X-Men: Cats edition

I give you X-Men: Cats! First up, Wolverine Cat:



And Cyclops Cat:

Murder on the Home Front - this Sunday on PBS!

This is another film I feel as though I've been waiting ages for PBS to air -- Murder on the Home Front, based on the wartime memoirs of Molly Lefebure. It's slated to air this Sunday following Downton Abbey, but check local listings to confirm!

Grimm: Love Is in the Air

This is adorable.

Downton Abbey Series 4, Part 6

Source: Pinterest link via Masterpiece

I know there's been some controversy over the quality of this season of Downton Abbey, but on balance (poor Anna's shocker of a storyline aside) this is shaping up to be one of my favorite seasons. I know this probably isn't a popular viewpoint, but Matthew Who? *wink* Sure, there have been some storylines that have worn thin (i.e., anything involving Rose), but on balance I think the show has done an excellent job moving Downton forward into the brave new world of the 1920's.

This installment opens with an urgent missive from Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) mother, requesting Robert's (Hugh Bonneville) presence in America ASAP in order to lend some sort of English aristocratic credibility to his embattled brother-in-law. (And it turns out I was right about his involvement in the Teapot Dome Scandal! High school history FTW!) Robert is all "do I HAVE to go?" and Cora is all "you're the BEST HUSBAND EVER if you do," so of course, powerless to resist his wife's charms off he goes to make plans to leave for America (no small feat in 1923 either). (Side note: I love Robert & Cora's marriage, but perhaps never more so than this season. Well done, Fellowes.)

But Robert being Robert wouldn't leave for America without his valet, placing Bates (Brendan Coyle) in the horrifically awkward position of leaving Anna (Joanne Froggatt) just as they're trying to recover, or resigning his position without notice or explanation, leaving him likely without a reference. Anna attempts to put a brave face on the situation, insisting he go, but when Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) learns of the plans she takes matters into her own hands and goes to Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) to plead Anna's case. And so Mary has to be told of the horror Anna has endured, and she immediately goes to her father, convincing him to take Thomas (Rob James-Collier) to America in Bates's stead.

Mary has gotten a lot of flak over the course of this series -- most of it undeserved in my view -- for being too stand-offish. But underneath her public persona is, I believe, an extraordinarily caring woman who feels very deeply about her family, home, and friends. And it is never more apparent than here of just how much she values Anna, as she tries to cross the boundaries of class and employment to offer her support and friendship. I LOVED that.

Of course Thomas thinks he's won the friggin' lottery when he receives the news that he's going to America. This apparently puts him in an expansive mood as he's rather nice to Jimmy (Ed Speleers), making some off-hand comment about how he hopes the footman, thwarted in his pursuit of Ivy (Cara Theobold), is stepping out with a nice "village girl" when he gets back. But then he has to go and ruin the illusion of niceness by charging Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) with finding out exactly WHY Bates is staying at Downton (clearly Thomas has never heard that saying about not looking a gift horse in the mouth...the ingrate :P). I have a terrible feeling that just WHY Baxter is -- apparently reluctantly -- in Thomas's power is an issue that is never going to be resolved. Oh well, c'est la vie!

After the family gathers to bid Robert a fond "bon voyage!," a very ill-looking Violet (Maggie Smith) quickly retreats back to her home, and Isobel (Penelope Wilton) bums a ride from Branson (Allen Leech) back to the village. I really enjoyed their exchange here -- both have been dealt heavy losses, but Isobel is really coming back to life now and uses this time to encourage Branson to do the same. She convinces him to attend a political lecture in nearby Ripon, and he agrees. However, she soon realizes she must cancel the engagement when she discovers just how sick Violet actually is, and SUPERHERO NURSE ISOBEL kicks into high gear, immediately summoning Dr. Clarkson (David Robb). He diagnoses bronchitis, and I had my doubts (because when has this man EVER been right??), but hey he turns out to be right for once, and charges Isobel with Violet's 24/7 nursing care in order to prevent pneumonia from setting in.

