OT: I have a question for you.

Can`t recall that one. Someone`s bound to know! The last one I watched of her was Ladies in Lavender, with Maggie Smith. They played two elderly sisters livibg in a remote part of Cornwall who found a young foreign man washed up on the beach and took him in. Lovely and unusual film, by our two best female actresses.

Pat P

It's not really a "should." The founding members all determined that each country should pay a set percentage of their economy. It just works out that the US' economy is that much larger than everybody else's.

Nah, I think Brazil might be.

I can't find the list right now. I know I got it somewhere on the Internet, but I'll have to look again later.

Elizabeth

Why thank youuuuuu Ms Sheena - a lovely large box of wine is on its way to you. Wink Wink Snort

Sharon (N.B.)

It is interesting how many truly excellent actors come from the British Isles. I watch many productions from the BBC on satellite and it never ceases to amaze me how well even the least bit player does his/her part. Is it because these people are grounded in Shakespeare?

Lucy

Don't forget Joan Plowright! I see she has a new movie out, too - "Mrs. Plfrey at the Claremont" that I haven't seen yet. I'd put her in the company of Judi Densch and Maggie Smith. Did you see "Tea With Mussolini"? That was a three-fer: the whole trio of the grand dames of British stage and screen!

Sue

I think that may have something to do with it, but we have had many excellent playwrites over the centuries. Arguably the best ones went to RADA, too.

Pat P

Patrick Stewart is the same in everything I've ever seem him in. Charming, yes, but not truly great. The thing about him is that his roles are always perfect for a Shakespearian type actor, which is what he is.

I think Harrison Ford is great. Totally believable in every role he plays, and easy on the eyes too.

But the real great actors are not always the well known ones. Character actors play far more types of roles than the big name actors, and the good ones have a much longer acting career. Often times we don't notice them much because they are so good at playing any and every role so convincingly. Debra in VA See my quilts at

The modern cinemas around here are loathsome. As many chairs as possible jammed into the smallest space possible. Most of the barely padded ill-formed plastic chairs are 18 inches wide, including arm rest, and there is no leg or foot room at all. Once you add the sticky, litter strewn floor; screaming babies: the even louder teens who announce the upcoming events of the movie before the events are shown onscreen; cell phones ringing; people with too much perfume trying to mask the odor of their unwashed bodies; and a soundtrack volume that goes beyond the decibel level of most Rock concerts, well it's just not worth going.

I'll stick to my nice comfy chair too, Pat. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Pat wrote

I heard a young actress who had worked with her say it was better than a drama class just to watch her--and said more than once she missed a cue because she was so enthralled watching Dame Judi. Dawne

Strange how differently we see things - and people. I`ve seen Patrick Stewart as Scrooge, and in something (Can``t remember what it was) where is absolutely exuded malevolence.

I thought that Olivier was wonderful when I first saw his Hamlet - and Richard III, but having seen them both more recently, give me Derek Jakobi - and even yes, Mel Gibson, as Hamlet any day. Al Pacino was unbelievably excellent as Richard III. What a piece of propaganda THAT play was, though!

Pat P

I saw a news item on TV, about downloading films, the same sort of way Napster started a few years ago. A guy has a web site which tells you where you can find the latest movies. He makes his money from adverts on his web page, and claims he is doing nothing illegal. One suspects the people who make movies will need to learn quickly from things like iPods!! When it becomes that easy to download movies, we can all view them from our comfortable chairs.

Speaking of Richard III, read "A Rose for the Crown". Seriously good read!

Cheryl

And Ian McKellan in the 1930's Richard III was a tour de force.

Pat in Illinois

With Cher thrown in for good measure.

Elizabeth (sue me, I love Cher)

Do you remember "Witches Of Eastwick" I loved that one!

Oh I love Joan Plowright. One of my favorite movies is Enchanted April. I especially love what happens at the very end. I won't give it away in case people want to see it who haven't.

Downloading movies has been going on for a few years now. Piracy is very open on the Internet. You can download just about anything on a Bit Torrent site. I'm not sure, but WinMX may have been shut down, but people would be so desperate they'd shoot a video of the movie IN the theater, then share it online. The quality was so horrible it was unwatchable. That's why I go to the theater when I can't wait. Everything else is DVD. By the way, I do not download movies. I did it a few times to see how it worked.

Are you sure? I doubt if he was even BORN in the 1930`s - I`m sure he`s younger than I am!

I saw him (later, but as a youngish man) as Richard II).

Pat P