Sailor Suits in Period Dramas

This might be a weird idea for a post in some of your opinions, but, as I think sailor suits are the most adorable things on earth (seriously, take any kid, put him or her in a sailor suit, ét voila, you have a kid cute as gold. I don't know what sailor suits do, but they do a lot. (Am I talking a lot of nonsense?)) I thought it would be rather nice to devote a post to sailor suits in Period Dramas. 

Why not, and all that.

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Downton Abbey

Dear little George Crawley in a sailor suit! I knew he was cute but this really... awwness, everyone. I love the dark navy blue sailor suits most for little boys. Once we had a baptism at our Church where the brothers and sister and cousins of baby getting baptised all wore navy blue sailor suits like this - it was TOO cute for words. Everyone was distracted.

And Rose's adorable sailor look in her teenagery years! Isn't it beautiful! She looks so young and youthful in it.

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Pollyanna

My siblings and I watched the Hayley Mills version of Pollyanna several days ago and I immediatly fell in love with the costumes! Especially Aunt Polly wears some most delicious Edwardian things. This sweet sailor-suit dress was ADORABLE (*snort* I feel like I'm over-using that word already. Please do accept the pardon I beg.) on Pollyanna.

I still much prefer 'my' Pollyanna version, though. The Hayley Mills version was very nice, but they changed so doggoned MUCH from the book! Like, even the names? Mr Pendleton is called PendleTON, everyone, not PendeGAST. And the whole bazaar thing... not in the book, that. But it was a lot of fun, though. I really like Hayley Mills - she has the cutest little voice.

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The Sound of Music

Of course these classic sailor suits were the first that came to my mind when I prepared this post. Captain von Trapp and all his sailors. I think these suits are lovely, but I've always pitied the children for having to wear exactly the same. I would rather Hate to wear the same as all my siblings, even if what we wore were as darling as sailor suits.

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Berkeley Square

*Strokes Berkeley Square over the head* This is a such a poor, neglected series! I so wish they had made a second one because there are so many things not yet wrapped up. Unfair. T'is MOST unfair.

Anyway, about the sailor suit. There are a few in Berkeley Square. I especially like Thomas' one. And the STRAW-HAT. Just toooooo adorable. I wish boys still wanted to wear straw hats. I would have a lot more respect for them if they did.

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The Secret Garden

I'm not the Secret Garden's biggest fan (no reason in particular, I'm not just that one biggest fan, that's all) but I DO love Mary's sailor-ish outfit.

By the way, dear people reading this, did you know that the actress who played Mary, a certain Kate Maberly, is the sister of the actress Polly Maberly, who played Kitty Bennet in Pride and Prejudice '95? Just a little nice fact to pass your day.

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The Railway Children

The Railway Children has two spot-on sailor suits, but I only found one picture - this one of Peter's. Peter's such a nice, fun chap, isn't he? He looks like an absolute SPORT decked in the white sailor suit.

The other sailor suit (here's a tiiiiny picture) belongs to Bobby. She looks very profesh in it. Also very sailor-y, which is a pretty useless thing to say considering the fact that she's wearing a sailor suit. (Because, yeah, sailor suits are supposed to be sailor-y. I'll stop blabbering.)

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What are your opinions on sailor suits, people? (That is if you have one (an opinion, not a sailor suit) to start with. One might not have an opinion.)

Can you think of any other sailor suits in movies?

Pollyanna (2003) Review

See there, on the cover of the DVD, a comment of 'the Daily Mail.' They say it's 'dramatic and heartwarming.' Well. it's not. It's not dramatic, that is - it's definitely heartwarming, but not dramatic. It's the kind of fuzzy, happy, sweet, 'ahhhh' and everyone-in-the-family-enjoys-it-except-your-picky-older-brother kind of movie. But it's not really dramatic, in my opinion. But that's entirely besides the point.

 

Pollyanna is this delightful story about yet-another-bossy-aunt and yet-another-freckled-orphan. And to be honest, such stories never grow old. I could read fifty other books about chatty orphans going to strict people and then only perhaps would the idea start wearing off me. It's just a lovely, darling story.

 

The 2003 version is not a famous version, don't ask me why. I haven't seen the famous one, the Disney Hayley Mills one (since I was about six), but I know that this version will always have a special place in my heart. It's just SO adorable. Just SO sweet. It's not perfect (few things are, you know) but it's just so oh-please-see-it-so-we-can-talk-about-it-together. (Gosh, I seem to do a lot of those word-word-word things. I guess I'm in that kind of mood.)

 

Anyway, let's get to the review.

 

 

So you all know the story, right?

