Sarah Louise falls in love with yet another Costume Drama...

Lady Jane Grey, played by Helena Bonham Carter, is delightful. I remember reading the movie review in Seventeen when I was, um, well, young. So imagine my delight when, pawing through the movies at Goodwill today, I found a factory sealed copy of the flick, with Helena BC and Cary Elwes on the cover. And hey, since I'm still nursing my flu/cold/whatever this is, I took the afternoon to watch it. So begins the obssession.

The process is a predictable one, if you've lived through it as many times as I have.

1. I watch a movie (insert here: Man with the Iron Mask, Lady Jane, --it's not only historical movies, as I unravel it..--Picture Perfect, Titanic, The Cutting Edge)
2. I go to imdb.com and read the plot, the memorable quotes, the external reviews.
3. If it's historical, I visit websites that tell me the accuracy or inaccuracy of the events as portrayed in the film
4. If it's not, but, say, has a great soundtrack, I track down songs. Picture Perfect didn't have a soundtrack release, but I loved the song that was its theme, "Tell me How to Catch a Fish" by Jane Kelly Phillips. I actually purchased a used copy of her CD, Tapping the Wheel, which as a whole wasn't that great, but the song is really great and works well within the movie.
5. I watch the movie over and over and over again, to the point where I can quote large portions.
6. Repeat.

So, if the story of Lady Jane interests you, here are some links:

Lady Jane Grey: An Unhappy Childhood

LJG: The Nine Day Queen (the following two links are actually derived from this link)

LJG: The Bibliography

A list of the historical inaccuracies in the movie

In some ways, (and I know Joke will nail me here) Lady Jane seemed a response to A man for all seasons, which admittedly I saw on stage when I was Catholic for a year. At the time, I believed that the RCC was THE Church, and so I sided with Thomas More. But as a Protestant, watching Lady Jane, I have to say, she had a few good points there.

It is all sooo twisted and so easily man makes God political. That is all.

I respect the work that went into making Lady Jane a Protestant utopian view of what could have happened had Lady Jane loved her husband. It was a historical romance. Some history, some romance. And yes, as many have and will continue to say, a success as a chick flick. So sue me, I'm a chick that likes a chick flick now and then (and again and again.)

Oh, and in case you don't have the patience or desire to wade through the details, the lady who became queen after Jane was Mary, but not Mary Queen of Scots.

*****

Still sneezing. When I woke up this morning, I thought, this is the last day. Now I'm not so sure. But tomorrow IS the last Mother Goose program until April, so I'll have to go in for that.

*****

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with my radiator! The hose was positioned incorrectly and they checked it and it's fine now. WOO HOO!! But my poor car needs a bath, big time!