The Godfather, The Prize, and a Diva

This time I could bet on anything, because I am certain that you cannot guess of what godfather I am talking about. Besides, the institution is as influential and as involved within the Romanian public sphere as it can be. Everybody sided with the right person, but, what I found out from Brancu’s TV show, The VIP Agent, on Antenna 2, defies all odds. Try to imagine a dispute between the renowned footwear designer, Mihai Albu, the one with the fig-like face and a store on Magheru, and a lady, which was on the phone. She had the guts to criticise the attire of a fashionable woman, including the shoes she was wearing, and which the renowned creator signed, when she was photographed for a magazine. It might be true that the woman in question didn’t have a superior education. It is also true that Mr Albu sometimes does certain controversial things. I couldn’t resist and I watched that “specifically ROmanian storm, which was just a storm in a teacup. Evidently, I had fun. However, I don’t want to talk about this, but about the manner in which they made peace. It was achieved by a kind of magic spell ,by uttering Nicu Gheară’s name. Yes, what you heard is correct; this character seemed predestined to reconcile the other two. Mihai Albu declared that he is a good friend with Nicu and that he respects Nicu a lot, and the godfather of this lady was precisely the character above motioned. So, peace, peace…..the godfather brings. And this is how Brancu prophesised that Nicu Gheară will make peace between the two and he was right.

In the title, I wasn’t alluding to the Silver Bear that Florin Şerban won at the Film Festival from Berlin, with his début in feature films- When I want to whistle, I whistle, because I didn’t see it. I was alluding to a rather old movie from 1963, with Paul Neuman, The Prize. I saw it on TCM and I was very glad. In great shape, my favourite actor was interpreting a writer, who was a bit drunkard and a bit womanizer, and who signed using a pseudonym detective stories. He hadn’t written a serious novel in six years, but despite all this, he is nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature. With an irresistible retro air and a detective story plot of great stake, it was a welcomed discovery.

We continue with the retro chapter, by talking about a movie that I saw on the same channel, TCM, The Girls School from 1961, with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine. Without knowing anything about that movie, I couldn’t take my eyes off the TV screen. Here as well, Audrey Hepburn looks like an unreal creature. It is about a simple plot, yet, a very brave one, in which two former high- school colleagues open a private school. However, at a certain point a rebellious and creative girl begins to accuse her teachers of all sorts of things, among which of a lesbian relationship. The effect is devastating. The girls are withdrawn from the school, her girlfriend commits suicide and Audrey has to start over, after her love life is compromised.

I am very pleased each time I discover old movies that I didn’t know of; and this week my TV mood was as vintage as possible.