Get me to the church on time

Chronic insomnia is back with a vengence and I know enough of the reason behind it not to try fighting it stupidly, like the last round of several months. So, that means a lot of movies and quite a bit of reading books. Pretty much nothing new, at least for a week or so, though, either in the movie or books category.

I watched the first two movies in the list below; Harold Lloyd and Cary Grant are my go to guys when I need a little visual TLC. Of course, even as I'm watching, I'm thinking about the similar themes of boy (man) trying to dissuade girl (woman) from marrying another person. Turns out, there's a good number of movies we have that fall into that theme. I know what I'll be watching for the next few days.

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So, starting chronologically, here we have Harold, bumbling and stumbling (and also stuttering, for good measure) as always. When I was a little girl, I thought he was the cutest guy ever and it took a while before I realized he had already died before I was ever born.

And, yes, they were doing the grand disruption of the ceremony long before Benjamin tried it.

Girl Shy (1925)



I love The Philadelphia Story as a play; as a movie, I have a really hard time with Katherine Hepburn in the leading female role. Possibly because her role in The African Queen is so spot on (including with the character's description from the book), that I just have a hard time associating her with anything that has a sense of frivolousness about it.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)



I still can't get over how explosive the end of this movie is--oh, I don't mean the scene in the church, although that certainly is animated. I mean the bus ride and all the intensity of everything that isn't being said but is being thought--or is it?--by Elaine and Benjamin. I love the flicker of emotions that come and go so fast in their eyes. Great, great scene.

The Graduate (1967)



Okay, love it or hate it, there are two scenes in The Princess Bride that are just funny. One is the 'Pit of Despair' with Mel Smith, and the other is this one. Of course, my sister's best friend and I almost passed out from stifling our fit of giggles at my sister's wedding when the guy marrying her and my brother-in-law started out with, "Marriage..."

(I don't know what you mean about the dirty champagne glasses that were found all over the girls' changing room. That was our story and we are sticking to it.)

And, really, is there a better way to disrupt a wedding than using a lovable giant wrapped in a cloak? I think not.

The Princess Bride (1987)



I do not like particularly care for Drew Barrymore or Adam Sandler. But this movie I tolerate, for all its cheesiness, for its excellent supporting cast and, of course, the genius decision to use the 80s as its backdrop.

The Wedding Singer (1998)