that today. And, sorry all, but I DID see that thin spot fleetingly in an overhead shot. Just one glimpse, but it's there.

Saw TIOBE again, last night. Theater was full-to the point that late people could not find seats together. Lots of laughs, v.favorable comments as people were leaving. The show started at 9:40-I asked the manager-who seems to know me by now-how the earlier shows had done. She said they were full all day!! Now, imagine what could happen if Miramax would spend a few bucks on advertisement. Right now, I think it is operating on word of mouth, and for those who happened to catch the morning shows over the last few weeks. Yes, that little b. patch pops out in a few places, but somehow seems v.sexy. It has been there for many years-maybe will not get any larger?

Sorry, I think the above post should have been on 126.

(AnnaS) and IMO RE wishes in his dreams No kidding. Has anyone noticed Rupe's lack of shoulders? In the film, when he's shown without a jacket, they are completely sloping downward, while IMO some of Colin's best (droolable) looks are when he's simply in the vest. Fills it out rather nicely. Is the focus here only on CF or other particpants in the film? Reese did a week of publicity a couple of weeks before the film opened and is in numerous magazines (cover of Vanity Fair). She was on our late night talk shows and was the focus of most of the entertainment news segments. However, Colin is really getting the chance to push the film, which is good for him. The more recognition he has, the more he might be thought of for future roles. And the movie is not doing well according to critics from postings here If you go to the Rotten Tomatoes website, the film currently has an overall favorable rating (62/65%), even though many of the favorable reviews are critical of OP's direction. The message is that it is an enjoyable summer alternative to the special effects and brainless movies out there. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheImportanceofBeingEarnest-1114078/ Does the film suck? That is discussed on Topic 126 (spoilers) (Allison) ridiculously stark choice of role models. I noticed he's changed it from Prince Charles to the Duke of Edinburgh. However, I thought his use of well-known models was for Americans' benefit, but most would not know who the Duke of Edinburgh is. ;-D 'The exquisite joy of having children and then paying somebody else to raise them.' Then, one would think, going on location would not be viewed as such an obstacle, wouldn't one? ;-D (Odile) About the unemployed: isn't filming for TAG supposed to start soon? Do we have clues on location? June was all we heard. I expect quite a bit of it to be filmed at a studio soundstage in LA, with perhaps a need for a bit of location work. (Kate) In rom-coms? Didn't he say he was being offered rom-coms these days? Sure, he could be loser, stuffed shirt or cuckold in a rom-com. He would be the guy who gets tossed over. And, Linda, you are doing excellent work supporting the movie! Your comments are fine here as you are not talking about the film itself. Audience info is fine here.

I'm glad that the theaters are full elsewhere. I was hoping for the same here (Malverne, New York - AKA Long Island) but at the 7:35 show on Friday evening there were only about 20 people in the audience. Although, to be honest, there were a few sprinkles on the way in and on the way out we were in the midst of a full-fledged thunderstorm, spectacular lightning and all. Maybe people listen to weather reports before deciding on their plans of an evening. Hope so anyway.

Anyone see RE on R&K Friday? Rupie repeated the usual "I hated Colin" lines but then said he liked him after seeing that CF likes complaining as much as RE does. "Whining" he said, which Kelly thought meant they liked to drink. I have a soundbite from AZ hooked up to the computer so Colin is frequently saying, "Can you keep a secret?". Yesterday a friend heard it and thought it was Rupert talking! I now choose to believe that CF based his character on RE :-)

(Bryonny) I now choose to believe that CF based his character on RE :-) LOL! Too funny! "Whining" he said, which Kelly thought meant they liked to drink. You are joking? weedy = limp, somthing you would pull out from amongst the lettuce. This poor guy. LOL! We have accused him of being a wimp for not going after better roles. "I kind of want to have it there already and have somebody else do it all and 'The exquisite joy of having children and then paying somebody else to raise them.' " This surprised me because he actually gave the interviewer quotations that are new for us here. ;-) "I daresay there are a lot more cuckolds and losers and stuffed shirts on the way." What about the evil guy such as for the next Spider-man or James Bond? Have they stopped offering him the evil guy because he the "Hottie of the moment"? (Allison) ridiculously stark choice of role models. (Karen), I noticed he's changed it from Prince Charles to the Duke of Edinburgh. However, I thought his use of well-known models was for Americans' benefit, but most would not know who the Duke of Edinburgh is. I was happy to see he had changed it to the Duke of Edinburgh as he has great style in dressing. ;-D (Anna), Does the film suck? Not at all, just the ending. ;-)

MTV Viewers Pick 'Rings' Top Movie Sun Jun 2, 2:00 AM ET By Bob Tourtellotte LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The kiss mattered most at MTV's movie awards Saturday -- "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings" was named 2001's top film by MTV viewers, but a same-sex kiss in "American Pie 2" took the night's juiciest prize, Best Kiss. Sean William Scott, who smacked lips with Jason Biggs in "Pie 2," stood on his chair and raised his arms in triumph to a wildly cheering audience after being named winner, and onstage he thanked his old girlfriends for helping him practice. "Jason and I were just hoping we wouldn't end our careers with that," he told reporters after winning MTV's trophy, a bucket of golden popcorn. When asked how many times it took to get the scene right, Scott grinned and said: "Way too many." But there was one movie star who would have loved to have been in Scott's shoes. "Moulin Rouge" beauty Nicole Kidman lamented that she and co-star Ewan McGregor didn't win the kissing award. Instead, the pair walked off with the trophy for best musical sequence. "I'm really bummed we didn't win best kiss," said Kidman onstage with McGregor. "We needed to rehearse more." GOLDEN BUCKET OF POPCORN Elsewhere, Will Smith was given the golden bucket of popcorn for best male performance playing championship boxer Muhammad Ali in "Ali," and Nicole Kidman took home the golden popcorn for best female acting in musical "Moulin Rouge." Smith and Kidman, too, had been nominated for the film industry's top honor, the Oscar, for the same roles. But Smith lost to Denzel Washington in "Training Day" and Kidman saw Halle Berry take home the Oscar for "Monster's Ball." Unlike the Oscars, MTV's awards are chosen by the mostly younger viewers of the cable TV channel, and they reflect popular culture more than the Oscars, which are chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The MTV awards, too, are often irreverent with trophies for best fight and best action sequence compared with Oscar's serious topics like cinematographer or art direction. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" had gone into Saturday night's show as the most nominated movie with entries in six categories, but it walked away with only two: the top prize for best film and a second for Orlando Bloom as breakthrough male actor of the year. "Mandy Moore" in romance "A Walk to Remember" was named breakthrough female performer. Denzel Washington was beaten by Will Smith in MTV's category for top male actor, but his performance as a corrupt cop in "Training Day" was "bad" enough for Washington to claim a bucket of golden popcorn as MTV viewers' favorite villain. Best Fight winners were comedian Chris Tucker and action hero Jackie Chan in "Rush Hour 2" and top action sequence went to last summer's "Pearl Harbor." Reese Witherspoon took home the popcorn for best comedic performance in sleeper hit, "Legally Blonde," and best on-screen team went to Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in "The Fast and the Furious." As usual, the MTV show featured brief clips from some of this summer's most talked about movies like "Austin Powers in Goldmember" and this holiday season's "The Gangs of New York." Musical spotlights included numbers by rapper Eminem (news - web sites), rockers The White Stripes and Kelly Osbourne -- Ozzy Osbourne's daughter and star of hit TV show "The Osbournes" -- who performed her version of Madonna (news - web sites)'s "Papa Don't Preach." UPSIDE-DOWN KISS Show hosts Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar of the new "Scooby Doo" movie spoofed several summer blockbusters like "Spider-Man" in which Black and Gellar recreated the much talked-about upside-down kiss of "Spider-Man" stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. Except this kiss had a "Star Wars" twist to it when Yoda got involved, and again, it was the kiss that had the Force at the MTV Awards. The 2002 MTV Movie Award winners were picked by a nationwide survey of MTV viewers. The telecast will air on June 6 on the MTV cable television channel and be seen in 165 countries in 18 different languages. Last year's premiere telecast was seen by 15 million viewers.

I'm getting ancious now. I hear all the impressions from everyone here and feel frustrated. I called the theatres here where I live and they don't know anything about TIOBE. Haven't heard of it at all. Am I in the Twightlight Zone or what?

Thanks for the update on the MTV Awards, Mari. Can't find any pics of Colin attending the ceremony online, so... I ran across another synopsis of American Girl (no The): A 19-year-old woman, raised in New York by her feminist mother, decides to find her long-lost father in London. Her American ways disrupt her father's lifestyle but she manages to find her dream job, a dream man, reunite her parents and join the competition for Debutante of the Year. (Joanne) Am I in the Twightlight Zone or what? Why, did the people who answered the phone all sound like Rod Serling? ;-D Naw, you just must not be in or close enough to one of the cities classified in the Top 40 markets, that's all. What's the biggest city near you?

Karen, The biggest city near me in southern Illinois is Marion. Might as well be outer Mongolia. I guess I'll have to be patient and wait til the we catch up with the rest of the world. :(

Hey, we cracked the top 12! The last figure in each line is the number of theaters the films are playing in . . .when you compare 147 to some of the other totals, this is pretty good, IMO.:-) Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.) May 31 - Jun 2 weekend This Wk/ LastWk/ Title/ Dist./ Weekend Gross/ Cumulative Gross/ Rlse Wks/ # of Theaters 1 - The Sum of All Fears PARA $31,200,000 $31,200,000 1 3183 2 1 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones FOX $20,680,000 $232,000,000 3 3161 3 2 Spider-Man SONY $14,500,000 $354,000,000 5 3646 4 - Undercover Brother UNIV $12,100,000 $12,100,000 1 2168 5 4 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron D'WORKS $10,700,000 $38,200,000 2 3362 6 3 Insomnia WB $9,760,000 $41,427,000 2 2610 7 5 Enough SONY $6,800,000 $27,100,000 2 2623 8 6 About a Boy UNIV $4,100,000 $27,800,000 3 1755 9 7 Unfaithful FOX $2,950,000 $45,681,000 4 1696 10 8 The New Guy SONY $1,500,000 $26,900,000 4 1676 11 11 My Big Fat Greek Wedding IFC FILMS $958,048 $8,911,010 7 238 12 18 The Importance of Being Earnest MIRA $815,000 $1,469,273 2 147

The next biggest city that might have it is St.Louis, two and a half hours from me. I don't see my DH taking me there for that. All you lucky ladies getting to see it, think of us poor deprived people waiting with baited breath and save some drool for us. I'm sure theres plenty to go around out there. Thye say patience is a virtue, but I'm not feeling very virtuous am I.

American Girl (no The) Well, how are we supposed to make a decent acronym out of that? As long as it's not argh. . . ;-) Her American ways disrupt her father's lifestyle LMAO! What does she do, go around singing Lee Greenwood songs?;-) Debutante of the Year. The filmmakers' challenge will be to see how many clash-of-culture cliches they can shoehorn into 100 minutes.:-(

...she manages to find her dream job, a dream man,... I'm not feeling very well now. The words 'Justin Timberlake' just popped into my head.

Debutante of the Year. How passe is that?

How passe is that? Profoundly passe. Well, maybe we'll get some tasty black-tie screentime out of it...

(Bryonny)"Whining" he said, which Kelly thought meant they liked to drink. Well, doesn't that just say it all?????? Yes, Kel, they like to go whining and dhining. So, the new movie will be "AG"??? Isn't American Girl a line of dolls and books, a different girl for each era? And with "Debutante of the Year" as part of the plot, I can only guess that this movie is set in some bygone era? I can remember watching the debutante ball in NYC when I was a kid a million years ago. One of the local NY stations used to show it. I remember trying to do the southern belle curtsey and falling on my face.

(Joanne) the biggest city near me in southern Illinois is Marion. Perhaps the guests at the federal facility there might like to see a movie? ;-D Box office results look very promising, Mari. Now, if we adjust for Linda's tickets, what will that leave? ;-D (Mari) Well, how are we supposed to make a decent acronym out of that? Where I went to school, there was a College of Ag, so is no biggie for me. (Kate) Yes, Kel, they like to go whining and dhining. LOL! You've gotten inside Kelly's head. A lot of room there? ;-D You know, I really thought they would've chucked that aspect of the Reluctant Debutante movie and so was very surprised to see it in the synopsis. Looks like we got here: Parent Trap III meets The Princess Diaries.

A 19-year-old woman, raised in New York by her feminist mother, decides to find her long-lost father in London. any guesses on who should play the mother?

I'm thinking that DianeS is very near you, Joanne, and she's working on the people at the theaters to get TIOBE.

There are clips of Colin and the others being interviewed outside the NYC premiere; maybe some of you will see yourselves in the background;-) http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1807879613&cf=trailer How passe is that? It's a plot to move our perception from John Lennon to the Duke of Edinburgh.;-) Looks like we got here: Parent Trap III meets The Princess Diaries. I believe that my was initial reaction precisely, and I keep waiting for something to change my mind. I have a bone to pick, Karen: the next time you post info on AG, kindly label it with SPOILERS. Never in a million years would I have figured out that the AG manages to reunite her parents.;-);-)

Thanks Mari. Not to be petty or anything, but on the RW clip, for once Reese mentioned Colin first as one of those great Brit actors she got to work with on TIOBE... :) LOL about the spoilers!

This is a fun site for those brushing up on your British slang: http://www.effingpot.com/slang.html "AG" doesn't not sound promising is this one for the 'dough'? Maybe the wife will be played by, oh, I don't know, Reba McEntyre (sp?). :P

(Karen)Box office results look very promising, Mari. Now, if we adjust for Linda's tickets, what will that leave? V.funny, boss, v.funny. Quite a dip in numbers-since I dragged along the 81year-old mother, and 75-year old aunt on Friday. DH and Daughter on Saturday. I'm just doing what ODB requested-word of mouth. All of the above, we had no-choice, relatives loved it BTW. Going back on Thursday in honor of all friends here who don't have a theater close by. Gotta keep those numbers up!

Thanks Karen! I hope DianeS has some luck in her endeavors. You give me hope.

(Mari) There are clips of Colin and the others being interviewed outside the NYC premiere; maybe some of you will see yourselves in the background;-) Thaks Mari for the link...I think the clips demonstrate how nasty the weather was at that point. Reese's hair was all over and that tent was really moving. Must be something about the Paris Theater, TIOBE, and horrid weather. Amy and I went to the 7:15 show on Friday which had v. good attendance I thought (2/3 full or so), but there was a torrential downpour, thunder, and lightning when the film let out. Everyone crammed in the lobby. BTW, (Karen) That letter to the editor says it all, and explains why any serious critic, who knows his/her stuff, would give it a bad review. It has been dumbed down and is being marketed for the "anti-intellectual" or "anti-purist." That's the party line being spouted by everyone, including YKW. Neglected to ask before...what is YKW? (Rene Jordan from El Nuevo Herald) (1) Directed with very bad taste by the unpardonable OP, the actors are uniformly bad. (2)If it's true that the dead come out at night, OW will take revenge on OP, by pulling on his big toe. Ouch! Is THIS the tone to be expected from the UK critics?

Just checked out The Daily Show website to see if tonight will be bliss... and it looks like it will be! Colin is listed as tonight's guest. Based on this Monday and last Monday (the 2 guest shots), I am beginning to like Mondays!

YKW = You know who :) Thanks for checking the Daily Show's site. This should be interesting. I wonder what kind of attitude Colin will assume. It's doubtful they will touch upon those same old questions we've been hearing. Hoorah!

(Karen)LOL! You've gotten inside Kelly's head. A lot of room there? ;-D Well, there was a hell of an echo... I'm very curious about the Daily Show. Not Colin's usual sort of turf. It will be interesting if Stewart "winds him up" a bit, as Rupe says. And I can't imagine Stewart introducing Colin as "the British heartthrob."

The preview is v. funny. John Stewart tells Colin that TIOBE is his favorite in the "Earnest" series. (Do you think ODB has seen Earnest goes to camp?!!) :)

Too funny, Amy. I'm sure Colin is quick enough to "get" Jon's humor.

(Lucie)I like both interviews. Laughed at the remark about having to wait in line if he wants to play with Luca when they're in Italy. (Caribou)"I'm in America--must remember to smile" thing. Re: "I'm in America now": Anyone notice how different he plays the US interviews vs. UK's? "Waiting in line"??? No "queue-up?" (Kate)And the ad in the NJ Star Ledger (stop laughing, Eileen) has an ad that's so tiny,they couln't put any text in the space inside the question mark! Last Friday's NY Times had a 3/4 full page (vertical) advert with Colin front and center.Now playing in 14theatres in the NY area plus Paris and Angelika. I saw it at the Paris theatre last Thursday ; matinee, 20 people .Lots of laughs though. (Eileen)Ahh, yes, the saga of MPB. Hair today, gone tomorrow, back again the next day (hurrah! :-)). LOL. The hair does seem to come and go ..doesn't it;-)Actually in some scenes in the film I think the hair dresser must have called in sick that day ;-) (Jory) The next biggest city that might have it is St.Louis, two and a half hours from me. Hey, I feel lucky when I don't have to fly down to Dallas to see one of his films.

Welcome back, Evelyn! Missed ya . . . Anyone notice how different he plays the US interviews vs. UK's? Have there been UK interviews? Looks like AG is starting filming: SAG SAYS GLOBAL RULE ONE IS WORKING The Screen Actors Guild issued a news release Friday intended to show that global enforcement of the union's Rule One is working. SAG listed six new movie and TV projects that have begun or will soon begin production in foreign countries, employing union actors "under full SAG terms and provisions." The list includes "The Last Man" and "The Last Samurai" -- Warner Bros. pictures shooting in Australia and New Zealand, respectively. It also includes "American Girl," also a Warner Bros. production, shooting in London. An MGM project, "Agent Cody Banks," and a Paramount movie, "The Perfect Score," are shooting in Canada with SAG contracts, and the USA Network series "Monk" is also shooting in Canada with actors covered by a union contract. The Guild said it is in discussion on upcoming productions from Disney, Miramax, 20th Century Fox, Universal and other producers to work out agreements covering members working overseas. The guild began enforcing Global Rule One on May 1, over the protest of producers who argued that the guild did not have jurisdiction over projects made outside the United States. The union argued that it has the legal right to enforce its rules anywhere in the world. SAG officials have estimated that enforcement of the rule will add an average of 3 percent to producers costs on foreign shoots, but the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers has warned that the cost will be substantially greater -- and could lead to fewer jobs for actors.

Thank you, Mari. Great news, I guess, about AG. At least ODB is not still unemployed.

Hope this does not qualify as a spoiler...I could not wait any longer for Miramax to release TIOBE to small-town theaters, so Sunday best friend and I drove to St. Louis MO (2+ hours). In my excitement, forgot to tell MDH I was going out of town for the entire day. We saw Earnest in an upscale mall theater filled with people older than we are, and a few possible Droolettes (women w/o men, appearing a bit sheepish, but excited and, well, flushed). The crowd seemed to like the movie. My friend and I both gasped in lust when CF leaned against a pillar, crossed his legs, and played that guitar with such mastery. But where were the lingering close-ups? His face was never spotlighted sufficiently to satisfy us. We want to study every freckle! Especially since we were treated to FOC's fanny with the finely detailed goosebumps (not naughty Australian usage of this slang term, BTW). ODB was certainly Frothy. Rupie (he is shoulderless) may want to personally bring Earnest to the men at Marion Fed Prison. (Fl et's in. Musn't disappoint.) I have contacted neighbor Droolette Joanne - thanks for the intro, Karen. I can start driving her nuts now...

(Karen) Colin is really getting the chance to push the film, which is good for him. Amen. Remember how we used to despair the 'invisible man'? Remember the nanosecond of Firth-less publicity for MLSF? This is grrreAT! *said in manner of Tony the Tiger* (Evelyn) Actually in some scenes in the film I think the hair dresser must have called in sick that day ;-) Maybe those scenes were filmed early. You know, before.....;-) (lindak) Yes, that little b. patch pops out in a few places, but somehow seems v.sexy. It has been there for many years-maybe will not get any larger? Sounds like research is in order! Have a look-see at some of the pics at Karen's Bucket site. Compare and contrast recent pics with those from last year's appearance on Rosie. Or better yet, with the bus driving still from DQ. ;-) Her American ways disrupt her father's lifestyle but she manages to find her dream job, a dream man, reunite her parents and join the competition for Debutante of the Year. *barf* He-ey, maybe Haley Mills can do a cameo as sort of an in-joke. ;-)

there will be no lull in the Colin sightings! i can't believe that we can all look forward to more of ODB in the fall when Hope Springs is out in the movies! I can't wait to see The Daily show! Also , Lisa L, where are you? I really need that next chapter!

Welcome back, Evelyn. Glad you're home safe. :-) maybe Haley Mills can do a cameo as sort of an in-joke. ;-) I used to love those movies! I know we want better for him, but this will be massive teenage exposure. Wait, wasn't this supposed to happen after BJD? T'is a mystery. projects that have begun or will soon begin production in foreign countries, "American Girl," also a Warner Bros. production, shooting in London. So if he's working on AG in London, why is he planning to spend the summer in LA? Maybe Will is attending summer school and can't make it to Umbria and he decided to stay with him, maybe take him to the Rockies. ;-) (Mari), Have there been UK interviews? I believe Evelyn is referring to past interviews. Thanks for all the links, ladies. :-)

Ooh! Here he comes. They're starting with the clip of Lady B. interviewing Jack. he's wearing jeans, black jacket, navy shirt, black (boots?) I don't think Colin has seen the Earnest films, but he's covering it well. (Made a cute remark about "Mr. Earnest goes to Washington.") More Enlgand culture bashing, but said jokingly. Says that English people don't know where Europe is (answer to why they didn't go with the Euro). Colin says that English people still think they're the most powerful nation on the planet and how the British press make it look like the war in Afghanistan is mostly British, with US helping them. Said that England is more perverted than other english-speaking countris. Blames it one the school system. More conservative polititicans found dead from autoeroticism. He was adorable! If nobody else tapes and transcribes, I'll transcribe it tomorrow.

Colin done good! What a hoot. I thought Jon would fall off the chair laughing when CF started in on the autoeroticsm. Jon helpfully pointed out that wouldn't happen to American politicians because ours just go with hookers. LOL!

black (boots?) Yes, indeed, the horror! I enjoyed it! Says that English people don't know where Europe is (answer to why they didn't go with the Euro). Was very political. Made me laugh. I agree, Kate, he didn't seem to know the "Ernest" movies. *News* my son saw Colin interviewed on IFC "At the Angelika." He could have called me, but he takes after his father where ODB is concerned. :-( I hope this will be repeated.

I was sure that CF's segment was taped ahead, but . . . Jon's monologue was very topical, very up to the minute (not to mention funny--bet the FBI's ears are ringing;-) And I noticed he had the same tie on when interviewing Colin. Is he back in NYC for a few days, do you think? News* my son saw Colin interviewed on IFC "At the Angelika." What was he doing there? Was it from the Tribeca Fest? TIOBE didn't screen at the Angelika for the Fest, though it is playing there now.

"At the Angelika." What was he doing there? That's an interview program. The actors sit in the theatre's lobby and talk. It's more fluff. He was asked about TIOBE. But I don't know if it was taped when he was doing the TFF. And I noticed he had the same tie on when interviewing Colin. Is he back in NYC for a few days, do you think? But was it the same suit? I thought he was dressed differently. He could have asked him about the World Cup, such as Italy winning today (Yeah!), and England only pulling off a tie.

Thanks, Mari, for the location news on AG. ATTENTION MARK!!! You have your assignment. I'm not sure there will be a part at the Debutante Ball for a man in his Burberry suit, so you might want to get a little more dressed up. ;-D (DianeS) Especially since we were treated to FOC's fanny with the finely detailed goosebumps Probably a body double, as those things usually are. Good going, Diane, on your weekend excursion. The lengths a true Firthette will go to see a Colin film; it's amazing. Re: The Daily Show I agree, Colin didn't know about the Ernest movies but he covered it up pretty well. He was good and didn't say OW or NC even once. Hoorah! I think he must've gotten pointers from JN about the level of discussion on this program. Remember JN's references to self-gratification and how Jon was howling about it. Wouldn't you have liked to hear what was said afterward. Colin was so animated, arms flying (since they had been tied down previously), conspiring with Jon. Oh, to know what was being said. Kate: please transcribe if you have time. I still have one more to go (The Early Show) and my fingers might need amputation and my remote control a transplant. ;-D

I wondered if they taped CF's part ahead and JS put on the same tie when he did the rest of the show. His monologue definitely contains some things we hadn't heard about two weeks ago. Nope, he didn't get the Earnest joke at all, ITA. I laughed very hard indeed, enjoyed this one enormously. Well done!

(Mari) I was sure that CF's segment was taped ahead, but . . . Colin was wearing the same outfit he had on for Regis & Kelly. It wouldn't be all that difficult for Jon to wear the same thing when there's a taped segment. Most drycleaners can get things back same day, you know. ;-D

Whooop, let me go get that double post!

(Karen)Probably a body double [Gwen's tattoo], as those things usually are. How funny! I was just thinking about this the other day. Wishing we'd seen Earnest/Jack getting his tattoo, which made me think about FO'C, and then I figured, nah, they'd do body doubles for both, probably. (Karen) Wouldn't you have liked to hear what was said afterward. Colin was so animated, arms flying (since they had been tied down previously), conspiring with Jon. Arms tied down! LOL! I noticed that, too. And yes, I was wondering what they were talking about as the camera pulled back. Yes, I will transcribe the Daily Show. Must do it later, as have work that must be done this am (progress meeting Tues afternoons, everyone works harder on Tues am). "Am v. busy and important."

