One of my favorite movies to rewatch is Crossing Delancey. The Mathematician and I saw it on the day it came out, which happened to be two months to the day since our wedding. And I was just barely pregnant with the Girlchild. I often have very personal memories attached to my recollections about movies. Why this should be, I have no idea. But I remember the exact circumstances of seeing Star Wars, When Harry Met Sally, Animal House, Saturday Night Fever, Groundhog Day and dozens of other movies on the weekends they opened.
Crossing Delancey
And still, Crossing Delancey is one of my favorites, partly because it’s set on Manhattan’s lower east side, and partly because of the way it pokes fun at literary pretentions, and partly (a big part) because of [[Reizl Bozyk]], who spent sixty years performing in Manhattan’s Yiddish theaters. She played Bubbie (Amy Irving’s grandmother) in the stage production of Crossing Delancey and then carried that role over to the film. This picture is from one of the best scenes of the movie, when Bubbie (on the left) finagles Amy Irving’s character (middle) into meeting with a matchmaker (on the right).
The reason all this came to mind is that I’ve been thinking about fruit trees and whether to plant a couple, and the idea of plums came into my head. Which brought to mind a poem recited by the obnoxious narcissistic novelist character thatAmy Irving’s character has a (totally inexplicable) crush on, to her Bubbie’s consternation. So I have to go watch the movie again, right now, no matter how late it is. I’ll leave you with the poem.
Ripe plums are falling Now there are only five May a fine lover come for me while there is still time Ripe plums are falling Now there are only three May a fine lover come for me while there is still time Ripe plums are falling I gather them in a shallow basket May a fine lover come for me tell me his name.
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I just watched this movie not too long ago and really enjoyed it. I always liked Amy Irving and the grandmother was great!
You mentioned Star Wars — this is the movie my hubby and I saw on on our very first date (we were 17) way back in ’77.
This looks good, I will add it to my lengthy “to watch list” which gets longer and longer all the time, as they bring new movies out faster than I can catch up with the old ones!
And Star wars? I was seventeen when that came out too….was it really so long ago…..
You’ve made me want to learn the context for that poem. So I may have to find out what that movie is about. My father took me to see Star Wars when I was seven. Likely an excuse to see the movie for himself. Quite the eye-opener. Was a fan of science fiction ever after. Seeing good versus evil painted so clear-cut, in retrospect, not so much of a bonus at a formative time. On that poem and the plums, I’m no poet, but it seemed to start out well, and then falls apart symbolically, rhythmically, and image-wise. Even the number theme petered out. A poem as a prop in a movie – interesting – unless it was written by someone really and truly, and should be in some way venerated. My apologies then. Not sure I’d plant a plum tree after reading that. (Maybe if I understood the poet’s context.) A fine crabapple, that’s my niche fruit. Although, a cherry tree, any kind, gives you pretty and delicious, as time goes by. Or maybe it would attract too many birds. Depends on what you plan to do with the fruit (sale? donations? pies? ornamental/bird food?).