Some of My Favorite Things

My blog this week is going to cover several different interests simply because I felt inspired to write about some of my favorite things. Obviously, top on my list of favorites is television and since there are a couple shows coming back this week – V on ABC and In Plain Sight on the USA Network – I will focus on those first.

While the reimagined version of V aired only four episodes last November and garnered high ratings for its premiere episode, the subsequent three episodes floundered a bit with the viewers. However, I found this new version of the series to be captivating, featuring a terrific cast of characters and fine actors, including Elizabeth Mitchell, Morena Baccarin, Joel Gretsch and Scott Wolf. The true test of the show’s worth will be how it is received by viewers when it comes back on ABC next Tuesday, March 30 at 10 PM.

The very next day, over on the USA Network, In Plain Sight will be back at 10 PM. The show is to pick up where the cliffhanger finale left off with Mary (Mary McCormack) barely hanging on to life after her near fatal shooting incident. The show now has a new show runner, calling for some changes in the show; namely, less screen time for some of the supporting characters; but the show will still focus on the witness who Mary and Marshall protect and her impending marriage to Raphael.

Another one of my favorite things is reading. One of the authors who I love to read is Lucy Maud Montgomery – the woman behind Anne of Green Gables. L.M. Montgomery, as this Canadian author was best known, was born in 1874 and published the first Anne novel in 1908. The book became an instant success and has been adapted into film several times. The most popular adaptation was the CBC movie starring Megan Follows in the lead role.

Montgomery went on to write 19 other books from 1909 through 1939, many of which were sequels to the Anne Shirley story. The remaining books focused on other unique characters such as Emily of New Moon and Jane of Lantern Hill among others. I discovered these wonderful, imaginative books in 1985 – thanks to the aforementioned CBC movie that starred Megan Follows – and I quickly devoured every single L.M. Montgomery book.

Yet another favorite is classic 1940’s movies such as those that starred legendary actress Betty Grable. While she is no longer a household name, she was, at one point in time, the most popular woman in film and the number one pin-up girl of World War II. She was a singer, dancer and actress who was noted for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood so much so that her studio – 20th Century Fox – insured them for 1 million dollars with Lloyds of London.

Betty Grable

During her heyday in the film industry she appeared in nearly 25 musicals and comedies in 13 years time. In 1943, at the height of her popularity, she posed for the world famous pin-up photo that is shown to the left

While I have been a big fan of Betty Grable and 1940’s musicals for nearly half my life, it is actually the 1954 film Brigadoon, starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse and also the 1954 movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which starred Howard and Jane Powell that are perhaps my all-time favorite movies.

Obviously, there are a number of modern day classics for which I love, but none of them come close to these two musicals. There is just something so special about these movies that I can watch them over and over again and not be bored.

So, there you have it – just a few of my favorite things. What are some of your favorites? Please share.