An Actress And A Writer
I wrote something I heard - and found fascinating - about jealousy here.
When one is jealous
One seeks to destroy that thing
That makes one jealous
Unless there is hope that is
Then one learns from jealousy
One seeks to destroy that thing
That makes one jealous
Unless there is hope that is
Then one learns from jealousy
The last time I mentioned one of the books that I bought for 3 dollars at a charity drive the author seemed to have had one of those things that alerts you when you are mentioned on the web. He commented. What are the odds Debra Winger will comment?
I am enjoying her book, Undiscovered. Here's a snippet:
When I was first starting out and heard all the stories of actresses being discovered I decided I loved the word. But not for what it had come to mean to others. I loved it in a real life sense. I have a photograph of myself at about twenty three, foot up in the air, arms open to the universe,proudly wearing a tight T shirt that reads "UNDISCOVERED." I saw my life and my pursuits as an uncovering of who I could not know I was until then...
And one in present tense:
I am grateful for February and its stark, low maintenance appeal. I do not miss the loud green sprouts sleeping under the surface - they scream of need, and ideas and clutter... I don't want to be forced to go out and gather all the evidence that nature can leave lying around in the spring, all the not-so-subtle hints of G-d. All the color proofs and loud hymns. I want this question mark that is February.
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 8:01 PM
17 Comments:
I didn't know Debra Winger wrote a book. She seems to be a good writer. Interesting.
Sometimes jealousy can drive us to better ourselves. I met a woman I felt jealous of because she was my age, but ran every day and was quite thin. So... my 2009 goal is to run a 5K and I've started running on the treadmill at the J.
(I know, I'm being shallow, but at least the exercise will help keep me healthy despite the rather base motivation.)
The bigger question is whether every negative emotion (jealousy, hate, lust) has a creative force behind it that can be turned to good.
I like Debra's thoughts about winter and will try to keep them in mind come February, one of those months that really drag for me, along with March.
I believe that there is a place for every emotion and that the answer to your ending question is yes, big time. There are many sources for this and I think it makes sense.
I think excercising and being healthy is not base if the focus is to stay healthy and alive...
Debra Winger is a great writer - IMHO. The book came out recently, it's out of the box, as she seems to be. It's also kind of spiritual with a heaven meeting earth kind of feel to it.
It's funny that I was reading her book right after I posted and read the piece on gratitude, they have a somewhat similar style.
Anne, it's funny - we were posting at the same moment. I was replying to Miriam but yours got in in between. I hope this doesn't confuse readers.
It's a short piece that I excerpted. It's really beautifu. Maybe I'll write up the whole thing. Februry is the depths of winter - it's a weak movie month too.
Side point - Each chapter starts with a sketch by Phillipe Petit!!!
A better writer than actress, as you know if you've ever seen Forget Paris. Id like to forget Forget Paris.
I liked Forget Paris. It's hard for Billy Crystal to make a bad movie in my book (although I admit Father's Day was bad, and despite the popular opinion I wasn't crazy about Analyze This - but Forget Paris, I liked).
See Rachel Getting Married, or Shadowlands and then tell me that Ms. Winger is not a great actress.
Did anyone get the movie reference in the title of this post?
Crystal was fine, given what he had to work with; it was the movie that stank.
I watched a really terrific movie this week: Ghost Town. It was funny, touching and clever, with zero raunch, and some very good acting, particularly by Leoni and Kinnears. (Gervais was excellent, but he's always playing Gervais to some extent.) I also loved the way it was shot, in a soft yet bright way that turned NYC into a fantasyland. It's a gem of a film.
Were you referencing "An Officer and a Gentleman" which starred Debra Winger?
I don't know if this is true, but regarding Phillipe Petit I read that,"The actress Debra Winger once told him she has had it written into the contract of every film she has made that she must include a visual tribute to Petit somewhere in her performance."
This is the link http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2003/jan/19/features.magazine57
Does she mention that in her book?
* this is the link (sorry it evolved into a missing link)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
theobserver/2003/jan/19/features.magazine57
Kishke - Thanks for the reommendation. I was not interested in Ghost Town, but will consider it now. It sounds a little too light and Hollywood style for my taste. I have a feeling I woldn't like Ghost Town as must as I liked Ghost World.
Esqcapades - The book has sketches from Petit, and I found a bit about that via googling, but not that much. She doesn't speak about it directly. A commenter on Amazon suggests that she's saying that her life is a tightwire walk. She was once a supporter of a planned walk of his across the Grand Canyon that asn't yet happened. The quote you cited is fascinating and sounds true to me. Did you see Man On Wire? That's a good movie - IMHO - about his walk in the space between the top of the newly built twin towers. I remember when that happened like it was today.
Freudian comment - I wrote must instead of much.
The movie looks really interesting. The event I remember, but I'm bad with names, which led to my googling Petit in the first place. For me, seeing the photos of him causes an almost visceral reaction - both from the height and the Towers - I worked in the South Tower until late '91.
Wow.
Had I mentioned him in relation to Winger? I had thought about mentioning that.
Interesting that you worked there. Amazing how the meaning of those buildings has changed so...
You noted in one of your responses here that each chapter of Ms. Winger's book starts with a sketch by Petit... which led me to google him, and then the movie. (I like your blog - its very eclectic - there's no telling what one might learn.)
I see it now - I forgot where or if I'd said it.
I'm glad you read and enjoy and comment.
Thak you for the compliment. Smetimes I think the word eclectic should be part of the new name of the blog (and not just in the subtitle).
Oh, yes - I was referencing or trying to parallel the phrasing of An Officer and A Gentleman. I never saw it. I recall that when my father (HSLABW) saw it he said afterwards that the proof that it was a good movie was that he didn't look at his watch once while watching the movie.
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