Film: Bachelor Mother

For tonight, what came up tops was a Ginger Rogers film - the BFI is doing a season of her films, All That Sass, lasting until the 29th. This one is a comedy called Bachelor Mother - daring for 1939, it has her as a single mother! Mind you, in her case, she finds the baby abandoned outside an orphanage.. also stars David Niven, and Charles Coburn as his father, her boss. Also a late one, which was just as well, as it gave me more time to work.

So, I got a fair bit done, before heading off at 7. Arrived at O' Neill's at maybe 7.15 - downstairs was full, but upstairs pretty empty. (I'd beaten rush hour - tons of large tables arrived right after.) As he showed me to a table, he recognised me - and pointed out that the menu had changed. NO MORE KATSU!! Ah, bummer - he suggested the replacement, chicken tikka masala, but no, I'm pretty sick of that. Had a pretty mediocre gammon steak instead - with a steak knife, yet. First time I've been given one for gammon - but it was just as well, since it was a bit tough. At least the onion rings are still good - also just as well, because, not to put too fine a point on it, the chips were shite. I left a substantial portion of them. Honestly, I probably won't be back - pity, but then I have several alternatives now. Hey, it's over a month since I was last here, anyway..

A cold wait, then, for the bus - and I just made it in time for the film. As I hurried in, the usher explained how a little red light at the end of each row had the row letter on it - mine was the row whose light was broken! With the lights off, for the actual seat number, I just had to count..

So, the BFI always distributes info sheets at the films it shows - I picked up this film's sheet afterwards. And I see that this was Ginger Roger's foray into real acting, as opposed to just dancing. Sure enough, she doesn't do much dancing in this - there are a couple of token dance scenes, for her longterm fans, I guess. As for David Niven, it was his first comic role.

And it is really funny! Not "funny for its time", or "making allowances for when it's set" - these folks could settle quite happily into contemporary society - or we into theirs. Several people in the cinema laughed out loud throughout - including me. As the film sheet said, it's a topic that lends itself to farce - but the genius of this film is that it plays it straight. The acting is excellent, the comic timing superb - this is a real tonic. Delighted to have seen it! and what a contrast from last night..

For tomorrow, I've booked For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide.. at the Apollo. I have a front-row seat in the Dress Circle - now, I seem to remember ridiculously tight legroom, here - so I'm at the end of a row, and Seatplan says it'll be OK if I lean forward.. Just a couple of days ago, they asked me to "check in", and thereupon sent me my ticket..

On Thursday, I'm with TAC for a talk on Arab & Islamic Roots of Europe's Architecture, at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for The Secret Life of Bees, at the Almeida - no seats left in the stalls, when I booked! Seatplan made me wary of the cheapest seats, so I'm in the next bracket up..

And next Tuesday, back with Over 40 Living the Life, for dinner at the Greenwich Yacht Club again. Well, it was good last time - good food, cheap prices, good company. Five of us going so far..