50 Great Actresses Who Never Won an Oscar

Is one of your favorites on the list? Check out iMBD’s list. I think you will find it amusing.

http://www.imdb.com/list/RkNNgdX4gBg/

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Male vs. Female Perspectives

When I write a Pride and Prejudice sequel/adaptation, I do so from Darcy’s point of view, rather than from Elizabeth’s. When I speak of Austen’s Persuasion, I speak of Wentworth’s thoughts. When I am writing of the Realm, I do so as a member of this British covert unit. So, what does this mean in terms of how I approach a tale? It means that I must know something about the differences in how a male and a female views the world. For example, a woman would say, “I bought an indiglo-colored gown with a cornsilk netting.” However, a man might respond, “She bought a blue dress with some sort of beige-colored scratchy material attached.” With this in mind, let us take a look at some of the basis differences, which affect the plot line.

*Women are better at judging a person’s character. A man excels in judging cause and effect.
*Women seek acceptance; men seek respect.
*Women see “romance” as the building of tension (eye contact, whispered words, gentle caresses, etc.). For men, desire equals instant gratification.
*Women lie to make someone feel better. Men tell lies as a cover up, as a way to build their own egos, or as a means to expedite an issue.
*Women prefer an emotional bonding (talk about it). Men hate to jump through a woman’s “hoops” just to get what he wants.
*Women are more likely to conform to the group/situation’s rules regarding sex. Men will seek sex even if the group has outlawed it.
*When women dine out, they carefully divide the check for what each owes. Men will often compete to pay the whole bill, or they will throw money on the table to cover the tab.
*Women are competitive about the degree of attractiveness among their acquaintances. They are also competitive about morals and about domestic abilities. Men are highly competitive about job, social/professional status, and income.
*Women can speak and listen at the same time. Men have no idea how to accomplish this.
*Women will use words such as “Always” and “Never” when they argue. This allows a man to prove the woman’s points have no basis.
*Women choose blank greeting cards. Men choose ones already loaded with words so they do not have to write anything beyond their names.
*Women have a better recall of the spoken word than do men.
*Women are more than likely to show their teeth when they smile.
*Women leave a relationship because they are emotionally unfulfilled. A man feels he has failed if “his woman” is unhappy.
*Women ask questions. Men make statements.
*Women use words such as “could,” “would,” and “shall.” Men prefer the word “will.”
*Women nod their heads to show they are listening. Men take that as agreement to their ideas. Little do they know, an argument will ensue later.
*When a man seeks a mistress, he wants only the “status” of doing so. Often, he has no desire to leave his wife. A woman gives a man her heart and her body.
*Men will challenge and interrupt more often than women.
*Men will speak more bluntly than women. They are also more likely to use risqué language.
*When speaking with female friends, women are likely to call each other by their given names and discuss intimate details of their lives. In an all-male gathering, men discuss life in general (no specifics), make crude jokes, and are likely to call each other by some derogatory nickname.
*Women not on hormone replacement or the Pill find more masculine features attractive (the cave man effect). Women on the Pill, etc., find “softer” male faces more attractive.
*Women need a “connection” to allow themselves to be vulnerable. For men, sex is the connection of choice. They use sex to display their vulnerable side.

 

 

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Do You Know Jane Austen’s Novels?

Becoming Jane is an imaginative, romantic tale that captures Jane Austen’s spirit, while playing with the truth. Many of us on this site have written our own “what if” stories, and so, maybe, we might be able to suspend reality and accept the witty, enchanting romance as all good storytelling. This film takes some well known facts from Austen’s life and spins them into an ingenious tale of lost love.

The film opens in the year 1795 and explores the feisty beginnings of an emerging 20-year-old writer, who wishes to live beyond what is expected of her – to actually marry for love. Anne Hathaway portrays Jane Austen, and James McAvoy plays the non-aristocratic Tom Lefroy, whose intellect and arrogance first raises young Jane’s ire and then captivates her heart. Juliann Jarrold, the film’s director says that “A couple of recent biographies have sort of honed in on this romance with Tom Lefroy, because it’s the older bios that tend to say she [Austen] didn’t have this romance; that somehow, out of her imagination, she was able to portray these amazing characters. Straight after [the alleged romance], she started writing First Impressions – and then Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey.” (BTW, do you not love the facial similarities between the real Tom Lefroy and James McAvoy in these two pictures?)

The film is known for taking the truth and making it a reality. For example, there is some evidence that Ann Radcliffe influenced Jane Austen; however, the film creates a meeting between the two. During this encounter, Radcliffe asks Austen of what she will write.

Radcliffe: Of what do you wish to write?
Jane: The heart.
Radcliffe: Do you know it?
Jane: Not all of it.
Radcliffe: In time you will. If not…well, that situation is what imagination is for.

The film also provides us with plenty of “Jane” talk. For example, we hear part of the story/poem that Jane has created as a tribute to her sister Cassandra’s engagement.
The boundaries of propriety were vigorously assaulted, as was only right, but not quite breached, as was also right. Nevertheless, she was not pleased.