AG......Well maybe we'll get some blacktie time As in (the original with Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall)...... http://www.operagloves.com/vidcaps/debut017.jpg It won't win any Oscars but it could be fun. If it's a London shoot, they'll have to get started very soon, unless they want a dark gloomy un-Disney-ish London. I'm hoping we'll get three in a row - AG, the Sylvia Plath/Ted Hughes movie and then TEOR. Always the optimist! :-)

OK, have transcribed the Daily Show. It gets funnier each time I watch it. Colin was smiling and laughing much of the time. Mmmm, those dimples! What a sense of humor. Here goes: [begins by showing the scene from TIOBE in which Lady B interviews Jack] [clip ends with Lady B saying that a man �should know everything or nothing�] JS: Please Welcome Colin Firth. [to CF]Welcome to the show. CF: Thank you. JS: I gotta tell ya, this film, TIOBE, is, I think, the finest in the Ernest series. CF: Oh really? JS: I think so, so much classier than the other, uh CF: You missed the early ones, presumably. JS: The early ones, yeah. Did you ever see�uh, did they get those in England? Did they get Ernest goes to Jail, Ernest goes to, uh�do you know those films? CF: [nods] Mr. Ernest goes to Washington, and all that stuff, uh [chewing lip as he tries to figure out what conversation is about] JS: It was a guy, like a goofy Southern guy and then he�d, like, mess up Christmas and stuff. CF: That�s right. We used to do school productions of those. JS: Oh id you really? That�s exciting. CF: That�s right. JS: How are things going in England? You guys didn�t go along with the Euro, am I right? England did not convert to the Euro. CF: No we weren�t having any of that stuff JS: Why was that, do you think? Not interested in currency exchange? CF: Well, it�s�first, you�ve got to explain to the people in England where Europe is, um, and what it is. JS: Now, I thought we were the only ones who had misunderstood that continent. But England as well? CF: I think that little channel of water might as well be the Atlantic Ocean for a lot of people in England. JS: Really?! CF: Truly, absolutely. JS: They consider, uh, because they used to own most of it. CF: Don�t, uh, don�t remind me. [dejectedly] JS: I�m sorry. [JS puts hand on CF�s shoulder] CF: We used to have all of it. It is not in our concept, really. People in England will talk about someone having a European accent, meaning some unspecified mid-European thing they don�t know. JS: But, see, I can go along with that, because America and England speak the same language, I think we have a similar mindset, of, like, uh, �Pardon my French, there, Frenchie.� [CF nods] You know what I mean? But we consider England to be sort of us. CF: Yeah, I think that�s true. In fact, I think that the continental Europeans see England a bit like an extension of America. JS: I agree. And yet without us they�d all speaking [pause] German. CF: [laughing] Yes, oh, we�re going down that road! JS: No we�re not going down that road. CF: I tell you, if you look at the English press around the time that the Afghan war was beginning, it was all this stuff about Blair offers final ultimatum to the Taliban. We�re going in! And then there�d be little stuff about how the Americans were helping us out. [JS laughs] We still think we�re the most powerful country on the planet JS: It�s cute. CF: I know. JS: It�s very cute. [laughter and applause] I actually have a good time whenever I go over there. The interesting thing is that we both, I think�and this is something I think both America and England can agree on. We can both, I think, abuse Canada. And I think that in many ways is a saving grace. CF: Absolutely, the Australians, any other English-speaking country, I think is... JS: That�s what I�m saying. CF: Nobody, I think... we�re probably more perverted than any other, uh, race of English speaking� JS: England? CF: Uh, yeah, I would say so. JS: Now, that�s interesting because we�re somewhat perverse. CF: No, I know. I know. But you don�t have our school system. JS: We�d like it. You haven�t seen ours, Buddy. [laughter] What is it about your school system that leads to this perversion? CF: Well there�s this, um, Englishmen of a certain class� English men of a certain class thrown together, you know, with nobody but Matron to look after them. And as a result, we have a rather higher quota of conservative [or did he mean Conservative?] politicians found dead from acts of autoeroticism. [laughter, JS resting forehead on hand, laughing; CF kept straight face up to the end of this bit] JS: That�s true, I will grant this country one thing. Our, uh, our politicians are with good old-fashioned hookers. And I think that says a lot about� CF: You should be very proud. JS: None of that autoerotic stuff. CF: No, no, no. JS: There were, it�s such an interesting dichotomy, that�The surface of England is this very stodgy, superficial, or at least that�s kind of the stereotype we have, but underneath it�s a pretty perverse little place. CF: It�s pretty complicated. JS: Are the cities much different than in similar ways to American cities much different than the country? Is there a heartland in England and a cityscape? Or is class broken out in different ways? CF: I think it�s broken out in different ways. Urban England is very distinct from rural England. You know, there are 60 million people on that little island, so it�s a very overcrowded place. And London is a gigantic city. It�s bigger than this one. And I think it tends to surprise people. It�s a huge sprawl. It�s very international. It has a crime rate which is higher than anywhere in this country, you know, if you take handguns out of the equation. You�re far more likely to get attacked in most English cities than you are here. JS: Is that true? CF: Yeah, that is true JS: By doughy Stilton cheese? What do they come at you with? Brass knuckes and such? CF: Yeah. No. There�s stuff other than handguns which they�re very fond of using. JS: [sounding like a car salesman] You know what we�re going to do for you? Here�s what we�re going to do for you. We�re going to send you some handguns. We�re gonna get this thing� CF: Get the whole thing sorted out. Because we�ve been struggling� JS: Well this film, TIOBE, a good film? CF: It�s an excellent film. You know, speaking impartially, yes. JS: And you enjoyed, it�s clearly some very talented people involved. CF: A lot of fun, a very talented cast, really, you couldn�t get better. JS: Uncomfortable to wear the period clothing, that sort of thing, or are you all right? CF: Well, because of my background at school I�m used to wearing all sorts of stuff� JS: I can just imagine now, um, the next Harry Potter Movie, they�re gonna give each other reacharounds. It�s the craziest thing. [English accent] �Harry, that�s not your wand!� TIOBE in theaters now. Colin Firth eveybody!

One editorial comment on the interview. I do not think Colin's comment about needing "to tell the English where Europe is and what it is" was culture bashing. There is an isolationist attitude among many Brits, probably stronger in older Brits. I've seen it in my Brit relatives (who are older), and in some of their friends. They find great comfort in having that water around them. And I don't know if his reference to conservative politicians meant conservative as in general leaning, or Conservative as a party. Probably the latter.

Thanks Kate. " JS: [mugged]By doughy Stilton cheese? What do they come at you with?" Hilarious banter. Did Colin look as if he was enjoying himself? More than the stiff A&E one? I don't take that as culture-bashing. And I wonder if he was joking when he spoke about the same at the Essex House junket.And the print media picked it up as being serious.

I think he was enjoying himself. A few face touches and a little shifting in his seat, but he seemed very relaxed. I think he was pleased to be interviewed by someone who would understand what he said. (hate to think what Kelly would have made of "autoeroticism") It doesn't show up in the transcript, but Colin and JS sort of talked over each other and interrupted each other in that New York conversational style (not a perjorative, it's a regional thing). More of a converation than an interview.

thanks, Kate, for doing the transcription. So far, Comedy Central hasn't put Colin's clip up on their site yet. But they have put the celeb interviews up in the past.

Thanks, Kate! I enjoyed going through that again. :-) JS: I gotta tell ya, this film, TIOBE, is, I think, the finest in the Ernest series. CF: Oh really? JS: I think so, so much classier than the other, uh CF: You missed the early ones, presumably. Meaning the earlier versions of TIOBE film or plays, "classier"/ for purist which this one is not. ;-)

Thank you, Kate. Your transcript made clear a few things I missed. Will look out for them on the second viewing. Like the rest of you, I do want to know what was said at the end of the interview between CF and JS-looked v.funny.

(Lindak)I do want to know what was said at the end of the interview between CF and JS-looked v.funny. Maybe JS was refreshing Colin's memory about the Ernest series, knowing that at the beginning of their conversation CF had no inkling what he (JS) was talking about! JS: Sorry to put you in an awkward position before. I was refering to a movie series that was very camp featuring a weird guy named Ernest from the rural south. CF: (Suddenly remembering from his old LA days as he points his right index finger upwards) Ah, yes I remember the one, the guy with the big teeth and southern accent (as he describes the campy Ernest in a scene of one of the movies using giant hand embellishments). JS: Right, sorry, very American reference...but very funny I must admit. Then big smiles from CF and both burst out laughing ;-);-). Could be...who knows...one can only speculate... Thanks Kate for typing the transcript. It filled in some gaps for me.

Thanks for the transcript, Kate. I knew these two would get along like a house on fire.

Jon: They consider, uh, because they used to own most of it. Colin: Don�t, uh, don�t remind me. [dejectedly] Jon: I�m sorry. [Jon puts hand on Colin�s shoulder] Colin: We used to have all of it. I was thinking about this part. Either Colin was going along with Jon's initial comment of he was in Italian-wannabe mode, reminiscing about the good old days of the Roman Empire. ;-D Love your annotated version (sounding like a car salesman) LOL!

(Karen), Either Colin was going along with Jon's initial comment of he was in Italian-wannabe mode, reminiscing about the good old days of the Roman Empire. ;-D ROTF! Now there's one thing Colin would have in common with my husband. ;-) Viva il Re! (Linda), Like the rest of you, I do want to know what was said at the end of the interview between CF and JS-looked v.funny. Well if you really want to know: JS: I loved the autoeroticism part. CF: (laughs) JS: I believe we have a mutual friend who is fascinated by that too. M. Binder. CF: (laughs), Mike is so funny, brilliant, I love his show on HBO. JS: Me too! Thanks for coming, Colin. CF: My pleasure.

And the appropriate response to that would be... *gagging*

As a regular Daily Show viewer, the deal is: When they are going to use a tape of a previously recorded interview, they put Jon into the tie he wore for the interview when they record the "live" portion of the show. If you go to a taping you can get lucky and see several interviews in addition to the show that will be aired that night. I'm pretty sure this is what was done for CF's interview. I take it no one on this board got to the taping when Colin was recorded?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/theatrical/B00005JKTV/customer-reviews/qid=1023281463/sr=8-9/ref=sr_8_9/ref=cm_rev_all_2/104-5358822-9881543 Absolutely terrific reviews for TIOBE at amazon.com (hope the above link works). The paying public likes it - Miramax take note! (more screens?)

(Karen), And the appropriate response to that would be... *gagging* LOL! Yes, that's part of autoerotic sex. ;-)

(KateDF)More of a converation than an interview. Thanks for doing the transcript, Kate. I wish Jon had given him an opportunity to tell a humorous antecdote instead of just the What-England-is-Really-Like material. I was hoping JS would tell Letterman what a great guest CF was and secure a Late Show appearance for HS publicity. Oh, well, if wishes were fi...firth films I'd have nothing to complain about.:-)

Moon! Euuwwwww! LOL!!!!!!!! (Karen) he was in Italian-wannabe mode, reminiscing about the good old days of the Roman Empire. ;-D No, definitely British Empire. Even though they didn't own the WHOLE world in the days of the Empire, they thought they owned enough that the rest didn't matter too much. As I said earlier, I have a lot of Brit relatives, so I know the mindsest. (No offense meant to British Firthettes, you'd just have to know my cousins) Every so often, you have to remind them that "we don't have India any more, dear." This is especially funny to me today, because I just ran across a newspaper article about the Queen and the jubilee. There was a map of the empire in Victoria's time, and a map of it now. Now, it's England and a scattering of islands. (But at least they can abuse Canada.)

I only meant that it didn't extend to Europe. Other parts of the world, yes, but not Europe.

...unless you go back to that piece of France (Eleanor of Aquitaine)... ;-D

(Karen)I only meant that it didn't extend to Europe. Other parts of the world, yes, but not Europe. Europe? Huh? But first you have to tell them where it is... ;-))

(Karen), And the appropriate response to that would be... *gagging* (Moon)LOL! Yes, that's part of autoerotic sex. ;-) Gee, Moon, I thought the boss was gagging over the M.Binder part.

Anyone care to travel???? ;-D A casting call went out a two weeks ago for: Socialites, It Girls and Boys, Oxbridge types and Debutantes needed for a major new feature film. Filming between June and August. Please send a recent photo with your contact address and phone numbers as soon as possible to Rosie at The Casting Collective marked American Girl. Olympic House, 317-321 Latimer Road, London, W10 6RA

Thankyou for all the updates Re Kate's transcript a few questions and comments because we are deprived down under 1 very funny as stand alone piece. Very surreal indeed. 2 was the interviewer serious in questions asked? Was this a "serious" TIOBE interview? 3If yes to 2 Did ODB have tongue firmly in cheek when answering? 4 Was this a prescripted comic routine? 5 if no to above,what were they drinking and where do I get that brand of water? This interview has plumbed new comedic heights(depths) of ODB, something to appreciate even more than when the eyes and dimples work ala BJD. If this was totally of the cuff well the stocks have sky rocketted.

Gee, Moon, I thought the boss was gagging over the M.Binder part. You forgot to add the winkee, Linda. We don't want to spread any rumours. ;-) Debutantes needed for a major new feature film. Filming between June and August. I'm so sorry, but I will be in Italy. ;-) I guess Colin won't be in Umbria this summer. Now if we only knew who is to play his ex-wife?

(AnnaS) 2 was the interviewer serious in questions asked? Was this a "serious" TIOBE interview? You might want to check out the show's website. It should provide you with a better idea of what kind of program this is: http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/thedailyshowwithjonstewart/

" Socialites, It Girls and Boys, Oxbridge types and Debutantes needed for a major new feature film. Filming between June and August. Please send a recent photo with your contact address and phone numbers as soon as possible to Rosie at The Casting Collective marked American Girl. Olympic House, 317-321 Latimer Road, London, W10 6RA" ROTF.Thanks Karen: UK Firthettes here's your chance!!Dust off the school photo. Go to it!

Dust off the school photo. Or from the Society page of your local paper when they announced your coming out. ;-D

(Evelyn)Dust off the school photo. DUST being the operative word. What happens when they discover that your head shot is less-than-recent? I suppose you could move from the deb group to the socialite group (dowagers, anyone?). How depressing would THAT be?!?! (Karen)Or from the Society page of your local paper when they announced your coming out. ;-D Oops, doesn't coming out have a different context these days? :-))

Karen, Thanks so much for the intro to DianeS. It much more fun to have someone close by to drool with.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=colin+firth&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&scoring=d&selm=ufsuqfgn6mi8b%40news.supernews.com&rnum=2 A review from someone who loved the 1950 film of TIOBE, but finds lots to praise in the latest version (so it is possible to like both!) Thanks for all the updates on AG, Karen. I'd love to know who's playing the feminist mother. The June-August dates still leave the option for the Ted Hughes role in the autumn!

I hope we find out "the mother" in AG soon. I can't get Natasha Richardson out of my head. (Sorry, I loved the remake of Parent Trap ;-)

Natasha was the first person I thought of, too--she'd be great. But I doubt she'd do it, nor would these others in that age group that I like: Holly Hunter, Jodie Foster, Julianne Moore, Helen Hunt. I think I'm aiming way too high . . .;-) The June-August dates still leave the option for the Ted Hughes role in the autumn! I was thinking that also. When do Gwynnie ad Madden start Proof?

I think I'm aiming way too high . . .;-) LOL! Please don't let it be Mariel Hemmingway. ;-) When do Gwynnie ad Madden start Proof? Isn't she doing that now?

Gwynnie started her Proof run on May 9th, with closing scheduled for June 15th. Also, supposedly, she and John Madden have signed to do the film version. Any roles for ODB in this film? I'm sure GP & JM would love to work with him again, from their remarks on the SIL commentary track.

I was referring to the film version of Proof, Moon. I thought I read they were doing it right after the play's run ends, which could still leave her autumn open. think I'm aiming way too high . . .;-) LOL! Please don't let it be Mariel Hemmingway. ;-) Or godferbid Heather Graham has an older sister.;-)

No, Moonstar, there's really no role for CF in Proof. Major male roles are a grad student-aged guy and an older man (beyond 60).

(Mari) there's really no role for CF in Proof. Major male roles are a grad student-aged guy) Never say never. Let's see... the grad student was in the service first and can therefore be older. Maybe he even took early retirement from the military and then went back to school. ;-D Diane and I have been going back and forth about a couple of things and she pointed out Colin's funny hum-like laugh when Jon Stewart reacted well to his jokes, like that auto-eroticism quip. When I looked at it again and noted he did it a few times, I remembered I'd heard that before. It took awhile, but I think it was in FP, during the scene where he is asking to be considered for the Head of Year job and it goes into the Ms Hughes being pregnant thing to which Ted asks why that affects him, and Colin says "Sorry, I left a bit out, I'm the father." (or similar) Could this be a little sex giggle, you know, when he feels he's being naughty? ;-D

(Mari)think I'm aiming way too high . . .;-) Meg Ryan, perhaps? BTW, I think ODB could handle any of them-provided there are not too many kissing scenes;) Also saw TIOBE for the fourth time tonight. Still working on those numbers. Loved every blessed minute of it-Again!

(Karen)I remembered I'd heard that before. I thought the same thing, but I thought it was in another interview. I'm thinking the NPR interview, because I had my ear plastered up against the radio speaker so I could hear every little word, sigh etc. Could have been the VH1 Cast party, too. Now this is going to bug me all night. Thanks, Karen

Talking about familiar sounds he makes...me thought I heard a little coo-ing sound in TIOBE similar to Peter Marshwood in RV.

Colin's funny hum-like laugh Yes, it's a cross between a hum and a giggle! You can hear it on the NPR interview too. v.v. attractive (Linda)Also saw TIOBE for the fourth time tonight. Still working on those numbers. Linda, you're a real trooper! How was the crowd? Did you guys have the same torrential rain we did down here? I was going to go but the ark is in the shop for repairs. Yes, I am a candy-butt.;-) From the NY Daily News: Editing the Editor Heaven forbid you knock the magazine editor you replace. But now that former Harper's Bazaar editor Kate Betts has admitted she made a bad call last year by pulling pictures of a 30-pounds-heavier Renee Zellweger from the magazine, Betts' successor is praising herself for being brave enough to run them now. "There was much talk at the time that Renee looked heavy because of the weight she had gained for her role in 'Bridget Jones's Diary,'" writes Bazaar editor Glenda Bailey. "But when I saw the photos, I thought Renee looked so healthy, vibrant and beautiful, I wanted you to see them, too." Bailey says this three months after Betts wrote a first-person article in The New York Times apologizing for pulling the photos � one of which was to be the cover � and discussing the skinny pressures of the fashion world. Now, the July issue of Bazaar features the two-year-old photos of Zellweger inside, as well as some taken more recently. But if Bailey truly felt as comfortable publishing the photos as she says she does, why didn't she run a shot of the heavier Zellweger on the cover?

Hi Everyone, I'm a new member. Have read all of this topic and can't thank all of you enough for the great information. The Premiere was fantastic. You girls were so lucky. Just love this man. Can't get enough. Thought interview with Stewart was the best. They both interacted really well. And Colin seemed to actually enjoy it, unlike some of the other interviews. Would like to see him do more like that. Haven't seen TIOBE yet. Live in Jersey and it is just starting to appear around here. Hope to find theater this weekend. Would see him in anything, vehicle doesn't matter. Still can't get the dynamic Mr. Darcy out of my mind. Have to admit that's still my favorite. Would love to see him with Helen Hunt. Both excellent actors. That would be a good match. Could definitely see them as a parenting couple.

(Mari)How was the crowd? No, Mari, you're not a candy-butt, but you're no postal employee either, neither rain, wind, snow....I don't know how that goes, but you know what I mean;) For 5pm on a Thursday, the theater was two-thirds full. Yes, it was raining, but not until we left. Several people waiting in the lobby for the next show. Again, the crowd was of mixed ages. Sorry to see that it has not expanded into more theaters this weekend as I was sure it would, but the theater where I've taken up residence has added extra shows for both weekdays and weekends for this coming week. And now, back to studio! Welcome FanPam-where in Jersey do you live? It is playing in Princeton.

OH, JOY!!! The expansion has begun!!! For any and all you Kentuckians out there, TIOBE is showing at the Baxter in Louisville, or if you live in southern KY, at Regal Green Hills 16 in Nashville, TN. WOO HOOO!!!!

Welcome Pam! Glad to see you've made it to the boards. :-) ******I've just had a mini-newsflash. There will be another interview with Colin on a weekend show. It was announced this morning, I believe, on The Early Show and it was going to be with whoever is their film reviewer. I've checked my TV listings and The Early Show's weekend edition is on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. EDT and runs for 2 hours.

finally!!! i saw a tv commercial for TIOBE this morning. has ebert&roeper's 2 thumbs up, something about the "blue ribbon cast" from the ny times and "colin firth is delightful" not sure where that quote was from. the focus on the commercial was definately colin. more clips of colin than of RE. i bit misleading though, show RW wanting to marry somone named earnest then putting side by side shot of RW with colin. don't even recall seeing FOC in the commercial, maybe there was a clip of her but i was just too shocked to finally see a TIOBE commercial on tv with lots of colin :) that's all i remember, as i had the tv as background noise and ran to see as soon as i heard. anyone else seen tv ads yet?

re Ex-wife role in AG How about Meg Ryan? Especially if he is playing an Oxbridge type and she is meant to be the total opposite of him. - She's around the right age, too,(40).

How about Meg Ryan? I doubt they could afford her. Besides, if she was in the project, we'd have already heard about it and she has movies lined up from here to.... Funnily enough, I was thinking about her too, but mainly from the standpoint that she is still presented as single and dating. I can't even think of a movie where she's had a baby, let alone a 16 or 19-year-old daughter.

Someone mentioned an "At the Angelika" interview awhile back? There is one on tonight on IFC around 5:30pm. I don't know if it will have the CF interview. What about his friend M.E. Mastrantonio for the mom?

.......beating a dead horse.... What is the point of a comparison pictorial of RZ now? One can assume that the weight must've really bothered her. It seems that such a comparison may reinforce her decision to not gain weight, therefore, not do EOR...... (i know, wrong board!)

(Amy) What about his friend M.E. Mastrantonio for the mom? Where is your winkie on that one? ;-D More info on this weekend's program. Now, it appears the program might be Weekend Today (Sunday a.m. on NBC). It was announced on the program preceding the Today Show hosted by Maurice DuBois and Jane Hanson, which I assume is local news in NY. The film reviewer on that show said he'd be airing an interview with Colin this weekend. That's all I know, folks.

Welcome FanPam!!! How about Meg Ryan? Isn't the role of the ex/reunited wife going to be a smallish role if a lot of the movie will be filmed in London centered around father and daughter fitting into each other's life plus a romance for the daughter? I was thinking about Rita Wilson for the mom. She handles small but memorable roles like that a lot. I loved what she did with that scene in 'Sleepless in Seattle' when she described that final scene from 'An Affair to Remember!' She's well known since she's Tom Hanks' wife and she kinda resembles Amanda (since Colin doesn't). I think she's old enough... She can be motherly and vulnerable, but assertive and feminine. Also thought of Andie MacDowell (sp?) for the same reasons even though she's older and a little southern for NYC. She and CF might have good chemistry for better kissing scenes ;-D. Karen, thanks for the heads up on the weekend Early Show.

(K)I've checked my TV listings and The Early Show's weekend edition is on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. EDT and runs for 2 hours. .....Weekend Today (Sunday a.m. on NBC). Saturday/ Sunday... Ug...Another dawn- rising weekend. I think ODB has covered all the major networks. (Amy) What about his friend M.E. Mastrantonio for the mom? *Barf* AB mom: Toni Collette or do you want someone more glam?

(Evelyn) I think ODB has covered all the major networks. Just a few months ago - did we ever think we'd *ever* say such a thing?

HaHAHAHa! I love this "mom/wife" discussion! We should actually have a serious 'vegas' style bet, odds, etc... (another one? Katie Couric?) :) If the weekend interview is with Jeffrey Lyons, don't count on anything interesting. He interviewed RE last weekend--don't let them respond, cuts them off...awful.

This Letter to the Editor of the Washington Post was sent to me: [BTW, we didn't like her, did we? She said Colin isn't handsome.] Arms and the Man: Colin Firth as Interviewee To the Editor: I read with admiration Alona Wartofsky's interview with Colin Firth ["Mr. Darcy's Firth Cousin," May 19]. It seems to me to be a first-rate example of an interview that manages to be respectful of the person interviewed and faithful to facts while at the same time giving the reader a real impression of that person, not only by what is said, but what is unsaid. This is the kind of writing that George Mason University, where I teach, is trying to promote in its course on creative nonfiction. I would add just one small suggestion. Since I myself have conducted hundreds of such interviews (for The Washington Post, as well as in pursuit of a number of biographies) I would suggest that the gesture to which Wartofsky often refers, i.e., the crossing and uncrossing of the actor's arms, might not be only an unwillingness to reveal his private life. I have seen it often in myself and consider it a self-defensive measure against some very painful memories. As Moss Hart says in "Act One: An Autobiography," the theater is everybody's refuge from an unhappy childhood. MERYLE SECREST Washington Meryle Secrest has written biographies of Romaine Brooks, Bernard Berenson, Kenneth Clark, Salvador Dali, Stephen Sondheim and Richard Rodgers, among others. The letter is posted here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40496-2002May31.html You can check out the article again here: http://firth.com/articles/washpost51902.html

Saturday/ Sunday... Ug...Another dawn- rising weekend. For once this won't be a strain in my house since we are up for the World Cup! But it will be hell changing the chanel. :-( (Amy) What about his friend M.E. Mastrantonio for the mom? (Karen), Where is your winkie on that one? ;-D Yeah, bite your tonge. I love this "mom/wife" discussion! What about an English actress? Afterall, doesn't there always have to be an accent conflict in his films? ;-) Emma Thompson can use a part time role, and she can do an American accent.;-) But I also like Lora's choice of Andy MD. as the mother will need to be elegant and sophisticated. Rita Wilson is too earthy. Welcome Pam!

As Moss Hart says in "Act One: An Autobiography," the theater is everybody's refuge from an unhappy childhood. She sounds like my old acting teacher. That's a lot of BS.

(Moon)What about an English actress? Afterall, doesn't there always have to be an accent conflict in his films? ;-) I was thinking the same thing, couldn't the mother be British, and moved to NY? Then I fall into the same dilemma-as the one thinking about Rebecca in TEoR. Who would play the part? Emma Thompson works for me so does Andie MD.