Props to Isobel here, because not only do she and Violet have a prickly relationship at the best of times, but she basically stays awake for something crazy like TWO DAYS, refusing any help because she views this as an opportunity to pay the Crawley family back for making her one of their own (or something to that effect, her exact quote escapes me now). When Violet finally turns the corner and realizes to whom she owes thanks for her care, her reaction is PRICELESS. I loved the scene where the two play cards, and Violet has this resigned look on her face, like "I am never ever EVER going to be able to get rid of this woman now." If the scripts start moving these two into reluctant BFF territory I will just die laughing...the comic possibilities are endless!

While Isobel is off nursing Violet, the rest of Downton (namely Mary) is concerned with the arrival of the PIGS! (This is not a euphemism for the lower-classes or anything like that, lol! ACTUAL PIGS!) Mary is all about this latest venture, which receives the hard-to-please Blake's (Julian Ovenden) support, though she's irked that he seems to feel all their efforts to make Downton a viable enterprise are doomed to fail. This episode succeeded in making Blake a viable and compelling potential love interest for Mary, developing into a classic case of pride versus prejudice. :) She thinks he's too egalitarian, wanting to see the old families fail, while he thinks she is too superior -- a privileged lady who is too aloof and knows what she wants but is unwilling to dirty her hands in order to see her plans succeed.

But oh how Mary proves him wrong. Following an intimate dinner consisting of just Mary, Blake, and Cora (isn't this COZY), Blake suggests they take a post-dinner stroll to check out the pigs (does he ever know how to woo a woman!). Mary agrees, but only because she's into the PIGS and not Blake, and she doesn't want to scandalize her mother by rudely refusing. But instead of marveling at Downton's latest additions, they discover the pigs NEARLY DEAD FROM DEHYDRATION!! I mean they had the pigs dropped off and then just left them there? (So maybe Blake has a point...) But there's no time like the present for a little TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISE, and the two unlikely allies join forces to haul water for the parched critters. This is EPIC...both of them covered in mud, Mary's gorgeous dress ruined, Blake all disbelief that she's doing this at all, and best of all, no one at the house is overly concerned that Mary is out all night at the pig sty with Blake. THAT cracked me up! So they've bonded, and she actually COOKS HIM EGGS (!!!) -- nearly giving Ivy a heart attack when she finds them in the kitchen -- and poor Napier (Brendan Patricks) is apparently left out in the cold for good. The guy cannot catch a break where Mary is concerned, can he? If they play this right, I think Blake could be an excellent match for Mary -- he has the backbone to challenge her but also, I think, to be an extremely supportive ally. It won't be easy, but goodness I think it could be worthwhile. *wink*

Now let's talk about Edith (Laura Carmichael) for a moment, shall we? The poor girl is still barely holding it together in the wake of the news that Gregson is still missing, and the confirmation of her pregnancy. Under the pretext of returning to London to check on business matters, she makes an appointment to obtain an illegal abortion. On the eve of the event she breaks down and confesses her secret to Rosamund (Samantha Bond). Rosamund urges her to reconsider -- what if Gregson returns? -- but Edith can see no way out of her situation, no way to live with the social stigma that would be branded on her were she to "go public" as an unwed mother. These scenes just broke my heart -- while Rosamund was an excellent mother figure, I do so wish Edith felt she could've confided in Cora -- that woman desperately wants to be there for her daughter. The two keep the appointment, but once they arrive and Edith overhears another sobbing patient, she finds she can't go through with it -- so she makes the choice to keep the baby. I foresee a trip to Europe in her future, and a carefully placed adoption, hmmm?

Rose (Lily James) accompanied Edith to London, all to -- surprise, surprise -- visit Jack Ross (Gary Carr). How these two developed such an intense romance in the pre-cell phone age is beyond me. I mean WHERE ARE THE SPARKS?! I've been fairly tolerant of Rose overall, but this episode she crossed all sorts of lines, pitching juvenile fits when Edith wants to cut short their London stay, or when Rosamund wants to know her plans...just ridiculous, super-annoying, childish behavior. This was the grating Rose that was first introduced in season three, well before that year's infamous Christmas special where she seemed so dialed back and borderline normal (for her age, at any rate). This over-the-top, hysterical, conniving version is SO ANNOYING. Please, please make it stop, Fellowes!