 

I know you do, but then you might not, so here's a synopsis à la myself. So Pollyanna, a talkative girl with the positive-est attitude a person ever had, after the loss of her father, finds herself an orphan on her way to live with her Aunt Polly, who's the kind of cliché-book-aunt, only prettier. Nancy, the blonde maid loves Pollyanna immediately, but Aunt Polly shows little love. Pollyanna doesn't notice that, and treats all her punishments as rare treats. It's hilarious. Then Pollyanna meets old Mr Pendleton, an old scruffy mysterious man, and matches him with Aunt Polly, thinking they were lovers in their youth. But it ain't so, and Pollyanna has more girlish adventures along the way of finding her aunts old lover, which includes an injury, calfs-foot-jelly and a beggar boy called Jimmy Bean.

 

There, what a synopsis! I'm dashed proud. :-P

 

 

I've not a clue what the actress-who-played-Pollyanna (there I did that again)'s name is, but she did a pretty good job. Sometimes I thought she kind of just SAID her lines, but then I realised the way she did it was SO Pollyanna-ish, and I perished the thought. Pollyanna was such a darling. It's like, she's SO sweet that it's almost depressing. :-)

 

She had red hair. In the book she was a dirty blonde. Yeah. 'Tis nothing.

 

What I love the most about Pollyanna is her glad-game. It's so adorable, how she teaches it to random city-people. In the book however, she continues to play her glad-game (which is a game where one finds something happy in everything that passes your life and it all started when she got a pair of crutches for her birthday and...) when she's injured, but in the movie she gives up and says that there's nothing good about being crippled. I didn't mind the non-book-accuracy, because I loved the way they did everything, and how city-people came to Aunt Polly telling her to tell Pollyanna how they were playing her game.

 

Oh, and THERE'S A SCENE WHERE POLLYANNA READS PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. It made me squeal soooo.

 

 

Ugghghghg. Aunt Polly is SUCH a mean bean. Honestly, I really admire Pollyanna for being so positive about her. I would have just felt like pouring maple syrup over that stiff, frown-y head of hers.

 

But in the end she's nicer, of course. And her Edwardian hats and blouses and skirts are very elegant indeed, they are. Amanda Burton did a good job. I loved how she found Pollyanna's energetic-ism so tiring. At one point Pollyanna was doing her lessons, reading something loudly and with great gusto (not P&P, that was another scene) and Aunt Polly mobbed her forehead with a white hanky and murmured, 'I didn't know being read to was so tiring.'

 

And she and the doctor... so sweet.

 

 

Nancy!

 

I loved how they portrayed Nancy in here! I'm kind of glad they didn't make her like the weird, Cockney, kind of empty-headed Nancy in the book. She was very pretty and kind and graceful and had a beautiful golden kind of voice which I'd love to possess. And you know what they did in the movie? They put in a Nancy-romance! Yes!

 

The romance between Nancy and the servant Tim was SO ADORABLE. I personally didn't care that much for Tim, but yet it was adorable. My favourite scenes were the Nancy-Tim ones, I must admit. I told you I have this thing for romantic scenes.

 

 

Tim, as I said, was not someone I'd rave over, but he was a great character. Boyish, funny, a bit bashful, always talking about machines (which bored the ladies to death). My favourite non-Nancy part with him was where he tried to convince his mistress to buy a car.

 

Tim: 'I was just telling your lovely Pollyanna that the motorcar is the future.'

Aunt Polly: 'I seem to remember you once telling me the Titanic was the future.'

 

He was so funny, the way he kept on talking about the motorcar.

 

 

Mr Pendleton. He was sour and cross, just like he should have been. Kenneth Cranham did a very good job indeed. I loved it when he adopts Pollyanna's orphan beggar friend, Jimmy Bean (who's SUCH a sweet boy, by the way). Their relationship was so cute.

 

Mr Pendleton: "Go to your room, Jimmy."

Jimmy Bean: "Which one?"

 

 

Pam Ferris as Mrs White! Her scenes were hilarious. Pollyanna knows exactly how to change her life attitude. And oh, the WAY she plays the glad game. I MUST quote.

 

Pollyanna: Here's another one- this one happened to me. A fair is coming to the village but it rained a lot so nobody can go.

Mrs White: I would be glad because.... everyone else would get wet besides me because I was confined to bed.

Pollyanna: That's not playing the game right.

Mrs White: Oh. I would be glad because.... let me think.... because the next time it came everyone would enjoy it more because they hadn't been there for the last time!

Pollyanna: Yes, exactly!

 

 

I . LOVED . THE . DOCTOR .