(Linda)you're not a candy-butt, but you're no postal employee either, Heh, heh, heh . . .you've never seen me walk into work angry.;-) Welcome Pam--glad to see our NJ contingent continue to grow. No matter which part of the Garden State you're from, you will find a partner in crime on this board.:-) (Dale)focus on the commercial was definately colin. Finally--Miramax is breaking the bank. Where do you live, Dale, and do you recall what network the commercial was on? I haven't seen one yet. crossing and uncrossing of the actor's arms, might not be only an unwillingness to reveal his private life. Might also be a willingness to hit the john when the interview is over.;-) Yo, Meryle, get a life. (Moon)What about an English actress? We mentioned Natasha Richardson. mother will need to be elegant and sophisticated The description we have only says "New York feminist." In the sterotypical shorthand that I fear this will be presented in, God knows what they'll turn it into.

Gawd! I hate pseudo-intellectual armchair diagnosis. Since when is a journalist qualified to interpret ones childhood based on body language? Especially the journalist who didn't do the interview? I would agree it might be an unconscious gesture in being uncomfortable....but now I would have to comment that the reactions of the interviewer/letter writer are due to possibly their projections of their unhappy childhoods onto the interviewee. (touche'). http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/05/20/reel_life_may_20_2002_article.shtml (has a blurg about CF as Ted Hughes)

The show is Wekend Today on SUNDAY and the interviewer is Jeffrey Lyons. Don't be too disappointed if it's only run in the NY area--I'm not sure either, I just don't want any tears.;-) Has any seen the new ads for TIOBE? Colin and Rupie lounging on the grounds of the estate, while the ladies hover over them. Colin looks grrrrrrrrrreat! I like him in these semi-recumbant postures!!:-) Big quotes from the major critics--Ebert & Roeper, NY Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone--Colin mentioned in several of them, Rupie in *none*. They're pushing the romance angle. Oscar Wilde--who he be?;-) ;-)

Er, WEEKEND Today. RE: BBC blurb. I think that's the first time that a reputable news organization has had CF's name linked to the Hughes role. and the movie is from BBC Films, right? Any way to get in touch with them to verify? Emma Thompson as the mom? Ladies, I'm tellin' ya, we're aiming waaaaayyy too high.

As Moss Hart says in "Act One: An Autobiography," the theater is everybody's refuge from an unhappy childhood. She sounds like my old acting teacher. ...and a pop psychologist to boot! Moon - I just finished watching England beat the other fav (Argentina) besides Italy to win the WC, I think it will be a minor miracle if you can even get a hold of that remote control. Maybe you can be kind to YDH - just think - it's been rainin' Colin - WC comes but once every 4 years.;-) Welcome Pam! Been on a 6-day retreat and nice to come back to all the fab news of and about ODB finally relinquishing the title "Invisible Man". Thank you all for promptness and generosity in sharing info. Especially enjoyed reading JS transcript and imagining the nano-second it took for the word *australians* to pass those lips - oohh getting tingly all over! LOL - who's he calling perverted?

From todays' NY Times: Parental Guide for Current Movies: "This feature helps parents decide which films are appropriate for children. The column is posted on The New York Times Learning Network, which offers an archive of past reviews. * Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (Suitable for ages 7 and up) * The Sum of All Fears (Suitable for ages 10 and up) * The Importance of Being Earnest (Suitable for ages 12 and up) Hey, don't laugh. Puts bums on the seats.And it's the only art house film in blockbuster company.

Re: AG mom... What about Helen Hunt?

The books pages of today's Daily Mail contain information about PEN International Writers' Day and go on to say that other PEN events this summer include a celebration of Italo Calvino with Gore Vidal and with readings by CF and Greta Scacchi. According to the PEN UK events website this will take place at 7pm on Tuesday 16th July at St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden. CF's name isn't mentioned, it just says readings by actors and writers. Booking is by form to be circulated shortly (?for PEN members/friends only). The phone number given by the Mail for International Writers' Day is 020 7267 9444. http://www.pen.org.uk/public/events/events.htm

I like Helen Hunt - she would be great - but it's probably too much of a supporting role for her. Joely Richardson and Caroline Goodall can both do "New York", but I don't think somehow that the part will go to a British actress. If the BBC website has CF "tipped" for Ted, I may allow myself to be hopeful!

Well spotted, Barbara! I know that AG is only "inspired" by "The Reluctante Debutante", but this review makes it sound quite promising. The review was written by a Stanford Uni student who saw the movie at a university showing, a couple of years ago. So it still has contemporary appeal, hopefully! And I like the idea of CF in a Rex Harrison role. "Next up was The Reluctant Debutante (also 1958), about a teenaged American girl (Sandra Dee - first film I've ever seen her in) who moves to London to be with her father (Rex Harrison) and stepmother, the latter of whom decides she should 'come out' as a debutante in the coming weeks, which Dee thinks is simply ridiculous. Adapted from a stage play (which is quite evident), Debutante starts slowly, but eventually turns fall-down-funny. Harrison has ample opportunity to ham his way through some ridiculous scenes as he tries to navigate the absurdity of the debutantes' balls. Dee's character, Jane, is quite intelligent, reasonably willful, and meets an American boy who plays drums in a band which plays at the balls. Of whom her stepmother disapproves, of course. We get scenes with her parents trying to keep an eye on her during a ball to keep her away from this young man, a lengthy scene where Harrison searches desperately for alcohol to see him through the ball, and later has nightmares about the events. And an extended scene where Jane hooks up with the young man and doesn't come home until 5 am, as we see her parents getting driven up the wall. It's all so wonderfully ridiculous, it's well worth seeing. It's punctuated by a stuffy young British lad with the perfect stuffy British accent and an endless interest in optimizing traffic routes. The cast is half the fun - and the script is the other half."

Thanks to all for the nice welcome. Hello Jersey. I live in Norwood about as Northeast Jersey as you can get. Five minutes from New York State border. About half way between the George and Tappan Zee bridges. Was in Princeton two weeks ago. Beautiful place. Hello Karen. The ad for TIOBE I saw was one mentioned above on NBC. First time I saw any. The RD was good film. He should be good in it too. Would like to see him with American actress. McDowell, Ryan, particularly Hunt but as you say probably way too expensive. NBC runs weekend today on Saturday as well as Sunday. Which day do you think interview will be on?

Reposting of AnnaS's message from above. Watch those tags, please. (Evelyn) AG mom: Toni Collette or do you want someone more glam? There is absolutely no one else that could could do this role apart from Toni, she has been primed from birth for this part, indeed she has been breed in a lab for this part. My only criterion for this is that we in Minkeland are all in favour of homebred leading actors sharing the billing with ODB. This way we will be favoured with a "premier", and be able to report first hand on smiles and dimples etc. :D Still hoping for a TIOBE premier, What do you think Minkee does FOC have enough "star quality" here for a double act with ODB? A girl can hope.

(Mari) The show is Wekend Today on SUNDAY and the interviewer is Jeffrey Lyons. Don't be too disappointed if it's only run in the NY area--I'm not sure either, I just don't want any tears.;-) But Weekend Today, as well as Wekend Today, are shown nationally. I'll be up early. ;-D Emma Thompson as the mom? Ladies, I'm tellin' ya, we're aiming waaaaayyy too high. I agree. RE: BBC blurb. I think that's the first time that a reputable news organization has had CF's name linked to the Hughes role. and the movie is from BBC Films, right? Unfortunately, it says, right on the bottom of the page, that ALL the stories came from: Variety, Screen International, Coming Soon, the Internet Movie Database, and the Hollywood Reporter. So no inside info. Thank you, Barbara, for the news about the reading. Oh, to be in London. Of course, there is a modern invention known as a tape recorder. ;-D

I just caught the At the Angelika interview. Lots of clips, LOTS of closeups...not a bad interview. Replays on Sat. @ 1:15am on IFC. The funny part is that it takes place in the cafe and the only people in the cafe are CF, the interviewer and a bunch of women seemingly not paying a bit of attention (right)!

Now my two cents on: Meryle SecrestI would suggest that the gesture to which Wartofsky often refers, i.e., the crossing and uncrossing of the actor's arms, might not be only an unwillingness to reveal his private life. I have seen it often in myself and consider it a self-defensive measure against some very painful memories. The painful memories might be right. Colin probably considers all these interviews rather painful. ;-D Actually, he is probably just trying to keep himself from playing with parts of his face. Remember? ;-D

curses! nested tags again!

This is the kind of writing that George Mason University, where I teach, is ***trying to promote*** in its course on creative nonfiction. Indeed!

Heres a wild thought! If they ever decide to make a remake of "My Fair Lady" Wouldn't ODB be great as Professor Higgins? Nah never happen! But interesting thought. Just saw it again last weekend. Couldn't help picturing him in that role.

Heres a wild thought! Not so wild, Joanne. He was mentioned once to do it in 2000. LOL. At that time, the drama -addicted Firthettes...said "A comedy, nevah"! But now that *we're* singing and having food-fights.....;-D

That rumor was in conjunction with a West End stage revival (which was done last year with Martine Mcwhatever). A remake of the movie? People would have to have their heads examined for even contemplating it IMO.

Wouldn't ODB be great as Professor Higgins? People would have to have their heads examined for even contemplating it IMO. LOL, kind of like imagining a remake of the Sound of Music or Mary Poppins. Now, there may be some prospect in the role of grumpy George Banks, or better still, since we are into comedy these days, maybe the Bert role would suit. "Oh, it's a jolly 'oliday wif Mary!"

...and for Captain Von Trapp, no big stretch: we mix a bit of Robert Lawrence for the veteran, some Edward Pettigrew for family man, and a pinch of "Lady Come Down". He could do it in his sleep! :))))

Me, I'd rather he create his own unique and memorable characters than to remake somebody else's. Besides, he has mentioned that he was offered the TV remake of The Shining. Who wants to attempt to redo one of Jack Nicholson's more memorable roles?

we-el he's better lookin' than Rex Harrison;-D (Karen) Me, I'd rather he create his own unique and memorable characters than to remake somebody else's. He *did*....Mr. Darcy!!And then went on to cookie-cutter Mark D.

(Karen) Me, I'd rather he create his own unique and memorable characters than to remake somebody else's. (Evelyn)He *did*....Mr. Darcy!!And then went on to cookie-cutter Mark D. But to remake one's own character is to start with an excellent model. And be careful what you say about RH. He was known as "Sexy Rexy" in his pre-Higgins days. Love the new print ad for TIOBE. It seems to say "romance and sex in the countryside." Better than the question mark and "Everybody loves Ray--oops--Ernest" Welcome, Pam. Always nice to see another Jersey girl here.

(mari)Finally--Miramax is breaking the bank. Where do you live, Dale, and do you recall what network the commercial was on? I haven't seen one yet. it was on ABC yesterday morning. i'm in NY area, i saw it again this morning but on NBC this time. hmmm... isn't cheaper to air commercials in the morning? seeing it a second time, i did see FOC in the ad. (karen)Me, I'd rather he create his own unique and memorable characters than to remake somebody else's. Besides, he has mentioned that he was offered the TV remake of The Shining. Who wants to attempt to redo one of Jack Nicholson's more memorable roles? colin was offered the role that Steven Weber played in the ABC tv mini series remake of The Shining?

We are definitely on the same wave length. I, too, can see him as Professor Higgins. Thought so last week when I watched it. But would be so very difficult to top that movie. Can't get much better than that, and agree it would be foolish to even try. Saw the ad again this morning on NBC but not after that. Thanks for info about Angelika interview. Watched it last night. Was good. Looking forward to seeing him tomorrow a m. Now heres a thought, they could remake Pygmallian. That would be ideal. I remember my mom had it bad for "sexy-Rexy" and I was fortunate enough when I was very young to see him in it on Broadway and do recall the ladies were quite taken with him.

Please no remakes! I saw Dr. Zhivago again this week on AMC and that is such a perfect movie and there was talk here of Colin in the remake which is apparently an idea flotting around Hollywood. I say no thank you. It would be a grave mistake. What I really want is BJD2. :-)

(Moon)What I really want is BJD2. :-) Absolutely, without a doubt!!Just MD recreating MD.

...and towels recreating towels, I hope. :)

For your consideration....as the mom in AB...Julianne Moore! She can do a passable (I think) British accent and would be about the right age. Or Michelle Pfeiffer? Aiming for her may be a bit too high, though. Is she even working anymore or taking care of her kids? Nice to see there have been ads (haven't seen any though). Nice to see some support from the powers-that-be. Just saw Spiderman...Is Will the one on the tram with the baseball cap who is right behind KD's shoulder when the tram lands, grinning, looking like he's about ready to wave to the audience? It was a quick shot so maybe this was an inaccurate reading on my part.

And re: BJD2, I was watching part of Bedazzled last night...and it reinforced my belief that Liz Hurley IS Rebecca. When I read the book a couple of months ago, she immediately came to mind. Great publicity to have her and HG in the same movie, although at this point, I'm sure it won't need it.

Duh!! Sorry I just realized it should be AG not AB! Double Duh!! :-P

(Didn't Rex Harrison have a glass eye....?) Yes, I agree--no remakes. I would rather see a James Bond role. Liz Hurley would be a good choice for Rebecca. What about Kristen Scott Thomas for AG? The Jeffrey Lyon's interview is on this morning (7ish e.s.t.) NBC NY Today.

If anyone is up, Colin is going to be on right now. Sunday Weekend in NY. Different than Weekend Today. 7am, not the 8am show. I don't know if this interview will also air on the Weekend Today. If not, I'll transcribe later today.

Here is a brief summary of interview: (approx 5min) CF wearing dark blue very open at neck shirt, greenish pants, boots.. Talked about look of the film and costumes--CF mentioned he was asked by Italian tailor whether he "dressed left or right" (didn't answer). Mentioned that he wore padding in SIL (when commented that he was heavier in that movie). Talked about fight scene in BA and BJD..admitted to doing parts to pay rent... At the end Jeffrey Lyon's recommended people also check out AZ. (pretty interesting, I thought). Then NBC showed a commercial for TIOBE.

(Sorry Linda, I posted before I checked posts!) I'm sure Linda will have more info. cheers!

Bugger! Had a tough time getting up and caught only the last minute or so from the BJD and "pics for dough" comments. Gah! Didn't think it would be on so early in the show either. Wonder if they replay Weekend Today later at night like Meet the Press. Now that I think about it, probably not since it was with the local hosts. LOL! Sorry I missed the Italian tailor comment. I thought the AZ recommendation was very interesting, as well. It's almost never mentioned, and by far one of his best roles IMO. Boy, but was he a vision to wake up to, though! I thought he looked particularly good! JN to go to sleep to, and CF to wake up to.....and it's not even my birthday yet!

(Dorine)JN to go to sleep to, and CF to wake up to.....and it's not even my birthday yet! LOL! Not bad at all. :-) AZ by far one of his best roles Agreed. You should check out our AZ film discussion, Dorine. (Amy), Liz Hurley would be a good choice for Rebecca. What about Kristen Scott Thomas for AG? Liz Hurley was the first one I thought of too when I read the book. But I would leave KSC in France. I would love it if they gave AG to Jennifer Ehle, just to have her there. (Linda), I'll transcribe later today. I'll look forward to it! Thanks for the summary, Amy. But I think we can figure out whether he "dressed left or right." ;-)

Such risque talk.... takes me back. ;-D

I have the whole interview transcribed, but cannot type it up until around noon. DH is moving daughter's room into another room,I can't very well leave him with the whole mess. Well, actually, I can but... I just had to sneak away to type this post. Will type up and post the interview as soon as I can. I thought it really was one of the better ones, very lively.

Just made it in time to see interview. Definitely an interesting one. Too brief however. Mr. Lyons certainly did his homework and knew what he was doing. That was refreshing. What is IOM?

Sorry for the delay. I just finished being the getmethis,getmethat tool helper. Here goes: Transcript from Sunday Weekend Today in New York The female host (don't know her name)introduces the segment:Colin Firth is one of the hottest actors in film. He recently sat down with Jeffrey Lyons to talk about his new project TIOBE. Clip of CF and FOC during the discussion of Jack's name. Voice-over by Jeffrey Lyons: In case you've yet to see it, the remake of TIOBE is a witty, sedate, beautiful-looking Oscar Wilde romantic comedy co-starring Colin Firth, and it's obvious it is a project the actor enjoyed doing. CF: There's a great path of greats who have done this in the theater, and it is daunting, and it is a very tried and tested piece of work, and found to work. So if I can't make it work I have to take responsibility. JL: Well you did, and when I look at the clips as they appear on a TV screen, I notice how pristine every image was, how the color is gorgeous and jumps out at you like a...sound like a critic of visual bouquet.(silent clip of Lady Bracknell walking in on Jack's proposal to Gwendolyn) CF: The costumes were by an Italian Costumier and I don't think I've ever had a fitting quite like this. There was this extraordinary Roman tailor, who, like most Roman tailors, was this tall. (Colin holds out his arm to describe someone who is very short)(In a voice that is very posh he imitates the tailor)"Do you dress to the left or the right, sir"? And you get bizarre things like nape of neck to left knuckle of little finger, and sort of inner insole to buttock.(ed. note: OOOOOOHHH! Oh but to be a Roman tailor-eh, sorry) JL: But no matter how trying getting the costume preparation was, it had to pale in getting ready for your scenes in SIL. That must have taken a lot longer. CF: Well, (sighs) in SIL, I was sticking out in every direction.(ed. won't touch this comment with a ten foot pole) I mean, I had a sword and a cog piece. It was very hard to sit down without wreaking havoc. JL: You were heavier in that film? CF: Hm? (CF either missed the question or pretended not to hear) JL: You were heavier in that film? CF: Wellll, I was, but I would like to point out I was helped by a bit of padding. It was, you know, sort of considered sexy to have a bit of a paunch in those days. Pity that's no longer... JL: (Talks over CF's last word) Some real party animals in those days. CF: That's right. JL: You really had a thankless role in that movie, because you're the one we don't want to have GP CF: That was the one movie in which it celebrated humor, I was the one guy without it. It celebrated poetry, I was the one guy without it. It celebrated romance, I was the one guy without it. I'm the guy that doesn't get it. JL: (laughs) And yet you also played Shakespeare at one time didn't you? CF: NO! JL: You never played Shakespeare? CF: No, oh, now you... JL: Don't scare me like that. You did play Shakespeare. CF: I spent a morning playing Shakespeare. JL: Right, in Blackadder Back and Forth CF: Right, Blackadder Back and Forth JL: How do you preparae for playing Shakespeare? How does one do that? CF: Well I read the complete works of Shakespeare several times over,(Laughs) and practiced in front of a mirror, Then got knocked off my feet by Rowan Atkinson in the first five minutes.(laughter by both.) *** At this point, my vcr kicked in to tape Weekend Today, I lost about three seconds of the BJD discussion, sorry. I did see it through the first time, and we didn't miss anything we hadn't heard before. JL: There was a scene with you and Hugh Grant in BJD that wasn't in the original book, BJD. CF: Yes, Hugh and I just got carried away really. JL: And it turned out to be one of the most interesting scenes of the film. CF: You know, you have to look unruly to be unruly, and you have to be very precise and disciplined about it. We thought, you know what, lets just give the stunt man a break-go have a cup of tea, and we'll get on with this thing, and really, that's just what we did. We grappled with each other, I think in a way, I'm ashamed to say, probably in a way we would have if we really were in a fight with each other. JL: You were talking about roles that an actor should get to put your work to the test, that constantly test you. I mean any actor wants something that's not more of the same. That is-something different, what do you look for in a part? (ed. note, JL jumps all over his own words in some of the questions) CF: It's not the only criterion. That's not always available to you. Sometimes, you want to pay the rent. So you might have to repeat yourself and then, in a way that's even a greater challenge, is to take something which on the page seems a repitition, and how you give it a twist. JL: Colin Firth, the costar, and one of the wonderful cast of the film TIOBE, and on your way to see that movie, rent a copy of an under-appreciated performance he gave in AZ. It is nice to see you. CF: Thank you. (Colin's head tilted back ever so slightly, as if in disbelief, when JL mentioned AZ-seemed a bit pleased too. Arms were on the move, yet they never crossed and uncrossed once!!!!

Thank you Linda for typing this. JL: (laughs)" And yet you also played Shakespeare at one time didn't you?" CF:" NO!" LOL. Think Colin thought the guy meant : H-a-m-l-e-t? CF"Sometimes, you want to pay the rent. So you might have to repeat yourself and then..." He can say that again ..esp if you don't want to travel;-) Indeed-ee interviewer did homework...checked the websites too;-)

Yeh Moon, those that * vigilantly viewed* TIOIBE could be reminded of the answer to the tailoring question (i.e. scene with dog). What a downward spiral I find myself on..... ;^)

Thanks for typing the transcript, Linda, especially since our Weekend Today was preempted by TENNIS! Felt great sympathy with those in Minkeeland! ;-) CF: Well I read the complete works of Shakespeare several times over,(Laughs) and practiced in front of a mirror, LOL! Since I have to be crazy about a movie star, at least it is one that makes me laugh. That had to be off-the-cuff and a glimpse of that famous CF sense of humor. :-)

Yes, well here in Minkeeland, OUR Weekend Today was pre-empted by "Gilette World Sport" -- even though it was clearly listed in the tv guide as Weekend Today! Grrrrrrrrrr.... Sometimes I despair of this sports-mad nation. Doesn't seem to matter how obscure the sport, they want to watch it rather than anything else! Yet again, we are ripped off of yet another Colin interview. *sob*

BTW, they went to a commercial right after the interview. It was TIOBE. Thank goodness someone posted about the commercial being on in the early am. The only reason I had the TV tuned to NY channel 4 NBC was because of this. I usually watch Weekend Today on NBC 3-our local station. Commercial looked great, with CF as the focus. I think Miramax realizes he is the one to carry the film, and I think they underestimated its appeal. Yes, Evelyn, I definitely think CF thought JL meant Hamlet.

Attention all Minkeelanders I saw first ad in today's paper for competition for exclusive premier tickets for TIOBE, RE was pictured, but CF was named second in billing. Details for competition will be in next Sunday Age. Fingers crossed.

Wow! Thanks Anna! No hint about what the competition is, where the exclusive premiere is being held, etc.? Geez... what a tease!

Wonderful transcription, Linda! Felt like I had seen it with all your insightful comments. BTW, the appropriate distancing tool is a "bargepole" and the immovable cog is codpiece but we won't go there either. ;-) [Marcia claimed that bejeweled item.] That was a great quip by Colin about how he prepared for his morning work on Blackadder. v. funny - and the "sort of inner insole to buttock" measure. LOL!!

Part of the prize is a night at The Windsor" in Melbourne. So definite Melbourne premier. This was a small ad in the film section of the paper, for Sydneysiders I suggest looking at the Sydney Morning Herald entertainment guide.

This is something I picked up from a posting at another site. It's part of an article in the UK Sunday Express: First came the obligatory discussion of EoR, then... "Co-starring Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant, the movie was a multi-million pound smash hit when it came out last year, popularising big pants in the process. But Firth says it hasn�t had a knock-on effect when it comes to his career. He�ll soon be seen in a classy film adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest alongside Rupert Everett and Dame Judi Dench, but quality scripts haven�t been landing on his doorstep. Yes, he has been inundated with other movie offers � but most of them he wouldn�t touch with a bargepole. 'I�m just looking forward to the day when there�s a stack of good scripts,' Firth moans. 'I�m not facing hunger and impoverishment, but I�m hoping I�ll find myself doing something good soon. And if I don�t get offered Darcy again I think I�ll just have to get into the costume and open supermarkets." Oh, dear! Could I soon be collecting frequent flier miles doing my grocery shopping? ;-P Also was checking out some pics on another web site of stills from his movies. Moon, from what I saw of the pic from The Advocate, he does NOT need the kissing lessons gift. Haven't seen that one yet unfortunately. Maybe he's just shy most of the time? Or God forbid...a perfect gentleman? ;-)

Yes, he has been inundated with other movie offers � but most of them he wouldn�t touch with a bargepole. There goes that word again. Bargepole-new word of the day.

Yes, he has been inundated with other movie offers � but most of them he wouldn�t touch with a bargepole I don't think that was the most tactful thing he could have said. Not a very politically astute remark. Let us hope people in the movie industry do not read the Sunday Express ;-)

Thank you for the wonderful transcription, Linda! CF: The costumes were by an Italian Costumier and I don't think I've ever had a fitting quite like this. This one did get it right. His collar fit and his jackets did not take a form of their own. Now that Colin has experienced a real tailor, I hope it rubs off for the future. (Dorine), Moon, from what I saw of the pic from The Advocate, he does NOT need the kissing lessons gift. Haven't seen that one yet unfortunately. Maybe he's just shy most of the time? The problem is that he's turned very prudish. He tries too hard to act the kiss now. It no longer comes natural to him. So I must disagree about the kissing lessons. (Amy), Yeh Moon, those that * vigilantly viewed* TIOIBE could be reminded of the answer to the tailoring question (i.e. scene with dog). What a downward spiral I find myself on..... ;^) LOL! I believe we have all been there done that. ;-) But Firth says it hasn�t had a knock-on effect when it comes to his career. You can't just wait to have good scripts fall on your lap. Search them out, Colin. Start a company and buy out the rights to stories, develop the scripts... oh, forget it, it's too much work maybe? ;-)

(Dorine) Oh, dear! Could I soon be collecting frequent flier miles doing my grocery shopping? ;-P ROTFL! I'm right there with you!! AG mom--Hmmmm, what about Rene Russo? ......but quality scripts haven�t been landing on his doorstep..... **Sigh** I swear, we need to pool our money & start a production company just for ODB and get him some good stuff to do. Would LOVE to see him in a film adaptation of the J.D. Robb books. Mmmmmmmmmm, Roarke. I'm hopeful that he'll get in on the Harry Potter thing, too.

