Brighton Bard no.17

Historical Films

Daily Star alternative:

Was Queen Anne the first advocate of 'Going Gay for May'? (post 16)

Interior Cinema: 2019

Brian and Sheila are 65 years old. They are at their weekly ‘Silver screen’ film showing enjoying the free biscuits – a winner whatever your age, even if it is a custard cream.

They are seeing ‘Green Book’, fresh from Oscar success and are waiting for it to start.

Brian

Just remind me, what are we watching again?

Sheila sighs wearily. It is a common question from Brian just before the start of any film they go and see or indeed anything they watch on T.V.

Sheila

It is about a black musician touring the deep south

who hires a white driver to drive and protect him.

Brian nods.

The deep south…?

Sheila

Of America.

Brian nods again.

Sheila

In 1962.

Brian

Got it.

A chauffeur-love story.

They sit in silence for a moment, Sheila can sense Brian is ‘thinking’ about the film.

Sheila

Brian, do you have any more questions

before the film starts because

I’m not repeating what happened when we watched

'Mary, Queen of Scots'.

Brian

I loved that film!

Sheila

Throughout the film, you kept on asking me where

Katherine of Aragon was and why wasn’t she doing more

to save her daughter.

Brian

That is the only ‘Mary’ I knew!

And why would you keep calling your

first cousin once removed

‘a sister’ all the time!

Sheila

Then there was ‘The Favourite’.

Brian

What?!

Oh come on,

no one knew anything about

or even had heard of Queen Anne before that film.

Let alone that she was an advocate of ‘Going Gay for May’.

Sheila

And the ‘Les Miserables’ mini-series?

Brian

Oh yes, the missing famous line of ‘Let them eat cake’.

Sheila

Because that was from a different French revolution.

Brian

A simple 5 point fact sheet handed out before seeing

any historical drama, in fact anything, in the cinema

or at home would benefit everybody.

Think how lost you were, whilst watching the

Brian Cox ‘Wonders of Life’ series.

Sheila

That is not the same Brian.

The whole universe was lost during that series.

But I do take your point, a family tree or a quick

historical recap. would be useful for lots of films.

And we could definitely do with one for next week.

Brian

Why? What are we seeing?

Sheila

Captain Marvel.