 

Doctor Chilton was so kind, so handsome, so sympathetic. I don't think Aunt Polly was good enough for him actually. My favourite doctor Chilton quote was, 'I'm doctor Chilton. The good one.' and, 'I hear you've cheered up Mrs White. She's also one of my less giggly patients.'

 

 

There's a deplorable lack of pictures of this movie. Honestly, why is this version so un-famous?

 

Here is a list of some other things I liked about this movie:

~ Mr Collins was in it! David Bamber was in it, that is to say. He was a pastor, again. He was very nice in here, I liked him - especially when he said how unsuitable he found the idea of Sunday school on a Monday. And when he picked up Pollyanna's dog and played with him.

~ Nancy's blue bowed hat.

~ The bunch of roses Tim gives to Nancy under the washing line.

~ When doctor Chilton tells Pollyanna in a dreamy way that, 'It was I who loved your Aunt Polly.'

~ The wedding at the end!!!

~ The way Tim tells Pollyanna who he is. 'I'm the odd-tasks-servant; Tim. My father's the gardener; Tom.' (He has very funny facial expressions as he says these things. Go watch it and you'll see what I mean.)

~ THE WAY POLLYANNA LOVES HER PUNISHMENTS. Hahahaha.

 

 

The scenery: Very Edwardian-ish and lovely. I especially thought Mr Pendleton's garden nice, and the village.

 

The costumes: Very good. Historically accurate, and very beautiful.

 

The quotes: As you might have gathered from the review, there are so many lovely, funny, just-must-quote quotes in here.

 

Objectionable content: NONE. None vatsoever, as the gentleman said when his... oh never mind. I was trying to find something really funny to say the way Sam Weller does in 'the Pickwick Papers.' But I didn't really succeed, haha.

 

Anyway. Please watch this, come back here, and we'll talk about it in the comments. And if you have seen it, I'm delighted! Let's talk about it right now. :-)

 

On a sidenote, what do you think of my new design? I know it's still winter, and it's not as if I'm yearning for Spring (I LOVE winter, you know), but I just felt like trying something different. I know. Again. Anyway, what do you think? Oh, and don't you think it looks like Anne Steel (on the header) has nothing in her sleeves? Ewww. Creepy.

An aunty observation...

Have you ever noticed that, in many books, the annoying character is the aunt? Either the aunt or the great aunt- very often, very, very often the aunt or great aunt is annoying, bossy and strict. Often, they improve as the end draws near, of course, but have you not noticed that it's always the aunt?

 

Wooster: "My Aunt Agatha is sitting out there just waiting to pounce."

 

Let's take a look at those (great) aunts.

 

Aunt Polly

 

 

In 'Pollyanna', her aunt Polly is exactly suited to my description above. Annoying, bossy and strict. Aunt Polly is unkind and grim on top of that. And hardly ever smiles. I love it so much when Pollyanna tells her she loves her punishments. 'Oh, thank you, Aunt Polly! I love bread and milk!'

But in the end, Aunt Polly softens and becomes a much nicer person. But still, there you go, that was the first aunt.

 

Great-Aunt Josephine

 

 

I think Great-Aunt Josephine in 'Anne of Green Gables' changes rather too quickly. At first she's mean, menacing and threats to break all the golden promises she promised her niece, Diana, and then Anne comes (go, Anne) and she forgets all, becomes a bubbly, delightful thing and takes Diana and Anne on a sightseeing trip. Still, it's another Aunt who's got her less magnificent ways.

 

 

Lady Catherine the Bourgh

 

 

Even Jane Austen did it. We sometimes seem to forget that this is Mr Darcy's aunt. And what an annoying, picky, wacky one she is! This one is so stubborn, mean and proud she never changes. In fact, we see a shot of her, dully in her chair at home- face furious- when somewhere else Darcy and Elizabeth get married agaist her approval. Ha.

 

 

Aunt Shaw

I know her role is rather minor in North and South, but I had to add her. In my opinion, Aunt Shaw is dashingly annoying. I had to add her to my list.

 

 

Aunt Elizabeth

 

If you haven't read (or watched) 'Emily of the New Moon' you won't know how HORRID this aunt is. She's supposed to have a good heart, but seriously, I've read the books about five times and she only does like two good things in her life. She's horrible. When you read the books (and I definitely do recommend them, I love them to pieces) you'll notice you actually want Emily, her niece, to disobey her. She's that horrid and that strict.

'Emily of the New Moon' has many other strict aunts and uncles, including a monstrous great-aunt Nancy, who threatens to put Emily in a great clock if she's naughty... Lucy Maud Montgomery was really into that. But, I must say, isn't it fun to read! Same with all the aunts and uncles in her speldiforious book 'The Blue Castle'. Go, read it.