(Moon) This one did get it right. His collar fit and his jackets did not take a form of their own. I'm particularly fond of how nicely the vest fit when he had his jacket off. Either he's been working out to get discernable pecs or they've dipped into that padding box again. *snicker* ...waiting for those *great* scripts (that all take place in England) to land in his lap I find it interesting though that so many of reporters and journalists are asking questions about his career now. Why? Why? Why? (moonstar) Mmmmmmmmmm, Roarke Colin doesn't have the hair. This guy's a cross between Pierce Brosnan and Fabio. ;-D

(Karen) I'm particularly fond of how nicely the vest fit when he had his jacket off. Either he's been working out to get discernable pecs or they've dipped into that padding box again. Oh yes! I noticed that fit as well! I just chalked it up to the fine Italian tailoring ;-) Especially since he says he doesn't like to work out in a gym in front of people and he doesn't quite seem the type of guy to have weights and a bench in his basement. (moonstar) Mmmmmmmmmm, Roarke (Karen) Colin doesn't have the hair. This guy's a cross between Pierce Brosnan and Fabio. ;-D Hey... makeup did a very good job in "Earnest"! ;-D

(Karen) Colin doesn't have the hair. This guy's a cross between Pierce Brosnan and Fabio. ;-D **ACK** Don't see that at all, but feeling a little nauseous now....

trying to close tag!!!

Oh, he's in whining mode again. He'll get over it. (Moonstar)I'm hopeful that he'll get in on the Harry Potter thing, too. Me too;-) But Chris Columbus has finished cast #2 and heading home.I read they're looking for a director for #3 & 4.KB is in the mix.Maybe he'll give his old AC buddy a job. Hey...a port in any storm. Can't be worse than AG.

ROTF, Karen!!! How many condoms did you use to wrap that one? ;-))))) sorry, couldn't resist

Ouch.. ROTF, Karen. Hey Moon...here's some good ones.. before he was Mr. Prude Richard Courtois In THOTP: Richard Herncastle in LE

Do you dress to the left or the right, sir"? And you get bizarre things like nape of neck to left knuckle of little finger, and sort of inner insole to buttock.(ed. note: OOOOOOHHH! Oh but to be a Roman tailor-eh, sorry) LOL! Great job on the transcript, Linda, thanks. Sounds like this was a good interview. Jeffrey probably shocked the hell out of CF when he mentioned AZ. 'I�m just looking forward to the day when there�s a stack of good scripts,' Firth moans. 'I�m not facing hunger and impoverishment, but I�m hoping I�ll find myself doing something good soon. Well, you had a good role in Hamlet, Colin, but opted instead to do . . . nothing! Instead of making yourself sound like some put-upon, unwanted loser, why not tell the truth? That family obligations require you to be in at least 2 other countries for about 6 nonths of the year, so that for the other 6 months, you're obligated to stay home, severely limiting your choice of roles to the likes of Londinium, TTOTS and AG. It's all of your own making, cher.

No, better to make up this 'S of S' than let anybody know what's really going on here. But, methinks, he has learned his Hamlet. He's playing upon us, like we're all a bunch of gullible fools. ;-D

Frankly, after this string of comedies and Keystone Kops Kapers, I don't think the critics would take his Hamlet seriously.Before he was known as a TV actor...now???? I saw Sam West's Hamlet....Colin was smart to bolt.It was clever, contemporary, fast paced; flawless production. The guy had been playing it for almost a year; he *owned* the role like a second skin. That Christopher Frettes sub production at the Riverside got scathing reviews. That chapter is ovah!

Hey Moon...here's some good ones.. before he was Mr. Prude ...he was Hot pig? LOL! Evelyn, that reminder, serves us well.

For those in Sydney and surrounds : Some of us are thinking of organising a drool-a-thon when TIOBE finally reaches here in July. Anyone else interested to join us - please email me off-list : minkee@hotmail.com. Thanks muchly.

Moon and Evelyn...the top pic is the one I was referring to earlier!

(Moon) The problem is that he's turned very prudish. He tries too hard to act the kiss now. It no longer comes natural to him. So I must disagree about the kissing lessons. Ok, point taken. But surely this prudishness can't continue with Heather Graham in HS. I've never seen her prudish in these matters and can't imagine she'd start now or let him get away with that. Would seem odd too if they are supposed to be in the sack in the first 10 mins to appear less than extremely passionate. (Evelyn) Oh, he's in whining mode again. And what kind of whine is on the menu tonight? Maybe Kelly Ripa could help him with a good vintage. ;-)

But surely this prudishness can't continue with Heather Graham in HS. I've never seen her prudish in these matters and can't imagine she'd start now or let him get away with that. Would seem odd too if they are supposed to be in the sack in the first 10 mins to appear less than extremely passionate. We'll just have to wait and see. But he has a problem because he acts the kiss. He has no problem with the snugling up to foreplay but then BANG - the let down. :-(

(Dorine)But surely this prudishness can't continue with Heather Graham in HS. I've never seen her prudish in these matters and can't imagine she'd start now or let him get away with that. (Moon) We'll just have to wait and see. But he has a problem because he acts the kiss. In the July Premiere Jennifer Tilly [ex-sister-in-law: aunt of son] gives the lowdown on the lip- lock. "It's bad protocol to reject tongue". I'm taking it to O&E #160.

Hi Everyone: I read the Jennifer Tilly lowdown. She was great. Correct me if I'm wrong but, furthering conversation of CF having own production company, didn't HG's company purchase AAB? I believe he said so in an interview I saw on TV which would of course give him the movie, as opposed to CF's statement that they wanted a more bankable star? It seems this is the way alot of actors are going HG EH SB etc. A good pairing would be NH and CF they seem to be of similar mind and taste. Would secure him finding projects more to his liking. A bit of work to begin with but definitely worth it in the long run.

(Moon) We'll just have to wait and see. But he has a problem because he acts the kiss. And the directors are happy with this kind of behavior? There must be a happy medium for him between prudishness and Monster's Ball/Unfaithful-type scenes. Oh my! I hear a cold shower beckoning again at thoughts him in scenes like that ) ;-D

FYI..... 13. The Importance of Being Earnest, Miramax, $625,256, 147 locations, $4,253 average, $2.4 million, three weeks.

(Pam) didn't HG's company purchase AAB? No, DeNiro's company did, but HG has a production company with EH. (Dorine) Unfaithful-type scenes. Much ado about absolutely nothing.

Continuing to secure exceptional product placements, A List is currently working on premium studio films including MGM's "Cody Banks" (Frankie Muniz), Columbia's "Anger Management" (Adam Sandler), Universal's "Bruce Almighty" (Jim Carrey), Paramount's "Timeline" (Paul Walker) and Warner Bros.' "American Girl" (Amanda Bynes).

Continuing to secure exceptional product placements, A List is currently working on premium studio films Is A List a distributing company? (Moon) We'll just have to wait and see. But he has a problem because he acts the kiss. (Dorine), And the directors are happy with this kind of behavior? Maybe those directors are not good kissers. In BJD, the kissing scene between RZ and HG is much better than the one at the end. In TIOBE, RW and RE do a better job than CF and FOC. What is to be done?!

(Moon) Is A List a distributing company? No, it does product placements. Warner Bros. is making and distributing AG.

No, it does product placements. For what, Clearasil? ;-)

My thoughts exactly. ;-D

(Moon)What is to be done?! MORE LESSONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Moon)... RW and RE do a better job Yeah..but I'd clench my teeth if I had to kiss Rupe:-((( Methinks DW (Dear Wife) is cause of prudie- kisses...or in deference to.... Lessons won't help. We can see by some of his past films....he knows how. Oh well....here we go with a string of PG 13s:-(( Good question for anyone who gets to talk to him: "Do you discriminate against playing in R -rated films...*now*"?

(Evelyn) Oh well....here we go with a string of PG 13s:-(( "Do you discriminate against playing in R -rated films...*now*"? Hey, there can be *plenty* of lip and bed action in a PG-13 movie. It's just the amount of skin (and location thereof) and how much we see of "what" is going on that would push it over into the R category. You'd be surprised by the number of good, romantic films that were PG-13. However, I still want more adult or serious themes, so an R-rated film would be my preference too, regardless of whether they had sex scenes in them or not. BTW, I watched the scenes in Angel Eyes again this weekend, now knowing Jim Caveziel's comments about nudity, etc. True, you couldn't see anything, but he didn't stint on the kissing. He was totally believable. And FYI, Olivier Martinez doesn't do nude scenes either. You see nothing. It is very clever camera work.

so i'm in luck then? i just rented the advocate and will be watching it tonight with a good friend for the first time, we are hoping for some steam here, if that is the case i can't wait for tonight and there are no cold showers here at work, i'll let you know my opinion on his kissing when i have something to compare it to because apparently you are telling me all the recent ones have been prudish

There's more than kissing, Trese. ENJOY!!!! (You'll never again hear the phrase "Waste not, want not" without smiling) (Karen)an R-rated film would be my preference too, regardless of whether they had sex scenes in them or not. I would think this Drool heresy if it hadn't come from the Boss herself! But I agree. I wonder if his career is going to take the O'Toole split of dough/show. The rom-coms for the money, and the serious stuff for his 'art.' Too bad the serious stuff seems to come from TV. Maybe if he gets enough dough for AG, he'll be able to afford some time on the London stage. (well, I can hope, can't I?)

(Kate) I would think this Drool heresy Naw! The rating doesn't matter to me. It's the material. I want serious work. Work that makes people sit up and take notice. Yeah, yeah, yeah, who doesn't know that comedy is much harder to pull off than drama. But it's drama that 99% of the time gets Oscar noms and wins even for actors more known for their comedy roles like Jack Lemmon (The Apartment, Save the Tiger, Missing, The China Syndrome, Days of Wine and Roses, Tribute plus two more for Some Like It Hot and Mister Roberts). Hmmm, maybe I need to adjust my percentage, but nevermind, you should get the idea. I think it's more heretical to want Colin to put on a prosthetics and wigs and funny hats and shoes and be a cartoon-y character in a HP movie. Worthless IMO. Gets an actor virtually nothing (especially if you're Zoe Wannamaker). ;-D

(Karen)The rating doesn't matter to me. It's the material. I want serious work. Work that makes people sit up and take notice. Here, here! And frankly, I'm more offended by a steady diet of fluff and triteness than I am by sexuality. (Kate)I wonder if his career is going to take the O'Toole split of dough/show. The problem is, I don't see any "split" whatsoever. Conspiracy is his only drama in how many years?

Trese, The Advocate is good, but the uncut THOTP is mobetta:-D I'm strictly low-class...I go for the sex & nudies:-D

(Evelyn) I'm strictly low-class...I go for the sex & nudies:-D LOL! Don't get me wrong, they have their place (near and dear to my heart).

(Karen), Don't get me wrong, they have their place (near and dear to my heart). (Evelyn), We can see by some of his past films....he knows how. LOL! He is agravating. (Karen), FYI, Olivier Martinez doesn't do nude scenes either. *Sigh* Oh, but you can get a peak with The Horseman on the Roof. ;-)

thanks for the advice evelyn, i'll have to see what i can do about finding that after i see this version

For all UK members Colin is currently filming in The American Girl at West Wycombe Park in Bucks - same location as for TIOBE and AC so he should know it well. Went down today but did not see him - only his chair! They have changed the park and house quite drastically, hardly recognised it. Incidentally three of his co-stars are Jonathan Pryce, Eileen Atkins and Anna Chancellor. Filming should finish this Thursday apart from an odd day later.

Linda, thanks for typing up that great interview with all the new comments in it! I loved his discussion about the Italian tailor. It seems to have stirred up some hot topics here ;-). Talk about hot topics, has anyone seen any footage from the new Femme Fatale with Antonio Banderas and Rebecca whatever Stamos? It looks like a similar story to CF's FF but with some changes. For example, Antonio is a photographer not an artist. From what I saw on ET or AC, I can see why CF didn't remake it. It looks like a definite R! Wonder if it's the same storyline. It would be fun to see it and compare when it comes to the theaters.

Jennie, thanks for the excellent reporting on AG. Wonder who JP is playing? Who are the other two actresses? What other films have they been in? Did you dare to sit in his chair? (heehee)

Anna Cchancellor was Miss Bingley in P&P and also Duckface in 4 Weddings. Eileen Atkins . . .she's done so much. Most recently was a maid in Gosford Park. I don't think either one is AG's mom.;-) Thanks for the report, Jennie! When you say filming will finish Thursday, I assume you mean at that location, and then they'll move on elsewhere? They'll need to name a wing after Colin!

(Mari) Anna Cchancellor was Miss Bingley in P&P and also Duckface in 4 Weddings. She also has a sit-up-and-take-notice part in Crush. Nobody walks out of that movie forgetting her. She's ready to walk into Maggie Smith's shoes. Thanks for the AG report, Jennie.

Of course, I knew AC's name was familiar *slapping forehead*. Maybe she is playing the stuffy mum of a debutante. She'd be great!

Thank you, Jennie. Sorry you didn't get to see CF-hopefully you'll get another chance. I said it before, and I'll say it again-you guys kill me. I just watched THOTP a few weeks ago. With all this talk, I must watch again, tonight. (heavy sigh, back of hand across brow).

Anna Cchancellor was Miss Bingley in P&P So she finally gets a chance with Mr. Darcy. ;-) (Lora), Maybe she is playing the stuffy mum of a debutante. She'd be great! I have to agree. The feminist, stuffy mom of a debutante.

(As an aside...whose tongue is whose.....?) You know, he does make a nice little grunt in BJD...scene before reads diary...that makes up for it a bit. Not so new news from this week's "New York Magazine" "Sylvia in love--Gweneth Paltrow (who next stars in Neil LaBute's Possession) has signed on to play depressed American poet and The Bell Jar autgor Sylvia Plath in a film about the sucidal writer's relationship with her husband, the poet Ted Hughes, who has yet to be cast. Pawel Pawlikowsli (Last Resort) will direct the film, entitled Ted and Sylvia."

yes, by all means...good luck Jennie! I have only seen "The Advocate"--what differences between that and THOTP? (What about Rachel Weisz for the mom in AG?)

Thanks Jennie for the prompt report.Staying up so late ...what a trouper! (jennie)They have changed the park and house quite drastically, hardly recognised it. Don't look like this? (Lora) I can see why CF didn't remake it. It looks like a definite R! Wonder if it's the same storyline. Joe Prince? One of my faves.... Burning question: Will they keep the freezer scene in? This kiss wasn't bad either... *sigh*

(Moondreams, et al.)-- In BJD, the kissing scene between RZ and HG is much better than the one at the end. In TIOBE, RW and RE do a better job than CF and FOC. What is to be done?! I am finally going to have to declare for the minority of the minority here ... I don't have to see every pubic hair, or be able to estimate the amount of bodily fluids being exchanged to the nearest cc., in order to enjoy a love scene. Maybe it has to do with having a very vivid imagination, but I would rather snuggle up to it in my mind's eye than having it blatantly laid before me. I haven't had the privilege of seeing TIOBE yet, but I'm with Auntie Doris! .... ;-) I found that kiss with Daniel in BJD positively repellent, even before Director Sharon Maguire declared that of the two takes they did, they had to cut one because of all the spit running down the chins. Yuck!! I'm a genuine prude and proud of it. .. and as for my fantasy life -- well, that's a different matter... I won't tell what the rating of that would be!! ;-D I loved Colin's "technique" in the last scene of BJD and wouldn't change it for the world,; it bespoke of real tenderness and love, not just lust. It was so conducive to imagining the aftermath without having it spelled out for me. By all means continue with your discussion of how to "improve" ODB's acting, but please don't assume that you speak for us all. Us prudes are very happy with him the way he is. ;-) And thanks, Jennie, for all the "American Girl" info.

P.S. I loved the love scenes in FF and almost every aspect of THoTP -- except the tonsil hockey! .. ;-D

..., but please don't assume that you speak for us all. Us prudes are very happy with him the way he is. ;-) Thank you KJ We never purport to speak for everyone.Drool has many voices:-D ...now please let's get another phrase here..."like you the way you are" is getting a little stale. Nothing original there.It's been around for over a year now.We've all heard it *many* times;-)

Most of this is all fantasy, isn't it? Just letting off a little, er, steam so to speak. A good, believable kiss, would only add to good believable acting. Granted, I am not talking full frontal stuff here. Maybe he just needs to relax a bit--no chicken pecks as RE says!

Yes Evelyn...a new phrase....a new leitmotiv...any suggestions...?

I forgot---They have been showing quite a few commercials on NBC channel 4 NY for TIOBE. The ads feature CF and RW. Good night all (northern hemisphere) G'Day others!

Evelyn, you really know how to post those pictures and what pictures you post! I guess Meg didn't mind kissing scenes he did with others... Actually his best kissing scenes are with Meg in Valmont. The second one he has with her in that movie is the best, imo :-). No holding back there ;-)

Hi Everyone, Great Stuff. Please tell me what IMO stands for. Thanks. May have a good point about the DW input. Thought that myself. Definitely think kiss in BJD is great stuff tho. Works for me. Will now go to rent older ones and see what I've been missing. Personally wonder how BJ held out that long, first the neck, then the face. Stronger woman than me. Agree, does Miss Bingly finally get Mr. Darcy? Let us know. I guess he wouldn't hold back with Meg since they had feelings at that time. What did you think of Paul's interaction with Sarah in Fever Pitch. Believable or just going through the motions? Have a good night everyone.

(KJ) I don't have to see every pubic hair Oooh! I didn't know we were talking about *that* kind of kissing. ;-D Please remember, folks, each of us speaks for ourselves, but if you'll do some archival reading, this place has nevah been about prudery. You must be mistaking this place for another, say, Virt Views??? (Amy) Most of this is all fantasy, isn't it? Just letting off a little, er, steam so to speak. A good, believable kiss, would only add to good believable acting. No need to get worried about the tenor of the discussion or apologetic. IMO (in my opinion) a kiss should fit the character, the situation and in the case of the final BJD scene, the relevant dialogue to be believable. Let's see, the character (Mark Darcy) has just done the most illogical thing in turning his back on a big job in NY and catching the next plane back, all on a "possibility." There would have to be powerful forces lying beneath the surface and I think we see them in his impatience to be alone with her (snuzzle, snuzzle). Naturally, their kiss would start off tentatively but should grow in passion. But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. OK, I've just been watching Clark Gable kiss Vivien Leigh, so I may be prejudiced here. But there was a kisser!! (and there wasn't any spittle, dribble or tongues involved; it can be done) (Pam) What did you think of Paul's interaction with Sarah in Fever Pitch. The kiss at the end was rather nothing, but the first one (do you want to stay the night?) was one of Colin's better shoulder-grinds (second only to Tdown). Thumbs up, way up!!

On another subject, someone wrote me to say that Brookline H.S. took all of its English classes to see TIOBE. Is that some way to bolster the box office or what? OK, all you moms, start calling the principals, department chairs, whoever, otherwise, your kids will grow up as ignorant as those in England. ;-))))))))))

(Karen) ....a kiss should fit the character, the situation ....Naturally, their kiss would start off tentatively but should grow in passion. But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. Completely agreed. I can understand reserve and tentativeness in the doorway at first, and maybe for a few seconds in the snow. I get more out of that pic just above than I did in BJD. I don't necessarily need to see "tonsil hockey" (all the time anyway) to see passion translated, as noted in many movies cited in the AFI special, but I'd like to see a logical depiction of what I think the characters are feeling. That's just my personal opinion and don't begrudge anyone theirs. Certainly makes for lively conversation! ;-) A late thanks to Linda and Kate for previous translations! And thanks Evelyn for the pics! :-D Also, saw an ad for TIOBE in the middle of the AFI show. Excellent placement I think!

(Amy) What about Rachel Weisz for the mom in AG? I like that choice! Is the mom supposed to be British as well and living in America or an American? Do we know? (Amy) Granted, I am not talking full frontal stuff here. I don't need that myself. Actually I sometimes find it sexier to see someone clothed, but with a couple of extra shirt buttons (or all) undone, maybe an untucked shirt vs. having no shirt on at all (ie. CF in letter writing or wet shirt scenes, or in a couple of recent interviews where I think there was an extra button or two undone vs. some other interviews where less were undone.) Ok enough on this subject for me tonight.

(Karen) But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. I'll agree with you there. But I found the line more inappropriate than the behavior. It was just Richard Curtis' sly excuse to slip the f-word into Darcy's mouth for the last line. ;-) OK, I've just been watching Clark Gable kiss Vivien Leigh, so I may be prejudiced here. But there was a kisser!! (and there wasn't any spittle, dribble or tongues involved; it can be done). And I agree 100% with you there, too. Now try to convince the tongue-brigade. ;-D What is to be done?! How about showing Colin lots of Clark Gable movies. ?... ;-) (Evelyn) ...now please let's get another phrase here..."like you the way you are" is getting a little stale. Again, I agree and eagerly await an alternative phrase to express the same sentiment. ;-) (Dorine) Actually I sometimes find it sexier to see someone clothed, but with a couple of extra shirt buttons (or all) undone, maybe an untucked shirt vs. having no shirt on at all Now you're talking. Leaves much more room for the imagination to roam, sometimes into places that wouldn't even occur to screenwriters... ;-)

But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. Ditto, besides the fact that noses collided. IMO it should have been reshot, yet again! Regarding the possible theories for the change in the man's on screen kissing, (and we are talking lips now Karen!) I have decided that in a weak moment, (and I won't go into details as the imagination can do much better here than I might as to what that weak moment might have been), years ago he promised the future DW that he would no longer do certain type scenes and control himself on others. As a gentleman he has kept his word. Think of this. The wife, while having her finger in documentary filmmaking, is not an actress and perhaps feels threatened by even kissing scenes that get heavy. On the other hand, maybe she knows her husband pretty darn well and knows he's weak and doesn't want to tempt it. In the end, he's missing out on too many juicy roles that other married actors seem to be able to fill and do a nice job with, or, he's leaving too many fans wanting more in the lip locking department. :))))) And Evelyn, thanks for all the juicy pics. You know I haven't seen hardly any of CF's films so anything is much appreciated here.

(KJ) Now try to convince the tongue-brigade. ;-D I don't believe anyone was advocating that messy, sloppy, drippy or otherwise juvenile kissing. The criticism was that Colin is acting the kiss, as opposed making it look believable...whatever that may require. IMO, it requires he show some passion and get his face and facial muscles into it more. That's all. And if he wants to show a bit more skin, I wouldn't complain. In fact, I might applaud. Those sections of Hotpig, Playmaker, Tumbledown and FF are wearing a bit thin. Sheesh! If I didn't despise the L-dum movie so much, I might even watch that half screen bedroom scene a bit more. BTW, the wet shirt never did anything for me. ;-) (Lisa) ...he promised the future DW that he would no longer do certain type scenes and control himself on others. Certainly plausible. Colin knows what screen kissing is all about; how they are trained to do it. He talks about it in Out of the Blue. That it involves hanging onto the other's lower lip. But I don't even see that going on anymore. Maybe I should sit closer to the TV. ;-D

{Lisa) ...he promised the future DW that he would no longer do certain type scenes and control himself on others. Certainly plausible. More than plausible! The truth, I should think! (And remember he takes his in-laws to see his movies!) He's very good at nuzzling though! Good cast for AG. Could Anna Chancellor be snooty wannabe girlfriend in residence rather than American mother? Would make the re-union of mom and dad more interesting if there's a third party to contend with.

(Bethan) Could Anna Chancellor be snooty wannabe girlfriend in residence rather than American mother? That's more than likely IMO. I'm not sure why everyone is jumping to the conclusion that the mother is supposed to be British. Remember, there need to be American actors in the film for the American audience. ;-D {Lisa) ...he promised the future DW that he would no longer do certain type scenes and control himself on others. Plus you must add the promise about the proximity of a Ritz Carlton to location work if not based at home.

Is this a discussion on ODB's on screen kissing skills? May I offer my humble opinion? "But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. Ditto, besides the fact that noses collided." I had to replay that last BJD scene, yes there was pecking and colliding as there would be in a first kiss where the "waters are being tested". So tongue lashings and dripping chins would be inappropriate. Sorry ladies but from my long ago past experience of "bad boy" kissing, I seem to remember a nudge from the hips, hips that held a promise or rolled up kneehi socks. (No I have no fetish for darning at all). Now this IMO could be the bit we didn't see under that big coat. How would you act that?:D Or is it a part the audience is asked to infer? "BTW Wet shirt never did anything for me" Have to admit to me he looked a bit too drowned, But it was the reaction "Oh shit oh shit got to get out of here" that sealed the scene.

I don't have to see every pubic hair, or be able to estimate the amount of bodily fluids being exchanged to the nearest cc., in order to enjoy a love scene. LOL, KJ! Bodily fluids and pubic hair for a good kiss. Yo�r imagination does get away. ;-) Maybe it has to do with having a very vivid imagination, but I would rather snuggle up to it in my mind's eye than having it blatantly laid before me. If we ever started on imagination here, it would be too much, I'm sure. He's done it, he can do it again. Period. :-)

(AnnaS) I seem to remember a nudge from the hips, hips that held a promise...Now this IMO could be the bit we didn't see under that big coat. LOL! That was exactly what was in my "required" though unpublished essay about the overcoat (my BJD keepsake). ;-D

I don't know about all of you but I don't see how some male actors are able to accomplish these love scenes without certain parts of their anatomy getting out of control and I can imagine men would have difficulty in this area anyway. How embarrassing is that? Maybe he's trying not to embarrass himself. Just a thought. Maybe not a good one. As he gets older and more married and settled, it gets more difficult to act this scenes and may be why he avoids them. Much to all of our dismays.

(amy) I have only seen "The Advocate"--what differences between that and THOTP? same here, I've only seen "The Advocate" too, can some elaborate on the differences between the two? But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. Ditto, besides the fact that noses collided. IMO it should have been reshot, yet again! on the BJD DVD, Sharon Maguire said they reshot that scenes many times for her own viewing pleasure. the truth was probabaly Colin was not delivering the goods so Sharon just gave up and decided to savage the scene in the editing room by overlaying the various kissing scenes to convey the "passionate" part of it. (Joanne) I don't know about all of you but I don't see how some male actors are able to accomplish these love scenes without certain parts of their anatomy getting out of control and I can imagine men would have difficulty in this area anyway. didn't Hugh admit that it happens to him, sometimes he needs a minute to "compose himself". he said, especially when he worked with Julia Roberts.

