My favourite season

First and foremost, my apologies to whoever wrote and composed the song, but mostly to Ms. Andrews whose lovely voice has imprinted "My Favourite Things" on a whole generation's childhood. And I apologise too, for skipping a stanza, but there are a limited number of things I do like about this season.

Ready?

Roasted chestnuts on smoky street corners
Mapleleaf sidewalks and half-naked tree branches
Young college students in traditional robes
The tea kettle is whistling on the stove!

Orangy persimmons on the greengrocer’s stall
Opera and theatre premières pasted on walls
Eager young children on their 1st day of school
First craving for soft garments of wool!

When Winter comes, when Spring’s gone
When Summer’s sun's too hot
I simply remember
My favourite things
And long for Fall! 

And thus Autumn arrives...

(please don’t) Forget Paris…

and When Harry Met Sally , as well as other 90s romantic comedies. It’s one of my guilty pleasures, romantic comedies: from Singin’ in the Rain (romantic comedy and musical, every modern man nightmare, I guess) to French Kiss, I love the genre - the sharp dialogues, the great gestures, the happy endings. Let me tell you how much I enjoy these movies, I’ve talked so much about it and quoted it so often, that a work colleague when he went to Nice, he took a picture of “Cartier’s”, where one of the final scenes of “French Kiss” takes place. (And yes, I can quote the dialogue by heart).

I feel, however, that recent romantic comedies, funny and romantic as they are, they’re not as thought provoking as the ones I’ve mentioned. Let me explain: the comedy is in the theatricals, the circumstances surrounding the characters, sometimes the characters themselves, rather than in the writing/dialogues.

And this is what I miss of Billy Cristal’s comedies. “Forget Paris” in particular is all about story telling: this couple has an amazing love story that is narrated by their mutual friends. Each one brings (literally) something different to table (they are waiting for the couple in a restaurant) and with each view, there’s an enriching detail about the story. There’s an eager and attentive guest, new to the group of friends and the couple in question that, as the story develops, becomes hopeful/less towards the whole idea of marriage. From lover’s bliss to marriage hell and some odd events, the viewer is rooting for the “love conquers all” ending.

On sitcoms I feel the same, I miss terribly Mad About You for the same reasons. So please let’s not “Forget Paris” and let’s hope for rich, enticing dialogues and yet with a lovely “French Kiss” ending.