 

 

Aunt Pittipat

I don't know if you have the same feelings on Aunt Pittipat in Gone With the Wind as I do, but... well, yep I thought she was a dashed nuisance. Always fainting and yelling for those smelling salts of hers.

 

 

Aunt Agatha

This is how Wooster looks when he talks/thinks about her:

This is how Wooster looks when Aunt Agatha speaks to him:

That pretty much explains it, doesn't it?

 

 

I'm sure there are more annoying aunts in films and books, but for now, this is all. Do you know any more?

 

Top ten Movies

1. Pride and Prejudice (1995)

As most of you probably know, Pride and Prejudice 1995 is my all-time favourite movie ever. It will always be, you just wait and see! I hardly have anything bad to say about this movie. The actors are brilliant, the costumes and scenery are brilliant, the music is beautiful and everything else is perfect as well. Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle are perfect in their famous roles as Elizabeth and Darcy. I am very proud to be one of the many P&P95 fans.

If you haven't seen this movie, you are definitely missing something out! This witty and charming movie is a must see for everyone. You can read my enthusiastic review here.

 

2. Emma (2009)

The 2009 adaption of Jane Austen's Emma starring the talented Romola Garai and the handsome Johnny Lee Miller is bright, lively and extremely diverting. The costumes are to die for, and scenery is simply delightful. I fell in love with Mr Knightley from the first moment I watched it- therefore my fandom!

3. Downton Abbey
Filled this an endless amount of lovely characters, witty cast, amazing scenery and the beautifullest clothes in the world, the Downton Abbey series is and will stay one of my all-time favourites. Seriously, one can find all we want in Downton. Romantic heroes (Matthew Crawley :-), beautiful heroines, dances, music- everything!
Emma, Sadie and I have recently started up a blog for our shared Downton Abbey fandom. You can visit it here.

4. The Kings Speech
Upon recently re-watching this gripping and moving true story, I suddenly realised how much I loved the Kings Speech. Sadly, there are a lot of bad words in this movie, but for the rest I cannot find anything wrong with it. It makes me cry, it makes me laugh.
And, better still, both Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle act in it! Although not a couple in this movie, it was so nice to see Darcy and Elizabeth together again!

 5. Wives and Daughters (1999)
I have watched Wives and Daughters several times, and each time again I love it dearly! Molly is as sweet as a heroine can be, the costumes are amazing and the scenery is breath-taking. This is my favourite Elizabeth Gaskell movie and book!

6. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet are perfect in their roles as Eleanor and Marianne. Sense and Sensibility is another lovely Jane Austen story, with another very witty script (by Emma Thompson) and very good actors.
The costumes are very nice, although not brilliantly outspoken. The music is beautiful, and the in the whole, this movie is a delight to watch.

7. Cranford
Cranford will always delight me. It's many characters, story plots, twists and turns, never fail to charm its viewers. When I watched this movie first, I remember being so annoyed whenever an episode ended, because I always wanted to know what was coming next!!!
I have (sadly) not yet been able to watch Cranford's almost-as-famous sequel 'Return to Cranford', but I look forward to it with great anticipation!

8. Pollyanna (2003)
This charming adaption of Pollyanna, the cheerful girl who finds that ever cloud has a silver lining, is beautiful, moving and absolutely perfect. It's a great favourite in our family.
What I especially like in the version is firstly that David Bamber plays in it, and that there's a romantic story between Nancy, the lovely maid, and Tom, the servant. It's such a sweet romance. Of course, Pollyanna and the story in general is beautiful as well. It's a must-see!

9. Anne of Green Gables
Of course. No list is complete without this lovely classic. AnnE of Green Gables, is a beautiful movie, a wonderful story. Enchanted by Anne's world since I was very young, this story has inspired me in many ways in my life. It will definitely continue to do so!

10. Lark Rise to Candleford
Upon recently viewing the first season of this delightful series for the first time, I have become quite a fan. My beloved Julia Sawalha acts in it, and many other known actors act in this as well. I am very much looking forward to watching the next series!

 

Other Movies I enjoyed:

Amazing Grace

The Sound of Music

Mary Poppins

The Fiddler on the Roof

North and South

Jeeves and Wooster

Northanger Abbey

Martin Chuzzlewit

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Little House on the Prairie

Gone with the Wind

My Fair Lady

Pickwick Papers

The Secret Garden

The Borrowers

Heidi

The Railway Children

 

Movies I want to see:

Too much.