KJ) But I found the line more inappropriate than the behavior. It was just Richard Curtis'sly excuse to slip the f-word into Darcy's mouth for the last line. ;-) Wasn't RC;that was Colin's input. Sharon Maguire alluded to that in one of her interviews. (Bethan)And remember he takes his in-laws to see his movies!) OMG, do I have to have Mamma y Pappa to screen Colin films for me;-) (Lora) Actually his best kissing scenes are with Meg in Valmont. The second one he has with her in that movie is the best, imo :-). No holding back there ;-) The Boss's favorite too. OK...I'm done with kisses. "Pervy E."

(Dale) didn't Hugh admit that it happens to him Many actors have admitted they've gotten aroused. True, it must be embarrassing, but it can't be anymore embarrassing than all the times actresses have to take their tops off for the sake of their art. ;-D And let's watch the cut/paste of others' comments a little more carefully. I've noticed a little joining. I've only seen "The Advocate" too, can some elaborate on the differences between the two HOTPig is 15 minutes longer than The Advocate. Only about a nanosecond (you can see Colin standing behind Maria during part of the rooster scene) would've been cut for ratings purposes, as the MPAA had given it an NC-17 originally and Miramax tried to take them to court. There's a cute bit right after that where Maria asks Richard to teach her to read and he signs her backside, and another where he fondles her breasts, and a very distant shot (where he is supposed to be naked) of Samira and Richard walking in a river. Some of the cuts make no sense, as they were important to the plot and make the movie appear disjointed. I had a list of all the differences somewhere. Maybe I'll look for it... (pervy Evvy) Wasn't RC; that was Colin's input. Sharon Maguire alluded to that in one of her interviews. Plus, it doesn't show up in the script.

*hee hee hee* You're right, Ev. That whirly-twirly scene is my fav.

ya i just watched the advocate last night for the first time, it did seem rather disjointed and will have to watch it again before friday, question is there supposed to be more with richard and samira because i don't think i even really saw them kiss in the version i got--maybe i missed something or my tape was screwed up, plenty of nudity otherwise, liked the story- though you could tell stuff was missing in an odd way, so do video stores carry the uncut version? i think i was jipped and must compare them, i would like to see you list of differences karen i really liked the kissing in bjd and it gave me enough to work with when i read eor, but then again maybe i'm remembering it a little more passionately than it was played on screen i'm going to have to rent valmont next

OK, I've put the list on our Film Discussion topic (158). There are several cuts that IMO were significant to the plot, and others that explain a couple of illogical scenes.

San Franciscans divulge their celebrity sex objects San Francisco Chronicle; San Francisco, Calif.; Jun 9, 2002; Jane Ganahl In this gig I'm often bombarded with new findings about what single women think, how single women shop, the real estate market for single women (which is apparently off the hook; no more waiting for Mr. Right to purchase the love nest for us). But a recent survey out of New York really caught my interest. It was commissioned by DiMassimo Brand Advertising of New York -- the kind of Madison Avenue company hired to figure out how to get people like me to buy things, even when chocolate isn't involved. To draw a bead on the female brain, they surveyed 800 women -- 400 under 40, 400 over 40 -- on a variety of topics. What really caught my eye -- call me shallow -- were the lists of the top five men with whom each group would "spend one night" (read: do the horizontal cha-cha). Ready for this? Women over 40: 1. Russell Crowe 2. Robert Downey Jr. 3. John Stamos 4. Tommy Lee 5. Dennis Rodman And for the women under 40: 1. Justin Timberlake 2. Tom Cruise 3. Tom Hanks 4. Ewan McGregor 5. Hugh Grant There are just so many things to say about this. The first: that women over 40 are clearly suckers for bad boys! And here I thought I was the only one. But ewwwww! Tommy Lee? Dennis Rodman? It's not the tattoos, it's the lack of brain matter. At least Crowe, despite all his boozin'-and-brawlin' style, and Robert sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'-roll Downey exude intelligence. And Stamos? I can only think of him as the cute dunderhead from "Full House," and am therefore mystified by his inclusion. Here's another interesting thing: All of the men but one who are lusted over by the over-40 set are under 40: Crowe, 38; Lee, 39; Downey, 37; Stamos, 39. Only Rodman is 41. Conversely, the majority of the men admired by young women -- Cruise, Hanks and Grant -- are over 40. Is this a grass-is-greener thing? That women yearn for men who represent what they're not? Or maybe we're all just suckers for pretty boys, no matter what the age. Timberlake's appeal to the young is obvious; but to me, he looks like someone featured on the cover of some Twink magazine -- all callowness and lack of features. Hanks, a great actor who now looks like a jowly dad, is the most perplexing man to be deemed a sex object. And the inclusion of McGregor and Grant shows that young women also drool for pirates. The most depressing thing about that part of the survey was that our president, the less-than-brilliant George W. Bush, placed 11th on the list of shag-able men for women over 40, and ninth for women under 40! What is this world coming to? Clinton, yes. But Dubya? This was so baffling to me that I called DiMassimo Advertising and asked spokeswoman Cindy Gittelsohn if the company only polled women who lived in Texas. "No," she said. "We poll across the country, with as diverse a group as possible." Hmm, but Dubya? Reading the list, the idea of kissing those thin lips was, to me, nothing less than a gross-out. And I was willing to bet that my Northern California girlfriends shared that sentiment. So I conducted my own unofficial poll (margin of error, 100 percent) and here are some comments from the dozen women who responded: "He is so smarmy I'd have to bathe for days afterwards." "Even the idea of sleeping with George W. makes my stomach churn." "Women listing George Dubya are positively crazy." "I despise his s--- eating lizard-lip grin, among other things." Final poll results? George sexy: 0. George dweeby: 12. I also asked my friends who they consider sexy enough for a one- night stand, and the results are far different than the national norm. Of course, this is San Francisco, so the results probably wouldn't be the same as the national norm. For one thing, women made an appearance on the most-wanted list: Catherine Deneuve, Kate Winslet and Angelina Jolie. And what men made the lists of hotties? Of the 10 men on the two previous lists, only two were deemed shag-able by my friends: Grant and McGregor. The top vote-getter was George Clooney (nice one, ladies -- he made my list too), followed by Johnny Depp, Grant and Matthew McConaughey. Since my posse spends a good amount of time in bookish pursuits, intellectual hunks like Dave Eggers, Brian Eno and Paul Auster got nods. And since we love a man who can make us laugh, Dennis Miller, David Letterman and Jon Stewart all got multiple votes. As did Patrick Stewart, Benjamin Bratt, Benicio del Toro and John Corbett of "Sex and the City." Musicians deemed sexy are local boys Chris Isaak and Stephan Jenkins, as well as Jon Bon Jovi and Lenny Kravitz. And single votes were cast for worthy hunks Val Kilmer, David Duchovny, Joaquin Phoenix, Billy Crudup, Nicolas Cage, Colin Firth, Jesse Martin, Toby McGuire, Brad Pitt, Chris Noth, and John F. Kennedy Jr. Sorry, Mr. President. I guess that means that even the deceased son of one of your predecessors is considered sexier than you!

Well I don't want to shag the prez (clenched -teeth kisser, for sure;-))...but shagging Bill you never know what disease you'd get. I don't think those those San Fran gals have any taste. Not that I care...but Harrison Ford is missing. Psst..."That earring and dating those young chicks didn't pay off, Harrison."

This Amanda Bynes has quite the site: http://amandamonium.50megs.com/fr_index.html?/central.htm This is Tom Harper, a young new British actor who has been in a couple of small films that have pretty much stayed in England. He's going to get his first big American exposure in Amanda Bynes' new film "American Girl", and it looks like he might be the bloke Amanda's character Daphne falls in love with in the film. I couldn't think of any actor, American or British, who'd be right for this, so I'm happy they're going with an unknown quantity here. Of more renown is the actor playing Amanda's disapproving father, Colin Firth, who was most visible a few years ago in "Bridget Jones' Diary" with Renee Zellweger, and also appeared in "Shakespeare in Love". In fact, Amanda is one of very few Amercian thesps in this cast. But the big thing is, the film is shooting now in England, and depending on how long it goes, this means we may not see her in Pasadena for the TCA Press Tour (the Critics' annual summertime thing for the press)...but what's more likely is that she may find time to be present at the premiere when "Big Fat Liar" opens in England on June 28th. Wouldn't that be loverly? http://www.staronline.com/vcs/entertainment/article/0,1375,VCS_232_1197705,00.html Amanda Bynes goes to London for film After being Frankie Muniz's sidekick, Thousand Oaks star gets her first lead movie role June 9, 2002 Amanda Bynes of Thousand Oaks is starring in her first lead movie role in "American Girl," now filming in London. "I play Daphne -- a 17-year-old from New York who travels to London in search of the father she never knew (played by Colin Firth)," Bynes wrote in an e-mail message from the British capital. "My mother was married to him briefly when they were in the Peace Corps in Morocco. He comes from a very aristocratic family who didn't approve of my mother. Unbeknownst to him, she leaves London pregnant with me and moves back to the States. "Daphne is somewhat of a free-spirit, Bohemian type of character. It's really exciting to be able to work with all these British actors. It's whole different experience than what I'm used to." Bynes played the sidekick to "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz's character in "Big Fat Liar." She will star this fall in The WB's "What I Like About You" and had starred in "The Amanda Show," a sketch comedy show on Nickelodeon. "I don't really feel like I'm in the spotlight," Bynes said. "I just like working, and it's always fun to meet new people on the sets."

Now try to convince the tongue-brigade. ;-D (Karen), I don't believe anyone was advocating that messy, sloppy, drippy or otherwise juvenile kissing. The criticism was that Colin is acting the kiss, as opposed making it look believable...whatever that may require. IMO, it requires he show some passion and get his face and facial muscles into it more. That's all. You didn't get my point at all, KJ. As Karen said, I am only pointing out the fact that Colin acts his kiss scene in a very self-conscious way and it interferes with the reality aspect. My favourite part of BJD is when he nuzzles on RZ neck, that really works for me. In P&P I was electrified the first time D&E touch hands dancing at the Netherfield Ball. I adore Geoffrey in TEP and he never gets any tongue action either. My criticism, to set the story straight because obviously, it needs to be repeated, is that his kisses don't look natural, nothing to do with saliva or tongue. I'm talking lip to lip. Colin holds back now and he didn't use to. Also, and this is the most important part, this is all in good fun. Nothing to burn brain cells over. (Karen), But when Bridget says, "nice boys don't kiss like that," I saw nothing to justify it. (Lisa), Ditto, besides the fact that noses collided. IMO it should have been reshot, yet again! Let the fun continue! :-D BTW, the wet shirt never did anything for me. ;-) Me neither. Interesting article, Karen. I can't believe Brian Eno is on that list! Sure, I'd have lots to talk to him about but no horizontal cha-cha there. A big miss is Olivier Martinez, Il est tr�s beau, and I have been saying this for years. ;-)

Thanks, Bryonny, I don't usually watch TV and had no clue what Amanda looked like. She looks very American. He comes from a very aristocratic family who didn't approve of my mother. There's the mold. Still, I rather have him play an aristocrat than a bum.

The first quote I ever saw by CF in the press was something along the lines of "I don't like sex scenes, infact I loathe them. I enjoy sex far too much to pretend to do it for a living." Interpret as you will (assuming he actually said this!)!

interesting quote bethan, i can't imagine what it's like to be in a sex scene, it makes sense to me imo i find actors (male and female) more appealing when they are able to maintain good relationships outside of their work, ex: all that stuff about meg ryan and russell crowe and breaking up with her hubby just really turned me off to her, i love tom hanks and that is partly because he seems like a good person, father, husband in real life, so i think that i might not find colin so appealing if he ended up having an affair or something hey there is always fan fiction to help if he intends to be more chaste in his movies

Thanks for the background information on Amanda Bynes. I could not resist going along to West Wycombe Park again today and this time my luck was in as Colin was there filming with Anna Chancellor. Only downside was he was rather far away. However, can advise he looked very slim, was wearing a well cut grey flannel suit, white shirt and bluey/grey tie with black lace ups and, I think black socks. His hair was very similar to how it was in BJD althought I thought somewhat lighter and he was clean shaven. I got to talk to the girl who was AB's double in the film and she was able to give me some more information. Colin takes the part of Lord Dashwood and Anna Chancellor is playing the part of his fiancee. His American ex wife is played by Kelly Preston. However, all the scenes which required her presence were done last week and she has now flown back to the States. A further two members of the cast are Anne Organ and Christina Cole. The film is set in the present time.

BTW, the wet shirt never did anything for me. ;-) Me neither. It wasn't so much the wet shirt, per se, for me, as the casual, relaxed way he looked with his hair mussed up and shirt untucked just striding along the countryside. It was an enjoyable contrast to his usual impeccable look. By the same token, I thought he looked great talking to Elizabeth on their walk at Pemberley and as he stood in the driveway watching them go. I love it when men can dress down as well as up, and appear comfortable in both. (Bethan) The first quote I ever saw by CF in the press was something along the lines of "I don't like sex scenes, infact I loathe them. I enjoy sex far too much to pretend to do it for a living." Interpret as you will (assuming he actually said this!)! I saw this too somewhere. My first reaction is to say "Well then maybe you should do something else," but then again he can chose to do roles that don't require sex scenes (a monk, perhaps ;-D), or very limited ones. Of course that can be limiting his choice of projects and he's whining that they aren't breaking down his door as it is. Quite frankly I'd probably hate to do them myself (unless I was hot for my co-star ;-D ). I would love to see who they polled for that list. Tommy Lee a choice of the over-40 set?! None of those people must have any self-respect to be attracted to someone who beats and verbally abuses his wife. I like "bad boys", but really....!

How exciting Jennie! You couldn't have been too far away to see his socks! Kelly Preston....hmmm, would never have thought of her. Did you take any pics? What does AB need a double for? Is it an action pic? ;-)

Great detective work, Jennie! You've got him right down to his socks! Lord Dashwood, indeed. Very dashing, IMO :-) Kelly Preston is a good choice. This is a strong cast for a teen movie. And the Peace Corps bit is a nice touch. It tidies up the out-of-wedlock storyline. If you get to talk to him, Jennie, ask if he's signed up for the sequel.

Dashwood, huh? Well, then, filming at West Wycombe Park was required for authenticity, wasn't it? Time to start putting up some family history about the Hellfire Club. How lovely to be able to go back and check out the filming, Jennie, and get the additional details. Also, a big thanks to you, Bryonny, for the updates from the Bynes bunch. Better you should go there than I. I hate those sites. argh! Kelly Preston's done already?! Wow, am all astonishment and jaw has dropped open. Filming just started and is to continue into August. Surely she could not have already finished if part of the plot involves getting back together with Colin. (Bethan quoting Colin) "I don't like sex scenes, infact I loathe them. I enjoy sex far too much to pretend to do it for a living." Most actors would say the same, so Colin is not unusual in that regard. They also say there is nothing remotely sexy about doing a love scene, as it is strictly choreographed and you have a bunch of people watching you, telling you what to do over and over again, not to mention the silly little modesty pouch some of them wear. However, they are actors.

(Bethan) The first quote I ever saw by CF in the press was something along the lines of "I don't like sex scenes, infact I loathe them. I enjoy sex far too much to pretend to do it for a living." We all read that, Bethan...ages ago. As if he didn't have enough limitations on his career.Kids on two continents, visitation responsibilities....sheech. Thanks Byronny for AG storyline....sounds riveting;-)Didn't Barbara Streisand and Robt' Redford do that years ago???.. "The Way we Were";-) Thanks Jennie...what a coup; I hope they were long socks;-) I like Kelly Preston.

I hope they were long socks;-) snigger Kelly Preston's done already?! Agreed! Wasn't the plot suposed to revolve around the parents getting back together with the daughter's help? Nice one with KP, one of the few that wasn't guessed here. Is CF going to costar with every major film star's wife? He still has to work his way through Mrs. Speilberg, the ex- Mrs. Cruise, and Mrs. Hanks to name a few, but he's working on it. Jennie, Excellent work. Did you take pics? Did you see any scenes being shot? I would love to know (also) why they need a double for AC, who IMO should be perfect in the role described. If you go back, take binoculars, then make sure you have a good look at the hair and update us as to his MPB. :))) Also, have a look out for DW and DB (dear baby) if there are any kissing scenes and get the whole lowdown! :))))))

(Dorine) What does AB need a double for? Is it an action pic? ;-) Loved the winkie, but doubles are used for more than action films (and those are usually denoted as "stunt doubles"). I've had this explained to me by an actor. There are stand-ins and doubles. Stand-ins do just that, standing in for the actor during all the boring setup work (getting the lighting right, etc.) A double however might be used in shot where the actor's face isn't shown and he/she has no lines. So instead of having the actor playing essentially a dummy, they have a double for that purpose.

If Kelly Preston's scenes have all been shot, maybe the daughter's plan fails and AC's character gets to be the next Lady Dashwood?

Hey Kate, 12 yr. olds like happy endings;-) They don't shoot in sequence anyway.Indoor scenes may be filmed later. And John will send Kelly back in his plane;-) See???

Hey Kate, 12 yr. olds like happy endings;-) They don't shoot in sequence anyway.Indoor scenes may be filmed later. And John will send Kelly back in his plane;-) Evelyn, you're reading my mind today, right down to John's T' jet!:-) Keep this in mind, gang: Amanda is very popular with the pre-teen set. Has had her own show on Nickelodeon, and will have another on the WB this fall. The focus is *not* going to be on dad and mom, it will be on Amanda and Tom Harper, the young English boyfrtiend. That's what young girls want to see. Mom and Dad being reunited will be a nice additional touch.

However, can advise he looked very slim, was wearing a well cut grey flannel suit, white shirt and bluey/grey tie with black lace ups and, I think black socks. Sounds like they got the little Italian tailor back in.;-) Another great insider report, Jennie! I had a good feeling about your going back there today. Thanks for getting the info on Kelly Preston--she's good, a very likable actress, but face it, this role hardly requires the presence of a great thesp. Actually, none of the roles do, but it is a good strong cast. Thanks, Bryonny, for the plot info. I think it will be a cute film, the type I like to watch now and then. I absolutely loved The Parent Trap remake, for example. It's just not the type of thing I want for Colin, especially coming on the heels of other comedies. Looking on the bright side, it will be distributed, none of us on either side of the pond will have to go hunting for a theater in which to see it, and they'll promote it heavily because it appeals to the teens. I'm guessing they'll put it out this time next year, when the schools are out for the summer break.

Thanks Jennie about the report. My heart just jumped; I mean you start so casually, and then revealing more and more... Anna Chancellor, Lord Dashwood: are we heading for another Austen spiral of connections? :) or a match-up: HG:2 - CF:2. If KP is done shooting in London, can we hope for a reuniting scene in NY? More likely though to be later studio filming like Evelyn mentioned.

I just got in-boy you guys have been busy. What a day to be away. IMO, last night's AFI show said it all. All of those earlier films really had passionate scenes without the tongue action. It can be done, Colin is capable as we have seen. I know what's been said about the BJD kiss, I agree for the most part, but that didn't stop me from replaying it over and over the first time I watched it. Wish there had been more emphasis on the nuzzling part in the apartment. I think he was fantastic in that scene. Don't get me wrong, I'm part of the tongue brigade, but I can do without it(v.reluctantly) if he would just let loose with some of the passion of the old days. Great report from the UK on AG. (Mari)none of us on either side of the pond will have to go hunting for a theater in which to see it Awh shucks, does that mean we have to see it separately. Not have our own premiere in NJ? Geez.

As the scene opens, our hero is reclining in bed, night side light on, as he and DW pour over submitted scripts. �Here�s one, excellent writing and I understand Nicole Kidman has agreed to the female lead.� DW grabs the script and flips through it with her thumb. �Ah, no caro, see, I looked at this. It is no good. The male lead, the homicide detective, has a girlfriend. All his work is discussed in bed. I�m sure you�d have to take off your shirt for that one.� Rather dejectedly, our hero agrees and drops that one on the floor. �Wait! What about this one? I thought this would be superb. I could play the anti-hero, the character everyone loves to hate.� He hands her another from the pile. �But, love, everyone hates the character because he is seducing their wives. Sorry.� With a big sigh, our hero flips that one down to the floor, to keep company with the other reject. �OK, there can�t be anything wrong with this one. A social worker who spends his off hours helping underprivileged kids by starting a cricket team. Surely, you can�t find fault with this one. And, it�s being directed by Oliver Stone!� DW takes the script from his hands and flips to a turned down page. �Look here,� she says pointing with a glossy red nail. Our hero looks at the page in question and then protests, �Oh come on. You can�t be worried about the character giving his grandmother a kiss.� DW wags her finger and smiles smugly, feeling quite pleased that she has foiled another attempt by our hero to sneak any kind of action into one of his films. �Here,� she says as her tosses the last script into the growing heap on the floor. �This one is just what you should do.� Our hero reads the cover and rolls his eyes. He�s read this one already. �Yes, love, you are probably right,� he concedes as he reacquaints himself with the role of a hermit who spends his days finding stray dogs and spending all his pension money to feed. The only female role in the pic is the landlady, an 82 year old grey-haired toothless woman with a hearing aid. Our hero picks up the phone and calls his agent.......... And the saga continues........

LoL, Lisa. Could be true, but then that would mean ODB is a Mr. Milktoast. Nah, I don't beleive it.

(Lisa) �Here,� she says as her tosses the last script into the growing heap on the floor. �This one is just what you should do.� ROFL! I had to come out of lurkdom for this one. But I would be careful about upsetting La Dottoressa (sp?) :)

Hi Everyone, Thanks Jennie, what a thrill this is. You are sooo lucky. Is it possible ladies, that the statement in the BJD kiss was made to show that he had a bit more passion than everyone thought and was no wimp in that department? It's a possibility. Watched Valmont again last night and 2nd kissing scene with MT is great. If its in the script, I think it should be done with as much conviction as possible. These people are pros supposedly and should be willing to give it their best shot, personal feelings or situations aside. If there's something they don't like in the script don't do the movie. But they are paid outstanding salaries to deliver a money-making project. Do you think they lose sight of that? If the actors become prima donnas the pay checks will become further and further apart. But they must also bow to the type of movie that has audience appeal. It's like any job really, you don't do it they'll look for someone else who will. Especially precarious situation to be in in the acting field. I feel CF delivers. Just wish he could hook up with bigger leading ladies like HG does. But for some reason this doesn't seem to appeal to him but would definitely boost the career and marketablity. I'm sure they'd work with him in a heartbeat. He's far superior to HG!!! Loved the DW scene Lisa. Have a good night everyone.

... Liiiiiisaaaaaa ....LMAO....Too Funny. And in case you guys haven't gathered , Lisa is one of our ace auteurs on Fan Fic#159. Don't miss her "Under My Skin" story. She should write scripts for The Divine One. Hola Lola We love "unlurkers"...stick around. You never know what these guys bring up next. Never a dull day!!

I could play the anti-hero, the character everyone loves to hate.� . . . �But, love, everyone hates the character because he is seducing their wives. Sorry.� ROTFLMAO!! So funny, Lisa, thanks! Hello, Hola Lola! Or should that be simply . . .Hola, Lola.;-) Reminds me of Hughie in Mickey Blue Eyes: "What's the name of your parents' restaurant?" "The La Trattoria." (Blinking madly)"Um . . .you do realize that's redundant. It's like saying 'The The Trattoria'." Well, *I* thought it was funny.:-) Back to TIOBE--has anyone noticed that they have the new ads (the bucolic setting) blown up enormously and placed in the theater lobbies? Too bad I had my small purse with me.;-) Seems like the commercials are running just in the greater NYC area? The box office still looks ok, I'm hoping they'll continue to expand it.

Hola and welcome Lola! We do have fun here. La Dottoressa (sp?) :) Brava, Lola, it is correct. BTW, for those who don't know, in Italy when you receive your BA, you become a Dottore or Dottoressa. It does not mean you have a PhD. And, a medical doctor would be called Professore. Dorine), How exciting Jennie! You couldn't have been too far away to see his socks! How did you manage? Amazing Jennie, we await more reports. Thank you! (Evelyn), I hope they were long socks;-) Thank you, Ev! You know how to cheer me up. And speaking of cheer, let's all wish gli Azzuri a big win in tomorrow's WC game, Forza Italia! (Lisa), And the saga continues........ Carissima, sei meravigliosa! LOL! I look forward to the continuation. ;-)

Maybe DW would agree to a remake of "Harold and Maude" ? (yes v.v.good work jenny...start small with the double and who knows who you may end up chatting with.....) As for the the last line in BJD, granted, it may not have been warranted, but it worked for me. Sort of like the line in Empire Strikes Back(?) before Han Solo gets frozen : PL:"I love you." HS: "I know." The wet shirt in P&P didn't do it for me either. I much more enjoyed the letter writing scene with the open neck shirt when he leans back in frustration. Welcome all newcomers and thanks for all the new reports...much has gone on in 24 hours.

he concedes as he reacquaints himself with the role of a hermit who spends his days finding stray dogs and spending all his pension money to feed. Think I've read about this one, a Disney film, The Shaggy Dog III Pffft!! Looking for my Windex. ROTFLMAO!! Great job, Lisa. (Odile) Lord Dashwood: are we heading for another Austen spiral of connections? :) Not really. The Dashwood family owns West Wycombe Park and some of their past history is fascinating. What would be fun is if Colin's character was a chip off the old block. ;-D (Pam) Is it possible ladies, that the statement in the BJD kiss was made to show that he had a bit more passion than everyone thought and was no wimp in that department? It's a possibility. More than a possibility, that's exactly what we are supposed to think. (Mari) has anyone noticed that they have the new ads (the bucolic setting) blown up enormously and placed in the theater lobbies? I've seen the print ads (whose bodies are those????) but nothing at the theater. The two theaters I've been to didn't even have the old poster. And last but not least... Hola Lola!! Good to see you here. I remember I couldn't handle being a lurker. I had to have my share of the conversation. And do we ever have fun here. :)

Hola Lola.....Nice to see ya! (Lisa) DW wags her finger and smiles smugly, feeling quite pleased that she has foiled another attempt by our hero to sneak any kind of action into one of his films. ROFLMAO, too!!!!! What a riot, Lisa! (Amy) I much more enjoyed the letter writing scene with the open neck shirt when he leans back in frustration. A toss up for me...yet another example of that disheveled look I like. (Mari) The focus is *not* going to be on dad and mom, it will be on Amanda and Tom Harper, the young English boyfrtiend. That's what young girls want to see. And there might be a few more moms in the audience than usually seen at a teen movie because we know what they will want to see! ;-D

Grrrr! Why didn't the second show up? Try, try again. Since he brought it up with Jeffrey Lyons, here are the visuals:

Oh, jeez! (Whilst staring at ODB's crotch) Hmmmmmmm. I wonder if he knows that old saying for remembering which way to unscrew a light bulb...... Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey!