Wrapping things up, there is a whole subplot where Carson (Jim Carter), Mrs. Hughes, and Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) try to keep Alfred (Matt Milne) from visiting Downton because they don't want to deal with the conflict sure to arise from such a visit between Ivy and Daisy (Sophie McShera). I'm a bit over the whole "love triangle" thing between the three of them, but Carson, Mrs. Hughes, and Mrs. Patmore were HILARIOUS, making excuses about trying to nix his visit because they think they all have the flu or something. :) Of far more interest to me was seeing Branson attend the political lecture solo, where he has a "meet cute" with one Sarah Bunting (Daisy Lewis). I'd read that Lewis was cast as a potential love interest for Branson, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out -- politically-minded, and too cute for words in her smart ensemble? I see loads of possibilities here, Tom!

The episode ends on an ominous note as Gillingham (Tom Cullen) returns to Downton to make eyes at Mary or something (he is SO colorless when compared to Blake!), bringing along his scummy valet Green (Nigel Harmon). Poor Anna is unable to conceal her shock when she finds Green back in Downton's kitchen, and after he makes some comments about being unable to stand Dame Nellie's singing during his last stay, forcing him to leave the concert, Bates begins to put two and two together, and there's murder in his eyes. But honestly I think Green should be more afraid of Mrs. Hughes, as corners him in the boot room and gives him absolute hell, in full-on mama bear mode. She is NOT a woman to trifle with, that Mrs. Hughes!

Only two weeks left this season, can you believe it?!

*Photo copyright Masterpiece/ITV/Carnival Films. No copyright infringement intended.

Review: Whisper of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn

Whisper of Jasmine (City of Jasmine #0.5)
By: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
ASIN: B00G79ZNJ6

Review:

When socialite Delilah Drummond's husband Johnny breaks the news that he's enlisted, she refuses to cry -- rather, she'll do what Delilah does best, and throw a New Year's Eve party to remember. She's determined that she and Johnny will ring in the year 1915 in style, making memories to treasure while they're far apart, separated by the conflict riddling Europe. In typical Delilah style this will be the party to remember, and as such she can't resist a bit of good-natured match-making between a few select invitees -- among them the dashing explorer Gabriel Stark, and the charming, if down-on-her-luck Evie Merriweather. Gabriel and Evie aren't intended for each other, but on that London night, with the magical promise of the new year in the air, when their eyes lock across the room sparks fly and they begin to write their own love story. But with the specter of war hovering over the festivities, and Gabriel's every move watched by those who would seek to utilize his special skill set and bravado in service to king and country, can a romance sparked by the magic of New Year's hope to survive the realities of a world at war?

Whisper of Jasmine is Deanna Raybourn's latest novella, a stunning prequel to her forthcoming release City of Jasmine (due to release February 25!). Similar in tone to last year's novella, Far in the Wilds, this story showcases Raybourn's penchant for penning an unforgettable, pitch-perfect Edwardian-era adventure. I didn't realize going into this story that Whisper of Jasmine features Delilah Drummond, heroine of A Spear of Summer Grass, the full-length follow-up to Far in the Wilds. Somehow 2013 got away from me without reading that novel, a fact I plan to rectify THIS MONTH. Knowing that novel deals with Delilah coming to terms with the aftermath of the Great War in her own life, this glimpse into her pre-war life is bittersweet and heart-rending -- but beautifully, vividly rendered on the page.

Simply put, I ADORED this introduction to Evie and Gabriel. The orphaned Evie, long shuttered between relations and struggling to make ends meet, is a wonderfully spunky, vibrant heroine. And I ADORED her Aunt Dove's role as an eccentric fairy godmother/adventuress, whose refurbished Worth gown gives Evie an entrance to Delilah's party that rivals any Cinderella herself. For a story set against the grim backdrop of the Great War, this story is a beautiful, gorgeous, heart-stopping (and humorous) fairy tale. I loved every second. And the clues dropped throughout the narrative regarding Gabriel's war work were the icing on the cake -- a swoon-worthy, whirlwind romance and a dash of old-fashioned spy-craft? A dream come true! 

