Month: April 2022

The Yearling

LORELAI: You chose The Yearling again?

TAYLOR: It is a fine, wholesome motion picture. Moving story, lovely scenes of nature.

The Yearling, 1946 dramatic family film directed by Clarence Brown, based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It stars Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman, and was filmed on location in the Ocala National Forest in Florida. The film is about a young boy, played by Claude Jarman Jr, who adopts a troublesome deer, the “yearling” of the title.

The Yearling was praised by critics as a heart-warming family film, and was the #9 film of the year at the box-office. However, high production costs meant that it didn’t actually make a big profit. It won three Academy Awards, including a Juvenile Award for Claude Jarman Jr. A television adaptation was released in 1994.

Note that we later learn in this episode that when Taylor says, “Moving story, lovely scenes of nature”, he is quoting from the description given in the film catalogue.

After Lorelai complains that Taylor has chosen The Yearling for the past three years for Movie Night in the Square, Taylor unexpectedly gives her the job of choosing the movie instead, saying she has never volunteered once to help with this event (which is surprising to learn, since Lorelai loves film, and volunteers for most community festivals).

Lon Chaney Junior

LORELAI: Just as Marty, aka Eve Harrington, shows up trying to take Dean’s job, Taylor’s ladder mysteriously disappears, suddenly making Dean invaluable no matter what fancy tricks Lon Chaney Junior over there pulls.

Lon Chaney Jr., stage name of Creighton Chaney (1906-1973), actor best known for playing the title character in the 1941 horror film, The Wolf Man. He was the son of Leonidas “Lon” Chaney (1883-1930), a star of silent film and one of the most versatile actors of all time. He was known as “The Man with a Thousand Faces”, due to his ability to completely transform his appearance with make-up.

Creighton Chaney felt overshadowed by his famous father, and Lon Chaney discouraged him from following him into show business. It was only after his father’s death that Creighton began acting in films, often in uncredited roles, or doing stunt work. By 1934 he had a leading role, and the next year was billed as Lon Chaney Jr; by 1942, Universal Studios usually insisted on him being credited as Lon Chaney.

Lorelai is suggesting that now Dean has gone, Marty will be slowly replacing him, just as Creighton Chaney gradually took over his father’s name. Of course, Lorelai isn’t really worried about Marty – all this talk is a replacement for her real fear, that Jess will replace Dean while he’s out of town. She seems to be trying to suggest to Rory that Dean in invaluable and irreplaceable.

Eve Harrington

LORELAI: Just as Marty, aka Eve Harrington, shows up trying to take Dean’s job, Taylor’s ladder mysteriously disappears …

Eve Harrington [pictured] is the title character of the 1950 drama film All About Eve, directed by Joseph F. Mankiewicz, and produced by Daryl F. Zanuck. It is based on the 1946 short story, “The Wisdom of Eve” by Mary Orr, published in Cosmopolitan magazine.

The film stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, a highly-respected but ageing Broadway star, and Anne Baxter as Eve Harrington, an ambitious young fan who insinuates herself into Margo’s life as her assistant, all the while scheming to take her place. The story was based on the real life experience of Austrian-British actress Elisabeth Bergner, who found herself in the same position as Margo Channing.

All About Eve was overwhelmingly praised by critics, and a box-office success, becoming the #9 film of 1950. It received a record 14 nominations at the Oscars and won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. It is the only film to have ever received four female acting nominations at the Oscars – for Bancroft, Davis, Celeste Holm, and Thelma Ritter. It is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.

Cocktail

LORELAI: Wow, Marty does the jar twirl before putting the salsa in the bag. Impressive, very Cocktail.

Cocktail, 1988 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Heywood Gould; the screenplay was based on his 1984 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name.

It tells the story of a young New York business student, played by Tom Cruise, who takes up bartending in order to make ends meet. An older, more experienced barman, played by Bryan Brown, takes him under his wing and teaches him how to flair – that is, to entertain bar patrons using cocktail shakers and liquor bottles like a juggler. Lorelai suggests that Marty the substitute bag boy is “flairing” the groceries to dazzle the customers.

