Tuesday, March 08, 2005

“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.”

The Movie: The Graduate, 1967 (Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, screenwriters, from the novel by Charles Webb; Mike Nichols, dir.)
Who says it: Dustin Hoffman as recent college graduate Benjamin Braddock
The context: Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), a friend of his parents’ and mother of the beautiful Elaine (Katharine Ross), is trying to seduce him.
How to use it: When a friend is trying to talk you into something that’s against your better judgment.

You know what's scary to me about this movie? Anne Bancroft was 36 when she made it. Thirty-six. By the standards of her day, she was middle-aged. And I'm... never mind.

The other day, Anna asked me, "Do you feel spring in the air?" "Uh... sure," I answered, following Rule #1 for a peaceful life, which is, "Never Argue with the Deranged."

But I was curious, so I asked what these alleged signs of spring might be.

"It's the way the snow feels soft, and the way the wind doesn't hurt any more," she said, and I had to admit that I had noticed these things.

It was a cruel trick. We're supposed to get between 10 and 18 inches of snow overnight, with windchills as low as 10 below zero (yes, Fahrenheit, not some wimpy Celsius 10 below).

To add insult to injury, Anna and Tarren leave for Florida this afternoon.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Everyone on this continent should watch tonight's series premiere of "Blind Justice," which my friend Gary directed. I don't care if you think it's a cheesy premise -- the pilot is quality television, Ron Eldard is most attractive, and the dog's really cool.

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