We Need Some Fun On Here, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            If you look at the last half dozen or so, posts, darlings, you are liable to think I have gone all Sylvia Plath! Hell, it has been at least five years since I reread "The Bell Jar,"--probably more, because it is something one definitely has to be in the right psychological frame of mind for; you cannot just blindly pull it off the shelf, and say, "I am going to read this!," like one can with "Great Expectations," or Jane Austen!!!!!!!!!!

                             So, then, I thought, what would be fun and campy, not to mention queenie, for all my readers?  And that is when it hit me--that hoary 1977 ballet classic, "The Turning Point!"  Poor Arthur Laurents, who always thought more of himself than others did (just try and get through his autobiography, "Original Story By, which was so egotistical I simply could not get through it!!!!!!!!!) and who felt that, with this film, he was making an art ballet film in much the same way Michael Bennett made dance an art form just two years before, on Broadway, with "A Chorus Line."

                                  What he did was create a compendium of camp cliches that, while not on the high level of "Valley Of The Dolls,"--what could be????-- is nevertheless one film that, especially if you are gay, you should see.

                                     Remember what the poster for "The Turning Point" said--"Every person has one?"
Gag me with a spoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      The scene with Shirley MacLaine, playing--get this--an ex-dancer turned suburban Oklahoma wife (who teaches dance) walks into the family bathroom, with  the stockings hanging on the road, and says, "Gorgeous!" has to be seen to be believed!  It is priceless!  I mean, darlings, even at its worst, my bathroom never looked like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Then, how about ex-child actress Lisa Lucas (remember her, in "The House
Without A Christmas Tree??????") as Janina, the "normal" child of the family who does not want to dance, but cook???????????  She must feel out of place in that house; no doubt, she will serving hash to truckers in ten years, like Jessica Lange at the end of "A Thousand Acres."

                                              Now, Philip Saunders, as Ethan, wants to dance, like anything!!!!!!!  But, his mother would rather him play baseball, because,  let's face it, she is afraid of him becoming--HOMOSEXUAL!!!!!!!!!!!  I got news for you, Shirl, (or Dee Dee, as her character is named)--he already IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 Anne Bancroft, as Emma, Dee Dee's former dance colleague, gives the greatest performance playing a dancer--without having to dance a step!  Even the recreation of the "Anna Karenina" ballet is more dramatic movement, like a stage play!  And when she takes Emma, the dance prodigy daughter of Dee Dee, under her wing, followed by a trip to New York--well enough flames fly to satisfy the most flaming of queens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   I mean, who did Arthur Laurents think he was kidding?  He wasn't writing a movie for the mainstream; he was writing one for gay men !!!!!!!!!!  Not as campy as "Valley Of The Dolls," nor as inspirational as "The Red Shoes," but gay, just the same!   Not iconic enough to  suit Arthur, but one that should be seen!

                                                    Of course, he saved the best for last--and that is the Famous Fight Scene, Between Anne Bancroft And Shirley MacLaine!  It actually begins downstairs in the bar, then continues all through the floors of the building, culminating on the roof of the ballet theater. I shall try and bring you as much of it, as I can, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Here is what I could find, darlings!  Wait till you see Anne Bancroft throw her purse, and scream "Bitch!"  Of course, what this scene is about is not two women, but two gay men!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Arthur Laurents certainly knew that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         So, have fun with this, girls!!!!!!!!! Have a screaming good time!!!!!!!!!!!!