Two notable follow-ups to last week’s overpuffed movie post have rolled in. One fills out the story of the time Carmela Soprano met Charles Foster Kane:
Belatedly read your over-praised movie post in which you cite the Citizen Kane scene from The Sopranos. Carmela hasn’t chosen Kane randomly–the film club she has set up is going to go through the AFI 100 Greatest Movies list in order. Which, of course, sets up a great gag in a following episode, when the girls are back together and can’t watch #2, Casablanca, because Tony has taken the AV equipment. Carmela says that she “didn’t feel like watching Casablanca anyway” and someone asks what the next movie on the list is. Janice picks up the piece of paper to read, “The Godfather.” The looks on their faces are priceless.
I’d forgotten the exact circumstances, which much improve the vignette. Thanks to Tosy and Cosh for the rest of the story.
Regarding The Natural, a reader conveys a terrific anecdote from a Michael Farber story in this week’s Sports Illustrated:
Tim Hudson said of [Braves rookie outfielder Jeff] Francoeur, “He’s like Roy Hobbs. I’m wainting for him to come out of the bullpen and start striking guys out, throwing 98 [mph]. Or to start hitting bombs lefthanded.” Francoeur was born the year The Natural hit theaters, but he knows Hudson’s reference is to the guy who goes light-tower at the end of the film. Told that in Bernard Malamud’s novel the tragic Hobbs strikes out, the rookie laughs and booms, “That’s why books suck!”
And that’s why I’m no athlete!