When I was a child, I used to play this record incessantly. (Part 1 & 2 of the audio below). Today, as a 45 year old man, it still brings a tear to my eye! It remains the most beautiful and heart-wrenching fable I have ever had the pleasure to read or listen to. On Christmas Day, as a family we flipped the LP over to listen to Bing Crosby tell the beloved Christmas Story The Small One. I recently procured the The Happy Prince in my children’s native tongue, so I can pass the story onto them (see image inset).
When I was a high octane and emotionally-charged youngin my father sat me down on occasion to watch his favourite movie Citizen Kane by Orson Welles. I normally made it to the scene where young ‘Charles’ slams his snow-sled into ‘Mr Thatcher’ (his soon to be be foster parent) until I fell into a blissful slumber on the couch whispering Rosebud…………..(Crystal ball falls from hand and breaks into pieces). Don’t mind me..I got carried away there.
Unbeknownst to me for many years it was Orson all along who narrated my all time favourite short story. And of course Citizen Kane would become the ants-pants currently sitting at number 2 in my 100 favourite movies list.
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Oscar Wilde was a favourite of mine for a long long time – Picture of Dorian Grey ❤️
And my dear, 45 years isn’t old. It is prime of life 😊
I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with Oscar Wilde’s writings. Perhaps I will try to find ‘Picture of Dorian Grey’ which no doubt you have a sweet-spot for.
I’m glad we found each other’s blog. Thanks for commenting.
I’ve never heard this before…thanks.
Citizen Kane is incredible to me…Not just the acting but the camera shots are terrific.
There is one blogger I think you would really like… she is a great writer and likes the Thriller genre. https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/76746978
I watched Citizen Kane again about a week ago. I hadn’t seen it in years. I was left gobsmacked by it. The word ‘Genius’ gets bandied around too much, but it surely applies to Orson Welles.
I’ll check that blogger site you recommended Bad. Thanks Man!
Those low shots from underneath the floor are great.
Yes has some cool movies in her past posts and she is an excellent writer.
There are too many great things about ‘Kane’ to even try to list them. I agree the shots are wonderful. How someone so young as Welles did it all is extraordinary. That reminds me I have to see ‘Touch of Evil’ and The Third Man’ again.
I just checked out that blogger’s site. I like what I saw especially her fondness for La La Land. Hehe. I’m a follower already. Cheers.
I agree….The word genius does belong to the man.
Oh Touch of Evil…What a continuous shot to begin the movie!
She blogs about noir movies a lot.
Yeh, I look forward to reading more of her posts.
I don’t remember hardly anything of Touch of Evil and the Third Man. It was such a long time ago.
There’s some wonderful interviews I have been watching of Orson recently on you tube. He was one of a kind that guy.
The intro to Touch of Evil could be the best in the history of Cinema… Ok I may be overstating it but it is close to art…. just my opinion.
I get you Bad. I’ll watch it with what you said in mind.
By the way I wanted to share this blog with you. I’ve been following Bruce’s short story posts for years. I’d be surprised if you didn’t get a kick out of it.
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/34147306
Thank you I’ll take a look at it now.
lol I like dark stories and he has them.
Oh that he has in abundance!