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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Honey, Houmas House Was So Moving!!!!!!!!!!!!





Do you think two queens from New York, let alone the Raving Queen, are going to get THIS close to Houmas, without going there? That is, of course, where the gay iconic classic "Hush, Hush...Sweet Charlotte" was filmed, and didn't we have a lovely tour. Our guide, Judy,not only provided historical detail; she indulged us, allowing me to enact one of Agnes Moorhead's scenes on the stairs, play Bette Daivs ordering the men off her land from the top front porch, and, girls, I sat on Miss Charlotte's bed, and held the bedpost. I also cried when I saw the spot downstairs, where she placed the music box, at the end.

It looked just like the movie, though the stairs seemed narrower than I expected. And being driven to and from there in a limo, with just the two of us, made me feel like Olivia De Havilland as Miriam Dearing, except I am NO white trash.
And, by the way, Oak Alley is the place where the scene with Jewel Mayhew and Cecil Kellaway was shot.

Our guide even sat by the piano and sang the title song, the sheet music to which was there, and she did such a beautiful job, I cried real tears!!!! In the Charlotte room was a cabinet featuring treasures such as photos, and--GASP!-a copy of the original script for the film!!!!! You know, I just wanted to get my hands on that--what a find for the Theater Collection, or our Playreading Group, but I was good. It belongs there.

Even our driver, Jude, was a character, regaling us with life stories ranging from Perth Amboy NJ to losing out in a standup comedy contest to Ellen DeGeneres, who is from down here, and whose cousin, Clyde, owned the club where the contest took place.

What a day, darlings!!!!! Makes you want to watch the movie with a fresh eye!!!!!!

And you know I am just dying to play Velma Cruther! I did her scene on the stairs!!!!!!!

Make sure your banisters are polished now, loves!!!!!

1 comment:

Jesse said...

LOVE your review! Thanks for sharing your passion for Houmas House with the world. You are welcome back ANYTIME!