Cocktail was savaged by critics, who called it “brainless”, “empty”, and “banal”, and it won Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay at the Golden Raspberry Awards. It is generally seen as one of the worst films ever made. Despite this, it was a huge success at the box office, and the #8 film of 1988.

New Bag Boy

LORELAI: Oh, hey, look, new bag boy.

RORY: Oh yeah, that’s Marty. He’s subbing for Dean while he’s out of town.

Dean is suddenly visiting his grandmother out of town in this episode – doesn’t he have to attend school? Considering how upset Dean was at the end of the last episode, it’s possible he has gone to stay with his grandmother to have a break from Stars Hollow and Rory, or to think things through.

“I hate crossword puzzles”

LORELAI: I hate crossword puzzles. They make me feel stupid.

An inside joke. Lauren Graham is very good at crossword puzzles, and would go through several a day on set while waiting for her turn.

Lorelai is looking at a New York Times puzzle book, and judging by the shopping basket Rory is carrying, they are having mac and cheese made from a packet, Twinkies, and a can of Red Bull for dinner that night.

Teach Me Tonight

Teach Me Tonight, previously discussed.

This jazz standard is the perfect title for an episode all about an evening of tutoring. The lyrics say:

Did you say I’ve got a lot to learn?
Well, don’t think, I’m tryin’ not to learn
Since this is the perfect spot to learn
Oh, teach me tonight

Let’s start with the A B C of it
Roll right down to the X Y Z of it
Help me solve the mystery of it
Teach me tonight

The sky’s a black board
High above you
If a shooting star goes by
I’ll use that star to write I love you
A thousand times across the sky

One thing isn’t very clear, my love
Should the teacher stand so near, my love?
Graduation’s almost here, my love
Come on and teach me tonight

A very romantic “hot for teacher” song, making it clear how strongly this student feels about his tutor – and that his feelings are returned. As in the song, this episode takes place close to the end of the school year – although not literally near graduation.

“She likes Jess, doesn’t she?”

[Lorelai pulls up to the house and finds Dean sitting on her front porch]

LORELAI: Dean.

DEAN: She likes Jess, doesn’t she?

Dean has done what Lorelai suggested, and only sent Rory one pager message in two days – presumably the one she gets as they drive into Stars Hollow is to ask how the Business Fair went, and he is considerate enough to wait until Rory is likely back from her grandparents’ place.

Lorelai suggests that Rory should call Dean back, as a tacit reward for his “good behaviour”, but Rory says she’ll call him the next day. She’s heading over to spend time with Lane, and they might even sneak out to Luke’s. Mrs Kim is away at an antiques fair, and Lane’s grandmother, who must be Mrs Kim senior, her father’s mother, is babysitting, but conveniently goes to bed at 6 pm – this might explain other times Lane has mysteriously been able to go out late at night, such as Madeline’s party.

Lorelai returns home alone to find Dean sitting on their porch, waiting for Rory. (So much for not turning up uninvited any more!). Seeing that Rory isn’t with her mother, a depressed Dean gives voice to his worst fears as he says, “She likes Jess, doesn’t she?”.

He understands what Rory has not given herself permission to feel. And yet, despite knowing that Rory’s affections are now otherwise engaged, he continues to try to hold onto her, in exactly the same way that Lorelai told him he shouldn’t.

Elvis Costello

RORY: I’m hanging out with Lane tonight … Yeah, we have some serious CD listening to do. We’re way behind on all the Elvis Costello reissues coming out.

Elvis Costello, professional name of Declan MacManus (born 1954), Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter and record producer, previously mentioned.

Beginning his career in the pub rock scene of 1970s London, and later associated with punk and new wave, Costello’s critically-acclaimed debut album My Aim is True was released in 1977. His first three albums are listed on Rolling Stone’s Greatest of All Time; Armed Forces (1979) contains his highest-charting single, “Oliver’s Army”, which went to #2 in the UK. Elvis Costello is known for his clever lyrics, and music drawing on a diverse range of genres. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

In real life, only Elvis Costello’s first album, My Aim is True, was re-released in 2001. The next big re-issue of his eleven albums to that point didn’t occur until 2006. Unless Rory is simply lying to Lorelai, she and Lane are listening to all Elvis Costello’s albums thus far in preparation for the major re-issue they assume, or have heard, is coming soon.