...here are the visuals: Pffft!! Indeed...Oh ma mercy...Karen, when you're done with that Windex, I need to borrow it and it's all your fault! This reminds me, my husband is a Civil War reenactor, there is a command given to soldiers in ranks to "dress right" or "dress left" meaning straighten up keying to your right or left as appropriate. I don't think I will ever hear that command given again in quite the same way.

Boy Howdy....that was sure an attention grabbing post!!!!! :)))) LOL Karen you stopped me right in the middle of Ch 16 discussions! The editor and I took a minute or two and savoured the visuals. On another note...and this is only from what the synopsis has said...CF's part could in fact be bigger than KP's. If the daughter is coming to the UK to find the father and reestablish a relationship with him, then his role should certainly be bigger than KP's, especially if we are seeing action in the form of shooting on the ground of the above mentioned estate. Would the Most Admired One take such a lowly part if it were to only support two teenage roles? Oh God, why do I ask such questions????? BTW Jennie......... if you are out there.......did you see this actress who is the daughter around at all???? PSSSSTAsk those in the know, if you go back, where the shooting continues on location!!!!!! Lastly, Camera, Camera!!!!!1

Well, judging from the two pics Karen just posted, CF's "part" *is* rather big, and in any case, I'd say it's *much* bigger than KP's... Does KP have a "part"??? Oh!!! You're talking about their ROLES, aren't you? ;-) Karen, you've now confirmed what was my memory from the scene at Rosings where CF seemed to be *ahem* tenting a bit... he dresses to the right.

he dresses to the right. Indeed Jane, I agree...however a scene at Netherfield (walking down the steps to the carriage) before Bing's proposal made me think about that!!!!!! BTW, Jerry McGuire (sp) comes to mind w/KP and her blurb about being willing to, ahem, how might I say this tactfully, okay there's no way to do it, with another woman for his own pleasure (and for the character's I would imagine as well). In any case, this little flick may have more to it than it appears. We can only hope!

Aye caramba Someone should tell him that's no place to keep a spare pair of socks. Could lead to all sorts of speculation.

(anna)Someone should tell him that's no place to keep a spare pair of socks. Doesn't look like spare socks to me, dahling!;)

If it's true that men think with a certain part of their anatomy, then clearly Fitz Darcy is right-brain dominant.;-) From Variety: Kelly Preston will put her singing voice to the test playing a professional thrush opposite Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth in the Dennie Gordon-directed "American Girl," the working title of a pic just getting started for Warner Bros., Gaylord and producer Denise DiNovi. Preston, who last starred in "A View From the Top," is said to be a capable songstress.

The focus is *not* going to be on dad and mom, it will be on Amanda and Tom Harper, the young English boyfrtiend. That's what young girls want to see. Mom and Dad being reunited will be a nice additional touch. (Mari) Has anyone seen "My father the hero" starring Gerard Depardieu. It's all about a divorced dad taking his teenaged daughter on holiday. She, of course, has a holiday romance, but the focus is always on dad and his reactions. Great little movie! (I also liked "The Parent Trap"!) I'm hoping that AG will have a touch of both, plus a smidgen of "The Grass is Greener" my favourite "ol'" movie (Cary Grant plays an English lord living in a stately home, Deborah Kerr is his wife who falls for a visiting American (Robert Mitchum). Just call me shallow! Perhaps the "reunion" of the parents just means that they meet up again and are on good terms. Or perhaps there are more Kelly Preston scenes...she must sing somewhere (The Debutantes' Ball?)....perhaps set in the US.

Oops! Sorry, trying to close tags.

Glad you liked the visuals, ladies. However, if you're interested in more of same (or numerous discussions of bulges, stuffing contests, socks...even wet shirts), check out Topic 112, "Darcy Drool." The topic is full of drool, buckets full, in fact, such that you might want to put on your boots. *winkie winkie* (Lisa) he dresses to the right. Indeed Jane, I agree...however a scene at Netherfield (walking down the steps to the carriage) before Bing's proposal made me think about that!!!!!! Your memory serves you v. well. We've concluded that Mr D is "ampisexdrous" ;-D Topic 112 contains the reposting of some research and analytical work I did that was submitted in partial fulfillment for a degree in crotchology. (Mari) Kelly Preston will put her singing voice to the test playing a professional thrush So let me get this straight, the ex-feminist, ex-Peace Corps worker is now a singer? What, does she have a lounge act? Will Lord D appear with guitar in hand and serenade again? Will they do a duet, so from up above and he from below?

Oh Karen...you are too funny. You should have warned the Prude Brigade though;-) "Cover your eyes"

(Karen)Will Lord D appear with guitar in hand and serenade again? Will they do a duet, so from up above and he from below? I've been wondering about a duet. It could become an argument, set in the moonlight. CF: Lady come down. KP: No, Lord come up. CF: Lady come down. KP: No, milord. Lord come up. CF: But the song is Lady Come Down. KP: I don't care. I'm not dressed, and I refuse to parade around the lawn in my nightgown. TWANG! [as guitar is seen bouncing across the lawn] KP: Oof! Milord!

OH! Just thought of alternate duet scenario. Could be a flashback scene of their days in the Peace Corps, sitting by the fire, he's strumming his guitar while she sings, one thing leads to another...

Re: AG story. How did a Peace Corps worker(KP) meet a Brit Lord in Morrocco? What was *he* doing there? Peace Corps was US. But I agree with you Mari...AG has a distrib and that says it all. He'll get paid and we won't have to hump it through all the festivals and film markets.Can't be as bad as L'dumb.

What was *he* doing there? Peace Corps was US. Perhaps he was a VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas)- the Brit Peace Corps equivalent. A caring sharing Lord. BTW, LOL to all the above. You ladies are really on a roll!

You can whose publicist has been busy giving out info, but check out the director's name. Error???? From THR today: Kelly Preston has been cast in Warner Bros.' untitled debutante project (aka "American Girl") for director Adam Schenkman. The film stars Amanda Bynes, who has been raised in New York by her mom (Preston). She decides to search out her long-lost father (Colin Firth) in London, but once there, her American ways disrupt his lifestyle. Anna Chancellor, Jonathan Pryce, Dame Eileen Atkins, Oliver James and Christina Cole round out the cast. Preston is repped by ICM and manager Joel Stevens. ... ~~~~~~~~~ I do like the fact that AG is only a working title. Felt like William in Lisa's UMS story yesterday as drove up behind a bus, only to be faced by entire back covered in advertisement for The American Girl Place! ;-D

Lisa - you are too funny. I await the next episode. Now what do you make of this..... In what could be the first sighting of TIOBE promos here - "Arenatainment" on Foxtel aired a short preview of TIOBE tonight. I think it is the program hosted by Nicole's sister - Premier (?). I was channel surfing (in between World Cup games) and came upon this channel just in time for "Sneak Previews" to pop up - and there was RW in all her mediablitz glory. I was too shocked with the find that I just saw her lips moving but did not hear a word she was saying. LOL. No other interviews :-( except for sub-second film snippets of RE; JD and CF but no FO'C. (She should be alarmed. If she can't score a few seconds of small screen time to show her face in her own country - there is definitely someone worse at his/her job than ODB's agent!!!) Longer was the clip from the Lady Bracknell interview of Earnest - same one shown in the Judi Dench tribute. He looks so delightfully edible :-)~~~~ Wait for this...the segment ends with something like : "....starring RW with a period costume support team of RE, JD, CF and Australia's FO'C" I hope I misheard this too. Those on Foxtel - maybe you can check it out - this is likely to be replayed.

Karen - you have proven that pictures do indeed paint a thousand words - or point to the right direction. *Cover your eyes*. ROTFL.

"My father the hero" C'�tait terrible! I didn't like it at all! "The Grass is Greener" my favourite "ol'" movie (Cary Grant plays an English lord living in a stately home, Deborah Kerr is his wife I did like this. The dialog was very much like Noel Coward, brilliant. I wonder who wrote it? (Karen), So let me get this straight, the ex-feminist, ex-Peace Corps worker is now a singer? What, does she have a lounge act? Will Lord D appear with guitar in hand and serenade again? (Kate), Could be a flashback scene of their days in the Peace Corps, sitting by the fire, he's strumming his guitar while she sings, ...Yes, we have no bananas, we have no bananas today. And don't forget that little dance ;-) At least now AG is a working title. I still want to know more about the debutante part? Does Anna Chandler arrange it to try to change Amanda's American way? Long live Miss Bingley! This is so very much like the Princess Diaries. But Hollywood doesn't have any original ideas. Even C. Nolan who did Memento has followed it up with a remake of a 5 year old film, Insomnia! You'd think he would remain integral. :-( Kate that was very funny!

"I play Daphne -- a 17-year-old from New York who travels to London in search of the father Thanks, Bryonny, for the info. It looks like they dropped Daphne's age down by two years in order to accomodate KP's age, who I think is in her late thirties and not 40 yet. So that way she would have had her baby at about 21 instead of in her late teens. How convenient! Thanks, Jennie, for being such a great sleuth at the estate. If you can, find Amanda's double again and ask if the singing will be done at the estate location or in US location. Maybe mommy is American rock star in manner of Madonna and is on tour in England and daughter and boyfriend plot to reunite her with daddy. Then everyone is in movie more and all live happily ever after in London and in country house...hmmm sounds like M's current life ;-)! (Lisa)�Look here,� she says pointing with a glossy red nail. ROTFLOL!!! You are too funny, Lisa! The image of a glossy red nail poking and tapping through scripts is a riot! Karen and Evelyn, I don't know where to look first between all the kissing and crotching protrusions! Lots of vivid, poking images around here lately... ;-) Too bad AG will probably only give us glossy red nails at most ;-(.

(Lora) Karen and Evelyn, I don't know where to look first between all the kissing and crotching protrusions! Yeah, 'cept when I give you a picture of a kiss...it fills up the screen. The Boss is a little stingy with the size of her images;-D Bethan, "ole- eagle -eye- with- best- memory"....do you remember the article that talked about ODB and CBC stuffing their britches in P&P?

(Lora)Too bad AG will probably only give us glossy red nails at most ;-(. No, pink. They're debutantes, after all. ;-) Moon, thanks for the reminder--how could I forget that singing performance! It was the first time I ever saw him do something goofy in a movie. Hmm, am hungry, must go have a banana... Heads up, Firthettes! Earnest may be coming to a theater nearer to you. I just checked Moviephone for times for tomorrow, and the list for tomorrow is longer (15 in whatever radius I picked) than the list for today (only 5)! Will be seeing TIOBE in NY with a good friend, who I love, even if she did embarrass me by squealing loudly at her first sight of ODB in BJD.

In just a few hours I will be seeing TIOBE for a fifth time. This time I'm going specifically to check out the handiwork of the little Roman tailor. Now, did he mean stage right or left? I'll figure it out. (Lora) Karen and Evelyn, I don't know where to look first between all the kissing and crotching protrusions! At least, so it would seem, there is a great deal to talk about in this-uh *cough,cough* area. And therefore, thank heaven, ODB would not fall into the Knob-head with no Knob category as vile Richard.

Help, I'm trying to close tags, never forgot before, what do I do. Sorry boss,v.distracted with this topic.

(Lora) Karen and Evelyn, I don't know where to look first between all the kissing and crotching protrusions! A case of Colin's "Crotching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? Oh my! :)

LOL.Good one, Lola.

(Kate) Heads up, Firthettes! Earnest may be coming to a theater nearer to you. I just checked Moviephone for times for tomorrow, and the list for tomorrow is longer Just saw a blurb on Yahoo's Entertainment headlines re: RW talking about learning her accent. The last line states TIOBE is opening Nationwide tomorrow!

Karen, thanks for the memories. Nothing more pleasing to the eye. Great job! I like the wet shirt, the messed up hair, the gorgeous eyes, the chest, and especially Lizzy's expression when she sees his chest. Especially like expressions and eyes and hair after taking his bath. Nothing better!!! Have watched alot of old ones this week, MLSF, FP, AC, ATA and have come to the conclusion that from London, to Rossings, to Scotland there is no actor alive today who can run up a flight of stairs like Colin and look so good doing it. Just so beyond handsome in ATA, words can't express. Definitely needed tighter pants tho. Have exhausted CF movies from my local Blockbuster. They didn't have a very wide selection. Anyone know any other place that may have more? Thank you.

(Karen)The Dashwood family owns West Wycombe Park and some of their past history is fascinating. What would be fun is if Colin's character was a chip off the old block. ;-D Really, can you elaborate? I guess they named CF's character as a wink to them; what was the name in the older version? Great news Dorine about TIOBE. Maybe it will come to Alaska now: even our "art house" theaters (meaning two saloons which double as theaters on some nights) showed no sign of it at all for June or July). Grrr!

(Bethan) Has anyone seen "My father the hero" starring Gerard Depardieu....Great little movie! I'm hoping that AG will have a touch of both Do I need to bring the voodoo doll back out?! ;-D That was a hideous movie (and I think it had a different name here). Of course, it may have something to do with the sick feeling that comes over me everytime I see that hulking mass on the screen, posing as a desirable person. Blech (Evelyn) You should have warned the Prude Brigade though;-) Mea culpa. I was remembering when the member of the Prude Brigade used to carry her mop and bucket in the Drool Corps proudly. ;-D (Moon) ...Yes, we have no bananas, we have no bananas today. And don't forget that little dance ;-) Just getting warmed up for tomorrow's encore performance, she says sneakily. (Evelyn) Yeah, 'cept when I give you a picture of a kiss...it fills up the screen. The Boss is a little stingy with the size of her images;-D Is that a dare? I can actually do bettah on the wedding pic but I don't know if this crowd can handle something that...ahem...large. (Linda) And therefore, thank heaven, ODB would not fall into the Knob-head with no Knob category as vile Richard. LOL! I am constantly amazed at how several of the ladies have that movie's dialogue memorized and can always get it to fit into our discussions. BTW, no need to apologize about not closing the tag, Linda, you didn't do it. It was Bethan, who no doubt was fanning herself so intently, while typing, that in her aroused state she missed the closing tag. ;-D (Lola) A case of Colin's "Crotching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? Oh my! :) *snort* I doubt I'll be able to watch that first Today Show interview again without snickering. (Pam) have come to the conclusion that from London, to Rossings, to Scotland there is no actor alive today who can run up a flight of stairs like Colin and look so good doing it. Amen, sistah! And he probably does it in more movies than anyone else has had to do. It's become a trademark move. Ooof, must get some Kleenex.

(Lola)A case of Colin's "Crotching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? Oh my! :) LOL, LOLA! And welcome aboard! You've definitely gotten your "C" legs ;-)!

in the time that i have been sitting here reading these quite, um, stimulating posts, the ol' t.v. has had 2 TIOBE commercials.....not that i am a slow reader mind you....! It is interesting (subliminally) that "banana" has crept into the conversation. What is the old saying...? Size doesn't matter? Bring on the big pics Karen! ;^) BTW what was the article about the stuffing in P&P. :)

(Lola) A case of Colin's "Crotching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? Oh my! :) *snort* I doubt I'll be able to watch that first Today Show interview again without snickering. I was thinking that too! Very funny, Lola, you have that Firthette humour. :-) (Pam), there is no actor alive today who can run up a flight of stairs like Colin and look so good doing it. (Karen), And he probably does it in more movies than anyone else has had to do. It's become a trademark move. True. But if he only wore long socks. ;-) (Linda), thank heaven, ODB would not fall into the Knob-head with no Knob category as vile Richard. (Karen), LOL! I am constantly amazed at how several of the ladies have that movie's dialogue memorized and can always get it to fit into our discussions. And it is much appreciated. LOL, Linda! (Moon) ...Yes, we have no bananas, we have no bananas today. And don't forget that little dance ;-) (Karen), Just getting warmed up for tomorrow's encore performance, she says sneakily. You know me too well, dear Geoffrey. And, Italy passed to next round, so this girl is very happy. :-D

Yes, just got back from screening #5. And here is my weekly theater report. Thursday, 6:45 show---PACKED, again. Lots of laughter. I noticed many people stayed in their seats for the credits-either that old word of mouth is working, or people are going back for multiple viewings. I really admired, for the first time, the impeccable work of the little Roman tailor. Kept my eyes peeled to the *ahem* screen. (Karen)Is that a dare? I can actually do bettah on the wedding pic but I don't know if this crowd can handle something that...ahem...large. We can handle it, boss, honest!

Bring it on Karen. Remember ladies, size is in the eye of the beholder, and I am certainly beholden to be his beholder!!!!

Yes, do, please. I think I can handle it. ;)

Someone at the Tea Room posted this link to the BBC's Behind the Scenes of P&P page. I'm not sure if I've seen this before, but there are several video clips. Just a note, they've mixed up their clips. The one where they talk about Mr Darcy and Colin speaks is the link under the pic of Pemberley. http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/prideandprej.shtml

I was reading an article on palmistry recently, and thought this may be of some interest to those of you fascinated by certain 'aspects' of ODB. "If size is your priority, look for a man with large fingers compared to the size of his palm. The longer and fleshier they are, the more well-endowed he is!!"

There's a transcript of the Angelika theater interview with CF on Meluchie's page. Was anyone here able to tape this one off the IFC? http://www.grin.net/~meluchie/articles/02angelica0603.html

Thank you, Mari, I missed this one as IFC only airs for a few hours on Bravo here.

Thanks Mari and Meluchie for the Angelika transcript. CF Re: TIOBE" I mean you don?t even have to be an actor. I think the caterers have done it, you know, at school." ROTF.The boss said that from the beginning.Let's hope all those people go to see it;-)

(CF) These things go in cycles and I think this play probably has gone through a cycle of feeling rather fusty. And I think it�s �it�s�it�s due for a bit of a renaissance. Leitmotif...fusty! I had no idea that by hanging out here I would be getting vocabulary lessons from CF as well! If he'd been one of my teachers at school...I don't think I would've learned very much ;-) Actually I did have one very attractive teacher in high school...couldn't tell you what he taught, but could describe every inch of his face! ;-D

Hi Everyone, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I have just spent one of the best afternoons I've ever had on the Darcydrool. What euphoria!!! I had to stop my eyes got so tired. Being new I'm just getting into all the different topics. What joy this is. Can't wait to get back and read more. But must say everything is a delight from the LOOK TO CFCFC, what a blast. But I must say the highlight so far is Rocky Horror P&P2. What an absolute delight and what a wonderful job. If any of you haven't seen it for a while, go back and give yourself a real treat. I myself can't pick a favorite Colin scene, I loved him in every scene he was in and found myself agreeing with everyone about their choices. Will have to narrow it down I guess. Anyway thank you so much everyone. This is a real joy. Looking forward to going through all of the topics.

Found this while lookin' around.... From Box Office Prophets.com Hope Springs Release Date: Fall 2002 (Ed. note: Imagine if you will, in this spot, a picture of Mark Darcy...Barrister Extraordinaire) An incredibly attractive and undeniably talented British actor who has kept to the periphery of American film productions, Colin Firth most recently captured the attention of the movie-going public as the swoon-worthy Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones' Diary. An actor who almost seems to specialize in literary adaptations, he has also appeared in the 1997 adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel Fever Pitch, the Academy Award�-winning film translation of Michael Ondaajte's The English Patient, and Oscar Wilde's popular play The Importance of Being Earnest. Possibly his most famous performance, though, is his BAFTA-nominated turn as Mr. Darcy in the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice, based on Jane Austen's wonderful novel first published in 1813. It seems only logical, then, that Firth's next role would be in another book-to-film adaptation, this one based on Charles Richard Webb's first novel in over two decades. Most famous for writing The Graduate, the author's recently published New Cardiff was adapted for the screen by director/writer Mark Herman (Little Voice), and recommended to Firth by his friend - you guessed it - Nick Hornby, who wrote High Fidelity and About a Boy, in addition to the aforementioned Fever Pitch. For its theatrical release, the movie will be renamed Hope Springs, and is a romantic comedy about a British artist named Colin (yes, Colin) whose fianc�e (Minnie Driver) dumps him by sending him an invitation to her upcoming wedding�to someone else. Broken-hearted and despondent, he boards a plane for the United States and winds up in a tiny New England town called Hope. Though he is depressed, Colin soon finds an attractive shoulder to cry on when the innkeeper (Mary Steenburgen) introduces him to Mandy, a local nurse (Heather Graham). As he begins to find happiness again, his scheming ex-girlfriend shows up with reconciliation on her mind and a surprising story to tell. The movie was filmed in British Columbia, and promises to have some lush cinematography along with the potential for some very fine performances. Here's hoping the quality is there and we see Disney give it a nice push come awards time. (Kim Hollis/BOP)

Yeah, the caterers line (from the Angelika interview) is new. Cute though. Thanks Mari for posting the link. (Pam) But I must say the highlight so far is Rocky Horror P&P2 We got a good start on a sequel to this on Spoilers for BJD as I recall. ;-D (BOP) An incredibly attractive and undeniably talented British actor who has kept to the periphery of American film productions I believe we have the 'diamond in the rough' strategy at work. I do like the focus of this critique though. It is all about Colin vs. the movie. Can't beat that. ;-D (BOP) Here's hoping the quality is there and we see Disney give it a nice push come awards time. *Gulping* Whatever is she talking about? GGs, maybe?? Thanks for the find, Dorine.

Hello, everybody! Yet another lurker comes out of the woodwork. I've been lurking here for a few weeks. I started at RoP, kept reading references to "Drool" in the archives, and finally managed to find a link in an archived discussion that brought me here. I regret not finding you a long time ago. After P&P2 first aired, I was the only person I knew who suffered from Darcymania or Firthmania. With no one to drool with about him, I'm lucky I didn't spontaneously combust! P&P has been my favorite book for ages - I've been in love with Mr. Darcy since I was about 13 - but CF as Darcy is far better than any of my girlish (or otherwise) daydreams. I've been reading some of the older topics here, which has been an entertaining way to get to know you a bit and to learn the acronyms, but finally I just couldn't stand it anymore and had to join the fray. I think finally getting my very own copy of the BJD DVD last weekend pushed me over the edge. I'm already getting good at skipping through the movie and stopping at just the right places, so as to see as little of DC, and as much of MD, as possible. Mmmmmmmm. I wanted to contribute a report on TIOBE in Richmond, Virginia. I live in the Washington, DC, area, but I was in Richmond earlier this week for a conference, so I decided to see the movie during my trip rather than dragging DH to it. I wound up seeing it both Monday and Tuesday evenings. 50-60 people attended each night (7:30 pm show), with a wide age range. The response seemed positive though not overwhelming. JD got the most laughs, but ODB got just as much as RE did (especially at the "passionate celibacy" line). There was a smattering of applause at the end on Monday. On Tuesday I sat in front of a group of women I hoped would turn out to be Firthettes, but no such luck... they seemed more familiar with Reese Witherspoon than anyone else in the cast.

WELCOME TO RIKA, HOLA LOLA, FANPAM AND ALL OTHER RECENT DE-LURKERS Glad to see you have posted....Don't slide back into oblivion. From one who rarely has anything worthwhile to say, but can't keep her mouth shut, glad you're here. BTW, do you like FF??? Topic 159 and the Archives may have something that will tickle your fancy! :)))))

(Rika)After P&P2 first aired, I was the only person I knew who suffered from Darcymania or Firthmania I think we all felt like that after discovering the many pleasures of CF. Then you somehow find your way and land here at Spring. I often liken the experience to Dorothy landing in OZ. She thinks she's alone and then all the munchkins(Firthettes)begin popping out of their hiding places, crouching and giggling. I often think of CF that way too. Except I see him as having to be pushed down the yellow brick road to Emerald City (the land of movie roles.)

Oops,I almost forgot*crouching and giggling*: WELCOME RIKA!

Rika!! I know the feeling about not being able to merely read the Boards without wanting to jump into the fray. When I first found this place, many years ago, there was a technical glitch and no one was dealing with it. But did I ever hound them to get it fixed so that I could post! (Rika) I've been in love with Mr. Darcy since I was about 13 - but CF as Darcy is far better than any of my girlish (or otherwise) daydreams. Ain't that the truth. ;-D

I think it was awhile back that Dorine mentioned how posts from years ago seemed to fortell the future. I went back and read some of #97, and I have to admit the Valmont discussion seems to explain an awful lot about CF's choice of movie rolls (the whys vs the why nots). There are also v.interesting remarks made in reference to the "location, location, location" side of things that we have recently come to find ourselves intrigued by. ;) Is nothing new??!!!!!!! So, in honour of all you that have been with this for, oh, what is it now...5-6 years? I pay tribute with this: :-.)

BTW welcome all new delurkers! (sorry so late)

Hi Rika Glad you jumped right in to give us a report on TIOBE.

