Wednesday, January 06, 2021

Winds of Winter

Slept in a bit; started off the morning with breakfast and Body Language on Buzzr. They're in the middle of their Teen Week. Dana Hill of National Lampoon's European Vacation and Todd Bridges of Diff'rent Strokes relayed the clues this week. Dana helped lead the boy to victory and winning $3,000.

Worked on writing for a bit after I ate. Gene crashes into the office of Bill Cullen, who is now Goodson's navigator. He's an older peg-legged pirate who initially retired and gave up his ship The Winner's Circle to another captain before he heard Goodson captured his brother-in-law. Cullen is ready and willing to help...but he adds that Brett may be able to help herself...

Had just enough time to change, grab lunch, and call Uber before heading out. While not as overwhelmingly busy as yesterday, work was still pretty steady. Except for sweeping the store a few times and getting stuck going in for someone's break towards the end of the night, I spent almost the entire day outside. This would have been less of a problem if it wasn't so windy today! Carts blew all over the place, often ending up in the middle of the lot. Off-and-on sun and clouds only made it colder.

Lugged my new printer and ink inside, then changed and went straight into Match Game '75. Johnny Olsen, the long-time announcer for The Price Is Right and Match Game, got to help Gene read a question that had him announcing Cleopatra's game show. Match Game PM got a lot crazier. Debralee Scott spent the entire episode flirting with a handsome contestant. After she gave him the right answer on the first Audience Match, they ended up in a passionate embrace. The others tried to break them up, while Bill Daily hid them behind his jacket.

The champ on Sale of the Century got pushed around by the other lady all night. The only thing the guy really hit was two Fame Games. Eventually, the champ bought two out of three Instant Bargains and just barely won the Speed Round. She picked up a nifty pocket watch on the Match the Prizes Board.

(As for the printer, I'll set that up tomorrow. I'm too tired to do it tonight.)

Finished the night online after a shower with Kidnapped on TCM. Roddy McDowell appeared in this 1948 version of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel as young David Balfour, whose Uncle Ebeneezer (Houseley Stevenson) has him abducted by a pirate (Roland Winters) and force to sea. He encounters the dashing Scottish revolutionary Alan Breck (Dan O'Herilhly), who joins him after the boat capsizes and they was up on the rugged coat of Scotland. He helps the boy across the Highlands to Edinburgh to retrieve his inheritance, joined by a sweet and saucy innkeeper's daughter (Sue England) who helps them hide when they're accused of murder.

Surprisingly fun, for a low-budget swashbuckler. McDowell makes a fine thoughtful Balfour and England is appropriately pert and saucy in a thankless role. I'm not as sold on O'Herilhy as the dashing rogue, though. I thought he was just a little too calculating. Winters is a little better as the pirate in cahoots with David's scheming uncle. 

If you love the book or are a fan of McDowell or swashbucklers, this is one Scottish fling worth taking.

No comments: