Mash, the tv show, I never cared for at all. I saw enough to know the characters, Alan Alda as a surgeon, a female medical person, a radio operator and a grumpy old boss person. Maybe it is a show I would enjoy more now, being of the age where I can pick up nuances that I never noticed when I was young. What you say? There were no nuances?
Alan Alda will be in Australia next week, to promote science and scientist communication with the public. This is an aspect of Alda I did not know and good on him. Let me warn you now, Alan Alda is now quite old and unlike most aging US actors, he looks quite old. He also looks very wise.
It brought me to thinking about one of my most favourite films, Same Time Next Year. Briefly, Alda's character and another married female character played by Ellen Burstyn had a one night stand when they met at a work conference when they were in their twenties. While this nor what subsequently happened ever threatened their respective marriages so far as they were concerned, they agreed to meet every year for a weekend or whatever for a time of lust. Their annual encounters became much more than just a sexual meeting and it was just a most wonderful film.
Wouldn't it be nice to able to switch on someone who you really liked and were sexually compatible with for one day or weekend a year. Forget about guilt or other complications. This thought is something simple, wonderful and sustaining, but it's a bit too late for me to find such a person.
Ok, yes a photo improves a blog post. I hope the movie hasn't aged too much, so if you haven't seen it and have the chance, do so.
Andrew a photo makes a post more interesting
ReplyDeleteGosia, just as well then, as my post might be quite boring.
DeleteNo it depends on what you write
DeleteI like the sound of that film. In fact I like the sound of the plot. Too late now though!
ReplyDeleteAh Marie, you made me laugh.
DeleteIt does sound like a wonderful idea. And add me to the too late list.
ReplyDeleteEC, is there going to be lots of what might have beens to follow?
DeleteNever too late, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteI afraid it is Victor.
Deletethe moment you got to 'Alda' I thought of that sweet film.
ReplyDeletenot that I condone adultery. If you like STNY you will also enjoy The Four Seasons he wrote and directed, same era, about couples who have annual hols together, all reacting to one of them splitting up and the man bringing his Young Squeeze on the trip. 1970's movies were into that groove a bit.
Alda played a politician in the last series of The West Wing that I followed.
Ann, after reading your link, thanks, I may well have seen the movie. It seems Alda's politics may lie in the other direction to that of the character who he played in WW.
DeleteWhen I met my then-boyfriend now-husband in 1969, I agreed to marry him straight away. But within a year or two, I wanted to marry Alan Alda *sigh*. Alda was the man most committed to feminism I had ever met, plus the most handsome and clever. Needless to say I saw every MASH episode ever made.
ReplyDeleteHowever this very week I saw a small amount of a MASH episode where the American doctors were screaming at Korean women for speaking gobbledy gook (meaning Korean) on a nation "run by" the American army. How our values have changed!!!
Hels, how lovely. He does seem like a good man.
DeleteI can well imagine the same thing as you describe happening now.
I *love* Alan Alda. He wrote some books which I happen to own and they are brilliant. I also grew up watching MASH, which was a truly great show in my opinion. His character was so funny on the show, but he could make me cry instantly when he got serious.
ReplyDeleteHe was brilliant as the Republican candidate on The West Wing but of course after all my years of being a fan of his, I knew he would be. If only we could somehow transmute his awesomeness into an actual candidate to kick Trumps ass!
One of the bloggers I read - Ken Levine - was a writer on MASH, also too.
Snoskred, you are not saying 'too late' yourself! I don't know how such a man flew under my radar for so long.
DeleteI have seen Same Time Next Year and I wasn't at all impressed with it. I like Alan Alda, and still watch M.A.S.H. on weekdays at 6.30pm.
ReplyDeleteAlan Alda was also in The Blacklist for a few episodes, he got killed off by having his head blown up :)
I believe he is 70+ years old now and here he is still travelling around, coming to Australia. I won't get to see him of course, but I'm sure there will be a short news item.
River, he was on 730 last night. I did not even MASH was an acronym. Military Army something Hospital?
DeleteMobile Army Surgical Hospital
DeleteSuch a show off!
DeleteSounds perfect none of the problems and all of the fun.I too like Alan Alda but was not a fan of M.A.S.H.
ReplyDeleteMerle.........
Merle, it strikes me as being so romantic and uncomplicated.
DeleteI remember that film and yes it was interesting how their lives went on in between each visit and yet their relationship never waivered. A kind of intimacy that far surpasses the sexual nature of a dirty weekend each year.
ReplyDeleteCarol, thanks. I knew it got past the dirty weekend stage but I did not known how to express it. Intimacy, such a nice word.
DeleteMy folks were obsessed with MASH, which rather put me off it... the first time Alan Alda really caught my attention was in The Seduction of Joe Tynan, with Barbara Harris and Meryl Streep.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that he has always been a fervent feminist hasn't hurt my opinion at all.
Cranky, I rather like the sound of that movie too. He was a bit of a dull interview subject in what I saw last night, but that made him seem all the more impressive. He answered questions, but did not perform.
DeleteI remember this movie! I enjoyed it too:)
ReplyDeleteSandra, I suppose it would still hold up now... not sure.
DeleteI'm not a fan of American TV shows but every now and then a gem comes along, Mash was brilliant. Hmmm! I don't think I've seen the movie you mentioned Andrew must look out for it, add me to the list of 'it's never too late' :)
ReplyDeleteGrace, I suppose it could be consider one of the very early chick flicks. Never too late Grace? Oh dear.
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