When others question Jane’s ambitions to become a novelist, she responds,
Novels are poor insipid things, read by mere women, even, God forbid, written by women.

But beyond the plot’s twists and turns, Becoming Jane playfully references Austen’s themes, characters, and story lines. So my question is how many such references can you name? Here are some (but not all) that I noted.

From Pride and Prejudice, we find…
Jane’s character resembles a cross between the flirtatious Lydia Bennet, who loves to dance, and Elizabeth Bennet, whose verbal swordplay with Mr. Darcy is enticing.
Mr. Warren is the klutzy clergyman whose proposal reminds us all of Mr. Collins. (He also is a bit like Mr. Elton in Emma.)
Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith) is so Lady Catherine De Bourgh. She does not want Wisley to consider Jane as a mate, and I love the scene where she mentions “a little wilderness.”
Lefroy’s character reminds of us the “worthless” activities of George Wickham early on in the film. Like Wickham, Lefroy studies law, but with not much success. Later he is very much Darcy in his judgment of “country” life.

From Sense and Sensibility, we find …
Like Marianne Dashwood, Jane’s decisions are not based on “sense,” but on her “sensibility” (emotional response).
Jane’s situation, if she does not marry Wisley, will be very much like the Dashwood sisters after losing their home.

From Northanger Abbey, we find …
Jane plays cricket, very much as did Catherine Morland.
Jane defends her desire to write novels.
The scene in Uncle Benjamin’s house between Jane and Lefroy reminds one of the staircase scene between Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland.
References to Ann Radcliffe’s (as well as other Gothic novels) are made in the novel. In the film, Jane visits Radcliffe.

From Mansfield Park, we find …
Lady Gresham’s line to Jane about her duty to marry well reminds us of those spoken by Lady Bertram to Fanny Price.
Lady Bertram spends her days with her pug dog, as does Countess Eliza, Jane’s cousin.

From Persuasion, we find …
Although she loves him, Jane breaks an engagement with Lefroy so that he has a chance for a better future. This is similar to what happens between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth.
In the novel, Anne meets Wentworth at a concert, where she must translate the opera for her cousin. She recognizes their love still exists, but she can say nothing. “How was the truth to reach him?” In the film, Jane meets Lefory many years after their separation at a concert. He has married and has a daughter named “Jane.”

 

 

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Austen-Related Actors with April Birthdays

With the April version of Austen Actors, I thought we might need to play “Six Degrees of Separation” because of the numerous connections. Many in this month’s display, for example, have been in movies with Colin Firth: Anna Chancellor, Renée Zellweger, Emma Thompson, and Susannah Harker. With Ms. Harker, both she and her mother portrayed the part of “Jane Bennet.” Susannah played the role in 1995, and her mother, Polly Adams, in 1967, while her father was Colonel Brandon in 1971’s Sense and Sensibility. One of our oldest film versions – the 1938 TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – gives us Andrew Osborn’s Mr. Darcy. From Pride and Prejudice 1995, we have Anna Chancellor and Susannah Harker; from Lost in Austen, we find Tom Riley and Michelle Duncan. Both Michelle and James McAvoy were in Atonement, with Keira Knightley, who was in Pride and Prejudice 2005 with Rosamund Pike, who recently starred with Sally Hawkins in Made in Dagenham. Emma Thompson worked with Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant in Love Actually, along with Keira and Colin; and, of course, she is married to the dashing “Mr. Willoughby,” Greg Wise. Etc., etc., etc.

So, sit back and enjoy this month’s look at some of our favorite Austen-related actors.

http://pf.kizoa.com/sflite.swf?did=1634917&k=P113103172&hk=1

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Upstairs, Downstairs – DVR Alert

Masterpiece Theatre will present Upstairs, Downstairs starting tonight at 9 P.M. For the full story on the series, check out this article in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/119468579.html

 

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Hardcover of Darcy’s Passions

The hardcover version of my first novel, Darcy’s Passions, has been released. This is the information from the Barnes and Noble website.
Overview – Darcy’s Passions
Product Details
Pub. Date: November 2010
Publisher: MJF Books
Format: Hardcover , 386pp
Sales Rank: 209,298
ISBN-13: 9781606710265
ISBN: 1606710265
Edition Description: Special Value
Synopsis
Revisit this most classic of love stories, in which a strong-willed, intelligent young woman rejects a haughy suitor, only to come to recognize his worth and regret her ill-informed choice. But this time, experience what is missing from the heroine’s story: the thoughts and inner workings of the dashing and elusive hero.
Darcy’s Passions presents the real Fitzwilliam Darcy in his own words, from the time he first lays eyes on Elizabeth Bennet…through the many misunderstandings that define their relationship…to their wedding vows and first trials as newlyweds. Finally, readers can examine the reasoning behind his actions and unearth the true roots of his pride, all from Darcy’s own point of view. Experience the couple’s mutual disdain and attraction, their tumultuous courtship, the early days of their marriage—indeed, all of their troubles and triumphs—through Darcy’s eyes, in the familiar settings, with the wise insights and clever dialogue familiar to readers of Jane Austen’s original work.
Whether you’re an Austen fan who has always wanted to know what makes Darcy tick, or a book love who lives for the “happily ever after” ending, Darcy’s Passions will surely amuse, charm, and satisfy.