Whisper of Jasmine positively sparkles, and I cannot WAIT to discover the rest of Evie and Gabriel's story -- and the promised return of Aunt Dove's witticisms! -- in City of Jasmine. This novella is an absolute delight from start to finish -- very, very well-done Ms. Raybourn!

About the book:

New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn transports readers to a magical New Year's Eve party in 1914, where two guests will discover the passion of a lifetime in this prequel novella…

Notorious socialite Delilah Drummond won't be deterred by the war. Instead, she decides to throw the event of the year, and she's handing out invitations with an eye for wanton fun and wild abandon.

There is the dashing explorer and archaeologist Gabriel Stark, a man at a crossroads in his life. Brilliant and restless, he's just committed to a secret enterprise that forces him to play a public role very different from the man he truly is.

And then there is the charming if flighty Evangeline Merriweather. Evie has dreamed her whole life of adventure. Little does she know, she's about to get more than she bargained for. Especially after her vivacious Aunt Dove acts as fairy godmother, if a saucy one, providing a scandalous gown and a whisper of jasmine on her skin….

Evie will shake cool Gabriel to his core, but just how far are they willing to take love at first sight?

One seductive night will change Evie forever. Watch for her next adventure, in the City of Jasmine.

Mr. Selfridge Season 2 preview!

Mr. Selfridge returns to Masterpiece on March 30th with its second season -- check out the trailer below:



I am SO excited about this, especially since I learned that the dishy Gregory Fitoussi will be returning as Henri.

I mean HELLLOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I can't deal with that face. :)

If you didn't watch the first season yet, there's plenty of time to catch up -- and if you need more convincing, check out Evangeline Holland's "10 Reasons Why You Should Give ITV/PBS's Mr. Selfridge Another Try."

*Image: Pinterest/source. Photo copyright PBS/ITV. No copyright infringement intended.

Remembering Shirley Temple

I was saddened to hear of Shirley Temple's passing this morning -- some of my fondest and most vivid memories of movie-watching as a child are of enjoying her films -- I particularly remember Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Story of Seabiscuit, and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. These TCM tributes always break my heart, but seeing these film clips I know I just HAVE to re-visit a few of her films in the coming weeks. Thanks for the memories, Shirley!

Review: Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke

Rutherford Park
By: Elizabeth Cooke
Publisher: Berkley
ASIN: B00AYJHIUC

Review:

Rutherford Park -- the Yorkshire seat of the Cavendish family -- is a bastion of English tradition and respectability. But its historic halls shelter dangerous secrets and passions both upstairs and down, a simmering vein of tension that belies the family's respectable exterior. The dawning of 1914 and the promise of Christmas and New Year's finds certain members of the family and household staff in a reflective mood, hungry for a change that they cannot define, the scope and impact of which they cannot fathom. After twenty years of marriage, Octavia finds herself chafing against the restrictions marriage to William has placed upon her life. Hailing from a family who owed their fortunes to wool mills, Octavia once dreamed of a love match, only to find herself trapped in a marriage as stale as the traditions that hold Rutherford Hall moribund. Her son, Harry, longs to shed his responsibilities as heir and become a pilot, while his sister, Louisa, dreams of her upcoming season and hopes for thrilling romantic assignations, with nary a thought of the cost, safely ensconced in her family's aura of unassailable respectability. But as the new year rises old secrets come to light as a woman from William's past could compromise everything he's built thanks to his iron control, while below stairs a housemaid's broken heart threatens to shatter the line of demarcation between the upstairs family and those who serve them. For those who call Rutherford Hall home, 1914 finds the once-staid house a cauldron of simmering passions and tensions, and all it will take is one small spark of rebellion or tragedy to set it alight, changing a way of life forever.

