Smiles of Midsummer

It’s August and summer’s in full swing—

— and I’m reminded of this sentiment by Jane Austen (a totally girly point of view) —  “What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”
  

And this different point of view by writer Henry James —

“Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me these have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

Mid-summer also brings to mind two wonderful films.  “Smiles of a Summer Night by Ingmar Bergman.  A screwball tragic-comedy in which the laws of attraction — 

—love, and the transience of human yearning are cleverly woven together. 

If you haven’t seen it, you can rent it on Netflix!

And another one of my favorites:  A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Max Reinhardt, with choreography in the Duncan style by Bronislava Nijinska.  Pure magic and totally gorgeous in black and white —  This image is of Anita Louise as the faery queen Titania. 

Here’s the poster from the film’s opening in 1935.  Film is also available on Netflix!

And of course there’s always Paris in summer.  When it sizzles of course!

 

 

 

Posted: August 3rd, 2009 under Uncategorized.

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