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What is a Cloutie Dumpling?

I enjoyed an afternoon of tea yesterday with some friends, one of whom served what she termed to be a traditional Cloutie Dumpling from Scotland. Now, I live in the South. When we say “dumpling,” we usually mean a doughy bread cooked in a broth. Chicken and dumplings is quite popular. However, the Cloutie Dumpling is more of the nature of fruit cake.
Here is the recipe:
125 g/4 oz. of suet (finely chopped)
1 tsp baking powder
200 g/ 4 oz. of currants and sultanas
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp ginger
250 g/ 8 oz of self-rising flour
75 g/ 3 oz brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup (maple syrup)
1 cup milk
1 tsp nutmeg
125 g/ 4 oz breadcrumbs
1 grated apple

Half fill a pot with water and bring it to a full boil.
Take a large piece of cheesecloth and scald it with boiling water.
Then dust the cloth with flour.
In a large bowl, first beat the eggs. Then mix in the syrup and about 1/4 of the milk. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and fruit – mixing well each time.
Place the mixture on the cheesecloth and secure. Allow enough room for the mixture to swell/rise.
Place an inverted plate on the bottom of the pan and put the pudding on it.
Boil for 3-4 hours.
Be careful not to let the water to drop below half the depth of the pudding.
Dip in cold water, remove the cloth and dry the pudding off in a medium oven.
Sprinkle with sugar and serve with cream or custard.

 

In the Cairngorms National Park (Skye of Curr, Dulnain Bridge, Inverness-shire), one can find The Original Cloutie Dumpling Restaurant. It is a great place. I, especially, enjoy the purple and white heather gardens and antique shop. Check out their website:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.heathercentre.com/images/Dumplingindex.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.heathercentre.com/&usg=__1WBf19OaFnfG1AJXqSP6q1pNt-g=&h=150&w=150&sz=31&hl=en&start=11&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=QbGC8UbBilsO2M:&tbnh=96&tbnw=96&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dclootie%2Bdumpling%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divnse&ei=GyOfTaP4AoGatgfuyez_Ag

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How About a Kate Middleton Doll?

Would you like your own Kate Middleton doll? Here is what the press says of this new must-have item:
“If you’re a girl who still dreams of one day growing up and marrying a prince, this could be the next best thing.
Launching today at toy shop Hamleys , is the limited edition ‘Princess Catherine Engagement Doll’ by Arklu, fashioned to resemble Kate Middleton, right down to her blow-dry, blue Issa dress and big Hollywood smile. The Kate Middleton doll takes to the streets of London today.
Seven British fashion and design leaders who together form the rather regal sounding ‘Champions of British Style™’, have dressed and accessorised the doll, which, to their credit, bears a greater resemblance to Middleton than the Royal Mint’s commemorative £5 coin (on which our heroine looks more like Victoria Beckham’s sister, Louise Adams).”

For more information on the doll, see http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/belinda-white/TMG8434851/Introducing-Princess-Catherine-doll-Kate-Middletons-stylish-mini-me.html.

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A New Novel

Fellow Indian Trail, NC, author, S.L. Schmitz, has released her first novel today. Congratulations…

Editorial Reviews
Product Description

“1983. A Razorblade Boy, lead singer with an obscure industrial band. A Dead Girl, a wandering, bruised waif living on the edge of madness. One’s the voice of youth – the other, the mother of the next Savior of the human race. But there’s a problem – the Dead Girl was only meant to produce the Savior, not fall in love with the Razorblade Boy. That means trouble for All-God – catastrophic trouble, with cosmic repercussions. The Dead Girl, All-God’s most beloved and most damaged of all his creations, becomes a beacon of assault for all those beings of Light and unLight, and her fall into spiritual decline threatens to unleash forces beyond even the comprehension of the most enlightened human. The Angels of the Apocalypse are standing in the wings, just waiting for the trigger…. the Razorblade Boy or the Savior – which is it to be?”

About the Author
S.L. Schmitz lives in Indian Trail, NC with her husband and son. There is an ever-changing menagerie of cats who graciously allow the family to share the house with them. In addition to reading and writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, drinking martinis, and making snarky comments about a variety of topics. Feel free to email her at thedeadgirl25@yahoo.com. Also, visit the website www.thedeadgirl.com for updates on new novels and publications.

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Three Musketeers Movie Trailer

This one is in 3D and nothing like what you remember of the Dumas classic. Of course, it has Matthew Macfadyen in it, as well as Orlando Bloom.

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