(lindak)Except I see him as having to be pushed down the yellow brick road to Emerald City (the land of movie roles.) I know what you mean, he can be a rather reluctant deb--oops! movie star. Saw TIOBE in NY yesterday. Rainy day, not a big audience, but they did laugh. It seems Judi Dench got more laughs than anyone. Now that TIOBE is in multiplexes, I'm hoping it may get more spontaneous viewers--people who do the "what's at the movies?" think often check the listings for the multis, not the little theaters. Karen, back during the time of the NY premiere at the Paris, didn't you say that BJD premiered in NY at the Ziegfeld because Miramax owns that one? I think it's now a Clearview (chain of multis in NY and 'burbs). Maybe that's why the premiere was at the Paris? BTW, I think ODB's answer to the tailor was "left," based on the duet scene. the tailor would probably be disappointed, because the tailoring is supposed to allow for that, making it more difficult to discern. Will see TIOBE again this evening, with friends who taught English lit. Should lead to interesting discussions. I'll put my new observations on TIOBE on spoilers. Welcome, delurkers all!

I'm spending money today. :) Amazon is showing that a Valmont DVD will be released on September 17. O frabjous day!

For those looking to buy the Valmont DVD - it's cheaper at www.deepdiscountdvd.com and they offer free shipping and handling withing the continental US. Have not been able to find out any info on DVD extras for this one, but it is in widescreen format.

er... within not withing! Trying to type too fast... sorry.

Hmmmmm... only included "extra" seems to be the orginal movie trailer. You'd think they might get Colin to do a voiceover track, knowing that his newfound popularity is the reason they're releasing it on DVD in the first place...

Welcome, Rika! I lurked for a long time, but finally had to break my silence. It's *much* more fun that way!:-) 50-60 people on a weeknight for TIOBE is great. (Linda)I often liken the experience to Dorothy landing in OZ. She thinks she's alone and then all the munchkins(Firthettes)begin popping out of their hiding places, crouching and giggling. Do you mean crotching and giggling?;-) I love this analogy, Linda! As for the Emerald City, it seems ODB has been compelled by circumstances to "there's no place like home.";-) If he only had the noyve . . .;-)

I scoured both of today's Sydney papers for a mention of TIOBE premiere - no luck. There is an article on SMH online today, though. As expected, mostly about FO'C, and very little about TIOBE. For those of you who need the translation, "hard yakka" means "hard work"...

(Mari)Do you mean crotching and giggling?;-) Of course that's what I meant, but I really didn't mean it...it is Sunday,Mari, and I'm trying to be good today. I look at it this way you can crotch or crouch-whatever turns you on. Enough! I'm going to church.

Hi Everyone, Thank you for welcome, and welcome to all new delurkers! Question. I've watched FP several times this week and perhaps I'm seeing an edited version, but is the first time they are alone together the night of parents night when she says he can stay the night or did they have some out of school thing before that, and even my son wanted to know, how does he know she's pregnant? (unless he keeps a calendar of course) the only clue I could see was at the football match when she protects her stomach and he notices that. Are there any other clues I'm missing? Thanks. Love his character in that. Have spent all weekend watching him. Including my favorite Mr. Darcy. Love Valmont but can't stand that he dies. He wasn't so terribly bad, his counterpart was horrific, guess that means good acting job. It's like he was so despondent at the end, he just gave up. Loved MLSF especially last scene when he watches son. The smile and reactions amazing. Didn't like the wife. To me didn't seem a physical match. Good stuff. Have a couple more to watch today. Can't find a better way to enjoy myself.

(FanPam)the only clue I could see was at the football match when she protects her stomach and he notices that. Are there any other clues I'm missing? No, you're not missing any clues. I was v.confused about that when I first watched FP. I recently bought the screen play, and there are several references to Paul noticing Sarah is protecting her stomach. Before that scene, (in the screen play-but not in the film) he notices that she is looking very ill and pale, and he asks her if she is ok. Then he watches as she protects her stomach. Later, in the same scene, after Arsenal scores,(according to the director's note)Sarah tries to look pleased, but she just looks scared. She is desperately trying to protect her stomach, once again Paul notices. Paul: are you ok? Sarah: Yeah fine. Then according to the screen play, Paul stares at her and she looks away and smiles. I liked the screen play because it gives all the directors notes and you understand what's going on a little better. It also notes the scenes that have been cut. I wish several of them had been left in they would have been fun to watch as well as help the understanding of certain situations.

Great news about the Valmont DVD! And I can recommend deepdiscountdvd highly. Thanks Elizabeth and Jane. (Mari) If he only had the noyve . . .;-) But the yellow brick road isn't a Tube stop. ;-D Nice article about F'OC. It does show promise though, as Colin is her only co-star to be mentioned and/or quoted. (Pam) perhaps I'm seeing an edited version, but is the first time they are alone together the night of parents night when she says he can stay the night Yup. There's only one version of this one to my knowledge. the only clue I could see was at the football match when she protects her stomach and he notices that That was always my take on it, although there was considerable discussion about this point. The camera focuses in on her stomach and Paul asks if she's ok. The screenplay completely supports this viewpoint. At the beginning of this scene, there's the description: "Sarah looks white and sick. Paul notices her distress." [at first you are supposed to think it is merely the crowd situation as she is supposed to be "clutching at him, terrified of the crowd surges"]. Then a bit later, it says: The crowd cascades down the terrace. Sarah tries to look pleased, but just looks scared; she is desperately trying to protect her stomach. Once again Paul notices. Paul: Are you OK? Sarah: Yeah, fine. Paul stares at her. She smiles and looks away. I intend to put the edited versions of the Spring Film Discussions back up on firth.com to make it easier to read than via the hard-to-load older topics.

LOL! As I was typing away (and seeing to my laundry), Linda was busily typing away the exact same material. Ahhhhh, great minds... Why aren't you doing laundry? ;-)

From Current Projects in the works according to Box Office.com "AMERICAN GIRL IN LONDON" A young Southern woman (Kate Hudson of �Almost Famous�) travels to the U.K. where she has a fling with a man she learns is engaged to someone else. (Paramount) I guess one of the "American Girl(s)" will need to change the name to avoid confusion. Also, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY COLIN! (was unable to provide gift or fancy greeting as of yet due to poor computer skills....will diligently practice to be ready in time for your very special day coming up :-) )

Thanks Karen and Linda. Clears up alot. I thought, as I would have been, she was terrified with the crowd. And for my son to question pregnancy clues, I'm all astonishment!! Did laundry yesterday while watching P&P changing loads on episode ends. It's been raining alot. Where can I find your write of your trips to 3DOR? It's referred to in DarcyDrool but don't know where to find it. Would love to see it. How does one go about getting scripts of the movies? Thanks.

Have new article (a tongue-in-cheek interview of each by Colin and Rupert). Pics are all scanned, but must type up the article. Long. Later.

OK, the article is up. Remember, you can't take one word of it seriously. There are some cute answers though. *snort* http://www.firth.com/articles/contents602.html There was one big full page studio (artsy) pic of Rupe, but I'll save it for Moon's next birthday party. ;-D (Pam) she was terrified with the crowd She would've been terrified regardless due to what went on in the stands. Where can I find your write of your trips to 3DOR? Go to the main Drool page but with an "all" designation. There you will see the old (full up) Colin topics. 3DOR played first in March 1999 and then again starting in November 1999-January 2000. Judging by the dates at the beginning of several topics, you should find everyone's accounts in Topics 116 and 118 for the first outing and then 123 for the second...although you cannot hold me to this. ;-D Happy reading.

HAW HAW HAW I would have loved to hear this. What a treat! Is he secure in his masculinity or what? Enough to out-do Queen Rupert, which is a pretty tall order. I for one would love to see them do a contemporary comedy that plays on this kind of interaction. I�ve started dreaming about Harley Davidsons, Botox and Britney Spears. Must go and clean previously melted monitor now...

(Karen)you can't take one word of it seriously. Ok. Sigh. Then how about the shirt? I'm trying to figure out if it represents any fashion period whatsoever! :) ROTFL though with the Q&A. Great article!

(Karen)There are some cute answers though. *snort* I'll see your *snort* and double it :-D Is Contents a US mag? Has anyone received the LA radio show interview in the mail? A friend got hers and it didn't include the CF interview. His name was even on the envelope. Heads will roll!!

(Karen)Why aren't you doing laundry? ;-) Uh, did it yesterday? (Karen)There was one big full page studio (artsy) pic of Rupe, but I'll save it for Moon's next birthday party. ;-D Fine, but how much longer do we have to wait for the wedding picture? I haven't forgotten about that. Do I have to beg? OK(on knees-hands folded as in prayer) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE can we see it? Thank you. Great minds...,but mine has really been in the gutter this week. (FanPam)How does one go about getting scripts of the movies?I got mine(hope I can say it here)on e-bay.

First, thanks to everyone for the nice welcome messages. It's fun to be here! (Lisa) BTW, do you like FF??? Topic 159 and the Archives may have something that will tickle your fancy! :))))) I've read a bit of it, but still have lots of catching up to do. Great stuff - and I know you're one of our esteemed authors. (Pam) Where can I find your write of your trips to 3DOR? I see that Karen has directed you to the relevant topics. I've been slowly working my way through the archives and have read the account of the first production, but haven't gotten to the second yet. It sounded like a great time was had by all! Am holding my breath for some future appearance on stage in New York.... but I suppose there's little hope of that. (Karen) OK, the article is up. Thanks for the interview, Karen!! Loved DB's answers - he seemed to get much more into the spirit of it than did RE. However...... (Odile) Then how about the shirt? I'm trying to figure out if it represents any fashion period whatsoever! :) None I can recognize. Sigh.....

(Linda) Fine, but how much longer do we have to wait for the wedding picture? I haven't forgotten about that. Do I have to beg? Ok, I'll bite....what is this infamous wedding pic? Should I be on knees begging also?

(Bryonny) Is Contents a US mag? Yes, technically, although I did think it was Canadian (only printed there). You may have to check the (ahem) "men's culture" section of the magazine racks for it. ;-D I posted two bulge pics. The first is generally known as the "avenging angel" and the second WAS the wedding pic (although I cropped the other three people out of it). All I said was that I could've posted a bigger picture of the second one but really, when you've seen one, you've seen them all. ;-D

There was one big full page studio (artsy) pic of Rupe, but I'll save it for Moon's next birthday party. ;-D Funny he should mention Miami. ;-) I have lots of comments, but I was not able to copy from the site, that function was enabled. (?) Colin did mention Britney Spears twice. ;-))))) I wonder if if Will likes her? His shirt looks like Bond St. material, not Italian. It matches the dress Livia wore to the RV premiere. I wonder if he was wearing thongs? ;-D Thanks, Karen!

Karen, does the Contents mag have Rachel Weisz on the cover?

(Rika)Am holding my breath for some future appearance on stage in New York.... but I suppose there's little hope of that. Broadway???? Fuhgeddaboudit. (Odile)Ok. Sigh. Then how about the shirt? I'm trying to figure out if it represents any fashion period whatsoever! :) (Moon) His shirt looks like Bond St. material, not Italian. Socialists don't shop on Bond street;-) Oxfam,more like it..... odd bins. V. cute interview. *clap. clap* to Contents magazine for coming through with an unusual interview format.These guys must get tired of the same questions...of course they get well paid for that. But it spared us the trauma of "being an 'outsider' in St. Louis".... again;-) Wonder how come they both picked on HG?

(Karen)All I said was that I could've posted a bigger picture of the second one. Yeah,Yeah Coulda, woulda, shoulda! (Karen)when you've seen one, you've seen them all. ;-D Maybe of your average Joe, but not when it comes to ODB!;D Thank you for the article, Karen v.enjoyable

As with all of the other recent de-lurkers I am diligently working my way through the old topics (fascinating stuff there), the wonderful fan fiction, while simultaneously trying to keep up with the current posts. Just hit the link to the article Karen postd and was transfixed by the picture. Although I couldn't see his entire hand am I wrong in thinking that his fingers appear somewhat large?? Perhaps "longer and fleshier" than most??

Wonderful article, excellent pics. Hang on, let me get a paper towel and wipe up the puddle of drool here...ok! The Shirt??? The Shirt??? Bond St, Oxfam odds bins, Italian??? Wait, let me get my shades! It certainly doesn't represent any fashion era I recall. Maybe he's trying to set a new trend? Or look thinner? It was probably an upgrade! ;) **Applause** for someone seeing to the hair. Now, doesn't he look nice? Yes, his shoes have been noticably left out of the pics. Karen, maybe we should have a fashion parade of ODB and his shoes, a la Livia and the powder blue monsters! And, along those lines Karen, I do think we are owed a more in depth pictorial on crotchtology...after all some of us have not done out thesis yet!

(Evelyn), Socialists don't shop on Bond street;-) Oxfam,more like it..... odd bins. (Lisa), It was probably an upgrade! ;) That crossed my mind. **Applause** for someone seeing to the hair. Now, doesn't he look nice? I agree, Lisa. (CF on HG), Any honest answers to this question would be far too revealing. LOL! You think he's an idiot, don't you? (CF), I'll still be acting-if anyone is still asking and the implants and transplants allow. Ha! Subtle hints we are not suppose to believe. What is your best memory of making The Importance of Being Earnest? (CF),Dabbling with homosexuality. So are you saying you and Rupie did the cha-cha? (This one flew right over my head) He's trying too hard here. Would you ever consider cosmetic surgery. If so, what? (RE), Yes, I would consider cosmetic surgery-perhaps a penis reduction. LOL! Best answer, hands down. ;-) (RE), I'm not jealous of High Grant, Is that a hint? ;-)

(Kathy C)Although I couldn't see his entire hand am I wrong in thinking that his fingers appear somewhat large?? Perhaps "longer and fleshier" than most?? A belated welcome, Kathy. Yes, I noticed those fingers. Yes, you will fit in rather nicely here. I cannot take another week of this. Give me a break, NJ is in the middle of a drought. Showers need to be kept to a minimum- v.cold water must be conserved! (RE), Yes, I would consider cosmetic surgery-perhaps a penis reduction. I'm sure glad it was Rupe who said this. Great comment in light of the posts of the last few days. Makes me wonder just who might have been lurking here last week.

(Rika) Am holding my breath for some future appearance on stage in New York.... but I suppose there's little hope of that. Exhale, dear. He's in dough mode. (Bryonny) does the Contents mag have Rachel Weisz on the cover? No, Hayden Star Wars is on it. (Lisa) The Shirt??? The Shirt??? Bond St, Oxfam odds bins, Italian??? Wait, let me get my shades! It certainly doesn't represent any fashion era I recall. What, you've never seen the tacky country club set? I'm betting he had on red Bermudas to go with that shirt. ;-D (short socks too with sandals) maybe we should have a fashion parade of ODB and his shoes I'll work on that for a future seminar in microfocusing. Crotchology is strictly post-graduate work. (Moon) He's trying too hard here. I thought Colin's answers were great, especially those last two. As Elizabeth said earlier (I think), here's a guy who is secure in his own masculinity. I can just see those comments taken out of context and printed somewhere. I wonder if the Britney Spears mentions came about because of the laughs HG got on the VH1 special last year, when asked who his favorite artist was. It is so ludicrous, but she is the type of nubile babette that could appeal to older, cradle-robbing men. Lots of dreams. Lots of fantasies out there.

(Karen) I can just see those comments taken out of context and printed somewhere My thoughts as well! I can see it now in the rag mags.... COLIN FIRTH IN MIDLIFE CRISIS! COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET AND PINES FOR BRITNEY SPEARS! ;-D Wasn't too sure about that shirt either...but it was unbuttoned nicely (although a few more open ones wouldn't hurt).

(Karen) I wonder if the Britney Spears mentions came about because of the laughs HG got on the VH1 special last year, when asked who his favorite artist was. It is so ludicrous, but she is the type of nubile babette that could appeal to older, cradle-robbing men. Lots of dreams. Lots of fantasies out there. Actually I wish he had picked some other nubile babette (I certainly don't begrudge him his fantasies...works well for us)...but she irritates the crap out of me with her hypocrisy. If she really had all the sexual purity and morals she claims to, I don't think she could pull of the stripper routines and outfits. She's not that talented (although I actually do like some of her songs). :-/

*jumping off soapbox* Thanks for the article Karen! Very cute! (both ODB and the article) And welcome de-lurkers!!

Karen, thanks for the article. Very funny. Then how about the shirt? It reminds me very much of a payjamas top my DH used to have(about 20 years ago) ;)

Picked Box Office #'s up this morning...Wonder if they feel the ads were helpful or not...I think it seems to be holding up pretty well considering the timing of release. It's already made more than Enigma and that has been out twice as long. (TW)16 (LW)13 (Title) Earnest (Studio)Miramax (Wknd Gross)$615,000 (%chng)-2% (Theater Count/change)180/+33 (Avg/screen) $3,416 (Total Gross) $3,364,000 (Week #) 4

great article, thanks Karen. i was wondering the same thing, what kind of pants and footwear did he wear with that shirt. better Britney Spears than Christina Aguiliura(sp?)

Thanks for the article Karen! v.v.funny. He does look very thin in the pics--yes? (Linda) maybe of your average Joe... oh! Linda, no one has commented on your insightful words....do you know something that we do not! haha :P

Thanks for the box office update, Dorine. Miramucks must be satisfied, because they are expanding Earnest to 250 theaters June 28 according to hollywood.com Contents article is a riot; thanks, Karen. I'm not jealous of High Grant, (Moon)Is that a hint? ;-) The "high" part? I'd heard that about him; guess it explains why he can't shut up.;-) Actually, I'm ok with the striped shirt. Most men would look ridiculous in it, but once again, CF pulls it off. Hair looks great, a lot lighter and somewhat longer than we saw on the recent interviews. Wonder when these pics were taken.

Karen - thanks for putting up the interview. We have very clever gentlem*men*. Too funny. As I'm so happy to have finally learned how to link images, here's another one - especially dedicated to ODB... Image courtesy of Yahoo greetings.

Britney's lips...

Karen, thanks for the article. V. amusing. But that shirt! Yikes! Oxfam, definitely. Must go rewatch the pond scene from P&P. Like that shirt MUCH better, wet or dry.

Funny how quickly this board starts to creep into one's psyche. I watched RV for the first time last night (ODB was absolutely gorgeous and also very funny, but I need to watch it again to evaluate the rest of the film). At one point, Peter sat in a chair and crossed one leg over the other, and all I could think was, "Ooh, a chance to check the length of his socks!" (Moon Dreams) I wonder if he was wearing thongs? ;-D I initially misread your question (I missed the plural on "thongs"). Have been carrying around a MOST distracting mental image ever since. ;-D I suspect my mis-reading was influenced by the ongoing Crotchology discussion.

(Rika)At one point, Peter sat in a chair and crossed one leg over the other, and all I could think was, "Ooh, a chance to check the length of his socks!" LOL. Probably short.They were short in BJD; could see leg (gasp!) when he went up the stares in the "just as you are scene..." I sorta like the shirt.....looks like JC Penny's ; v. preppy.Awning pattern popular this year. Or maybe...in mode of reindeer jumper..."something my mother gave me";-)

(Mari) Miramucks must be satisfied, because they are expanding Earnest to 250 theaters Why not? The numbers were very good or at least when you put the proper spin on them. Pulling from my old background, I'd the cast the numbers in the light of "they held their own against the new releases." Even though the number of theaters went up 33%, the gross only went down 2%. That's not bad, when you consider the second week numbers of bigger films often go down 30%-40%. Then you factor in the three big movies to hit the screens this weekend and you've accounted for the slip in the rankings. Is simple. (Kate) But that shirt! Yikes! Oxfam, definitely. I think Nita hit this one on the head. Pajamas from 20 yrs ago. ;-D But if he has to go the pajamas route, I much prefer the ones from that People Most Be-yew-ti-ful shoot last year. (Rika) I watched RV for the first time last night...and all I could think was, "Ooh, a chance to check the length of his socks!" Have been carrying around a MOST distracting mental image ever since. ;-D LOL! Your psyche is severely and irreparably damaged I'm afraid. Maybe we should be a warning up. ;-D

(Karen)I'm betting he had on red Bermudas to go with that shirt. ;-D (short socks too with sandals) Oh no, he just can't be the dreaded socks with sandals type of guy. Lets not even think about that. (Karen)Crotchology is strictly post-graduate work. We're having summer courses I hope. What time is class? Or are we going the correspondence route? (Amy)oh! Linda, no one has commented on your insightful words....do you know something that we do not! haha :P In my dreams, Amy, in my dreams. Thank you for thinking my words are insightful, if the outside world only knew... (Rika)(I missed the plural on "thongs").LOL Rika, so did I-initially that is. Just goes to show you where our thoughts are.

We're having summer courses I hope. What time is class? Or are we going the correspondence route? Here it's done by Osmosis, Linda, you'll see. ;-) Oh no, he just can't be the dreaded socks with sandals type of guy. Lets not even think about that. Dreadful isn't it? (Rika) I watched RV for the first time last night...and all I could think was, "Ooh, a chance to check the length of his socks!" You're an official Firthette now. ;-D

Then how about the shirt? It reminds me very much of a payjamas top my DH used to have(about 20 years ago) ;) Nita, have you had a garage sale recently? :)

closing tags

i personally like the shirt fine, but then again if my hubby didn't keep me anchored in the normal world who knows what crazy concoction of clothes i would be running around in, especially after going through a fine arts program i'm really bummed that my misreading has been pointed out since i too didn't see that (s) in thongs, of course it makes more sense that way but i would much rather be disillusioned all i can say about britney is that if you want to sing and dance that is fine, but if i'm going to pay for your crap then you'd better be able to do both at the same time, so you'll never get any of my money honey i'm going to have to take the britney comment as a complete joke colin! that being said i thought the article was a riot :)

Am groaning!! Groaning!! I've just seen the Angelika piece and it don't get any better than that (except maybe in person). Colin is bathed in this golden light and he's wearing a round-necked black pullover (as was in the People pic) with khaki slacks (shoes/socks not in frame). Hair was nicely done. Oh lordy! The best he's looked on any of these TV shows. In case you don't recall, here's the People pic:

(Linda) Oh no, he just can't be the dreaded socks with sandals type of guy. Lets not even think about that. You know, I used to have an aversion to the sandals/socks ensemble after growing up in the Sunshine State looking at way too many elderly, beach-going out-of-towners in said fashion. Living near Seattle for a while changed my perspective...seemed very Bohemian in more youngish people (many of whom favored Birkenstocks as well). (Trese) all i can say about britney is that if you want to sing and dance that is fine, but if i'm going to pay for your crap then you'd better be able to do both at the same time Oh, yeah...I forgot, that's another thing about her that ticks me off, too. (Karen)Am groaning!! Groaning!! I've just seen the Angelika piece and it don't get any better than that (except maybe in person). Oh lordy! The best he's looked on any of these TV shows. Arrgh! I think this and the BWTA interview that I didn't see and I understand he looked best in them both. Gah! But then I guess I have no reason to really complain, do I. ;-D

(Dorine) I think this and the BWTA interview that I didn't see and I understand he looked best in them both Ok, let's try this one again.... I think this and the BWTA interview are the only ones I didn't see.... Guess I was flustered for a sec ;-)

Hi All, What a way to spend the day! Really must get some work done, Hey for anyone who's interested, I just got my LOST EMPIRES DVD in the mail today! I have never seen it, and wanted to wait for the DVD. Any suggestions on what to watch for???

(Dorine)But then I guess I have no reason to really complain, do I. ;-D NO,you don't. I missed this interview since we don't get IFC and now, thanks to Karen, I will be fretting about it..thanks, Karen;D (Sandiclaus)Any suggestions on what to watch for??? I loved this-have watched it through twice. I watched both times simply for drool effect. I haven't watched it yet to take it apart. Love him in this. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Rika)I suspect my mis-reading was influenced by the ongoing Crotchology discussion. LOL, Rika, I was thinking in that area too...or maybe we've also been influenced by the VH1 discussion between Rupie and Colin about what materials CF's underwear is made out of when he is working...i.e. lace jock strap? ;-) We are all under the "all things Firth" influence around here, Rika! Welcome! Karen, thanks for the Contents article... v.v. funny. He and Rupie make a good comedy team. But the shirt has to go. Do you think DW got a matching dress for her and shirt for him from one of those catalogues? (Since Karen mentioned that it looked like her dress from a TIOBE party or such?)

Can anyone tell me what the title of the Angelika piece was? I see that you can watch some of the Angelika spots online. I probably missed it, but I would like to keep checking in case it's repeated.--Thanks.

(Lora) Since Karen mentioned that it looked like her dress from a TIOBE party or such? Uh uh, not I. It was your partner in crime who mentioned it might have gone with DW's dress for the RV premiere, but I disagree. Stripes on that went horizontally. The program is called "At the Angelika" and is broadcast on the IFC channel. Bravo doesn't pick that up for its IFC Fridays.

What to watch for in Lost Empires? Let's see, there's lots of kissing. Richard is after the girls, and they are after him. We get to see Colin bicycling around on stage, in makeup, running around backstage (classic chasing--are there stairs???). It's a nice piece of nostalgia and Colin is in nearly all of it. I found it difficult to fastforward through the music hall numbers because they'd cut back to a reaction shot with Colin.

This discussion is too much fun to stay out of. I missed the plural on "thongs" I didn't, but I'm glad you all did, now I can share in the image. I suspect my mis-reading was influenced by the ongoing Crotchology discussion. Not to harp on this topic or anything, ;)....Karen, I feel this may go by the wayside unless there are visuals to stimulate more discussion! CF's underwear Now, There's a topic worth getting a degree in!!!!!!! he just can't be the dreaded socks with sandals type of guy But, let's not go there, shall we???? I never saw the People pic, thanks for posting it Karen. And yes, the hair is nicely done! But what a hunky guy he is! On another note, I'm looking at the fingers and while they are most certainly long, they are a little on the lean side. OK, for all you experts out there, just what does that mean? Lastly, Karen I had not peeked into the Bucket for a little while and was most impressed with your new scroll down of all CF's films. It look tres bien!!!!!!

I would not put too much on Colin's comment's about Britney Spears. His tongue was firmly in cheek about that one. Besides most know it's really Britney and Hugh Grant you need to watch out for. (oops, that I say that?) :)

Obviously I can't type either :( That should have read---"(oops, did I say that?)" Time to go back to my lurkhole.

