Now he can talk plainer than that

[sovay]

A charm against Tiny Wittgenstein: Betty Hutton sings "Murder, He Says."

I got the song stuck in my head after Cab Calloway defined "murder" as "something excellent or terrific" ("Ex., 'That’s solid murder, gate!'"), but I only had a recording by Tori Amos. It's a perfectly catchy version; I learned the song from it. But the song was written by Frank Loesser and Jimmy McHugh in 1943 and Betty Hutton puts it across like someone's put fifty volts through her. She was one of actual Wittgenstein's two favorite actresses. I don't know if they ever showed Happy Go Lucky (1943) at Cambridge, but I shall think so until further notice.

Also, why is there a film by Fritz Lang with music by Kurt Weill that I am not watching right now?

Comments

[sovay]

That is awesome.

Carmen Miranda was the other.

[sovay]

//has terrible crush on Karl Johnson, or rather Johnson-as-Wittgenstein, as with Tennant-as-Hamlet/Tennant-as-Benedick

I just seem to have gotten stuck with a crush on Wittgenstein and a crush on Karl Johnson, for which I blame Derek Jarman and history.

(I never saw David Tennant as Benedick. He was good?)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's my first encounter with Betty Hutton. Wow, that girl has pep.

[sovay]

Wow, that girl has pep.

"Yes, sir, a vitamin pill with legs!"

I'm not sure I'd ever seen her before, either, but the internet tells me she's in something called The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) by Preston Sturges, so I probably want to watch that.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I'm delighted you've a charm for warding off T.W. I'll go and listen to it later.

Also, why is there a film by Fritz Lang with music by Kurt Weill that I am not watching right now?

I suspect that's a question of existential philosophy far beyond my capacity to answer, but I hope you can watch it soon and that it will please you.

[sovay]

I'm delighted you've a charm for warding off T.W. I'll go and listen to it later.

Just warning you, it'll be in your head for days . . .

I suspect that's a question of existential philosophy far beyond my capacity to answer, but I hope you can watch it soon and that it will please you.

It has to play in this country first! TCM, give me a break here!

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a performance.

[sovay]

Wow, that's a performance.

You could play it in the mornings and you'd never have to drink coffee.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Zowie! I had no idea. And I loved the jitterbugging GIs.

Nine

[sovay]

And I loved the jitterbugging GIs.

The best jitterbugging GIs are from The Canterville Ghost (1944).

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Jeez. Those guys can dance. And Margaret O'Brien plays a convincing amateur (I see her mother was a flamenco dancer).

Nine

[sovay]

Jeez. Those guys can dance.

I have never written about how much I (however unreasonably) love that film. I should fix that.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Absolutely!

Nine

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

BOB HOPE-BOMBED!

Nobody expects Bob Hope.

[sovay]

Nobody expects Bob Hope.

I didn't think he needed a content warning!

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, my boss LOOOOOOVES Betty Hutton. I was treated to a ten-minute digression into the Hutton oeuvre.

[sovay]

I was treated to a ten-minute digression into the Hutton oeuvre.

. . . Any recommendations?

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Sorry, nothing by name, but she apparently did a lot in the peppyganda war movie genre.

[ajodasso.livejournal.com]

The Tori Amos version of that song from Mona Lisa Smile is always what comes first to my mind when someone mentions it.

[sovay]

The Tori Amos version of that song from Mona Lisa Smile is always what comes first to my mind when someone mentions it.

It's how I discovered the song. I didn't think to go looking for other versions until two nights ago.

(Have you seen Mona Lisa Smile? I have only her songs from the soundtrack!)