Ever since Downton Abbey debuted, capturing my -- and a large portion of the British-loving public's -- imagination and renewing interest in upstairs, downstairs tales (like the self-same show that once enthralled the public for five years), there has been a boom in fiction of this ilk, with varying results. Last year I discovered Phillip Rock's Greville trilogy, truly superlative storytelling which to my mind perfectly captures the flavor of such dramas on the page -- and in many respects exceeds its filmic counterparts in characterization and story-craft. Rutherford Park looked to be the most promising successor to the gold standard set by Rock's novels that I've encountered yet, and to some extent meets that mark -- but with mixed results.

Cooke is an accomplished wordsmith, capable of a gorgeous turn of phrase, oft-times deftly evoking the glamour and grime of this bygone age with her carefully-crafted prose. But her biggest strength is also this novel's greatest drawback, as Cooke's dreamy, evocative prose slows the narrative pace to a sluggish crawl. There is a wealth of potentially compelling material within its pages, but her descriptive, narrative-heavy storytelling -- while setting the scene in a serviceable manner -- advances the storytelling in fits and starts. This is a relatively short novel, clocking in at only 333 pages, divided into only ten chapters, yet it felt in desperate need of trimming in order to advance to the "meat" of the storyline -- the various characters standing on the precipice of great change, and their world hurtling towards the Great War. And with only ten chapters, ranging in length from roughly twenty to sixty (SIXTY!!) pages, the nuggets of compelling storytelling material find themselves buried within pages of prose that, while often beautifully rendered, nevertheless slows the forward momentum of the storyline to a crawl.

That said, those who love Downton Abbey-esque storylines of this type will find their perseverance rewarded by this book's final third, where the characters and plotlines thus far introduced come to fruition. By far the best and strongest aspect of Rutherford Park is its examination of aristocratic family life, and Cooke's exploration of how the strict social structure and values of the day could fracture relations between tradition-bound parents and their modern-minded children, foreshadowing the impact of the war on their family and class. My favorite storyline (SPOILERS) involves Octavia's affair with the American John Gould, and how that forces her husband to awaken to the realization of what his never-yielding insistence on clinging to the status quo might cost him in terms of family and legacy. While I'm dying for Gould to get a happy ending,what I loved is how their brief affair illustrates the importance of working on one's marriage and never taking it for granted. Both Octavia and William are arguably culpable, but the crises they face relative to their relationship and in the lives of their children serve as a powerful illustration of the importance of communication and of never taking one's closest relationships for granted. Because in the volatile world facing the family, survival depends not on clinging to what always has been, but facing the future under-girded by a foundation relational development as one's best hope for a lasting legacy. 

Despite its sluggish pace, Rutherford Park is an often engaging novel about a world on the cusp of profound change. In fact, one could possibly argue that the novel's somewhat cumbersome pacing ultimately serves to underscore Cooke's larger purpose -- setting the Cavendish family, and the servants in their orbit, on a trajectory from leisurely tradition to change, spurred by the crucible of war that will leave its impact on every level of society. The novel builds towards a crisis in Louisa's life that serves as an impetus to bring husband and wife, parents and children together with a level of honesty that was previously unfathomable, setting the stage for future dramatic developments that hold great promise. Cooke is a talented writer with a wonderful feel for the time period, and while the execution of this novel prevents me from naming it a favorite among the ranks of Downton-type fiction, I am looking forward to seeing where Cooke takes her characters next. 

About the book:

Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year old ship sailing in a white ocean…

For the Cavendish family, Rutherford Park is much more than a place to call home. It is a way of life marked by rigid rules and lavish rewards, governed by unspoken desires…

Lady of the house Octavia Cavendish lives like a bird in a gilded cage. With her family’s fortune, her husband, William, has made significant additions to the estate, but he too feels bound—by the obligations of his title as well as his vows. Their son, Harry, is expected to follow in his footsteps, but the boy has dreams of his own, like pursuing the new adventure of aerial flight. Meanwhile, below stairs, a housemaid named Emily holds a secret that could undo the Cavendish name.

On Christmas Eve 1913, Octavia catches a glimpse of her husband in an intimate moment with his beautiful and scandalous distant cousin. She then spies the housemaid Emily out in the snow, walking toward the river, about to make her own secret known to the world. As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, an epic tale of longing and betrayal is about to unfold at Rutherford Park…