"I could lay under you, eat fried chicken and do a crossword puzzle at the same time"
I don't if this was ever answered (but it's a great line so I couldn't resist) -- This comes from the most "conventional" film Martin Scorcese ever directed -- 1974's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." It was uttered by actress Diane Ladd (mother of actress Laura Dern), who garnered an Oscar nomination for her role as "Flo," the wise-cracking, loose-lipped waitress who befriends "Alice," the suddenly widowed-former-singer-turned-waitress played by Ellen Burstyn (who won the Oscar for Best Actress, the same year she also won a Tony in NY). Two ironies -- 1) like M*A*S*H and "The Odd Couple" before it, the film version of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" was overshadowed by the television series which followed, and also by the leads, who were played by Linda Lavin (Alice) and Polly Holliday (Flo). 2) Also, the film marked only time Scorcese helmed a picture explicitly designed to please a crowd. (And it does.) The sepia-toned opening sequence in "Monterey" with its dubbed Alice Faye song, followed by rocket ship launch sound effects, accompanied by a zoom out and dolly-pan to a bright suburb in Arizona where Alice lives w/her smart-ass son, w/a booming song on the soundtrack by 70s rockers Mott the Hoople -- is spectacular to watch, a portend of Scorcese's moving camera "signature." After 1974, Scorcese would never again make this type of film. Yet if you watch it on DVD -- it's still fun, undated and wonderful -- even though in the film, "Alice" sells out for a happy ending. I remember when the film was released, everyone was jolted by Ellen Burstyn, who was mesmerizing and funny. Her scenes with her son, played by Alfred Lutter are drop-dead funny. And the one-sheet is remarkably minimalist and affordable. One of the better movies of the 1970s. Ellen Burstyn is still an attractive woman today and has gotta be in her 70s. Check out the DVD if you can. -koose. ----Original Message Follows---- From: Kirby McDaniel Sent: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 22:34:24 -0800 To: [email protected] Subject: [MOPO] Burning question What actress was it - and in what film - who spoke the line "I could lay under you, eat fried chicken and do a crossword puzzle at the same time?" Just curious if any of you know. Kirby McDaniel www.movieart.net Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