(Karen)Uh uh, not I. It was your partner in crime who mentioned it might have gone with DW's dress for the RV premiere, but I disagree. Stripes on that went horizontally. Oops, posts are flying so fast and are so frothy with under and over garments it's hard to attribute what to whom. Sorry, Moon, should have realized that possible fashion similarities would be your department :-)!

(Lisa)Karen, I feel this may go by the wayside unless there are visuals to stimulate more discussion! Correct!, what good is a post-grad course without visuals? Osmosis or no osmosis. After all, how do you expect us to become Dotoressas in this area?(Moon, please help with the spelling)

"In deference....";-) I doubt the boss will post it....but here it is on the JE website which is Geocities and the slugs don't allow transfer of images: http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/4820/pride_p/pride1.jpg

I'm ready to sign up for the post-grad courses right now but I'm with Linda... let's get those visuals!! Funny, back in grade school the last thing I wanted to do in the summer was go to school. How things can change. Couldn't be the subject matter could it?

It was your partner in crime who mentioned it might have gone with DW's dress for the RV premiere, but I disagree. Stripes on that went horizontally. Did you hear that Lora? We are partners in crime! Good thing you DH is a lawyer. ;-) Karen, it would be a perfect match up to have her dress in horizontal stripes and his shirt in vertical ones. (Linda), what good is a post-grad course without visuals? Osmosis or no osmosis. After all, how do you expect us to become Dotoressas in this area?(Moon, please help with the spelling) It would be Dottoresse. In Italian we don't add an "s" for plural, the ending vowel changes. These things you don't learn by osmosis, but when it comes to ODB, Mr. Darcy goes a long way. ;-D (Lola), I would not put too much on Colin's comment's about Britney Spears. His tongue was firmly in cheek about that one. Besides most know it's really Britney and Hugh Grant you need to watch out for. That's interesting. Is it her so-called "virgin" thing he's attracted too? ;-) I hope nobody here took him seriously about Britney.

LOL, no I didn't take him seriously about Britney. Frankly, though, I'm very interested in the Tyrone Power comment.;-) Oh, and the dabbling.;-)

I cannot believe it. I left here to ah-lets just say I left to go read other topics I haven't visited yet. I needed a break-ok. So what do I do? Wander on to topic 68-Darcy Drool from 1997-the first dozen posts discuss whether or not Darcy dressed to the left or right! The discussions were all over the place-left, right and we even had a middle-oye! Five years later, and look how far we've come.

(Linda) So what do I do? Wander on to topic 68-Darcy Drool from 1997-the first dozen posts discuss whether or not Darcy dressed to the left or right! The discussions were all over the place-left, right and we even had a middle-oye! Five years later, and look how far we've come. LOL! I was checking that out over the weekend, too, and became too distracted by thongs and research into whether financial aid will cover the crotchology course, that I forgot to mention it. ;-)

(Linda) Five years later, and look how far we've come. We've come very far. We now have the DVD, which has a zoom function. (Mari) Frankly, though, I'm very interested in the Tyrone Power comment.;-) Me too. Moon and I were talking about that. Tyrone was very handsome, but I didn't recall there being any rumors about him. Hmmmm Have you filled out the 20-page form for financial aid yet, Dorine? If anybody wants the wedding picture, showing both couples, as a screensaver, email me at the office (nomdedrool); it's 359K.

"In deference....";-) Oooof! I just caught that. LOL! And Linda, there was a "both sides" for Bingley. Did you miss that one? ;-D

Tyrone was very handsome, but I didn't recall there being any rumors about him. More than just rumors, I've been assured elsewhere . . .

(Karen) We've come very far. We now have the DVD, which has a zoom function. ROTFL! DH is going to be out of town Wednesday - I think I have a date with my P&P2 DVD! But it sounds like I should acquaint myself with the Darcy drool topic first. I have a newbie question. Where would be the appropriate place to discuss NC (the novel)? I'm guessing 126 or 158, since it's related to a CF film, but I wasn't sure.

(Moon)Is it her so-called "virgin" thing he's attracted too? ;-) No, apparently, it's her "specialness.";-) Just call me Rona Barrett . . . Broken-Hearted Britney Eyes 'Cute' Hugh Grant Mon Jun 17, 7:28 PM ET LONDON (Reuters) - Broken-hearted pop princess Britney Spears, still hurting after her split from NSYNC ( news - web sites) star Justin Timberlake, has admitted a fondness for British actor Hugh Grant, a London newspaper reported Monday. "I'm still hurting. It is a strange feeling getting used to being single again but I suppose I'll have to," the 20-year-old singer was quoted as saying by The Sun tabloid, before adding "Hugh Grant is so cute." Squeaky-clean Spears describes herself in her latest single as "not a girl, not yet a woman," while the worldly 41-year Englishman hit headlines in a 1995 scandal involving a Los Angeles prostitute. But the singer's admiration for Grant is apparently mutual. He was quoted recently as saying Spears was "special" and he would opt for a date with her over pop superstar Madonna. Spears told the paper she had not dated anyone since her five-year relationship with Timberlake ended in February. "I am the type of person who can't go from a serious relationship and then just start dating someone else straight away," she said. The duo blamed the rift on conflicting tour schedules, but media reports said Timberlake was unhappy about repeated marriage demands from the religious Britney. By contrast, Hugh Grant has taken a more casual approach to relationships since his 2000 split with actress Liz Hurley. At the recent Cannes Film festival ( news - web sites) the floppy-haired heartthrob said he was keen on Sandra Bullock, his sexy co-star in "Two Weeks Notice," but that it was "just a sex thing." Grant was arrested in 1995 by Los Angeles police after they found him engaged in a "lewd act" with a prostitute.

Are those financial aid pages available on line, or what???? Mmmm, crotchology....my favorite subject right now. Sorry----this Louisiana girl, who has moved to the blue grass state (Kentucky), has had too much bourbon right now... To change the subject--just received my latest edition of In Style magazine, with Britney on the cover, no less, slobbering over HG (ewwwww): "Hugh Grant is so cute! she says, "I think he's the hottest thing in the world. Hello!". Am so ashamed, being originally from LA, that she would say such things...

(Rika) Where would be the appropriate place to discuss NC (the novel)? I'm guessing 126 or 158 Let's see, where did we talk about the book before, when we first learned he was going to do this project? Probably here.

Broken-Hearted Britney Eyes 'Cute' Hugh Grant I thought she was hot for Prince William. (Karen) Have you filled out the 20-page form for financial aid yet, Dorine? Slogging through. ;-) And then on top of that!....I have to come up with a thesis!

(Dorine)Broken-Hearted Britney Eyes 'Cute' Hugh Grant I thought she was hot for Prince William. ahh... girls like Britney change fav hotties like toilet paper you know. i was just thinking, can you imagine Colin taking his son to see a Britney concert. nah... Karen, will you be making stills of the Angelika interview? i also watched RV again this past weekend. when he crossed his legs i was actually thinking about something else other then socks. with all the talk about left or right, that instantly crossed my mind when he crossed his legs. must get head out of gutter.

Karen, Im reading NC right now. So far it's pretty quirky. i'm wondering about the motel scene where Mandy starts to undress. Maybe we'll see some "action" in this one. It's hard for me to imagine that one. Anyone else reading NC?

Hi There, According to my IFC digital channel guide, it looks like "at the angelika" might be on again in about an hour? Maybe I will get lucky and finally see this one, I got to see the last 10 seconds by mistake thursday, oh the injustice of it all! I thought NC was a nice quick read, and it will be interesting to see how they make it into film. Interesting most of all, will be the "action" scenes hey??

We did discuss NC last year. At this pount we have to wait and see what changes they made with the script. We all look forward to that towel scene in the Motel too, but you never know. So Britney is trying to get HG to call her? How pathetic!

Well it seems my luck has changed! Karen, you are correct he does look delicious at the Angelika. Very comfortable and Drool-worthy!!

(audiogirl)Anyone else reading NC? I just finished it. Hope there are lots of action scenes. (Moon)We all look forward to that towel scene in the Motel too, but you never know. They better leave that scene in-especially since it looks like we're going to wait forever for the one in TEoR. You know how they have to get three actors to coordinate three schedules...blah,blah,blah! I wonder if you have to worry about dressing to the left or right when wearing a towel-maybe this is where the middle comes in. We'll just have to wait and see. (Dorine)I have to come up with a thesis! I think we should work together on this. Maybe we can get a discount. (dalec)must get head out of gutter Why? I think the gutter has been rather fun, and crowded this week. Hugh and Britney? Makes me feel the same way the short socks and sandals imagery did- v.nauseated

Flashback to BJD feature on VH1 After admitting that he has no music in his life, the other cast members urge HG to reveal his music fave... HG (ed note: in jest, I thought) : Britney RZ : Yeah, you do go with Britney, don't you? HG : (almost in background as others start talking over him) : Yeah, I wish... Could the signals have been sent out/picked up then?

(dalec)Karen, will you be making stills of the Angelika interview? Is that a possibility, boss? Looks like poor old me won't be able to ever see this-*sob, sniff, sob*

the Angelika interview Thanks to the heads up here today, I saw it! He does look good. But I thought he looked better for VH1.

OK, I got to see it....some observations: -- He definitely looked v. good, but I like him better in buttoned shirts (or unbuttoned as the case may be). I think shirts without collars emphasize how long his neck is. Not unattractive, just not as attractive to me. -- I am all astonishment at the people in the background, esp the one off his right shoulder sitting with her back to him. Her back! Did they give stage directions to people in the background? What woman in her right mind would sit with her back to him? Maybe her orientation didn't run that way. It's a mystery to me. And the people going about their way in the background...they must have been extras, too, because what could possibly take precedence over a CF interview in their midst. I would have to find a spot off to the side to be a voyeur. -- Those close-ups were making me kinda dizzy with the MTV shots. -- Loved the way he pronounced renaissance. -- Watching the movie clips, I was again completely entranced with how great his hair looked. Besotted, really. ;-D

Sandi, thanks for the heads up today for the show!

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the Q & A interview. Very cute. Please forgive my ignorance but what is NC? Britany would never be the same after a date with Mr. Grant. I don't feel he's THAT religious. But in reality would Ms. Bullock stand for that? I love CF in button-downs too. Sexier than T-s.

(FanPam)Please forgive my ignorance but what is NC? NC is the title of the book (New Cardiff) that Colin's next film is based on(HS). They changed the title-why? I don't know.

closing tags

(Audiogirl) i'm wondering about the motel scene where Mandy starts to undress. That scene must have been filmed in some form, since CF mentioned it in an interview. I wonder how far it'll actually go. Colin (Ware) definitely followed Mandy's lead - that's how she found out that he forgot to bring any underwear with him to America (which later led to Vera's line about zippers and private parts). It was a sweet and funny novel, I enjoyed reading it, and I can absolutely see DB in the role, but it didn't seem like the story had enough depth or breadth to make a memorable film. Plus, it doesn't help that Charles Webb is basically a recluse and refused to do any interviews or other promotion when the book came out. It must not have been widely read (except by Firthettes), or they wouldn't have changed the title of the film. Oh, and Karen, great job on the web page for the film! I love the book's cover image with CF's face attached! Anybody else rooting for a strong breeze to come along and blow the leaf away? :-D

I've put up (and linked all over the place) a new webpage at The Bucket called The Marketplace (or should it be called The Bucket Boutique???), where there are direct links for all of Colin's tapes, DVD, related books, etc. (plus related items) to purchase from Amazon. Using these links, Spring will earn some money. If there are other items you'd like added or would like me to create the direct link for you, just let me know. Now, start shopping!! ;-D

The Bucket Boutique???) Yes. It's less common than the Marketplace.

I like the Bucket Boutique too. Just ordered SIL DVD.-thanks Karen for this one-stop shopping.

(Moon) It's less common than the Marketplace. And we don't like being considered common, do we? ;-) Thanks ladies for the input. I'll change it.

Thanks Karen. I clicked on Amazon via Spring and got: /ASIN/B00005A1TT/spring-20/automatically. So Spring did get credit for my non- Firth book order. Cool.Will tell relatives.

I've renamed the page and the link, so you'll find The Bucket's Boutique at: http://www.firth.com/boutiq.html

The Bucket's Boutique Mo' better than 'The Bucket Boutique'. The latter sounds as though you're selling something you'd use to clean your floor. ;-P

Karen, The Bucket Boutique is really great! Very convenient. What about a link for New Cardiff? Surely I'm not the only one in the world who hasn't read it and would like some familiarity with the story before Hope Springs comes out.

Happy Birthday to me!!! Thank you Karen, just went to The Bucket Boutique and bought myself all the movies on the list I didn't have yet. Can't wait for them to come. Was surprised that Londinium was not listed. Any news on that? Great Idea!! Am so excited, and happy to help Drool. Thank you ladies for clearing up NC for me.

Mo' better than 'The Bucket Boutique'. The latter sounds as though you're selling something you'd use to clean your floor. ;-P I don't know. Aren't we supposed to pronounce it "bouquet" in order to keep up appearances? :)

Grrr. closing tags, sorry!

FYI: At the Angelika is on this Fri. at 7:30pm est--you can check IFC.com to be sure. As for NC--my hopes are for a good kiss in the begining, then I'll be more hopeful (used a lot of 'hope' there, possibly why they changed title...) of a towel scene. BTW, there is a lot of "socks" discussion in the book if I remember.

Another thought---in that "Wedding" picture--it seems, Bingley had a strange,er,gosh can't think of how to put it....but you all know what I mean. In my recent reviewing, I came to a new admiration for his thighs (does that sound like a song title?... esp. in the scene after the wet shirt, when showing the grounds of his estate). :*)

CROTCHOLOGY 101: lesson 1. Measuring

(Eileen) The latter sounds as though you're selling something you'd use to clean your floor. ;-P (Odile) Aren't we supposed to pronounce it "bouquet" in order to keep up appearances? :) I know I do! Although they probably do sell mops and Spin N Span at Amazon too. ;-D Thanks Dorine for the suggestion. I've added NC to the listing and we do better with books than vids, etc. Love the diagram, Amy. Now where are those exotic measures the Italian tailor used? Insole to buttock? ;-D

Never learned to sew. Was never interested...until now. Might take up lessons and do a special degree that requires submission of thesis. Mine will be on : "Assessment of impact of male *form* on costume pattern-making during Regency period. Pilot project and intensive examination of male model with impressive experience in wearing Regency costumes."

All was quiet yesterday-guess everyone was out looking for textbooks and deciding on their theses. Looks like we're off to a new start today. Thanks, Amy for that image. For my thesis, I'm thinking... Exploration of male dressing problems,limited to the left/right/right/left/middle positions in all costume periods with special emphasis on the Regency period. Also to be explored in this paper-the effect of Roman tailors of small stature and their impact in this area of study. How does that sound Dorine?

We'll probably have to run these past LD and find out how much hands-on exploration she'll allow for the sake of academic research. ;-D

Is LD, La Dottoressa? Let's not get too complicated. He's a big boy (or so the theory of the hands go), ;-) I'm sure he can handle our well meaning Firthettes. BTW, once you are all done fitting and dressing, I'll take him on a "walk" inspection. ;-)

I'd rather take him out for a "test drive" ;-D

I'm mulling over my thesis topic. Considering either a comparison of various breeches cuts on male figures, (have several subjects in mind for use as subjects in research and analysis) or, the effect of various breeches styles upon the female libido. Will need female volunteers for this research, ladies please sign up below! Karen , love the BB but please look on the main Drool page and correct the spelling...............

Karen, the BB is great! You did a great job setting it up...as usual! Glad to know our obsession and purchases thereof can add to drool (and our drooling ;-D). Since I ordered more than one item, I clicked "back" to BB to make sure drool got credit each time. Do I need to do that, for the future, or is the first click on BB enough? Or maybe you already explained this and I didn't know what was being explained because I hadn't noticed BB on the main drool page or gone to it yet. :-0

(Karen)I'd rather take him out for a "test drive" That's fine-right after I fire up the engine;D (Moon)I'll take him on a "walk" inspection I'm sure you two will let me know if I need to re-adjust my measurements! As far as LD is concerned-all for the sake of vital educational research-I'm sure she'll understand. She should be in a good mood this week as tomorrow is their anniversary.

Glad to help you all with the homework. Am preparing a handout as required and essential for the class--can be purchased through campus bookstore (i.e. the bucket). Thimbles not included.

Very nice topics everyone! It sounds like we're in for some stimulating reading! Also, you realize that dissertations are usually defended.....orally! ;-D For my thesis, I'm leaning toward....Analysis of the factors affecting males regarding positioning in breeches including, but not limited to, personal preference, female preference, type and intensity of various activities, and origin and style of tailor. Data will be gathered through a variety of methods: Anecdotal reports, personal observation, and hands-on. (Amy) Thimbles not included I don't think financial aid will cover this. I'll have to work extra hours to afford this. Or go without eating. Argh! I already went through this once. ;-)

I think this needed a slight adjustment... Analysis of the factors affecting the decision making process for males regarding positioning in breeches including, but not limited to: personal preference, female preference, type and intensity of various activities, and origin and style of tailor. (Lisa) Will need female volunteers for this research, ladies please sign up below! Ok! Done. Sorry it's a tad illegible. I was in such a hurry to sign up, I forgot the bucket to catch my drooling.

Thought I'd bring this over here from 160: (Colin on self as channeled through Mari) The flick is mediocre at best, but damn, I look hot in it!:-) But she didn't post the *hottest* pics, which IMO are: The Lean: (Lora) Do I need to do that, for the future, or is the first click on BB enough? I'm pretty sure that when you shop after the fact (or link), the rebate percentage is less. (Dorine) Data will be gathered through a variety of methods: Anecdotal reports, personal observation, and hands-on. You might want to contact Catherine of Empire online to assist with the empirical. She'd probably be more than willing. (Amy) Thimbles not included Pfft! And thank goodness they are not. Nothing comes between me and my study materials.

(Minkee) Mine will be on : "Assessment of impact of male *form* on costume pattern-making during Regency period. Pilot project and intensive examination of male model with impressive experience in wearing Regency costumes." As your thesis advisor is sure to point out, you may wind up with someone like Sam West as the focal point of your study given the criteria. ;-D

Hi all, I let Karen know that I have FEW new DVD sets of "LOST EMPIRES" for sale at the price of 45.00, which includes shipping in the continental US. The bucket will also recieve a commission on it. for all those interested, email me. sandi

(Karen) But she didn't post the *hottest* pics LOL, Karen, these women are about to spontaneously combust here, as it is! Mmmm . . . yum yum and triple yum. Damn, I think that Illinois sun agreed with him!:-)

Awwww, that doorway lean and the city hipster-organic boy clothes. You just know that Jess is trouble, big trouble, as soon as he shows up at the picnic. Unfortunately, and you may all throw cushions at me if you like, ATA is the one I have to watch with the sound turned off! Sad but true. FWIW, there's a special tool now that produces a superior result for the measurement known as "crotch depth". It's an interesting device, firm but flexible, that holds its shape and can be traced before it's released to use again. For true fit, crotch depth must be recorded from both the front and the rear. It's hard to make the true inseam measurement impersonal, though. You pretty much have no choice but to get down on your knees. The subject often must be told to relax and stand naturally, with both feet on the floor for accuracy. And he usually can't help but look down at what you're doing, which shortens the assessment considerably. Sewing is fun. ;)

(Elizabeth)". It's an interesting device, firm but flexible, that holds its shape eh, the crotch or the device? Just kidding-I'll order one it might come in handy for my research. Just want all of you to know I'm ready to volunteer on all projects-even though I am working on my own. There is no such thing as too much in education. (Mari)yum yum and triple yumDitto!

Has anyone seen the new TIOBE ad in today's papers? Rupie has been excised; it's just Colin (looking magnifico!) surrounded by Reese and Frances who have their hands on him. Lucky goils . . .;-)

Forgot this: they've added a big-deal 21 screens, so we're now over the 200 mark. Supposedly, will be 250 next weekend.

Great to hear that TIOBE is still going strong! I thought Rupie was the main attraction! Looking ahead, there was an item on the radio about BBC Films. The "Sylvia and Ted" movie was mentioned...starts shooting in the Autumn, BAFTA winning director, producer did "Elizabeth", GP to play Sylvia and CF "tipped" to play Ted Hughes. Hope this comes off - dramatically, it will take some beating. "Big Fat Liar" starring CF's "daughter" Amanda Byrnes opens here next week. It's actually getting good reviews...good family entertainment etc, and, given that most schoolkids are finishing their exams (and we're out of the World Cup!) it could do well.

(Bethan) I thought Rupie was the main attraction! Things change. ;-D

(Bethan) I thought Rupie was the main attraction! (Karen)Things change. ;-D Indeed they do and due to all the TV appearances that ODB did; across the board to programs that appeal a crossection of demographics.He's *The Man*! BTW, I'm just now catching up with some of the interviews that I didn't get. Let me tell ya! that VHS 1 Cast Party is a must-see for all Colin fans. No transcript can do it justice. You have to see him saying the lines. Relaxed, sipping white wine,actually enjoying himself. He's come a loooong way from the BJD promos. And I haven't even gotten to the Jon Stewart interview and The Angelika. A real joy to watch many times. Beg, borrow or steal this one.

(Mari)... they've added a big-deal 21 screens, so we're now over the 200 mark. Supposedly, will be 250 next weekend. Don't forget the subtractions. The western wind is no longer blowing fair and now TIOBE is gone. :-( Can someone please explain how not showing a movie is a good way to make money?

Aishling emailed to say there's a mention of AG in Baz's column today. She didn't have time to type it up, but it says that Anna Chancellor is playing CF's wife and Christina Cole as Amanda Bynes British half-sister. If there's a half-sister, then Colin's character would have to have been remarried. So goes the fiancee angle and bringing both parents back together again (a la Parent Trap). It could well be that Kelly Preston might *really* been done filming in England. If anyone in the UK can run out and get the Daily Mail and post the full blurb, I'm sure we'd all like to see it.

Mari, thanks for the heads-up on the new ad. You neglected to mention the headline and copy: EVERYBODY LOVES 'EARNEST'! [ed: sorry, but they really did use that] IT'S SEXY, IT'S ENTERTAINING, IT'S THE SMARTEST COMEDY OF THE SUMMER! Colin does look yummy. But this ad implies possibilities that do not exist in the film--two women competing for Colin (well, who wouldn't?) or even a menage-a-trois. Reminds me of the off-plot ads for Ideal Husband, which made it look as if the Rupie was the ideal husband (as in catch of the year), and a bunch of women were trying to snag him and drag him to the altar. (Elizabeth S)Unfortunately, and you may all throw cushions at me if you like, ATA is the one I have to watch with the sound turned off! Sad but true. No cushions from this quarter. He's AFG in that movie, but the accent! When he does an American accent, not only does he flatten the vowels, he flattens his whole voice. It loses that magical resonance. He also overpronounces the R's that are not pronounced with in a Brit accent. This bothered me when I saw 3 DOR, too.

(Karen), If there's a half-sister, then Colin's character would have to have been remarried. So goes the fiancee angle and bringing both parents back together again (a la Parent Trap). This is surprise. We really don't know anything about this film, do we? Maybe it's all about making her a debutante? *coughs*gags* :-( (Kate), When he does an American accent, not only does he flatten the vowels, he flattens his whole voice. It loses that magical resonance. And that's what makes ATA unwatchable for me. (Amy), Am preparing a handout as required and essential for the class--can be purchased through campus bookstore (i.e. the bucket). This would be a fun read at Le Bouquet. Keep that in mind ladies. ;-) (Caribou), Don't forget the subtractions. The western wind is no longer blowing fair and now TIOBE is gone. :-( True. It has gone from 4 theatres to one "exclusively" showing it in my area. Good thing that one is close to me.

I checked with Yahoo Movies, and TIOBE has lost two locations in my area. I plugged in zipcode much further out and nothing, plus one, way downstate and got nothing. Not terribly scientific or accurate, but two reels have departed for points west. Maybe they're the ones near Evelyn now. ;-D

well rats rats rats!!! I have just looked in hopes that I would find a theater playing TIOBE closer to my home, only to find that the ONLY THEATER playing is not anymore!!! My whole state is now HIGH AND DRY. Should have gone every day instad of just twice! I guess I should count my lucky stars though!!

(Sandi) My whole state is now HIGH AND DRY Was it not the latter for the longest time anyway? ;-D

AG in Daily Mail... Only got a moment, but the new bit is.. Firth, who plays a hotshot British politician whose comfortable life is changed dramatically when his unknown daughter tracks him down. Anna Chancellor plays his wife, AB plays the title character, and Christina Cole her British half-sister. Director Dennie Gordon has been shooting the film in London and the Home Counties. Eileen Atkins, Sylvia Sims and Jonathan Pryce also star." BTW, CF also features with JE in this week's Radio Times....BBC2 is re-showing P&P, starting on Saturday. (Will be interesting to see Mr Darcy and Miss Bingley together!) The Daily Mail also has an item on Gwyneth Paltrow...apparently she won't work again with Aaron Eckhart (Possession)...personal hygiene problems! No such problem with CF, I'm sure!

I guess this is a bad time to note that they've added screens in my area--it's even playing in one of the beach towns (v.v. smart as we NJ-ers head "down the shore" this time of year:-) It's still a net gain of screens overall, even if the original group has shifted around a bit. Small consolation for anyone going without, though. Sandi, where do you live?? (Bethan)Hope this comes off - dramatically, it will take some beating. How so, Bethan? Indeed they do and due to all the TV appearances that ODB did; across the board to programs that appeal a crossection of demographics.He's *The Man*! Agreed, he did himself a big favor by being front and center on the publicity for this one. Well received no matter what show he was on, always came across as bright, funny, and just plain nice. Now, what he does with the higher profile next is up to him. (Moon)Maybe it's all about making her a debutante? *coughs*gags* :-( Gagging here also. The "I'm trying to get my folks back together" aspect was the only part that gave me hope for some great leading man romantic type scenes for CF. Let's hope Baz is wrong about the wife. "Big Fat Liar" got good reviews here too, Bethan, and did well at the box office. Pegged as a smart teen flick, not a gross-out affair.